SERIES ONE (POST FIVE)
‘’EXPANSION, FRACTURE AND SUCCESSORS OF GHAZNAVID STATE’’
It will be futile to read further if you haven’t read previous posts of this series yet. I have mentioned links, as follows, for you to connect the Post Five with the previous ones-
Post 1-
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=243717003474723&id=100035092741319
Post 2-
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=243773003469123&id=100035092741319
Post 3-
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=245797983266625&id=100035092741319
Post 4-
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=248331879679902&id=100035092741319
‘’’’STATE OF GHAZNAVIDS’’’’
HOUSE OF SUBUG TEGIN
In 977 AD, Subug Tegin declared independence from Samanid and in 999 AD, Mahmood succeeded Subug Tegin. Although Turkic people were Nomadic but Ghaznavids borrowed administrative and judicial practices from Abbasid Caliphate, except Turkic Military, and will also adopt new practices according to the geography and culture. During reign of Mahmood (999-1030), Ghaznavids prospered in cultural, commercial and intellectual centre. They accepted suzerainty of Abbasid Caliph at Baghdad and hosted scholars like Al-Bruini and Al-Ferdousi. During last four years of Mahmood, expansion in boundaries will take the Oghuz Turks into the state, ancestors of Seljuk and Ottoman Turks.
After the death of Mahmood, his nominated heir, Muhammad, will assume the position of Sultan but his twin brother, Masud, will rebel, that resulted into a Civil War and overthrowing Muhammad. Due to lack of leadership, his lack of vision and better decision making in Masud, Ghaznavid State began to disintegrate and will be partitioned under the two families between ‘House of Seljuk Bey’ and ‘House of Subug Tegin Bey’. Seljuk Turks were the descendant of Oghuz Turks, living on the North-Western border of State. Seljuk Bey was the leader of a powerful tribe and had converted to Islam and as most of the Oghuz Turks were in Ghaznavid State, Seljuk Turk under leadership of Tughral Bey, grandson of Seljuk Bey, approached Sultan Masud for ‘’permanent settlement’’ in a Turkic State. In response to Tughral Bey’s request, Masud took a foolish decision and sent an army to crush the Seljuk, fearing that powerful Seljuk tribe may intervene in his brotherly rivalry. Seljuk defended the tribe and also defeated the Masud’s army at ‘’Battle of Dandanqan’’, thereby Masud leaving western territories (present day Northern Iran) to Seljuk for permanent settlement.
In frustration of defeat in battle, Masud imprisoned his defeated warriors which created a chaos in army. His reckless decisions led the army to revolt against him. Masud was overthrown and imprisoned. Muhammad was reinstated. In revenge, Masud’s son, Mawdud, assassinated Muhammad and crowned himself a Sultan. Due to this family rivalry, state was disintegrating; Seljuk, Delhi and other Beys in Azerbaijan were acting independently. Meanwhile, Buyid, a Shia Persian Dynasty was threatening existence of Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad. Seeing Ghaznavid State in disarray, Caliph sought help of House of Seljuk to supress the Buyids. In return, Caliph granted Seljuk independent Sultanate but Seljuk still continued working in coordination with Ghaznavid Rulers.
Sultan Bahram Shah, last ruler in Ghazna, assassinated Qutub Ad Din, brother of Ala Ad Din, in public on minor offense. Ala Ad Din Husaiyn, a Non-Turkic Military Commander, was a Bey in principality of Ghor in Ghaznavid State. On assassination of his brother, he attacked Sultan Bahram Shah and seized capital, Ghazna. To protect Ghazna from Ghorids, Seljuk attacked on Ala Ad Din from west and restored capital for Bahram Shah but he could not hold it for long due to rivalry with Ghor and capital had to shift in Lahore (1163-1186). State was fragmented into two halves; House of Seljuk at West and House of Subug Tegin at East (in present day Pakistan and India). In the middle of Seljuk and Ghaznavid, Ghorids were raiding the territories of both. Ala Ad Din captured the capital of Ghaznavid in Lahore and executed Khusro Malik, the last ruler of House of Subug Tegin. The Great Ghaznavid State fell into the hands of Ghors. House of Ghor was a tiny Non-Turkic family in the Ghaznavid State and usurped the Mighty State, though for short. Harun Al Rashid, Caliph at Baghdad, legitimised the rule of Ghors but their rule soon will be challenged by Anush Tagin, one of the military commanders of Seljuk in Khwarazmian, and Qutb Ad Din Aiybak in Delhi.
HOUSE OF GHOR
Muiz Ad Din Mohammad, also known as Muhammad Ghori, succeeded the mighty Ghaznavid State ruling from Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North India, Bangladesh, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. When Muhammad Ghori was assassinated in 1206, it gave Turkmen Military Commanders an opportunity to crush the House of Ghor. From West, House of Khwarazmian, Anush Tagin, and from East, In-charge of Delhi, Qutub Ud Din Aibak, rushed towards Ghazna to capture the Capital. They failed to recapture Ghazna but Anush Tagin declared independence from Ghor and Aiyabak rejuvenated Lahore, the last capital of state and declared independent rule from Lahore.
‘’’’’’DIVISION OF STATE OF GHAZNAVIDS’’’’’’
House of Ghor fell into a civil strife for succession and had to recognise independent rule of both Anush Tagin and Qutub Ad Din Aiybak. Although the rule of Ghor was short lived and Turkmen successfully recaptured the state but it changed the course of history in east and west. State of Ghaznavids was divided into two halves; House of Anush Tagin at West and House of Aibak in East.
‘’’’STATE OF GHAZNAVIDS AT EAST’’’’
Qutub Ad Din Aiybak, a Military General and in-charge of Delhi was born in Turkestan (an ancient place in Transoxiana). Barbaric Rulers in Central Asia used to capture the Turks and sell them in Caliphate and Byzantines. Muslims in the Caliphate used to buy these slaves and adopt them as their own children. Slaves in Islamic State are no longer Slaves as British Historians write them. Therefore, I have reservations with the usage of word ‘’Slave’’ for succeeding Sultans in Eastern Ghaznavids. Basically, the term ‘’Slave’’ is insulting the very nature of Caliphate and Islamic Empires.
Qutub Ad Din consolidated the rule of East (Delhi). Aiybak was succeeded by Aram Shah. As I discussed in previous post, ‘’Kurultay’’ (assembly of Turkic Nobles) assemble to elect the next Monarch. Iltutamish, a Military Commander in Badaun, was elected Sultan to rule the newly consolidated State of Ghaznavids. After the election of Iltutamish, capital was shifted from Lahore to Badaun for four years (1210-1214), later he shifted capital from Badaun to Delhi and Eastern Ghaznavid State will become Delhi Sultanate. Iltutamish got married with the widow of Qutub Ad Din to unite the Turks in his rule. Rukun Ad Din, son of Iltutamish, will succeed his father but he will leave his mother, Shah Turkan, to rule on Sultanate.
*As the focus of my writings is only present day India, I will discuss about Eastern State of Ghaznavids in upcoming posts.
‘’’’STATE OF GHAZNAVIDS AT WEST’’’’
HOUSE OF SELJUK
In West, Anush Tagin recaptured the Seljuk State from House of Ghor after the assassination of Muhammad Ghor. Seljuk State was founded by two brothers, Tughral Bey and Chagtri Bey, grandsons of Seljuk Bey. Kinik Tribe of Seljuk Bey was a militarily organised tribe with a complete state system. After Battle of Dandanaqan (1940), Tughral Bey secured lands in Ghaznavid State. Alp Arsalan, son of Chaghri Bey, succeeded Tughral Bey and expanded Tughral Bey’s holding by adding Armenia and Georgia. Battle of Manzikert (1071) was turning point for the Seljuk. In this Battle, they gave a decisive defeat to Byzantines and seized Anatolia (present day Turkey), it was an entry of Turks in Asia Minor. Alp Arsalan allowed migrating Turkic Tribes to settle in Anatolia and ‘’Turkification’’ of the region. He authorised the Turkmen Military Generals to carve their own principalities in Anatolia as Atabegs (Beyliks). The Launch of First Crusade (1141), people’s crusade, was a reaction to the defeat of Byzantines in Manzikert.
Alp Arsalan was succeeded by his son, Malik Shah. Malik appointed Nizam Ul Mulk and Taj Ul Mulk as his Vizier. Nizam Ul Mulk is still debatable in India for his book ‘’Siyasatnama’’. Reign of Malik Shah was the Golden Age of Seljuk. His Vizier, Nizam Ul Mulk founded Nizamiyyah University. After Malik Shah’s death, Ahmad Sanjar was enthroned as Sultan in 1118. Although First Crusade was supressed by Seljuk but they lost territory of Nicea, Konya, Kayseri, Antakya (Antioch) and also the Holy Lands, Palestine, to crusader where they established ‘’Crusaders Kingdom’’. Ahmad Sanjar died in 1157 and Eastern Half of the Sultanate was recaptured by the House of Ghor and Western Atabegs (in Anatolia, Syria, Lebanon) either became ‘’independent’’ or ‘’lost territories to Crusaders’’.
HOUSE OF KHWARAZMIAN
After the death of Muhammad Ghori, Anush Tigin Bey, Military Commander of Seljuk at Khwarazmian, succeeded to recapture Western-half of Ghaznavid State under his rule. He was appointed by Seljuk at Khwarazmian as vassal. After securing formerly Seljuk Sultanate from Ghor, he ruled from Gurganj, Samarkand, Ghazna and finally, Tabriz. Anush Tigin Bey was was succeeded by his son, Qutub Ad Din Mohammad I. They couldn’t consolidate all territories of formerly Seljuk. Western ‘’Beyliks’’ (Provinces) became independent like Sultanate of Rum, Zengids.
SECOND CRUSADE (1147-1149)
Beyliks who had got independence were- Sultanate of Rum (Turkey and parts of Syria), Khorasani Seljuk, Kermani Seljuk, Salghrid in Iran, Atabegs of Azerbaijan, Atabeylik of Bori in Syria, Ababeylik of Zengi in Al Jazira (Mesopotamia).
Atabeg Zengi consolidated his rule and managed to form an alliance with other Atabegs. After consolidating his rule, he moved towards the lost territories of Seljuk to crusaders and recaptured some of them.
In response to Zengi’s retaliation, Byzantines launched Second Crusade. Atabeg Zengi successfully crushed the Crusade and expanded his Beylik in Egypt. After death of Zengi, he was succeeded by his son, Nur Ad Din.
Nur Ud Din appointed Shihrukh, a Military Commander in Egypt. Shihrukh and his brother, Najm Ad Din Ayyub, established themselves as vassals of Nur Ad Din in Egyptian territories.
HOUSE OF AYYUBIDS
Yusuf, popularly known as Salahuddin Ayyubi, succeed his uncle, Shihrukh, and declared himself a Sultan. He also rebelled against Nur Ud Din, executed him and married his widow. Saladin rose to rank in Islamic World due to his military campaigns against Crusaders. He abolished Fatimid Caliphate and realigned the territories with Abbasid Caliphate. In Battle of Hatin (1187), he took control of Palestine from Crusaders, including Jerusalem after 88 years. Saladin’s descendants weren’t capable rulers and lost to Kipchak Turks.
HOUSE OF KIPCHAK TURKS (MAMLUKS)
Last and 7th ruler of Ayyubids, As Salih Ayyub, was a weak ruler and facing tough challenges from crusaders. Kipcak Turks, known as Mamluk in Arabic, formed a big army in Egypt against the Crusades. Upon the death of As Salih, his widow, Al Malika Asmat Ad Din, proclaimed herself a Sultana and married the Turkic Military Commander, Izz Al Din Aiybak. After death of Al Malika, Aiybak became the ruler, then his son Al Mansur Ali. Mansur was succeeded by his son, Said Ud Din Qutuz.
ARRIVAL OF MONGOLS IN CALIPHATE
Rise of Mongols, under the leadership of Genghis Khan, will change the course of history for Islam and Turks. Except Eastern Ghaznavid State (Delhi Sultanate), Mongols will usurp all the successor states of Ghaznavids; Atabegs of Azerbaijan, Khwarazmian Shah, Khorasani Seljuk, Transoxiana, Zengids and Sultanate of Rum. They came like a storm on all Islamic Lands and butchered everyone who met them on the route. The Capital, Baghdad, was fallen, Caliph was mercilessly butchered and Mongols were on the outskirts of Medina and Mecca. Succeeding Abbasid Caliph took refuge in Cairo, under the patronage of Kipchak Turks.
Historians are of the opinion that it was a turning point for both Islam and Christianity. After finishing Muslims, Mongols were to move towards Byzantines but Muslims not only protected Islam but Christianity too from the wrath of Mongols that day. Kipchak Turks, rulers of Egypt, gave a decisive defeat to Mongols in Battle of Ain Jalut, at the outskirts of Medina. This defeat shocked Mongols, a first ever defeat in Islamic Lands. Mongol Army led by Kitbuga Noyan, a Naiman Turk, was badly defeated by Mamluks.
From the East, Eastern Ghaznavid State (Delhi) will push the Mongols. From South, Kipchak Turks, after Battle of Ain Jalut, will push northward. From the West, a relatively small and independent Beylik, Osman Ghazi, successor of Ghaznavid State at Westernmost border, will push eastward. From the North (Present Day Western Russia), Berke Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, converted to Islam and pushed the Mongols to retreat.
Haulage Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan got stuck in the Islamic Lands from North, South, East and West. Mongols, butchers of Muslims, too will end up embracing Islam. In History, no one has harmed Muslims the way Mongol did but after embracing Islam, ‘’Turco-Mongol’’ will rule the earth together for centuries.
EASTERN GHAZNAVID STATE (DELHI SULTANATE); A REFUGE OF TURKS/MUSLIMS
The heart of Islam, Baghdad, in the hands of Mongolian enemy, Delhi had a role to play. Migration from all successor states of Ghaznavids took place in East, Eastern State of Ghaznavids (Delhi). Turks in India will form a powerful resisting wall that Mongols could not get through it.
In upcoming post, I will discuss about the origin of Turks in Central Asia, Turkification of Turan, foundation of Gokturk Empire, Civil War in Turkic Khanate, Disintegration of Gokturks, Annexation of Turkistan in Caliphate, Rise of Mongols and how the Mongols pushed Turkic/Muslim Migration in State Ghaznavids (Delhi).
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