The Khan knew that China was a powerful enemy, so he took careful steps to make peace with his neighbors so that he could concentrate on winning the war against the Jin.

As part of that peace mission, the Khan sent a caravan of several hundred men to the city of Utrar in modern day Kazakhstan; at the time it was a prominent trade hub in the Khwarazmian Empire, just west of Mongolia.

Khwarazmia was an empire in decline, and Genghis is reported to have sent a message stating "I am master of the lands of the rising sun, while you rule those of the setting sun. Let us conclude a firm treaty of friendship and peace."

But the governor of Utrar, a man named Inalchuk, had the Mongolian trade delegates arrested and killed, then seized their wares. Legend has it that a sole survivor escaped and rode a camel all way the back to Mongolia to inform the Khan.

Upon hearing the news, Genghis Khan tried again to make peace, and he sent a second mission of three ambassadors directly to Sultan Muhammad II, head of the Khwarazmian Empire.

In what may be the most idiotic diplomatic failure in human history, Muhammad beheaded one of the envoys and unmanned the other two.