Jalaladdin Kharazmshah Assassinated

August, 15, 1231 A.D.:
Jalaladdin Kharazmshah Assassinated

By: Mir M.Hosseini

Jalaladdin Kharazmshah was murdered in Diyarbakir by a Kurdish assassin thus putting an end to the Kharazmian Empire. After the raid of Mongols headed by Chengiz Khan in 1220, his father Alaaddin Mohammad was defeated and died on an island in the Caspian sea same year. He fled to India but could not find the support he hoped for. He spent the rest of his life fighting against Mongols, Seljuks and claimers of the throne. After he lost a battle against the Mongols in the Alborz mountains, he fled to the Caucasus, took control of Azerbaijan in 1225, and chose Tabriz as his capital.
While he was engaged in a battle with Seljuks at Erzinjan in 1230, the Mongols captured Azerbaijan. In confusion, he fled to Diyarbakir where he was murdered. His followers however, remained loyal to him after his death and played a great role in capturing Qods in 1244 and helped Mamluks of Egypt defeat Mongols in Ayn Jalut on Sep, 3, 1260, a decisive victory gained by the Muslims over the Mongols since the death of Jalaladdin Kharazmshah thirty years before. .

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KEY TERMS:Ala , Alaaddin , Alborz , Ayn Jalut , Azerbaijan , Caspian , Caucasus , Chengiz Khan , Diyarbakir , Egypt , Erzinjan , India , Jalaladdin Kharazmshah , Khan , Kharazm , Kharazmian , Kharazmshah , Kurdish , Mamluk , Mongol , Muslim , Qods , Seljuk , Tabriz

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