Stories for CEOs series: Why & how Genghis Khan destroyed Khwarezmian Empire
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In 1218, Genghis Khan wanted to establish a trade alliance with a neighboring ruler who didn’t like him.
The ruler was Shah Muhammad II of the Khwarazmian empire.
Initially, the Shah pretended to agree…
But when Genghis sent a caravan of 500 merchants to the Khwarazmian empire, a governor of one of the provinces accused them of being spies, seized their goods and had most of them executed.
Big mistake…
The Khwarazmian empire was located in Central Asia, it included present-day Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, parts of Kazakhstan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Trying to smooth things over, Genghis Khan sent three of his envoys to the Sha, one of them a fellow Muslim as the Shah.
He asked for the return of the caravan, and for the governor, Inalchuk, who executed the merchants to be punished.
Instead, the Shah had two of the envoys shaved and the Muslim envoy beheaded. Then he sent them back to the Khan with the head.
In response, Genghis Khan launched a massive invasion of the Khwarezmian Empire with an army of over 100,000 soldiers.
And Khwarezmian, which was one of the most powerful and prosperous states in the Islamic world, was destroyed by the invasion.
This also marked the beginning of the Mongol conquest of the Islamic States.
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The Mongols pursued the fleeing Shah Muhammad II until he escaped to an Island in the Caspian sea, where he died shortly afterward, perhaps from shock.
And as for Governor Inalchuk, the Khan captured him and poured molten silver through his eyes and ears as payback for his actions.
Lesson: Over the course of your life, many times, you will have cause to turn down people or proposals that do not align with your needs.
However, it is important to not be insulting, condescending or to gloat over it.
A rejection is hard enough, but pouring salt on the wound by being condescending could have devastating consequences.
You never know when you might be dealing with a Genghis Khan. Read more.
