17. Provoking the Beast
The beef between Genghis Khan and the Khwarezmian Empire of Shah Muhammad II began in 1218. At a time when the Mongol conqueror was busy fighting the Chinese, he sent an embassy and trade mission to Khwarezmia. In addition to diplomatic emissaries, the embassy included numerous merchants with valuable trade wares. Genghis had hoped to establish diplomatic and trade relations with the Khwarezmian Empire, which encompassed most of Central Asia, and whose borders stretched from present day Afghanistan to Georgia.
The Khwarezmian ruler, however, was suspicious of Genghis’ intentions. So when one of his governors halted the Mongol embassy at the border, accused it of spying, arrested its members, and seized its goods, he approved. Genghis tried to keep things diplomatic. He sent three envoys to Muhammad, requesting that he disavow the governor’s actions, and hand him over to the Mongols for punishment. Muhammad executed the envoys, and followed that up by executing all members of the earlier embassy and trade mission.