The Ghurid capture of Balkh from the Qara Khitai (594 AH)
ملك الغورية بلخ من الخطا
1198 CE · 594 AH
594: on the death of its Turkish tribute-lord Aziya, Baha al-Din Sam of Bamiyan — nephew of both Ghurid sultans — marched on Balkh, took it, cut the yearly tribute to the Qara Khitai and raised the khutba for Ghiyath al-Din, 'returning it to the lands of Islam'; the Khita's answering expedition under Tayanku crossed the Oxus that winter and broke before the Ghurid army 1.
At a glance
- Era
- The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks
- Region
- Persia & Central Asia
- Review
- Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it
In time
Overview
Ibn al-Athir, in "al-Kamil", relates that the lord of Balkh died in 594 AH. He was a Turk named Azih, who used to pay the tribute each year to the Khitai. 1
The Ghurids take Balkh
Baha al-Din Sam, lord of Bamiyan, marched to it and took it. He cut off the tribute to the Khitai and had the sermon given in the name of Ghiyath al-Din. 1
The reaction
The Khwarazm-shah Tekish sent to the Khitai seeking their help against Ghiyath al-Din. The king of the Khitai crossed the Oxus in the month of Jumada al-Akhira, in winter, with an army whose vanguard was led by Tayankuwa. The army of Ghiyath al-Din met them and they were routed. 1
Connections
- Had participant
- Baha al-Din Sam of Bamiyan
People and things also explored
Sources
- al-Kamil fi'l-Tarikh of Ibn al-Athir, p. 252-253
Cite this page
islam.museum contributors. “The Ghurid capture of Balkh from the Qara Khitai (594 AH)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/balkh-qara-khitai-594/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Accessed 2026-10-17.