Editing Uzbeks (section)

=== Mongol period ===
The Mongol invasion of Central Asia is one of the turning points in the history of the region. 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.<ref name=mp>Lubin, Nancy. "Mongol period". In Curtis.</ref>

The [[Mongol invasion of Central Asia|Mongol conquest of Central Asia]], which took place from 1219 to 1225, led to a wholesale change in the population of Mawarannahr. The conquest quickened the process of Turkification in some parts of the region because, although the armies 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 Mawarannahr, they intermixed with the local populations which did not flee. Another effect of the Mongol conquest was the large-scale damage the soldiers inflicted on cities such as Bukhara and on regions such as Khorazm. As the leading province of a wealthy state, Khorazm was treated especially severely. The [[irrigation]] networks in the region suffered extensive damage that was not repaired for several generations.<ref name=mp/> Many Iranian-speaking populations were forced to flee southwards in order to avoid persecution.

Following the death of Genghis Khan in 1227, his empire was divided among his four sons and his family members. Despite the potential for serious fragmentation, [[Yassa|Mongol law]] of the [[Mongol Empire]] maintained orderly succession for several more generations, and control of most of Mawarannahr stayed in the hands of direct descendants of [[Chagatai Khan|Chaghatai]], the second son of Genghis. Orderly succession, prosperity, and internal peace prevailed in the Chaghatai lands, and the Mongol Empire as a whole remained strong and united.<ref name=rt>Lubin, Nancy. "Rule of Timur". In Curtis.</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=January 2014}}