Herat (Tartar Invasion of Afghanistan).
This city was captured, 1220, by 20,000 Tartars, under Sudah Bahadur. The Governor, Emin Malek, was entirely unprepared to stand a siege, and surrendered when the Tartars appeared before the walls. Having meanwhile been retaken by a coup-de-main, by Shems-ed-din, who held it as an independent chieftain, Herat was again besieged by the Mongols, under Tuli Khan, in 1221. After a brief, but resolute resistance, during which Shems-ed-din fell, the inhabitants opened the gates to the besiegers, and the garrison was put to the sword.