Editing History of Iran (section)

===={{anchor|Mongol invasion (1219-1221)}}Mongol invasion (1219–1221)====
{{Main|Mongol invasion of Central Asia|Mongol invasion of Persia|Mongol Empire}}

[[File:East-Hem 1200ad.jpg|thumb|350px|[[Eurasia]] on the eve of the Mongol invasions, ''c.'' 1200]]
[[File:Mongol Empire map.gif|thumb|upright=1.3|The Mongol Empire's expansion]]

The [[Khwarazmian dynasty]] only lasted for a few decades, until the arrival of the [[Mongols]]. [[Genghis Khan]] had unified the Mongols, and under him the [[Mongol Empire]] quickly expanded in several directions. In 1218, it bordered Khwarezm. At that time, the Khwarazmian Empire was ruled by [[Muhammad II of Khwarezm|Ala ad-Din Muhammad]] (1200–1220). Muhammad, like Genghis, was intent on expanding his lands and had gained the submission of most of Iran. He declared himself shah and demanded formal recognition from the Abbasid caliph [[Al-Nasir]]. When the caliph rejected his claim, Ala ad-Din Muhammad proclaimed one of his nobles caliph and unsuccessfully tried to depose an-Nasir.

The [[Mongol invasion of Khwarezmia and Eastern Iran|Mongol invasion of Iran]] began in 1219, after two diplomatic missions to Khwarezm sent by Genghis Khan had been massacred. During 1220–21 [[Bukhara]], [[Samarkand]], [[Herat]], [[Tus, Iran|Tus]] and [[Nishapur]] were razed, and the whole populations were slaughtered. The Khwarezm-Shah fled, to die on an island off the Caspian coast.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-32173/Iran|title=Iran – history – geography|access-date=2007-06-25|archive-date=2008-06-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625022733/https://www.britannica.com/eb/article-32173/Iran|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the invasion of [[Transoxiana]] in 1219, along with the main Mongol force, Genghis Khan used a Chinese specialist catapult unit in battle, they were used again in 1220 in Transoxania. The Chinese may have used the catapults to hurl gunpowder bombs, since they already had them by this time.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=esnWJkYRCJ4C&q=transoxania+chinese+gunpowder+catapult&pg=PA58 |title=Firearms: a global history to 1700 |author=Kenneth Warren Chase |access-date=2011-11-28 |edition=illustrated |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=0-521-82274-2 |page=58 |quote=Chinggis Khan organized a unit of Chinese catapult specialists in 1214, and these men formed part of the first Mongol army to invade Transoxania in 1219. This was not too early for true firearms, and it was nearly two centuries after catapult-thrown gunpowder bombs had been added to the Chinese arsenal. Chinese siege equipment saw action in Transoxania in 1220 and in the north Caucasus in 1239–40. |archive-date=2021-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104153953/https://books.google.com/books?id=esnWJkYRCJ4C&q=transoxania+chinese+gunpowder+catapult&pg=PA58 |url-status=live }}</ref>

While Genghis Khan was conquering Transoxania and Persia, several Chinese who were familiar with gunpowder were serving in Genghis's army.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OgQXAQAAIAAJ&q=Though+he+was+himself+a+Chinese,+he+learned+his+trade+from+his+father,+who+had+accompanied+Genghis+Khan+on+his+invasion+of+Muslim+Transoxania+and+Iran.+Perhaps+the+use+of+gunpowder+as+a+propellant,+in+other+words+the+invention+of+true |title=The Mongol Warlords: Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, Hulegu, Tamerlane |author=David Nicolle |author2=Richard Hook |access-date=2011-11-28 |edition=illustrated |year=1998 |publisher=Brockhampton Press |isbn=1-86019-407-9 |page=86 |quote=Though he was himself a Chinese, he learned his trade from his father, who had accompanied Genghis Khan on his invasion of Muslim Transoxania and Iran. Perhaps the use of gunpowder as a propellant, in other words the invention of true guns, appeared first in the Muslim Middle East, whereas the invention of gunpowder itself was a Chinese achievement |archive-date=2016-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412094659/https://books.google.com/books?id=OgQXAQAAIAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> "Whole regiments" entirely made out of Chinese were used by the Mongols to command bomb hurling trebuchets during the invasion of Iran.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7e8rHL1lf4C&q=Chinese+engineers+operating+trebuchets+%28catapults%29+throwing+gunpowder+bombs.+Their+progress+was+rapid+and+devastating+until%2C+after+the+sack+of+Baghdad+in+1258%2C+they+entered+Syria.+There+they+met+an+Islamic+army+similarly+equipped+and&pg=PA46 |title=Technology in world civilization: a thousand-year history |author=Arnold Pacey |access-date=2011-11-28 |edition=reprint, illustrated |year=1991 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=0-262-66072-5 |page=46 |quote=During the 1250s, the Mongols invaded Iran with 'whole regiments' of Chinese engineers operating trebuchets (catapults) throwing gunpowder bombs. Their progress was rapid and devastating until, after the sack of Baghdad in 1258, they entered Syria. There they met an Islamic army similarly equipped and experienced their first defeat. In 1291, the same sort of weapon was used during the siege of Acre, when the European Crusaders were expelled form Palestine. |archive-date=2020-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820015938/https://books.google.com/books?id=X7e8rHL1lf4C |url-status=live }}</ref> Historians have suggested that the Mongol invasion had brought Chinese gunpowder weapons to Central Asia. One of these was the [[huochong]], a Chinese mortar.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzG5llo3YCMC&q=Indeed%2C+it+is+possible+that+gunpowder+devices%2C+including+Chinese+mortar+%28+huochong%29%2C+had+reached+Central+Asia+through+the+Mongols+as+early+as+the+thirteenth+century.71+Yet+the+potential+remained+unexploited%3B&pg=PA474 |title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Development in contrast: from the sixteenth to the mid-nineteenth century |author=Chahryar Adle |author2=Irfan Habib |editor1=Ahmad Hasan Dani |editor2=Chahryar Adle |editor3=Irfan Habib |access-date=2011-11-28 |edition=illustrated |volume=5 of History of Civilizations of Central Asia |year=2003 |publisher=UNESCO |isbn=92-3-103876-1 |page=474 |quote=Indeed, it is possible that gunpowder devices, including Chinese mortar (huochong), had reached Central Asia through the Mongols as early as the thirteenth century.71 Yet the potential remained unexploited; even Sultan Husayn's use of cannon may have had Ottoman inspiration. |archive-date=2020-07-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723141803/https://books.google.com/books?id=AzG5llo3YCMC |url-status=live }}</ref> Books written around the area afterward depicted gunpowder weapons which resembled those of China.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X7e8rHL1lf4C&q=The+presence+of+these+individuals+in+China+in+the+1270s%2C+and+the+deployment+of+Chinese+engineers+in+Iran%2C+mean+that+there+were+several+routes+by+which+information+about+gunpowder+weapons+could+pass+from+the+Islamic+world+to+China%2C+or+vice+versa.+Thus+when+two+authors+from+the+eastern+Mediterranean+region+wrote+books+about+gunpowder+weapons+around+the+year+1280%2C+it+is+not+suprising+that+they+described+bombs%2C+rockets+and+fire-lances+very+similar+to+some+types+of+Chinese+weaponry.&pg=PA46 |title=Technology in world civilization: a thousand-year history |author=Arnold Pacey |access-date=2011-11-28 |edition=reprint, illustrated |year=1991 |publisher=MIT Press |isbn=0-262-66072-5 |page=46 |quote=The presence of these individuals in China in the 1270s, and the deployment of Chinese engineers in Iran, mean that there were several routes by which information about gunpowder weapons could pass from the Islamic world to China, or vice versa. Thus when two authors from the eastern Mediterranean region wrote books about gunpowder weapons around the year 1280, it is not surprising that they described bombs, rockets and fire-lances very similar to some types of Chinese weaponry. |archive-date=2021-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104155102/https://books.google.com/books?id=X7e8rHL1lf4C&q=The+presence+of+these+individuals+in+China+in+the+1270s,+and+the+deployment+of+Chinese+engineers+in+Iran,+mean+that+there+were+several+routes+by+which+information+about+gunpowder+weapons+could+pass+from+the+Islamic+world+to+China,+or+vice+versa.+Thus+when+two+authors+from+the+eastern+Mediterranean+region+wrote+books+about+gunpowder+weapons+around+the+year+1280,+it+is+not+suprising+that+they+described+bombs,+rockets+and+fire-lances+very+similar+to+some+types+of+Chinese+weaponry.&pg=PA46 |url-status=live }}</ref>