396:
325:, was surprised by the Shah very soon after defeating their initial target; Muhammad rejected peace overtures and initiated battle. The fierce engagement, between two armies of approximately equal strength, lasted until nightfall, but the Mongols probably had the upper hand. However, since they had been instructed to avoid any possible fighting, they abandoned their camp in secret during the night. The prowess of the Mongol soldiers displayed during the skirmish has been cited as a major reason for the Shah choosing a defensive strategy during
452:
Carl
Sverdrup suggests that the Shah, who already knew that his provocative diplomatic behaviour would result in a retaliatory Mongol strike, seized the opportunity to weaken both the Merkit raiders and his future Mongol enemies. This is supported by a passage in Juvayni, who records that the Shah wished "to kill two birds with one stone", implying that he had already decided on open hostilities. However, there are logistical difficulties with this account — namely that
637:
and Jochi would have commanded their respective right wings, with Jebe, if present, on the left. When joined, the battle was fairly even, but both right flanks succeeded in pushing back their respective opponents. It is clear from both
Juvayni and Nasawi that the Shah was left momentarily isolated in
279:
during the early 13th century. While the occurrence of the skirmish itself is well-attested, its precise dating is uncertain, since the major chroniclers of the period give differing accounts. Modern historians have proposed two possible dates: 1209 or 1219. The background events are similar for each
645:
The indecisive engagement was stopped by the onset of night. The Shah believed that fighting would resume the next day but found at dawn that the
Mongols had abandoned their camp and headed homewards; the Mongols had kindled fires and torches to give the impression their camp was still occupied. The
431:
in 1210, Paul Buell postulates that the indecisive result at the Irghiz River weakened
Muhammad's reputation and made the otherwise inexplicable loss of Samarkand possible. According to Christopher Atwood, it is certain that both the Shah and the Mongols were campaigning in the drainage area of the
451:
is present in this version. It is recorded that
Genghis Khan praised Jochi's leadership on his return from this campaign; historians have assumed that a large battle against a high-quality enemy such as the Shah would be more worthy of high praise than the more routine elimination of the Merkits.
625:
the day after the
Mongols had defeated their tribal enemies, catching them off their guard; he indicates that the Mongols, who had been instructed by Genghis not to engage any local forces, tried to exchange plunder for safe passage. Muhammad refused and forced a battle by overrunning the Mongol
629:
The precise size of each force is highly disputed, not least because it varies depending on the selected chronology. Chroniclers such as Nasawi place the Sultan's force at 60,000 and the Mongol force at 20,000. Leo De Hartog has proposed that Jebe was not present at the battle but maintains the
371:
records that the Shah departed on his campaign at the end of 1218, giving a date of 1219 for the battle itself. Adding to the confusion, all the chronicles contain errors of differing magnitude: for example, Nasawi indicates that the battle came after the defeat of
630:
Mongol figure of 20,000. Sverdrup has proposed much lower totals of between five and fifteen thousand soldiers on each side. He theorizes that the
Khwarazmian forces were slightly stronger than the Mongols and may in fact have been outnumbered.
184:
620:
Regardless of the year, it is certain that the Shah, having received news of large armies operating near his borders, assembled a force of his own and rode to meet them. Juvayni records that he reached the
177:
440:
170:
633:
The dispositions of each force also depend on the selected chronology. While in both versions, the two overall commanders are the Shah and
Subutai, in the 1219 version
497:
638:
the centre; however, a cavalry charge from his right wing, possibly led by his son Jalal al-Din, managed to force the enemy back. Subutai's biography in the
348:
650:
in 1219. The
Khwarazmian ruler is reported to have been shaken and even scared by the strength and valour of the Mongol forces; many historians, following
1408:
1398:
419:
and citing similarities between different campaigns in
Juvayni's account, they suggest that the skirmish took place just after Subutai had defeated a
439:
Other historians suggest that the battle took place in 1218/19, following the accounts set down by al-Athir and Juvayni: this version emphasises the
490:
1403:
343:
The skirmish is described in varying levels of detail by four separate chroniclers, who all attest to different dates. The Arab historian
314:, the ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, received news of large armies operating along his northern borders and set out to confront them.
436:
in 1209/10, which lends this account credence in geographical terms; it is however supported by fewer sources than the other version.
647:
544:
483:
338:
326:
194:
32:
1137:
646:
otherwise unimportant skirmish gained greater importance as the first clash between Mongol and Khwarazmian forces before the
376:, which is known to have happened no earlier than 1218; by contrast, Juvayni's account states that the Sultan remained in
392:; however, his chronology of Mongol interactions with the Khwarazmids is suspect because his chronicle misses out years.
1368:
520:
464:
when the disgraced Kuchlug was killed in late 1218, but the Irghiz River flows nearly a thousand miles away in modern
1413:
1301:
1250:
1221:
1191:
1048:
567:
1006:
356:
412:
380:
from 30 October to 30 December "because it was springtime" — a contradiction in itself. The later historian
563:
403:
in 1215 AD. The Irghiz river, the site of the battle, is located on the Khwarazmian border, north of the
233:
1242:
551:
1201:
608:
596:
579:
556:
223:
584:
1153:
537:
311:
110:
989:
634:
381:
364:
115:
1393:
1388:
1183:
654:, cite this reaction as the reason he chose a purely defensive strategy during the invasion.
532:
411:
Some historians propose that the battle took place in 1209. Drawing upon sources such as the
1351:
1327:
969:
955:
389:
238:
8:
253:
1347:
1307:
1285:
1269:
1260:
1256:
1232:
1162:
1106:
1095:"Early Mongol Expansion in Western Siberia and Turkestan (1207-1219): A Reconstruction"
1032:
527:
400:
359:
explicitly corrects him by attesting that the battle took place in the year 612 of the
272:
90:
395:
1364:
1311:
1297:
1273:
1246:
1217:
1187:
1133:
1081:
1054:
1044:
981:
964:
368:
243:
213:
1339:
1289:
1209:
994:
589:
574:
360:
248:
228:
218:
1343:
1213:
639:
162:
1073:
651:
622:
603:
56:
1293:
1382:
1179:
1118:
1058:
1018:
276:
95:
60:
1085:
946:
444:
344:
281:
1361:
The Mongol Conquests: The Military Campaigns of Genghis Khan and Sübe'etei
1132:]. Translated by Mustafayev, Shahin; Welsford, Thomas. Moscow: Nauka.
461:
424:
307:
1166:
1110:
959:] (in Arabic). Vol. XII. Translated by Richards, Donald Sidney.
1148:
1094:
475:
465:
64:
1238:
433:
428:
1130:
A History of the Khorezmian State under the Anushteginids, 1097-1231
1123:
A History of the Khorezmian State Under the Anushteginids, 1097-1231
1036:
404:
508:
416:
377:
373:
303:
299:
291:
127:
18:
Skirmish between Mongol and Khwarazmian forces at uncertain date
457:
420:
385:
295:
286:
826:
824:
797:
448:
352:
322:
132:
836:
683:
681:
679:
384:
also provides an account of the Mongol engagements with the
1001:(in Persian). Vol. XXIII. Translated by Raverty, H. G.
890:
821:
809:
453:
318:
138:
880:
878:
722:
317:
The Mongol army, which possibly also included the general
865:
863:
676:
712:
710:
708:
917:
875:
785:
642:
records that "Jebe fought an unsuccessful engagement".
907:
905:
860:
763:
761:
734:
1231:
May, Timothy (2018). "The Mongols outside Mongolia".
705:
423:
confederation. Because Kuchlug, then a vassal of the
746:
271:
was a minor engagement fought between forces of the
902:
848:
773:
758:
664:
693:
192:
1380:
1204:(2009). "The Mongol Age in Eastern Inner Asia".
1126:Государство Хорезмшахов-Ануштегинидов: 1097-1231
980:] (in Persian). Vol. 2. Translated by
290:of the Mongols, sent an army under his general
1149:"On Some Problems Concerning Jochi's Lifetime"
1041:Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire
329:, for which this was a preliminary encounter.
491:
178:
1146:
815:
1015:Biography of Sultan Jalal al-Din Mankubirti
498:
484:
185:
171:
1409:Mongol invasion of the Khwarazmian Empire
1399:Battles involving the Khwarazmian dynasty
1328:"Sübe'etei Ba'atur, Anonymous Strategist"
1173:
1117:
884:
842:
363:, or 1215–6. The later Persian historian
339:Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire
33:Mongol conquest of the Khwarazmian Empire
1358:
1325:
1267:
1072:
923:
896:
869:
830:
740:
728:
505:
394:
1200:
1080:(Third ed.). Gibb Memorial Trust.
1011:Sirah al-Sultan Jalal al-Din Mankubirti
752:
347:maintains that it took place after the
1381:
1031:
791:
415:and extant biographies of the general
355:in 1218. al-Athir's near-contemporary
1268:Sverdrup, Carl (2010). France, John;
1092:
1078:Turkestan Down to the Mongol Invasion
1005:
911:
854:
803:
779:
687:
479:
166:
1278:Journal of Medieval Military History
1176:Genghis Khan: Conqueror of the World
945:
670:
367:gives the date of 615 (1218); while
1404:Battles involving the Mongol Empire
1230:
1206:The Cambridge History of Inner Asia
1161:(2). Harrassowitz Verlag: 283–290.
988:
963:
767:
716:
699:
427:, managed to seize the key city of
294:to attack hostile forces (either a
13:
14:
1425:
1338:(1). Harrassowitz Verlag: 33–49.
1017:] (in Arabic). Translated by
1007:al-Nasawi, Shihab al-Din Muhammad
1147:Dafeng, Qu; Jianyi, Liu (1998).
1105:(1). Harrassowitz Verlag: 1–32.
933:
46:Uncertain (either 1209 or 1219)
978:History of the World Conqueror
298:confederation or the renegade
1:
1208:. The Chinggisid Age: 26–45.
657:
413:Secret History of the Mongols
332:
306:) in the former lands of the
196:Mongol invasion of Khwarazmia
1352:10.13173/jasiahist.47.1.0033
1344:10.13173/jasiahist.47.1.0033
1214:10.1017/CBO9781139056045.005
7:
1274:"Numbers in Mongol Warfare"
1043:. New York: Facts on File.
939:
327:the open warfare of 1220–21
10:
1430:
1243:Edinburgh University Press
443:between Shah Muhammad and
441:deterioration in relations
336:
1294:10.1515/9781846159022-004
1272:; DeVries, Kelly (eds.).
1025:
516:
471:
204:
157:Between 14,000 and 40,000
148:
101:
84:
38:
30:
25:
1414:Historical controversies
1363:. Helion & Company.
1332:Journal of Asian History
1125:
998:
973:
950:
816:Dafeng & Jianyi 1998
806:, pp. 10–14, 24–26.
321:and Genghis' eldest son
154:Between 6,000 and 60,000
1359:Sverdrup, Carl (2017).
1326:Sverdrup, Carl (2013).
1261:10.3366/j.ctv1kz4g68.11
1174:De Hartog, Leo (1989).
1154:Central Asiatic Journal
1099:Central Asiatic Journal
1093:Buell, Paul D. (1992).
990:Juzjani, Minhaj-i Siraj
1033:Atwood, Christopher P.
408:
349:execution of a caravan
116:Jalal al-Din Mangburni
102:Commanders and leaders
1312:10.7722/j.ctt7zstnd.6
398:
269:Irghiz River skirmish
26:Irghiz River skirmish
970:Tarikh-i Jahangushay
956:The Complete History
1270:J. Rogers, Clifford
899:, pp. 109–117.
845:, pp. 109–110.
833:, pp. 187–190.
731:, pp. 365–366.
719:, pp. 369–373.
1286:Boydell and Brewer
1245:. pp. 44–75.
1184:St. Martin's Press
982:Andrew Boyle, John
965:Juvaini, Ata-Malik
409:
401:Khwarazmian Empire
273:Khwarazmian Empire
91:Khwarazmian Empire
1234:The Mongol Empire
1139:978-9943-357-21-1
951:الكامل في التاريخ
794:, pp. 306–7.
770:, pp. 58–61.
617:
616:
390:Jami' al-tawarikh
262:
261:
161:
160:
80:
79:
1421:
1374:
1355:
1322:
1320:
1318:
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1143:
1119:Buniyatov, Z. M.
1114:
1089:
1074:Barthold, Vasily
1069:
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1021:
1019:Buniyatov, Z. M.
1002:
995:Tabaqat-i Nasiri
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361:Islamic calendar
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23:
22:
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786:
782:, pp. 8–9.
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739:
735:
727:
723:
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648:Mongol invasion
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341:
335:
280:possible date:
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200:
195:
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144:
121:
68:
19:
12:
11:
5:
1427:
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1401:
1396:
1391:
1376:
1375:
1370:978-1913336059
1369:
1356:
1323:
1302:
1265:
1251:
1228:
1222:
1202:Jackson, Peter
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1192:
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1138:
1115:
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1070:
1049:
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1024:
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986:
974:تاریخ جهانگشای
961:
941:
938:
937:
935:
932:
929:
928:
926:, p. 372.
916:
901:
889:
885:De Hartog 1989
874:
859:
847:
843:Buniyatov 2015
835:
820:
818:, p. 285.
808:
796:
784:
772:
757:
745:
743:, p. 367.
733:
721:
704:
692:
675:
673:, p. 207.
662:
661:
659:
656:
652:Vasily Bartold
615:
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611:
606:
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593:
592:
587:
585:Voronezh River
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541:
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523:
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473:
470:
388:tribes in his
334:
331:
310:dynasty. Shah
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1303:9781843835967
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1252:9780748642373
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1223:9781139056045
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1193:1-86064-972-6
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957:
948:
947:al-Athir, Ibn
944:
943:
925:
924:Barthold 1968
920:
914:, p. 16.
913:
908:
906:
898:
897:Sverdrup 2010
893:
887:, p. 89.
886:
881:
879:
872:, p. 37.
871:
870:Sverdrup 2013
866:
864:
857:, p. 24.
856:
851:
844:
839:
832:
831:Sverdrup 2017
827:
825:
817:
812:
805:
800:
793:
788:
781:
776:
769:
764:
762:
755:, p. 31.
754:
749:
742:
741:Barthold 1968
737:
730:
729:Barthold 1968
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718:
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507:Campaigns of
501:
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382:Rashid al-Din
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277:Mongol Empire
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96:Mongol Empire
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61:Aktobe Region
58:
53:
50:
49:
45:
42:
41:
37:
34:
29:
24:
16:
1394:1219 in Asia
1389:1209 in Asia
1360:
1335:
1331:
1315:. Retrieved
1281:
1277:
1233:
1205:
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1152:
1129:
1122:
1102:
1098:
1077:
1062:. Retrieved
1040:
1014:
1010:
993:
977:
968:
954:
934:Bibliography
919:
892:
850:
838:
811:
799:
787:
775:
753:Jackson 2009
748:
736:
724:
695:
690:, chapter 4.
666:
644:
635:Jalal al-Din
632:
628:
623:Irghiz river
619:
552:Irghiz River
445:Genghis Khan
438:
410:
345:Ibn al-Athir
342:
316:
285:
282:Genghis Khan
268:
266:
209:Irghiz River
208:
85:Belligerents
59:(modern-day
57:Irghiz River
31:Part of the
15:
1288:: 109–117.
999:طبقات ناصری
792:Atwood 2004
580:Kalka River
533:Sanfengshan
462:Afghanistan
425:Qara-Khitai
308:Qara-Khitai
111:Muhammed II
1383:Categories
1317:3 February
912:Buell 1992
855:Buell 1992
804:Buell 1992
780:Buell 1992
658:References
545:Khwarazmia
466:Kazakhstan
460:in modern
337:See also:
333:Chronology
141:(possibly)
135:(possibly)
118:(possibly)
76:Indecisive
65:Kazakhstan
1239:Edinburgh
1121:(2015) .
1076:(1968) .
1059:249678944
1037:"Khorazm"
688:al-Nasawi
640:Yuán Shǐn
609:Esztergom
557:Samarkand
456:was near
434:Syr Darya
429:Samarkand
224:Samarkand
1180:New York
1167:41928156
1111:41927806
1035:(2004).
940:Medieval
768:May 2018
671:al-Athir
528:Yehuling
405:Aral Sea
312:Muhammad
275:and the
234:Khorasan
149:Strength
51:Location
1086:4523164
1064:2 March
717:Juvaini
700:Juzjani
590:Kozelsk
564:Georgia
538:Kaifeng
509:Subutai
417:Subutai
378:Bukhara
374:Kuchlug
369:Juvayni
365:Juzjani
304:Kuchlug
302:prince
292:Subutai
244:Waliyan
229:Gurganj
219:Bukhara
128:Subutai
55:On the
1367:
1350:
1310:
1300:
1259:
1249:
1220:
1190:
1165:
1136:
1109:
1084:
1057:
1047:
1026:Modern
702:, 267.
626:camp.
597:Europe
575:Khunan
568:Russia
472:Battle
458:Wakhan
421:Merkit
386:Merkit
357:Nasawi
300:Naiman
296:Merkit
287:khagan
249:Parwan
73:Result
1348:JSTOR
1308:JSTOR
1257:JSTOR
1163:JSTOR
1128:[
1107:JSTOR
1013:[
976:[
953:[
521:China
449:Jochi
353:Otrar
323:Jochi
254:Indus
214:Otrar
133:Jochi
1365:ISBN
1319:2022
1298:ISBN
1282:VIII
1247:ISBN
1218:ISBN
1188:ISBN
1134:ISBN
1082:OCLC
1066:2022
1055:OCLC
1045:ISBN
604:Mohi
566:and
454:Jebe
399:The
319:Jebe
267:The
239:Merv
139:Jebe
43:Date
1340:doi
1290:doi
1210:doi
949:.
351:at
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1346:.
1336:47
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1296:.
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1255:.
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1237:.
1216:.
1186:.
1182::
1178:.
1159:42
1157:.
1151:.
1103:36
1101:.
1097:.
1053:.
1039:.
1009:.
992:.
967:.
904:^
877:^
862:^
823:^
760:^
707:^
678:^
468:.
447:.
284:,
63:,
1373:.
1354:.
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1292::
1263:.
1226:.
1212::
1196:.
1169:.
1142:.
1113:.
1088:.
1068:.
984:.
499:e
492:t
485:v
407:.
186:e
179:t
172:v
67:)
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