The Khwarezmid (Khwarazmian or Khorezmian or Khorezmshah) Empire was ruled by the Khwarazmian dynasty (also known by Khwarazmshah dynasty, Anushtegin dynasty or Anushteginids) and consisted of parts of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.
The Khwarazmshah dynasty were initially vassal rulers of the Seljuqs but later established their own independent state - which quickly grew into an empire - after the death of the Seljuq Sultan, Sanjar, in 1157.
The polity ends after the Mongol conquest of the region in 1219-1221, and the death of the final Khwarazmshah, Muḥammad, Jalāl al-Dīn, in 1231.
The list of rulers are:
c. 470/c. 1077 Anūshtigin Gharcha’ī nominal Khwārazm Shāh.
490/1097 Ekinchi b. Qochqar, Turkish governor with the title Khwdrazm Shah.
490/1097 Arslan Tigin Muḥammad b. Anūshtigin, Abu ’l-Fatḥ, Quṭb al-Dín, Khwārazm Shah.
521/1127 Qïzïl Arslan Atsïz b. Muḥammad, Abu ‘l-Muẓaffar ‘Alā al-Dīn.
551/1156 Il Arslan b. Atsïz, Abu’ l-Fatḥ.
567/1172 Tekish b. Il Arslan, Abu’ l-Muẓaffar Tāj al-Dunyā wa ‘ l-Dīn.
567– 89/1172–93 Mahmūd b. Il Arslan, Abu ‘ l-Qāsim Sulṭan Shāh, Jalāl al- Dunyā wa ’l-Dīn, rival ruler in northern Khurasan, d.589/1193.
596/1200 Muḥammad b. Tekish ‘Alā’ al-Dīn.
617–28/1220–31 Mengübirti (one of the usual renderings of this cryptic Turkish name; a further possibility suggested recently by Dr Peter Jackson is Mingīrinī: ‘having a thousand men’ = the familiar Persian name Hazārmard) b. Muḥammad, Jalāl al-Dīn.
Mongol conquest of Transoxania and Persia.
[1]
[2]
[3]
[1]: Khwarazmshahs I. Descendants of the Line of Anuštigin. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/U9U8ZTYS
[2]: Bosworth 2012: 301-302. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
[3]: Soucek 2000: 320. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/GNQIHZ4T
| 38 N |
| Khwarezmid Empire |
| Gurganj | 1077 CE 1212 CE |
| Samarqand | 1212 CE 1220 CE |
| Ghazna | 1220 CE 1221 CE |
| Tabriz | 1225 CE 1231 CE |
| Khwarazmian Empire | |
| Khorezmian Empire | |
| Khwarazmian dynasty | |
| Khwarazmshah dynasty | |
| Khorezmshah Kingdom | |
| Anushtegin dynasty | |
| Anushteginids |
| - |
| 2,300,000 km2 | 1210 CE |
| 3,600,000 km2 | 1218 CE |
| 5,000,000 people | 1220 CE |
| 2084 |
| present |
| absent |
| present |
| salary |
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| present |
| inferred present |
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| unknown |
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| - |
| Year Range | Khwarezmid Empire (tm_khwarezmid_emp) was in: |
|---|
The city of Gurgānj (also referred to as Jurjaniya, Urgench or Khorezm) [1] grew rapidly in the tenth and eleventh centuries as it was a terminus for the caravan routes to Volga and Russia. [2]
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 181. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[2]: Bosworth 2012: 302. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
The city of Gurgānj (also referred to as Jurjaniya, Urgench or Khorezm) [1] grew rapidly in the tenth and eleventh centuries as it was a terminus for the caravan routes to Volga and Russia. [2]
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 181. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[2]: Bosworth 2012: 302. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
The city of Gurgānj (also referred to as Jurjaniya, Urgench or Khorezm) [1] grew rapidly in the tenth and eleventh centuries as it was a terminus for the caravan routes to Volga and Russia. [2]
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 181. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[2]: Bosworth 2012: 302. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
The city of Gurgānj (also referred to as Jurjaniya, Urgench or Khorezm) [1] grew rapidly in the tenth and eleventh centuries as it was a terminus for the caravan routes to Volga and Russia. [2]
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 181. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[2]: Bosworth 2012: 302. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
Inhabitants. This has not been mentioned in the sources consulted.
in squared kilometers. The estimated size of the polity in 1210-1218 was between 2.3 - 3.6 million squared kilometres. [1] [2] It stretched from India to Antolia. [3]
[1]: Turchin, Adams and Hall 2006: 222. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8J2YS3HC
[2]: Taagepera 1997: 497. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/5A6JA43D
[3]: Bosworth 2012: 303. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
in squared kilometers. The estimated size of the polity in 1210-1218 was between 2.3 - 3.6 million squared kilometres. [1] [2] It stretched from India to Antolia. [3]
[1]: Turchin, Adams and Hall 2006: 222. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/8J2YS3HC
[2]: Taagepera 1997: 497. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/5A6JA43D
[3]: Bosworth 2012: 303. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/B6JRSLIB
in kilometers.From the capital of Samarqand to the southern-most city of Shiraz is 2,319 kilometres. However this is by modern roads found on google maps so it is likely that this journey would have been longer. [1]
[1]: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Shiraz,+Fars+Province,+Iran/Samarkand,+Uzbekistan/@28.9539435,53.7869575,6.67z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x3fb20d0c8c85f2e3:0x6d0c5b8aef6b4cf6!2m2!1d52.5835646!2d29.5926119!1m5!1m1!1s0x3f4d191960077df7:0x487636d9d13f2f57!2m2!1d66.9749731!2d39.627012!3e0
levels. [1] [2] . [3] :1. Capital city :: 2. Provincial cities ::: 3. Towns :::: 4. Villages ::::: 5. ‘Hamlets’ (tiny settlements such as a few fisherman’s huts but no village)
[1]: Boyle 1968: 142. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Barthold 1968: 152-153. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
[3]: Buniyatov 2015: 84. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
levels. [1] 1. Shah : 2. diwan al-‘ard (supreme commanding body – in charge of military enfeoffments, salaries, control and registration of the army and its people.) : 2.2 sahib diwan al-‘ard (head of the commanding body) :: 3. nazir al-jaysh (army superintendent) ::: 4. qadi-yi hasham wa lashkar-i hadrat (the army’s spiritual leader and judge) :::: 5. qa’id or muqaddam (Commander – if a commander had more than 10,000 cavalry he held the rank of malik) ::::: 6. chawush (senior officer) :::::: 7. jasusiya (special unit of scouts) ::::::: 8. Haras (personal guard) :::::::: 9. Cavalry ::::::::: 10. Foot soldiers
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 50, 71-73. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
levels. [1] 1. Shah : 2. Vizier (Chief official and senior advisor to the ruler) :: 3. Hajib (senior official) :: 3.1 Kuttab (Secretaries) :: 3.1 Mutasarrif (Financial officials) :: 3.1 Ustadhdar (royal household officials) ::: 4. Provincial viziers :::: 5. Shihnas (Governors – appointed in all conquered cities, towns and regions) ::::: 6. Lesser administrative posts
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 61, 75, 77, 79 . https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
Highly likely given that they had a formal legal code, law schools and lawyers but this has not been mentioned in the sources consulted.
Highly likely given that they had a formal legal code, law schools and lawyers but this has not been mentioned in the sources consulted.
Markets and bazaars were present all across the region. [1] Muhtasib’s were bazaar supervisors who ensured the quality and cleanliness of goods, as well as suppressing crime and forgery. [2]
[1]: Barthold 1968: 153. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
[2]: Buniyatov 2015: 84. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
The famous traveller and geographer, Yaqut, wrote that Khwarazm infrastructure was prosperous and had canals and irrigation works. [1] Large areas of pasture were irrigated by channelling water from the canal, which was navigable. [2]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 142. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Buniyatov 2015: 85. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
There were universities in the region such as the Nizâmiyya – a group of higher education institutions that had been established under the Seljuk Empire. [1] There were libraries across the empire. [2] State archives were held in the provincial cities. [3] There were specialised schools for law and poetry. [4]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 595. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Barthold 1968: 429. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
[3]: Buniyatov 2015: 79 . https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[4]: Buniyatov 2015: 97, 103. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
The famous traveller and geographer, Yaqut, wrote that Khwarazm infrastructure was prosperous and had canals and irrigation works. [1] Canals that channelled water for irrigation were navigable. [2]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 142. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Buniyatov 2015: 85. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
There were walled cities and villages with fortifications, such as Bukhara and Guraj, as well as animal enclosures. [1] [2] Fortresses were present across the region and were usually also found in cities which were often double walled such as at the city of Samarqand. [3]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 142. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Barthold 1968: 336. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
[3]: Buniyatov 2015: 85-86. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
There were cemeteries throughout the region. In the provincial and capital cities there were often dedicated burial spaces such as the poets’ cemetery in Tabriz. [1] Rulers had tombs and mausoleums constructed. [2]
[1]: Buniyatov 2015: 98. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
[2]: Buniyatov 2015: 182. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH
Financial and chancery documents from the Khwarazmian state. [1] Manuscripts. [2] . Personal and official letters from court dignitaries. [3]
[1]: Khwarazmshahs I. Descendants of the Line of Anuštigin. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/U9U8ZTYS
[2]: Boyle 1968: 141. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[3]: Boyle 1968: 561. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
Manuals on heresy, such as the al-Milal wa’l-nihal written by scholars al-Shahrastani and Talbis Iblis (The Tricks of Satan) by the author Ibn al-Jauzi were popular. al-Shahrastani also wrote commentaries on the Qua’ran. [1]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 287. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
Islamic legal texts. A literary work on the introduction to Arabic grammar and language was written by a famous grammarian, al-Zamakhshari around 1141. [1] Fakhr al-Din Razi was the author of an encyclopaedia on the Qur’an, Tafsir. [2]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 141. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Boyle 1968: 287. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
The Khwarazmian empire had many theologians and literary scholars. [1] Fakhr al-Din Razi wrote a historical summary of ideas from Muslim theologians in the Muhassil afkdr al-mutaqaddimin. [2] However, many strict Sunni Muslims condemned philosophy as it did not follow the teachings of the Qu’ran and was considered heresy. [3] [4]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 142. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Boyle 1968: 287. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[3]: Boyle 1968: 560. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[4]: Barthold 1968: 428. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
Poetry – Persian and Arabic in court especially - was incredibly popular during this period, and the large number of poets and writers were considered important to the culture of the time, and many were court dignitaries. [1] The celebrated poet, Rashid al-Din Muhammad ’Umari, also wrote guides as well as poetry, such as “"Art of Rhetoric", the Hada’iq al-sihr fi daqďiq al֊shťr, or "Magic Gardens of the Niceties of Poetry", written because Muhammad b. ťUmar Raduyani’s Tarjuman al-Baldgha, "Guide to Eloquence" (composed between 481/1088 and 507/1114) had become out of date.” [2]
[1]: Boyle 1968: 550, 560. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
[2]: Boyle 1968: 561. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/CFW8EE6Q
Dinar was the currency used and was produced as gold, silver and copper coins. Coins were minted in several towns and cities including the major cities of Samarqand and Bukhara. [1] [2]
[1]: Barthold 1968: 275, 327. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/2CHVZMEB
[2]: Buniyatov 2015: 90. https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/items/SAEVEJFH