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Massacre of the Mongol Caravan by Khwarezm
In 1218 a large Mongol caravan at Otrar was detained and executed for espionage by governor Inalchuq, whose goods were confiscated;…
Timeline
- 1218Otrar · KazakhstanThe caravan set out from the Mongol Empire, traveled through Central Asia to the Khwarezmian frontier city of Otrar, carrying large quantities of gold, silver, and silk. Ostensibly on a trading mission, it is also regarded by later historians as a diplomatic delegation testing Khwarezm's attitude.
- 1218City of Otrar · KazakhstanOtrar's governor Inalchuq arrested and executed the caravan members on charges of espionage, confiscating their goods. Khwarezmian Shah Muhammad II failed to effectively stop the act, and when news reached Mongolia it aroused Genghis Khan's intense fury.
Sources
- Jami' al-tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) — Rashid al-Din
- Genghis Khan: His Conquests, His Empire, His Legacy — Frank McLynn (2015)