Khwarazmids

The Khwarazmids, also known as the Khwarezmian dynasty, were a Muslim Iranian ruling house that controlled Khwarezm and surrounding regions in Central Asia from roughly the late first millennium until 1231. The heart of their domain lay in the Khwarezm region along the Amu Darya delta, with Gurganj (Konye-Urgench) serving as a major capital at the height of their power.

The Khwarezmian state grew from the Khwarezm region and expanded into Transoxiana, Khorasan, and western Iran. At its height the realm stretched across parts of present-day Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, western Kazakhstan, and northern Iran. The administration and culture were firmly Persianate; Persian served as the language of government and literature, while Turkic elites and local traditions also featured in court life. The dynasty minted coinage and patronized scholars, poets, and builders, contributing to a distinctive Central Asian-Islamic culture.

The Khwarezmian rulers acted as an important regional power, interacting with the Ghaznavids, Seljuks, and other neighboring states. Notable figures included Ala ad-Din Muhammad II and Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu, the latter known for resisting the Mongol conquest for a time.

The Mongol invasion of 1219–1221 destroyed much of the Khwarezmian state. After the murder of Mongol envoys at Otrar, Genghis Khan launched a campaign that razed major cities such as Otrar, Bukhara, Samarkand, and Gurganj; Jalal ad-Din attempted to regain control, but the empire fragmented by 1231.

Legacy of the Khwarezmids includes a Persianate cultural and architectural influence in Central Asia. The Khwarezmian language is poorly attested, and the region later came under Mongol and then Timurid rule, shaping the historical trajectory of Central Asia.