Jalal al-Din was the eldest son of Ala ad-Din Muhammad II. When the Mongol army crushed their empire, he refused to flee and instead chose to organize a resistance.
In 1221, he achieved a rare victory against a Mongol detachment at the Battle of Parwan. However, Genghis Khan personally pursued him, cornering him at the Indus River.
Faced with defeat, Jalal al-Din famously rode his horse off a 30-foot cliff into the roaring Indus River to escape. Even Genghis Khan admired his bravery. He spent the rest of his life as a fugitive trying to rebuild his power until his death in 1231.