Editing Ghaznavids (section)

===Sabuktigin===
{{Main|Sabuktigin}}
[[File:Ghaznavid ruins of Lashkari Bazar (northern view, composite).jpg|thumb|400px|Ghaznavid fortress of [[Lashkari Bazar]] in [[Lashkargah]], ancient Bost, southern [[Afghanistan]]. It was founded by [[Mahmud of Ghazni]] in 998-1030 CE.]]
Sabuktigin lived as a [[mamluk]], Turkic slave-soldier,{{sfn|Levi|Sela|2010|p=83}}{{efn|The Ghaznavids were a dynasty of Turkic slave-soldiers...''{{sfn|Levi|Sela|2010|p=83}}}}{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=4}} during his youth and later married the daughter of his master [[Alp Tigin|Alptigin]],{{sfn|Asher|Talbot|2006|p=19}} who fled to [[Ghazni|Ghazna]] following a failed coup attempt, and conquered the city from the local [[Lawik dynasty|Lawik rulers]] in 962.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=37}} After Alptigin death, his son Abu Ishaq Ibrahim governed Ghazna for three years.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=38}} His death was followed by the reign of a former ghulam of Alptigin, Bilgetigin. Bilgetigin's rule was so harsh the populace invited [[Abu Bakr Lawik]] back.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=38}} It was through Sabuktigin's military ability that Lawik was removed, Bilgetigin was exiled, and Sabuktigin gained the governorship.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=39}}

Once established as governor of Ghazna, Sabuktigin was asked to intervene in Khurasan, at the insistence of the Samanid emir, and after a victorious campaign received the governorships of Balkh, Tukharistan, Bamiyan, Ghur and Gharchistan.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=44}} Sabuktigin inherited a governorship in turmoil.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=42}} In Zabulistan, the typical military fief system(''mustaghall'') were being changed into permanent ownership(''tamlik'') which resulted in the Turkic soldiery unwilling to take up arms.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=42}} Sabuktigin reformed the system making them all a ''mustaghall''-type fief.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=42}} In 976, he ended the conflict between two Turkic ghulams at Bust and restored the original ruler.{{sfn|Bosworth|1994|p=203}} Later that same year, Sabuktigin campaigned against Qusdar, catching the ruler(possibly Mu'tazz b. Ahmad) off guard and obtaining an annual tribute from him.{{sfn|Bosworth|1994|p=203}}

After the death of Sabuktigin, his son by Alptigin's daughter, [[Ismail of Ghazni|Ismail]], was given Ghazna.{{efn|Kaushik Roy states Turkic nobles at Balkh chose Ismail as Emir.{{sfn|Roy|2015|p=88}}}}{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=45}} Another son, Abu'l-Muzaffar Nasr, was given the governorship of Bust, while in Khorasan, the eldest son Mahmud, was given command of the army.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=44}} Sabuktigin's intent was to ensure governorships for his family, despite the decaying influence of the Samanid Empire, and did not consider his dynasty as independent.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=44}} Ismail, upon gaining his inheritance, quickly traveled to Bust and did homage to Emir Abu'l-Harith Mansur b. Nuh.{{sfn|Bosworth|1963|p=45}} Mahmud, who had been left out of any significant inheritance, proposed a division of power, to which Ismail refused.{{sfn|Bosworth|1975|p=169}} Mahmud marched on Ghazna and subsequently Ismail was defeated and captured in 998 at the [[Battle of Ghazni (998)|Battle of Ghazni]].{{sfn|Roy|2015|p=88}}