Kara-Khitans

State · 1126–1219 CE · at its largest around 1147 CE

Founded by Khitan nobles who fled west after their empire fell, it ruled Muslim Central Asia with a Chinese-style court and Buddhist rulers tolerant of many faiths. Rumours of its victory over the Seljuks may have fed Europe's legend of Prester John.

On its lands while it lasted

Silk Road (c. 130 BCE – c. 1450 CE): A network of overland caravan routes linking China with Central Asia, Persia and the Mediterranean, along which silk, spices, horses, religions, technologies and diseases travelled for more than 1,500 years.
Kara-Khanid Khanate (c. 840–1212 CE): Turkic dynasty that ruled Transoxiana and the Tian Shan region and was among the first Turkic states to adopt Islam.
Balasagun (c. 850–1218 CE): Capital of Kara-Khanids (850–1045), Eastern Kara-Khanids (1046–1138), Western Karakhanid Khanate (1046–1084), and 1 more.
Beiting (c. 860–1138 CE): Capital of Qocho Kingdom (860–1138).
Mongols invade Khwarazm (1219–1221 CE): After the massacre of a Mongol trade caravan at Otrar, Genghis Khan invaded the Khwarazmian Empire, sacking Bukhara, Samarkand and other cities and pursuing Jalal ad-Din to the Indus.