Mongol Siege of Ghazna

Timeline

1. 1221Outside Ghazna · Ghazni ProvinceThe main Mongol force advanced east from Khorasan and besieged Ghazna, which was still within the Khwarazm sphere of influence. The defending commander held a strong position, with the city's defenses relying on a mountain fortress; the Mongols laid siege and cut off supply lines.
2. 1221Ghazna · Ghazni ProvinceCombining siege engines with assault, the Mongols breached the defenses; most of the garrison was killed or captured. Ghazna, a strategic stronghold in southern Afghanistan, fell under Mongol control, and the Khwarazm administrative system in the region collapsed.
3. 1221Ghazna · Ghazni ProvinceAfter the city fell, the Mongols carried out retaliatory massacres at Ghazna; many civilians were killed and the city's buildings and cultural heritage were severely damaged. The Mongols then continued south into eastern Afghanistan, opening the route to pursue Jalal al-Din and launch the campaigns of Parwan and the Indus River.