Kara-Khanid invasion of Khorasan
| Kara-Khanid invasion of Khorasan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Ghaznavid Empire | Kara-Khanid Khanate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Mahmud of Ghazni Muhammad b. Ibrahim at-Ta'i Arslan Jadhib Altuntash Abu Nasr Farighuni Abu'l Muzaffar Nasr |
Ilak Khan[a] Qadir Khan Chaghartigin Subāshītigin | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
1008: unknown number of soldiers 500 elephants[2] |
1008: 40,000–50,000[2] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| -- | 1006: 700 captured | ||||||||
The Kara-Khanid invasion of Khorasan (1006–1008 AD) was undertaken by the Kara-Khanid Khanate under Ilak Nasr Khan[3] and Qadir Khan in an attempt to conquer the Khorasan, held by the Ghaznavid empire. The invasion was carried out in two phases in 1006 AD and 1008 AD. Despite initial successes, the Kara-Khanids were driven out of Khorasan, securing Ghaznavid rule of the region.
Background
In 998 AD, Mahmud of Ghazni sought to expand Ghaznavid control into Khorasan, but negotiations with Samanid Amir Mansur II failed. In 999, Mahmud invaded Khorasan, and after Mansur’s assassination by Samanid nobles Begtuzun and Fa’iq, who installed Abd al-Malik II, Mahmud advanced on Sarakhs. A brief peace granted Mahmud control of Herat and Balkh, while Begtuzun held Khorasan, but conflict resumed when Samanid factions attacked Mahmud’s forces. Leading an army with his brother Abu'l Muzaffar Nasr, Mahmud defeated the Samanid forces of Abd al-Malik, Begtuzun, Abu'l Qasim and Fa’iq near Merv. The battle led Ghaznavids to consolidate their power in Khorasan, annexing the region. The Samanid dynasty collapsed after the Kara-Khanid capture Samanid capital Bukhara and Abd al-Malik in 999. The last Samanid emir Isma'il Muntasir tried to restore the Samanid dynasty but was assassinated in December 1004. Ghaznavids therefore secured their dominance in Khorasan.[4]
The two sovereign exchanged friendly relation agreed to maintain Oxus river as the border between the two empires. To strengthen their relation Sultan Mahmud obtained Ilak Khan's daughter in marriage. In December 999, he sent Abu't-Tayyib Sahl b. Muhammad b. Sulaiman aş-Şuʻlūki, chief doctor of the Shafi'ites, and Tughānjuq, governor of Sarakhs, as his representatives to Uzgand. The bride was brought to Khorasan about the middle of the same year.[5][d]
Conflicts
War with Ilak Khan (c. 1006)
The friendly relation came to end, when Ilak Khan finding opportunity, invaded Khorasan while Sultan Mahmud was busy in the capture of Multan in 1006 AD. Ilak Khan sent two armies: one led by his brother Chaghartigin, which captured Balkh, and another under Subāshītigin, which took Herat. As a result, Ilak Khan gained control over the entirety of Khorasan. Sultan Mahmud had left preparations for such invasion. Arslan Jadhib mobilized forces at Ghazni while Mahmud's wazir Abu'l-Hasan Isfarayini, strengthen the capital, posted detachment in Bamyan and Panjshir. Sultan Mahmud receiving the news, left Multan to some of his officers, marching to Ghazni.[6]
As Mahmud advanced, Chaghartigin abandoned Balkh and fled to Tirmidh, while Sultan Mahmūd sent Arslan Jadhib with 10,000 troops to pursue Subāshītigin, who also fled upon their approach. Subāshītigin attempted to reach Bukhara but was blocked by floods in the Murghāb River and excessive heat in the Ghuzz desert. Subāshītigin defeated Muhassin b. Tariq, a Ghuzz tribal chief, at Sarakhs and escaped to Jurjan, hoping for aid from Qabus, emir of Ziyarid dynasty. Disappointed, he returned to Nasa, left his baggage, and headed for Marv. The sultan dispatched Abū 'Abdu'llah Muhammad b. Ibrāhīm at-Tā'ī, an Arab commander, who surrounded and defeated Subāshītigin in the desert, capturing his brother and 700 soldiers. Subāshītigin managed to scaped to Bukhara. Meanwhile, Ilak Khan sent Chaghartigin with 12,000 troops to attack Balkh to divert the attention. Mahmud let him to occupy Balkh temporarily. After Subāshītigin’s defeat and expulsion from Khorasan, Mahmud turned to Balkh, prompting Chaghartigin to flee to Bukhara. By mid of 1006, Khorasan was cleared of Kara-Khanid forces.[1][7]
War with Qadir Khan and Ilak Khan (c. 1008)
Ilak Khan with an ambition to conquer Khorasan made another attempt in 1008 AD. Qadir Khan, ruler of Kashgar (Khotan), joined Ilak Khan with a army of 50,000 soldiers crossing the Oxus. The Sultan met them with an army of Khaljis, Afghans, Kurds, Ghuzz Turkomans, and Indians. The Ghaznavids encamped on the plain of Katar, approximately 12 miles from Balkh. Mahmud organized his army with Altuntash on the right wing, Arslan Jadhib on the left, and Abu'l Muzaffar Nasr, Abu Nasr Farighuni, (ruler of Juzjanan), and Abū 'Abdu'llah Muhammad at-Tā'ī in the center. The centre was supported by a front line of 500 elephants. Ilak Khan positioned Qadir Khan on his right wing, Chaghartigin on the left, and led the center himself.[2]
On 5th January, 1008, both armies engaged in battle. Ilak Khan with 500 soldiers charges at the centre ranks of Ghaznavid army, breaking the lines. At the critical moment Sultan Mahmud rallied his troops by climbing a hillock, started to pray, which lifted the moral of the Ghaznavid army. The Sultan’s elephants caused havoc, with one elephant killing Ilak Khan’s standard-bearer, while others trampled the troops. Ilak Khan’s army, panic-stricken, fled, with many captured or drowned attempting to cross the Oxus river. Immense booty fell to the Ghaznavids. After news of Sukhpala's rebellion in Multan arrived, Sultan Mahmud advanced to Ghazni.[8][7]
Aftermath
Ilak Khan died in 1012-13 succeeding his brother Ahmed Tughan Khan who maintained friendly relation with Mahmud of Ghazni. Ahmed died in 1017-18. His kingdom was passed to his brother Arslan Khan who gave one of his daughters in marriage to Masud.[9]
See also
Notes
References
- ^ a b c Nazim 1931, p. 49.
- ^ a b c Nazim 1931, p. 50.
- ^ Bosworth 1963, p. 46.
- ^ Nazim 1931, The Wars in Central Asia pp. 42-47.
- ^ Nazim 1931, Sultan Mahmūd and the Khans of Turkistān pp. 47-48.
- ^ Nazim 1931, p. 47.
- ^ a b Frye 1975, p. 171.
- ^ Nazim 1931, p. 51.
- ^ Nazim 1931, Relations with Qadir Khan pp. 52-53.
Bibliography
- Nazim, Muhammad (1931). The Life and Times of Sultan Mahmud of Ghazna. Cambridge University Press.
- Bosworth, C.E. (1963). The Ghaznavids, 994-1040. Edinburgh University Press.
- Frye, R.N. (1975). "The Early Ghaznavids". In Frye, Richard N. (ed.). The Cambridge History of Iran. Vol. 4: From the Arab Invasion to the Saljuqs. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 162–198. ISBN 0-521-20093-8.