Draft:Siege of Bamiyan (1221)
The Siege of Bamiyan was a siege in 1220-1221 in which the Mongol Empires forces under Genghis Khan captured the city of Bamiyan and it resulted in the deaths of many of its inhabitants[1]
| Siege of Bamiyan (1221) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Mongol Empire | Khwarazmian Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Genghis Khan | Jalal al-Din Mangburni | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
Background
[edit]The city of Bamiyan was a strategic location, situated at the crossroads of the Silk Road and the Khyber Pass. The Khwarezmid Empire, led by Muhammad II, had long controlled the city and the surrounding region.[2]
Siege
[edit]The Mongols besieged the city of Bamiyan in 1221, using a combination of catapults, archers, and infantry to breach the city walls. The defenders of the city, led by Muhammad II, put up a fierce resistance, but they were ultimately unable to hold out against the Mongol onslaught.
Aftermath
[edit]After a prolonged siege, the city of Bamiyan fell to the Mongols and the inhabitants of the city were massacred or enslaved, and the city was left in ruins and the Mongols destroyed the citys famous Buddha statues which had been a major cultural and historical landmark in the region
Legacy
[edit]The Siege of Bamiyan marked a significant turning point in the Mongol conquest of Central Asia. The Mongols went on to conquer much of the region, incorporating it into the Mongol Empire.
References
[edit]- ^ Baumer, Christoph (30 May 2016). The History of Central Asia: The Age of Islam and the Mongols. Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-83860-939-9.
- ^ Morgan, Llewelyn (18 June 2012). The Buddhas of Bamiyan. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-06538-3.