Khwarazmian-Qara Khitai Conflict

Khwarazmian-Qara Khitai Conflict
Date 1158-1213 Location Transoxiana and Turkestan Result Khwarazmian victory Territorial changes Khwarazmians and Mongols, destroyed Qara Khitai Dynasty
Belligerents
Khwarazmian Empire	Qara-Khitai Empire
Commanders and leaders
Il-Arslan Ala ad-Din Tekish Ala ad-Din Muhammad	Emperor Renzong Yelü Zhilugu Kuchlug
Strength
High	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

War

First invasion

The Karakhanid Chaghrï Khan had been persecuting the Qarluks in his realm, and several Qarluk leaders fled to Khwarazm and sought Il-Arslan's help. He responded by invading the Karakhanid dominions, taking Bukhara and besieging Samarkand, where Chaghrï Khan had taken refuge. The latter appealed to both the Turks of the Syr Darya and the Qara Khitai, and the gurkhan sent an army, but its commander hesitated to enter into conflict with the Khwarazmis. In the end a peace was mediated where Chaghrï Khan was forced to take back the Qarluk leaders and restore them to their former positions.

Second invasion

The Khwarezm-Shah took Bukhara in 1207, but was defeated by the Qara Khitai at Samarkand. Zhilugu left Samarkand to deal with Kuchlug, but Muhammad II used the opportunity to seize Samarkand, then defeated the Qara Khitai near Talas and gained control of Transoxiana. Muhammad II captured Transoxiana. He pursued expansionist policy and conquered Tashkent and Ferghana He finally destroyed Western Karakhanids in 1212. During 1212 the city of Samarkand revolted killing 8,000–10,000 Khwarazmians living there. Muhammad, in retaliation, sacked the city and executed 10,000 citizens of Samarkand. In August-September 1210, a very fierce battle took place between the Khwarezm Shahs and the Kara-Khitans in the Ilamish plains near Andijan. As a result, the Kara-Khitans were defeated and the commander-in-chief, Tayangu, who was over a hundred years old, was taken prisoner.