Siege of Khiva (1920)

Not to be confused with Siege of Khiva (1924).

Siege of Khiva
Part of Basmachi movement
Date December 22-25, 1919-February 1, 1920 Location Khiva Result Soviet victory Fall of the Khanate of Khiva
Belligerents
Russian SFSR Young Khivans	Basmachi movement Cossacks
Commanders and leaders
Mikhail Frunze Nikolay Shaidakov Kosh-Mammed-khan Gulam Ali	Junaid Khan
Strength
830 men	Unknown

Siege of Khiva (1920), was a military engagement between the forces of Junaid Khan and the Soviets led by Mikhail Frunze and Nikolay Shaidakov. The soviet offensive resulted in a Soviet victory, leading to fall of the Khivan Khanate and creation of the Khorezm People's Soviet Republic.

Background

The Soviets in 1919 were preparing for military actions against the Khanates of Khiva and Bukhara. ^[1]

Soviet offensive

The Soviets launched their offensive in 22-25 december 1919, capturing Khanki and Urgench without resistance. ^{[2] [3]} In response, Junaid Khan regroups his troops and lays a 3 week siege on Urgench. ^[2] In late December, Nikolay Shaidakov with 400 men attacks and defeats Cossack and Karakalpak forces

near Chimbai (north of Khiva) and captures Khodjeyli. ^[2] In early January 1920, local Turkmen insurgents "Kosh-Mammed-khan, Gulam Ali, and others" join the Soviets. ^[2] On January 2, they capture Konye-Urgench . ^[2] On January 23, Junaid Khan was defeated; his residence, Bedirkent, fell to Soviets. ^{[4] [5]} On february 1, Khiva fell into the hands of the Soviets with the help of the Young Khivans. ^{[6] [7] [8] [3]}

Aftermath

After fall of the Khanate of Khiva, Junaid Khan fled into the Karakum desert and continued leading operations there. ^{[9] [10]} On February 2 The Khan of Khiva was abdicated, ^{[11] [12]} ending the Kungrat dynasty's rule in Khiva. ^[13]

References

1. Fraser, Glenda (1987). "Basmachi — I". Central Asian Survey. 6 (1): 7. doi:10.1080/02634938708400571. ISSN   0263-4937.
2. Becker (1968). Russia's Protectorates in Central Asia--Bukhara and Khiva 1865-1924. p. 288.
3. "The dramatic end of Khiva state". www.advantour.com. Retrieved 2025-10-27.
4. Abashin, Sergey. Поляков Ю.А., Чугунов А.И. Конец басмачества. М., 1976. p. 54.
5. Гражданская война и военная интервенция в СССР. Энциклопедия. — М.: Советская энциклопедия, 1983.
6. www.armyupress.army.mil. p. 97 http://web.archive.org/web/20250528134259/https://www.armyupress.army.mil/Portals/7/combat-studies-institute/csi-books/LP20_Russian-SovietUnconventionalWars.pdf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2025-05-28. Retrieved 2025-10-27.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
7. Edgar, Adrienne Lynn (2006-09-25). Tribal Nation: The Making of Soviet Turkmenistan. Princeton University Press. p. 38. ISBN   978-0-691-12799-6.
8. Publications, Europa (2003-09-02). A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. Routledge. p. 269. ISBN   978-1-135-35680-4.
9. De Lageard, Helene Aymen (1987). "The revolt of the basmachi according to red army journals (1920–1922)". Central Asian Survey . 6 (3): 31. doi:10.1080/02634938708400590. ISSN   0263-4937.
10. Olcott, Martha B. (1981). "The Basmachi or Freemen's revolt in Turkestan 1918–24". Soviet Studies. 33 (3): 352–369. doi:10.1080/09668138108411365. ISSN   0038-5859.
11. Wood, William A. (2019-01-01). "Khorezm and the Khanate of Khiva". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Asian History: 10. doi:10.1093/ACREFORE/9780190277727.013.284. ISBN   978-0-19-027772-7.
12. Chahryar Adle:History of Civilizations of Central Asia volume VI, page 319
13. Ubiria, Grigol (2015-09-16). Soviet Nation-Building in Central Asia: The Making of the Kazakh and Uzbek Nations. Routledge. p. 79. ISBN   978-1-317-50435-1.