Draft:Battle of Rey (1194)
| Battle of Ray (1194) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Seljuk–Khwarazmian Wars | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Great Seljuk Empire | Khwarazmian Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Tughril III † | Ala ad-Din Tekish | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Heavy | Light | ||||||
The Battle of Ray (1194) was a decisive confrontation between the last Great Seljuk ruler, Tughril III , and the Khwarazmian ruler Ala ad-Din Tekish. It marked the final collapse of the Great Seljuk Empire in Persia.
After years of political decline and internal fragmentation, Tughril III attempted to reassert Seljuk authority in western Iran. However, Tekish, expanding his Khwarazmian dominion, marched westward and confronted Tughril’s forces near the ancient city of Ray.
Battle
[edit]Tughril III personally led his army but was decisively defeated by the better-organized Khwarazmian forces. During the clash, Tughril III was killed in battle , ending Seljuk rule in Persia once and for all.
Aftermath
[edit]Following his victory, Ala ad-Din Tekish consolidated his control over central and western Iran. The Abbasid Caliph Al-Nasir recognized Tekish’s supremacy, legitimizing Khwarazmian authority in the region. The battle is regarded as the final act of the Seljuk dynasty in Iranian history.
Legacy
[edit]The death of Tughril III at Ray marked the transition of power from the Seljuks to the Khwarazmians, who would soon dominate much of Iran before falling to the Mongol invasions in the early 13th century.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- C.E. Bosworth, The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual, Edinburgh University Press, 1996.
- Clifford Edmund Bosworth, The History of the Seljuq Turks: From the Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh, Curzon Press, 2001.
- The Cambridge History of Iran, Vol. 5: The Saljuq and Mongol Periods, Cambridge University Press, 1968.
Category:1194 in Asia
Category:Battles involving the Seljuk Empire
Category:History of Iran