Draft:Battle of Ray (1194)

Battle of Ray
Part of Khwarazmian-Seljuk Wars
Date March 22, 1194 Location Ray (modern-day Iran) Result Decisive Khwarazmian victory, fall of the Seljuk dynasty in Iran
Belligerents
Seljuks	Khwarazmian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Toghrul III †	Ala al-Din Tekish
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Heavy, death of Sultan Toghrul III	Unknown
This battle led to the fall of the Seljuk dynasty in Iran and the rise of the Khwarazmian Empire.

Background

By the 12th century, the power of the Seljuks of Iran had significantly declined. After the death of Sultan Sanjar, the Seljuk realm was fragmented among different branches of the dynasty, weakening their central authority. Meanwhile, the Khwarazmian Empire, initially a vassal of the Seljuks, had grown in strength and emerged as their primary rival. Ala al-Din Tekish, the Khwarazmian ruler, sought to expand his domain into Iranian territories, leading to inevitable conflict with the Seljuks.

Battle

In 1194, Toghrul III, the last Seljuk Sultan of Iran, mobilized his forces near the city of Ray to resist the Khwarazmian advance. A fierce battle ensued, but the Khwarazmian forces under Ala al-Din Tekish decisively defeated the Seljuks. Sultan Toghrul III was killed in battle, and his army was completely routed.

Aftermath

- With the death of Toghrul III, **the Seljuk rule in Iran came to an end**, and the Khwarazmians assumed control over central Iran. - The Abbasid Caliphate, which had been wary of the weakening Seljuks, welcomed the Khwarazmian victory and strengthened its relations with them. - The triumph of the Khwarazmians significantly bolstered their power, making them a dominant force in Iran and Transoxiana.

Sources

• C.E. Bosworth - *The Ghaznavids and the Seljuqs* (in *The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 5*)
• Clifford Edmund Bosworth - *The New Islamic Dynasties: A Chronological and Genealogical Manual*
• David Morgan - *The Mongols*