User:Kansas Bear/Battle of Qatwan

The Battle of Qatwan, was fought between the Kara-Khitan Khanate and the Seljuq Empire and its vassal-state the Kara-Khanids. Following the Kara-Khanid defeat at Khujand, Mahmud summoned his overlord Ahmed Sanjar to protect Western Kara-Khanid from invasion.

Battle
On the steppe of Qatwan, north of Samarkand, the battle was joined. After dividing their armies into three contingents, the Kara-Khitans forced the Seljuq center into a wadi. Faced with no way out, the Seljuq army was destroyed and Sanjar barely escaped. Among those captured at the battle included Seljuq military commanders and Sanjar's wife.

Aftermath
Yelü Dashi spent ninety days in Samarkand, appointing Mahmud's brother Ibrahim as the new ruler of Samarkand, accepting the loyalty of Muslim nobles. Following this battle, Khwarazm become a vassal state of the Kara-Khitan. In 1142, Yelü sent Erbuz to Khwarazm, who plundered the province, which forced Atsiz to agree to pay 30,000 dinars annual tribute. However, Yelu did allow the Muslim Burhan family to continue to rule Bukhara.

Legend
Stories of this battle, told during the Second Crusade, filtered back to the Holy Land, inspiring stories of Prester John.