The Anushteginids (1097–1231) was a formidable geopolitical power that unified Khwarazm, the southern expanses of the Dasht-i Qipchaq, Eastern Turkestan, Central Asia, and the Near and Middle East. Despite its vast influence, the extent of female agency in its domestic and foreign policies remains an under-researched paradigm, particularly regarding the empire's administrative strategy on the eve of the Mongol invasion. The political authority of Terken Khatun, the mother of 'Ala al-Din Muhammad II, often rivaled or superseded that of the Sultan himself. Consequently, traditional historiography frequently attributes the fragmentation and subsequent annihilation of the empire by Mongol forces to her political machinations. This article critically re-evaluates the socio-political dynamics within the Anushteginid state prior to the Mongol conquest, analyzing the institutional role of royal women – specifically Terken Khatun and her granddaughter, Khan Sultan. By systematically cross-examining primary medieval sources and contemporary historiographical frameworks, this study offers novel perspectives on female political participation and challenges the monistic attribution of the empire's collapse to Terken Khatun's policies.