Editing Muhammad II of Khwarazm

{{short description|Khwarazm Shah}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Muhammad II
| title        = The Second Alexander<ref>{{Cite book |author=Mohammad Habib|author-link=Mohammad Habib|chapter=THE KHWARAZMIAN EMPIRE|editor1=Mohammad Habib |editor2=Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526) |volume=5 |edition=Second |year=1992 |publisher=The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ|page=42|quote=Taksh's sucçessor, Alauddin Muhammnad Khwarazm Shah, styled 'the Second Alexander' (1200-20), was the last of the old type of Emperor-Sultans, for Timur does not belong to this category|oclc=31870180}}</ref> 
| image        = Muhammad II portrait in a 1430 manuscript of the Jami' al-tawarikh by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani.jpg
| caption      = Depiction of Muhammad II in a 1430 manuscript of the ''[[Jami' al-tawarikh]]'' by [[Rashid-al-Din Hamadani]]
| succession   = [[Shah]] of [[Khwarazmian Empire|Khwarazm]]
| reign        = 3 August 1200 – 11 January 1221
| coronation   = 3 August 1200<ref>{{Cite journal|author=[[Muhammad Abdul Ghafur]]|url=https://www.google.com.tw/books/edition/Journal_of_the_Asiatic_Society_of_Pakist/xOM5AQAAIAAJ?hl=zh-TW&gbpv=1&bsq=Shah++3++August+1200&dq=Shah++3++August+1200&printsec=frontcover|title=〈The Relation of the Ghurids with the Caliph〉|journal=《Journal of the Asiatic Society of Pakistan》|location=[[Pakistan|Islamic Republic of Pakistan]]|publisher=Asiatic Society of Pakistan|year=1964|volume=9|issue=2|pages=115|language=en|quote=However , the political purpose of the Caliph was well served by the Ghurid . Khwarizm Shah could not undertake the risk of advancing to Baghdad leaving at the rear a powerful enemy like the Ghurid . Takash died on 12 Ramadan 596 , July 3 , 1200 and his son Muhammad was proclaimed Khwarizm Shah on August 3 , 1200 A. D.}}</ref>
| predecessor  = [[Ala ad-Din Tekish|Tekish]]
| successor    = [[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]]
| regent       = [[Terken Khatun (wife of Ala ad-Din Tekish)|Terken Khatun]]
| reg-type     = Co-ruler
| birth_date   = 1169
| birth_place  = 
| death_date   = 11 January 1221<ref name="death_date">{{Cite book|author1=[[Ke Shaomin]]|editor=|title=《新元史考證‧考證三‧卷三‧本紀第三‧太祖下》|location=[[Republic of China]]|publisher=|date=|pages=|ISBN=|accessdate=|url=https://www.google.com.tw/books/edition/%E6%96%B0%E5%85%83%E5%8F%B2%E8%80%83%E8%AD%89/XAxOAAAAMAAJ?hl=zh-TW&gbpv=1&bsq=%E6%B4%AA%E4%BE%8D%E9%83%8E%E6%9B%B0%E4%BB%96%E8%A5%BF%E6%9B%B8%E8%80%83%E5%BE%97&dq=%E6%B4%AA%E4%BE%8D%E9%83%8E%E6%9B%B0%E4%BB%96%E8%A5%BF%E6%9B%B8%E8%80%83%E5%BE%97&printsec=frontcover|language=zh|quote=十二月，蘇爾灘心悸而卒。洪侍郎曰：「他西書考得，王卒爲西一千二百二十一年正月十一日，合之中歷爲十五年十二月間。」〈耶律楚材傳〉：庚辰冬，大雨雪，楚材曰：「回回主當死於野。」時序正合舊史，繫之。壬午，誤。}}</ref> (aged 52)
| death_place  = [[Caspian Sea]]
| spouse       = Ay Chichek Khatun
| issue        = {{plainlist|
*[[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]] 
}}
| full name    = '''[[Laqab]]''': Ala ad-Din (shortly), Iskandar-i Sani<br>'''[[Kunya (Arabic)|Kunya]]''': Abul-Fath<br>'''[[Given name]]''': Muhammad<br>'''[[Nickname|Turkic nickname]]''': Sanjar<br>'''[[Arabic name#Nasab نسب|Nasab]]''': Muhammad [[wiktionary:ibn|ibn]] Tekish ibn [[Il-Arslan]] ibn [[Atsiz]] ibn [[Muhammad I of Khwarazm|Muhammad]] ibn [[Anushtegin Gharchai|Anushtegin]]
| house        = [[House of Anushtegin]]
| father       = [[Ala ad-Din Tekish|Tekish]]
| mother       = [[Terken Khatun (wife of Ala ad-Din Tekish)|Terken Khatun]]
| religion     = [[Sunni Islam]]
| place of burial = 
| othertitles  = 
}}
''''Alā' al-Din Muhammad II''' ([[Persian language|Persian]]: علاءالدین محمد خوارزمشاه; [[full name]]: ''Ala ad-Dunya wa ad-Din Abul-Fath Muhammad Sanjar ibn Tekish'') was the [[Shah]] of the [[Khwarazmian Empire]] from 3 August 1200 to 11 January 1221.<ref name="death_date"/> His ancestor was [[Anushtegin Gharchai]], a [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] [[Ghilman|Ghulam]] who eventually became a viceroy of a small province in [[Central Asia]] named [[Khwarazm]]. He was subjected to the [[Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire]], which resulted in the utter destruction of his empire.

==Reign==
After his father [[Ala ad-Din Tekish|Tekish]] died, Muhammad succeeded him. Right after his accession, however, his domains were invaded by the two [[Ghurid]] brothers [[Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad|Ghiyath al-Din Ghori]] and [[Mu'izz al-Din]]. Within weeks, the two brothers had moved their armies westwards into [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]]. Once they had captured [[Nishapur]], Mu'izz al-Din was sent on an expedition towards [[Ray, Iran|Ray]], but he let his troops get out of control and got little further than [[Gurgan]], earning criticism from Ghiyath which led to the only reported quarrel between the brothers.<ref>Ahmad Hasan Dani et al. [https://books.google.com/books?id=lodSckjlNuMC&pg=PA182 History of civilizations of Central Asia, vol. IV], Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass Pub. (1999) {{ISBN|81-208-1409-6}}, p182</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=9JQ3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA662 Enc. Islam, article: Muhammad, Mu'izz al-Din]</ref>

Ghiyath died at [[Herat]] in 1203 after months of illness. Muhammad II used this opportunity to invade the domains of the Ghurid Empire, and besieged [[Herat]]. Mu'izz, however, managed to repel him from Herat and then pursued him to [[Khwarazm]], besieging [[Gurganj]], his capital. Muhammad desperately requested aid from the [[Kara-Khitan Khanate]], who sent an army to aid Muhammad. Mu'izz, because of the pressure from the Kara-Khitans, was forced to relieve the siege and retreat. However, on his way to his domains in [[Ghor]], he was defeated in [[Battle of Andkhud]] in 1204.<ref>''A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle'', Vol. I, ed. Spencer C. Tucker, (ABC-CLIO, 2010), 269.</ref><ref>Farooqui Salma Ahmed, ''A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century'', (Dorling Kindersley Pvt., 2011), 53–54.</ref> Mu'izz al-Din was later assassinated in 1206, throwing the [[Ghurid Empire]] into a civil war. During the civil war, [[Ghiyath al-Din Mahmud]] managed to emerge victorious.

However, Ghiyath's [[Turkic peoples|Turkic]] general [[Taj al-Din Yildiz]] seized [[Ghazni]] from the Ghurid rulers of [[Bamiyan]], but shortly recognized the authority of Ghiyath. Ghiyath, not glad about Tajuddin controlling Ghazni, and not daring to leave Ghur unprotected, requested help from the Muhammad II. Muhammad, however, instead invaded the domains of Ghiyath, capturing [[Balkh]] and [[Tirmidh]].<ref name="Biran">Michel Biran, ''The Empire of the Qara Khitai in Eurasian History'', (Cambridge University Press, 2005), 70.</ref> However, during his invasion he was captured by the [[Kara-Khitan Khanate]]. Thirteen months later, Muhammad was freed from captivity, and once again invaded the domains of Ghiyath, and captured [[Herat]]. Muhammad then invaded the Ghurid heartland of [[Ghur]], and captured Ghiyath. Ghiyath then agreed to recognize Muhammad's authority.

[[File:Khwarizm Shahs. 'Ala al-Din Muhammad II. AH 596-617 AD 1200-1220 Citing Abbasid caliph a1-Nasir. Ghazna (Ghazni) mint.jpg|thumb|left|A coin of 'Ala al-Din Muhammad II citing Abbasid caliph [[al-Nasir]] and minted in the newly conquered [[Ghurid Empire|Ghurid]] capital of [[Ghazni]].]]
Muhammad II then captured [[Samarkand]] in 1207 from the [[Kara Khitay]], [[Tabaristan]] in 1210 from [[Bavandids]] and [[Transoxiana]] from Western Karakhanids. He pursued expansionist policy and conquered [[Tashkent]] and [[Fergana]] from Western Karakhanids and regions of [[Makran]] and [[Balochistan]] from Ghurids and [[Atabegs of Azerbaijan]] become his vassals in 1211. He finally destroyed Western Karakhanids in 1212 and Ghurids in 1215 annexing with their remainder territories. 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.<ref name="Rafis Abazov">Rafis Abazov, ''Palgrave Concise Historical Atlas of Central Asia'', (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008), 43.</ref>

By 1217, he had conquered all the lands from the [[Syr Darya|river Jaxartes]] to the [[Persian Gulf]]. He declared himself [[shah]] and demanded formal recognition from the [[caliph]] in [[Baghdad]]. When the caliph [[an-Nasir]] rejected his claim, Ala ad-Din Muhammad gathered an army and marched towards [[Baghdad]] to depose an-Nasir. However, when crossing the [[Zagros Mountains]], the shah's army was caught in a blizzard.<ref name="Rafis Abazov" /> Thousands of warriors died. With the army decimated, the generals had no choice but to return home.

==Fall==
[[File:Dinar of 'Ala al-Din Muhammad II, struck at the Bukhara mint.jpg|thumb|Gold ''[[Gold dinar|dinar]]'' of Ala ad-Din Muhammad II, struck at the [[Bukhara]] mint]]
In 1218, a small contingent of Mongols crossed borders in pursuit of an escaped enemy general. Upon successfully retrieving him, [[Genghis Khan]] made contact with the Shah. Having only recently conquered two-thirds of the [[Jin dynasty (1115-1234)|Jin dynasty]] and capturing [[Beijing]], Genghis was looking to open trade relations, but having heard exaggerated reports of the Mongols, the Shah believed this gesture was only a ploy to invade ''his'' land. Genghis sent emissaries to Khwarazm (reports vary – one stating a group of 100 Muslim merchants with a single Mongol leading them, others state 450) to emphasize his hope for a trade road. The Shah, in turn, had one of his governors ([[Inalchuq]], his uncle) openly accuse the party of spying, their rich goods were seized and the party was arrested.<ref name=Soucek>{{cite book | author = Svat Soucek | author-link = Svat Soucek | title = A History of Inner Asia | publisher = Cambridge University Press | year = 2002 | isbn = 0-521-65704-0 | pages = [https://archive.org/details/historyofinneras00souc/page/106 106] | url = https://archive.org/details/historyofinneras00souc/page/106 }}</ref> 
[[File:Mort de Muhammad Hwârazmshâh.jpeg|thumb|Muhammad II's death, depicted in a 1430 manuscript of the ''[[Jami' al-tawarikh]]'' by [[Rashid-al-Din Hamadani]]]]
Trying to maintain diplomacy, Genghis sent an envoy of three men to the Shah, to give him a chance to disclaim all knowledge of the governor's actions and hand him over to the Mongols for punishment. The shah executed the envoy (again, some sources claim one man was executed, some claim all three were), and then immediately had the Mongol merchant party (Muslim and Mongol alike) put to death and their goods seized.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Man |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=reak1EUA57sC |title=Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection |publisher=Bantam |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-553-81498-9 |pages=176 |language=en}}</ref> These events led Genghis to [[Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire|retaliate with a force of 100,000 to 150,000 men]] that crossed the [[Jaxartes]] in 1219 and sacked the cities of [[Samarkand]], [[Bukhara]], [[Otrar]] and others. Muhammad's capital city, [[Kunya Urgench|Urgench]], followed soon after.

Ala ad-Din Muhammad fled the Mongol onslaught and sought refuge in [[greater Khorasan|Khorasan]],{{fact|date=May 2022}} and later died of [[pleurisy]] on an island in the [[Caspian Sea]] near the port of [[Abaskun]] some weeks later. He was succeeded by his son [[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]].

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book | title = The Cambridge History of Iran |volume= 5: ''The Saljuq and Mongol Periods'' | year = 1968 | publisher = Cambridge University Press | location = Cambridge | editor-last = Frye | editor-first = R. N. | last = Bosworth | first = C. E. | authorlink = C. E. Bosworth | chapter = The Political and Dynastic History of the Iranian World (A.D. 1000–1217) | pages = 1–202 | isbn = 0-521-06936-X | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=16yHq5v3QZAC&pg=PA1}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-hou|[[House of Anushtegin]]||1169||1221}}
{{s-reg|}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Ala ad-Din Tekish|Tekish]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Khwarazmian Empire|Shah of the Khwarazmian Empire]]|years=3 August 1200 – 11 January 1221}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jalal al-Din Mangburni]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Anushtiginid Dynasty}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muhammad 02 Of Khwarazm}}
[[Category:1169 births]]
[[Category:1221 deaths]]
[[Category:Muslim monarchs]]
[[Category:Place of birth unknown]]
[[Category:13th-century monarchs in Asia]]
[[Category:Anushtegin dynasty]]