Battle of Qatwan
Qatwan steppe, near Samarkand, Uzbekistan
What happened
The Qara Khitai (Western Liao) under their Gurkhan, Yelü Dashi, fought the Seljuk army of Sultan Ahmad Sanjar. Yelü Dashi was a Liao prince who had moved west and founded a new empire in Central Asia. At Qatwan, his army attacked from several directions at once and surrounded the Seljuk forces. The Seljuk centre was pushed into a dry valley about 12 km from Samarkand, and Sanjar barely escaped.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It is described as the beginning of the end of the Great Seljuk Empire. The Qara Khitai became the leading power in Central Asia.
What came next
Yelü Dashi stayed in Samarkand for ninety days and placed a new ruler there. Khwarazm became a Qara Khitai vassal and paid yearly tribute.
Did you know?
News of the battle reached the Holy Land during the Second Crusade and helped inspire legends of 'Prester John', a Christian king in the East.
Timeline
- 1124Yelü Dashi begins his rule.
- 1132Yelü Dashi is proclaimed Gurkhan.
- 9 September 1141The Qara Khitai win at Qatwan.
- 1143Yelü Dashi dies.