The Mongol Period

The Mongol invasion of Central Asia is one of the turning points in the history of the region. The event left imprints, that were still discernible in the early twentieth century. The Mongols had such a lasting impact because they established the tradition that the legitimate ruler of any Central Asian state could only be a blood descendant of Genghis Khan.

sThe Mongol conquest of Central Asia, which took place from 1219 to 1225, led to a wholesale change in the population of Maveranahr. The conquest quickened the process of Turkification in the region because, although the army of Genghis Khan were led by Mongols, they were made up mostly of Turkic tribes that had been incorporated into the Mongol armies as the tribes were encountered in the Mongols' southward sweep. As these armies settled in Maveranahr, they intermixed with the local populations, increasingly making the Iranians a minority. Another effect of the Mongol conquest was the large-scale damage the warriors inflicted on cities such as Bukhara and on regions such as Khorezm. As the leading province of a wealthy state, Khorezm was treated especially severely. The irrigation networks in the region suffered extensive damage that was not repaired for several generations.