HARZEMŞAHLAR STATE

HARZEMŞAHLAR STATE

 Establishment of the Harzemşahlar State

 Considered the ancestor of the Harzemshah State, Anuş Tigin was taken as a prisoner by Bilge Tigin, one of the Seljuk Emir, as a Turkish youth from Harezm and started to receive education and training in the Seljuk Palace.  Anuş Tigin, who worked as a servant in the Seljuk Palace, rose to the task of Taştdar in time and started to work as a pitcher for the Sultan to take ablution and wash his hands.

  The palace duty, which started with pitcher, continued with the rise of the state in time.

 With his success in state affairs and his intelligence, he was appointed governor of Harezm, where he was taken captive by Bilge Tigin at a young age (1092).  After this date, the Harezm governors, who would become the future sultans of the Harzemshah State, were descended from Anush Tigin.  For this reason, Anuş Tigin is considered to be the founder of the Harzemshah State and the ancestor of the sultanate.

 Harezm region was governed by governors as a province affiliated to the Great Seljuk State.  However, the Seljuk State was divided and weakened in 1092.  As a result of the divisions, the Great Seljuk State, which continued its dominance in the Iraq-Iran line, was ruling this region from a distance with the governor it appointed in the Harezm region.  After the Anuş Tigin period, the administration of the Harezm continued from the Anuş Tigin lineage, and as a result of this, the Anuş Tigin family ruled the Harezm region with its reign and laid the foundations of the Harzemshah state.  Anuş Tigin successfully fulfilled his duty as the governor of Harezm and gained the respect and obedience of his people by adhering to the Great Seljuk State, which was going through difficult times.  Seeing this, Seljuk Sultan Sencer appointed his son Kudbeddin Muhammed as the governor of Harezm after the death of Anuş Tigin (1097).

 The Period of Kudbeddin Muhammad (1097 - 1127)

 After the death of Anuş Tigin, Kudbeddin Muhammed, who was appointed as the governor of Harezm by the Seljuk Sultan Sencer, grew up in the Seljuk Palace like his father, received the sciences of palace dressing and state administration, and rose with his success as his father.  Kudbeddin Muhammed, who was appointed as the governor of Harezm upon the death of Anuş Tigin, gained the respect and dignity of the people of Harezm by treating his people fairly and fairly.

 With this haze, the notables of Harezm started to see Kudbeddin Muhammed as an undisputed leader.  The trade that developed with the Seljuk State also developed the people of Harezm economically, and the people of Harezm, who lived a prosperous life, remained loyal to their governor Kudbeddin Muhammed.  The Great Seljuk State, which was going through difficult times in the period of Kudbeddin Muhammed, was ruling the Harezm region from a distance due to the political manifestations in the region, and Kudbeddin Muhammed, a loyal governor, who was a proved of age and undertook the administration of the Harezm region without direct instruction from the central administration.  Hence, the Harezm region was administered semi-independently, but remained under the Great Seljuk State.  Kudbeddin Muhammed successfully fulfilled this duty for a long time like 30 years and passed away in 1127.  The Seljuk Sultan Sencer appointed Atsız, the son of Kudbeddin Muhammed, who was also educated in the palace, as the governor of Harezm, as expected.

 The Horseless Period (1127 - 1156)

 Atsız grew up in the Seljuk Palace like his father and grandfather, and proved his age in order to be employed in high positions with his education in science and state affairs.  So much so that, due to his success and loyalty, he had the favor of Sultan Sencer himself.  In this respect, Atsız, who was appointed as the governor of Harezm instead of his father Kudbeddin Muhammed, gained the long-standing loyalty and respect of the people of Harezm and was welcomed as a respected leader just like his father and grandfather.  In addition to his successful statesmanship, Atsız, who was a powerful commander, had a great share in many successes by taking part in the army of Sencer with the army he formed in Harezm.

 Although Atsız had the title of governor, the people of Harezm showed high loyalty and loyalty to the lineage that they ruled for 35 years from the Anush Tigin period, and with this chastity they saw himself not only as a governor, but as an undisputed leader and sultan.  Moreover, his father Kudbeddin Muhammed started to act semi-independently with his loyalty to the Seljuk Sultan and the trust felt towards him.

 In this respect, he himself had very high powers in the administration of the Harezm region.  However, Asız, like his father and grandfather, did not remain unconditionally loyal to the Seljuk Sultan and intended to act independently and even oppose the Seljuk Sultan.  As a result of this independence movement, which he embarked on in order to benefit from the weakening of the Great Seljuk State by taking advantage of the loyalty of the people of Harezm to him, he attacked Cend and Mangışlak regions with his forces and included them in the domain of rule.

  Atsız's autonomous act made Sultan Sencer very angry.  When Sencer criticized and warned him, he abolished his loyalty to the Great Seljuk State and declared himself Sultan as a result of the friction that arose.  This act of Atsız meant the actual establishment of the State of Harzemshah (1138).

 Sultan Sencer personally took charge of his army and marched on Atsız in order not to lose the dominance of the Harezm region in the face of Atsız's action.  Atsız's first attempt for independence failed.  Although the Great Seljuk State was weakened and was going through difficult times, Sultan Sencer took over the army and defeated the armies of Atsız and re-annexed the Harezm region.  He returned to Merv by appointing Suleiman Bin Muhammad as governor instead of Atsız.

 Sultan Sencer had to retreat to Khorasan upon the siege of Merv.  Atsız also attacked Nishapur in order to consolidate his victory and took it under his control (1142).  He gave sermons to his name in order to consolidate his rule and began to see himself as the ruler of the Great Seljuk State.

 Sultan Sencer strengthened his army and power and reappeared during his stay in Khorasan.  Atsız left Merv, fearing Sencer's forces and declared his loyalty to Sultan Sencer again.  Atsız tried to defeat Sencer whenever he had the opportunity, and when he failed, he tried to make peace by declaring his loyalty.  In order to eliminate this problem completely, Sencer refused to accept the loyalty of Atsız and attacked the city of Harezm.  When he conquered the Hazarasp castle, the most strategic point of the Harezm, the fall of Gürgane, the center of Atsız's reign, and the victory of Sencer became inevitable.

 Atsız declared his loyalty to him and offered to make peace.  When Sencer did not accept this offer, one of the respected clergymen of the Khorezm region asked him not to shed Muslim blood and returned to accept Atsız's devotion.  Atsız was once again defeated by Sencer and declared his loyalty and managed to keep the administration of the Harezm region.

 Atsız was not subjected to the Seljuk Threat for a long time after Sencer's last attack.  Because Sultan Sencer had to struggle with other problems of his state and the administration of the Khwarezm region continued its existence de facto independently, although it was not recognized by Sencer.  Atsız passed away in 1156 and was replaced by his brother's son İlarslan.

 İlarslan Period (1156 - 1172)

 Atsız succeeded his uncle Atsız as heir but the sons of Atsız and his rivals who could claim rights in the sultanate were in a position to threaten the sultanate.  To remove these dangers, he eliminated all his rivals by killing his uncle and his brothers.  The sovereignty of Ilarslan was recognized by the Great Seljuk State Sultan Sencer.  Because the Seljuk State was having a hard time, Sencer could no longer control the Harezm region.  Having survived the Seljuk threat, İlarslan has now made the Harzemshah State indisputable and fully independent.

 The Great Seljuk State was weakened, and the Seljuk Sultan Sencer was quite old.  Despite everything, the presence of Sencer was an obstacle to the growth of the Harzemshahs.  Because the Rearing of the Harzemşahs was possible after the death of Sultan Sencer.  The Great Seljuk State, which had already been weakened when Sencer passed away in 1157, disappeared from the stage of history.  The domains of the Great Seljuk State began to come under the control of the Harzemshahs, who saw themselves as the inheritors of the Great Seljuk State.

  First of all, the Eastern Iran region and the immediate surroundings of the Khwarezm region came under the control of the Harzemshah State.  Later, Atsız strengthened the state organization in the regions he conquered and the sovereignty of the regions he conquered, and turned the State of Harzemshah into a fully prosperous empire.

 The Harzemshahs had become an empire that had proved its worth as a fully independent and powerful authority in its region.  Atsız expanded the borders of the Harzemşahlar State and took Tus, Bistam and Damgan regions under his rule (1170).  Atsız had enabled the Harzemşahs to rise and become stronger, but the Karahitaylar threat in the east did not allow the state to become stronger.  Atsız, who had to pay taxes to the Karahitay and was worried about the possible threat of Karahitay, declared that he would not pay taxes to the Karahitay ambassador who came to collect taxes after completing his preparations in the army and when he was ready to fight against the Karahitay.

 The Karahitays attacked as expected and set out for Nishapur.  When Atsız, who was difficult to fight against the people of Karahitay in terms of his military power, turned the route to be attacked by the Karahitayli into a swamp with floods, they had to stop the attack and return.  Atsız had not been able to defeat the Karahıtaylılar, but still had eliminated the Karahıtay threat in a while.  Atsız passed away shortly after this incident.  After the death of Atsız, sultanate struggles started.

 Alaeddin Tekiş Period (1172 - 1200)

 Tekish, the heir to the sultanate, was located outside the city of Nishapur.  His younger son Sultan Shah took this opportunity and declared himself the Sultan of the Harzemshahs and the Great Khan.  Tekiş, the eldest son of Atsız, did not accept his brother's sovereignty, but it was not possible for him to fight alone against Sultan Shah, who took the royal army behind him because he acted first.  He sought support from his ancient enemies, the Karahitay, to depose his brother.  Karahitays, who had hostile aspirations on the Harzemşahs, would of course take this opportunity.  Tekiş, who took the head of the army sent by the Karahitans for support, entered Nishapur and dethroned his brother and declared himself Sultan by taking the position of sultanate.  Sultan Shah could not resist the Karahitay army and had to flee from the city.  After a year or so, Sultan Shah, who entered into a sultanate struggle again, agreed with Ayaba, the deputy ruler of the Iraqi Seljuks, and entered Nishapur to take Tekish again.  This attempt of Sultan Shah failed and Ayaba was killed in battle.  Sultan Shah gave up the sultanate and fled to Dihistan (1174)

  The areas of domination of the Iraqi Seljuks, who continued their existence in the geography dominated by the Great Seljuk State, were included in the borders of the Harzemshah State (1194).

 After this victory, the Harzemshahs reached the widest borders of their history and became dominant in Iraq, Iran and Khorasan regions.

 Tekiş Khan, after assuming the guardianship of the Caliph, slowed down his expansion policies and concentrated on this task and spent his remaining life serving the Caliphate.  When he passed away in 1200, his son Muhammad replaced him.

 Alaeddin Muhammad Period (1200 - 1220)

 When Muhammad Khan took the throne of the Harzemshahs upon the death of his father Tekiş Khan, the groups who wanted to gain their independence rebelled as in every reign.  The first insurgents were the Guris living in large numbers in the Afghanistan region.  Some Turkish principalities and owners followed them.  Muhammad, who had to protect his sultanate and authority, first neutralized the small meliks and principalities.  Even though he could not go on the rebelling Gur, he entered Harat upon the death of the Gur sultan and he confirmed his rule here (1207).  Muhammad Han had eliminated the internal unrest, but the Karahitay people who were eliminated during the Tekish period got stronger and started pillaging activities in the regions under the control of the Harzemshahs.  He attacked the Karahitay people who were in control of Bukhara and took this place under his control (1207).  The people of Karahitay, who threatened the Turkish Yurts for almost 200 years, could not be successful against the Harzemshahs and were exposed to the Mongol invasions led by Genghis Khan rising from the east.  When the Naymans who escaped from Genghis Khan's armies attacked the regions under the control of the Karahitay people, the Karahitay people, who were weakened, had to accept the domination of the Harzemshahs with the defeat of Bukhara (1212).

 Muhammed Han, who got stronger with the disappearance of the danger of the people of Karahitay, took Ghazna under his control in 1215 and left it to his son Celaleddin and returned to Harezm.  The Azarbajian and Persian atabeys of Sassanid origin, who lost their domination area during this period, became stronger and became the border neighbors of the Harzemshahs.  When Muhammad Khan, who wanted to expand his borders to the Azarbeycan line, was defeated as a result of this expedition in heavy winter conditions, difficult times began for the Harzemshahs (1217).

 Weakening and Destruction of Harzemşahs

 The threat of Karahitayli, which had been going on for 200 years, has now disappeared, and the Mongolian originated Karahitay people have become subjects of the Harzemshahs.  However, a greater Mongol Threat, advancing westward behind the Qarahitay people, arose.  The Mongols, united under the leadership of Genghis Khan, first conquered China and then headed west with great brutality, plundering and plundering every city they encountered.  Muhammed Han understood that he could not resist the Mongols and had good relations by improving his trade relations.  However, these good relations, which could last for a few years, broke down after the appearance of one of the spies that Genghis Khan sent along with the trade caravans to the region of the Harzemshahs.

 Genghis Khan's strategies formed a whole, not only on the battlefield, but with espionage activities before and after the war.  Using the trade agreements made with the Harzemshahs, he was collecting information from the spies he served in trade caravans, and these spies and Harzemshahs were buying government officials by promising bribes and benefits.  When one of these spies was caught in Harezm, the Governor of Harezm İnalcık sent the caravan that was spying, burned the beards of the spies and sent it back.  As a result of this event, which is known as the Otrar Case in history, the good relations between the Harzemshahs and the Mongols came to an end.

  This movement of İnalcık would undoubtedly attract the anger of Genghis Khan and spoil the good relations developed with the Mongols.  However, it was known that the Mongols would attack the Harzemshahs in any case.  Genghis Khan sent his envoy, demanding the compensation of the goods and the delivery of Inalcık, the governor of Harezm.  When Muhammad Khan refused this request of Genghis Khan, the Mongol Invasion began, which prepared the end of the Harzemshahs (1219).

 Genghis Khan, who set off with a huge army of 200 thousand people, took the cities in front of him under his feet and burned and started to advance towards the lands of Harezm.  In a short time, Bukhara, Samarkand, Otrar, Sığnak, Berakend and Hocend were invaded by the Mongols.  Trying to wear off the crowded Mongolian army with hit-and-run tactics, Mohammed Khan was defeated in his last fight and fled to an island in Abiskun.

  The Harzemshahs were destroyed, unable to resist the Mongol invasions.  He had to retreat in the Northern Iran, Khorasan and Ghazna regions he controlled.  Since there was no ruler at the head of the state, the rebels in Iraq and Baghdad regions claimed the authority of the Harzemshahs in the region and the Harzemshahs wiped out the state of history.  When Muhammad Khan, who escaped after the Mongolian defeat, passed away in 1220, his son Celaleddin took the seat of the sultanate left from his father ...

 Celaleddin Period (1220 - 1231)

 Celaleddin took over the Harzemshah State, which had become a great Empire, in a despicable and devastated state.  His father, Muhammed Han, declared his elder son Uzluğşah as heir.  For this reason, the commanders of the Harzemshah army and the notables of the state supported his brother Uzluğşah to become the ruler.  Celaleddin transferred from Gazne to Ürgenç, which was given to him in order to become the sultanate left from his father.  However, when the armies of Genghis Khan's sons Çağatay and Ögeday besieged Ürgenç in 1221, instead of fighting with the Mongol Army, they went to Afghanistan with the thought that the army commanders might betray them because they supported his brother Uzluğşah.  From there, he went to Gazne and prepared to fight against Genghis Khan's armies with the army he had formed.

 Celaleddin Harzemşah prepared an army of 30 thousand people in Gazne and started a fight with the army of Kutugu Noyan, one of the powerful commanders of Genghis Khan, and once again won against the Mongols.  Celaleddin Harzemshah ended the invincibility of Genghis Khan's army with successive victories against the Mongols and became the only ruler and commander who could win against the mighty Mongol Army.

 REFERENCES

 Kafesoğlu, İbrahim;  Harezmşahlar State History (485-618 / 1092-1221), AKDTYK-TTK, Ankara 1992, p.  318 + 1 Map.

 Necip Asım (Unhappy);  Celâlüttin Harezemşah, Ministry of National Education, Istanbul 1934, p.  160.

 Taneri, Aydin;  Celâlü'd-din Hârizmşâh Ve Zaman, T.C.  Ministry of Culture, Ankara 1977, p.  208.