The Mongols’ Weapon: Fear and Reputation

Imagine an army so feared that entire cities surrendered before a single arrow was fired.

That was the Mongol Empire in the 13th century. Under Genghis Khan, the Mongols built

not just a military force, but a reputation machine. In 1219,

when they invaded the Khwarazm Empire, news traveled fast. Town after town learned what had

happened to cities that resisted—like Nishapur and Merv, where mass killings followed after fierce

resistance. Faced with this, other cities chose a different path. In 1221,

places like Herat and several Afghan towns opened their gates without a fight,

hoping to avoid destruction. The Mongols fueled this response deliberately. They used coordinated