دانشگاه اصفهان پژوهش های تاریخی 2008-6253 18 3 2026 09 23 Zowzan Territories and Kharazmshahian’s Foreign Relationships ملوک زوزن و مناسبات خارجی خوارزمشاهیان 95 114 30511 10.22108/jhr.2026.148499.2919 FA علیرضا کریمی دانشیار گروه تاریخ، دانشکده حقوق و علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز، ایران ناصر صدقی استاد گروه تاریخ، دانشکده حقوق و علوم اجتماعی، دانشگاه تبریز، تبریز، ایران عبدالرئوف نصیری جوزقانی استادیار گروه آموزش تاریخ دانشگاه فرهنگیان تهران ایران Journal Article 2026 03 16 Abstract This research aims to study the Zowzan territories and the role they can play in the foreign relations of the Kharazmshahian. Zowzan-e-Khaf was one of the greatest cities of the Khwarazmshahian state. Zowzan territories were among the greatest territories in the Kharazmshahian period. They played a considerable role in the political development of the Kharazmshahian. The main question of the research is: "What role did the Zowzan territories play in foreign relations and political events during the Kharazmshahian era?" The research was conducted as a library study using a descriptive-analytical method. The research results indicate that Zowzan, located at the intersection of Harat, Neishabour, Quohestan, and Firouzkouh, was of importance for Kharazmshahian, who wanted to dominate Khorasan and the southern part of Iran. Dominating the economic and commercial interests of Quohestan, of which Zowzan, Tun, and Gonabad were important centres, were the centres of cotton and silk fabrics production, and important trade routes passed through them, which was considered one of the strategic policies of the Kharazmshahian and Ghourian. Kharamshahian succeeded in both diminishing the Ghourian control in Zowzan and dominating Salghari Atabakis in Fars by occupying Kerman. In addition, they spread out their territories from the Persian Gulf to the Oman Sea and got more financial supplies. Keywords: Zowzan, Zowzan Territories, Kharazmshahian, Foreign Relationships, Khorasan. Introduction Zowzan -e-Khaf was one of the greatest cities of the Kharazmshahian state, whose Zowzan territories played an important role in the politics of that era. Today, Zowzan is a village in the Zowzan district of the city of Khaf in the Razavi Khorasan province. The location of the Zowzan highway, which was located between the important centres of Khorasan at that time, namely Herat and Nishabur, Quohestan and Firouzkouh in the province of Ghour, was of great importance to the Kharazmshahian who intended to dominate Khorasan and the territory of the Ghourian. Zowzan was also considered the gateway to Kerman and dominated the coasts of the Sea of Oman, and with the help of Zowzan territories, the Kharazmshahian could exert influence on the Salghari Atabakis in Fars by occupying Kerman and the southern coasts. The Kharazmshahian always supported the Zowzan territories. This research aims at studying the Zowzan territories and the role they can play in policy and foreign relationships of the Kharazmshahian and the reasons and methods for this role-playing. Despite the fact that the architectural and artistic works of the Zowzan territories of the Kharazmshahian era have received much attention from archaeologists and experts, Zowzan territories and their role and position in the history of the Kharazmshahian era are among the topics that have received less attention from researchers. Therefore, the purpose of the present study, in addition to introducing Zowzan territories, is to examine and explain their role in foreign relations and political developments of the Kharazmshahi era. In this regard, the reasons and methods for the interactions of the Kharazmshahian with Zowzan territories, the ups and downs and challenges of the role-playing of Zowzan territories, and the consequences and achievements of this role-playing in the aforementioned era have been explained. Materials and Methods The research was conducted as a library study using a descriptive-analytical method. To introduce the Zowzan territories and the foreign relations of the Kharazmshahian, historical sources from the Kharazmshahian and Ilkhanid era, such as the works of Jaozejani, Nasavi, Ibn Athir, Jovaini, and Shabankaraei, as well as local histories of Khorasan and Kerman, such as the works of Naser al-Din Monshi Kermani, Afzal al-Din Abu Hamed Kermani, and Seifi Heravi, and the work of Qhafas Oghli, were used. Research Findings The research results indicate that the Zowzan territories ruled over Kerman with Zowzan as the centre, and, while overseeing the power relations in Khorasan, managed the expansionist goals of the Kharazmshahian in the southern half of Iran. The Kharazmshahian were indebted to the Zowzan territories for their territorial expansion, domination over Herat, conquest of Ghour, influence over Quohestan, occupation of Kerman, domination over Solghori Atabakis in Fars, and Shabankareh, Hormoz, and Sistan territories, and consequently, the trade routes and benefits. The Zowzan territories, representing the Kharazmshahian, exerted influence over the southern half of Iran up to the borders of Send and Makkoran through Kerman. Discussion of Results and Conclusions During the Kharazmshahian era, Zowzan was a vassal of Nishabour, whose rulers ruled Kerman with Zowzan as their centre and supervised the developments and power relations in Khorasan, while managing the expansionist goals of the Kharazmshahian in the southern half of Iran. In fact, by reviving and establishing new centres of power in Khorasan, including Zowzan, the Kharazmshahian tried to establish a balance of power in Khorasan and also create new loyalties for their government, while controlling their family rivals, and pursuing their expansionist goals in Khorasan and the southern and western half of Iran. The Kharazmshahian owed their territorial expansion and domination over Herat, overpowering the Ghourian, exerting influence on Quohestan, capturing Kerman, and dominating Atabkan in Fars and the Shabankare, Hormoz, and Sistan territories, and as a result, the trade routes and their benefits, to the Zowzan territories. The Zowzan territories, on behalf of the Kharazmshahian, used to influence the southern half of Iran up to the Send and Makkoran through Kerman, and sent huge financial resources to the Kharazmshahian from monitoring its trade. Also, from these revenues, they left behind a valuable architectural and civilizational heritage in Zowzan -e-Khaf. In the end, the authority of the Zowzan territories ended with the Mongol attack. در پژوهش حاضر ضمن معرفی ملوک زوزن، نقش آن‌ها در مناسبات خارجی خوارزمشاهیان تبیین شده است. زوزنِ خواف از ولایات بسیار مهم خوارزمشاهی بود. ملوک زوزن نیز ازجمله مهم‌ترین ملوک خوارزمشاهی بودند. آن‌ها در تحولات سیاسی دورۀ خوارزمشاهی نقش تأثیرگذاری داشتند. سؤال اصلی پژوهش عبارت است از اینکه «ملوک زوزن در مناسبات خارجی و وقایع سیاسی عصر خوارزمشاهیان چه نقشی داشتند؟» پژوهش به‌صورت کتابخانه‏ای با روش تاریخی با رویکرد توصیفی-تحلیلی انجام شده است. نتایج پژوهش نشان می‌دهد که زوزن برای خوارزمشاهیان، که در پی تسلط بر خراسان و نیمۀ جنوبی ایران بودند، اهمیت فراوانی داشت؛ زیرا این شهر در مسیر شاهراه ارتباطی میان هرات، نیشابور، قهستان و فیروزکوه (ولایت غور) قرار گرفته بود. به همین منظور، خوارزمشاهیان با احیا مراکز جدید قدرت در خراسان، ازجمله در زوزن و ارتقا مقام ملوک زوزن، سعی کردند ضمن ایجاد موازنۀ قدرت در خراسان و ایجاد وفاداری‌های جدید برای حکومتشان، رقبای خانوادگی‌شان را مهار و اهداف توسعه‌طلبانۀ خود را در خراسان و نیمۀ ‌جنوبی ایران دنبال کنند. تسلط بر منافع اقتصادی و تجاری قهستان که زوزن، تون و گناباد از مراکز مهم آن و کانون تولید پارچه‏های پنبه‏‏ای و ابریشمی بود و مسیرهای مهم تجاری از آن‌ها می‏گذشت، از سیاست‏های راهبردی خوارزمشاهیان و غوریان محسوب می‏شد. خوارزمشاهیان موفق شدند توسط ملوک زوزن هم به حیات سیاسی غوریان خاتمه دهند و هم با تصرف کرمان، علاوه‌بر اعمال‌نفوذ بر اتابکان سلغری در فارس، حاکمیتشان را تا سواحل خلیج‌فارس و دریای عمان گسترش دهند و به منابع مالی جدیدی دست یابند.

https://jhr.ui.ac.ir/article_30511_421567b7121a63653f36928701ca50a7.pdf