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Khwarazm Expansion
In the 1120s, Khwarazm Shah Atsiz and other rulers took advantage of the Seljuk Empire's fragmentation to expand eastward, seizing cities in Khorasan…
Timeline
- 1121–1124Urgench · KhwarazmKhwarazm Shah Atsiz ibn Muhammad consolidated his base in the lower Amu Darya, gradually reducing complete dependence on the Seljuk overlord and building up military strength for eastward expansion.
- 1125–1128Nishapur · KhorasanKhwarazmian forces campaigned east into Khorasan, capturing key points such as Nishapur and clashing repeatedly with Sultan Sanjar; though repeatedly defeated they kept fighting, and their sphere of influence continued shifting eastward.
- 1127–1130Samarkand · TransoxianaKhwarazmian influence penetrated the Western Qarakhanids, installing puppet khans and controlling key trading cities such as Samarkand, bringing Transoxiana into its orbit of expansion.
Sources
- The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 5: The Saljuq and Mongol Periods — J. A. Boyle (ed.) (1968)
- Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition: Khwarazm — C. E. Bosworth https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/