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"A witch in mangolia" and the Real History of the Khwarazmian War: Historical Distortion or Artistic License?
Hello, fellow history enthusiasts.
I recently watched the first few episodes of the new anime Tenmaku no Jaadugar (A Witch in Mongolia), which depicts the history of the Mongol Empire, and I was quite frustrated. The anime portrays the Mongols as mindless savages who simply attacked the Khwarazmian (Sartuul) Empire out of nowhere, destroying cities and villages, while presenting the protagonist, Fatima (Sitara), as an innocent victim.
I am deeply concerned that international audiences watching this will be misled and have their understanding of history distorted. Therefore, I wanted to bring up this topic to remind everyone of the historical facts and open a discussion within our group.
1. We did not attack without provocation (The Otrar Massacre):
In 1218, Genghis Khan sent a trade caravan of over 450 Muslim merchants with 500 camels to establish trade relations with the Khwarazmian Empire. However, Inalchuq, the governor of the city of Otrar, falsely accused them of being "spies," brutally murdered all of them, and plundered their goods. Furthermore, he insulted the subsequent envoys sent by Genghis Khan and even beheaded some of them. Because of this, the Mongols were forced to wage a "war of retributive justice" against a country that had violated international diplomatic laws.
2. Who was the real Fatima? (A true witch?):
While the anime portrays Sitara as a brilliant hero seeking to bring down the Mongols, the reality preserved in the records of the Persian historian Rashid al-Din in Jami' al-Tawarikh (Compendium of Chronicles) is quite different. She was a foreign captive who gained the trust of Töregene Khatun, the wife of Ögedei Khan, and meddled in court politics to sow discord. Later, during the reign of Güyük Khan, she was accused of "using witchcraft and curses" to cause the illness and death of the prince Khuden. As punishment, she was executed by having all her orifices sewn shut, wrapped in felt, and drowned in a river.
2026-07-27 12:40:08