During the era of the Gaznaly Mahmyt, the Seljuk Kingdom, Köneürgenç states, Türkmen was the leading nation in the science, literature, and art in the world. Türkmens introduced the Türkmen civilization to others.

(60-61.)

Gaznaly Mahmyt, who was the son of Sebuktegin of the Gaýa Boyu (tribe) of the Turkmens, was one of the great rulers in Islamic history. He accomplished great services for Islam in spreading and protecting Islam. Gaznaly Mahmyt first defeated his own brother, who had risen against him, and he brought Eciz Hukumdar of the Samanids under his rule. He got  

the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdat to acknowledge his rulership of Horasan and Gazna and to declare by written decree that the Caliph himself was no longer the sovereign in those regions.

Gaznaly Mahmyt made an agreement with the Ilek Han and the weakened Samanids and thus made joint military expeditions with that powerful army to India. He enterd India seventeen times between the years 1001 and 1026. He expanded his borders, captured well beyond Kashmir and Punjab, and added Kanuj and Mutturun in 1018, and Anhalwar - the capital of Gujarat - and Somnat into his lands in 1024 (415). With all these campaigns, he not only became rich but also aimed to eliminate robbery, pillage, injustice and idol-worshipping. He was renowned as the ‘idol-bringer down’ and returned to his land with wealth and treasure accumulated from those temples. The effect of these expeditions on India was enormous: Punjab completely submitted to his rule and Gujarat conceded the amount of the tax to be paid to Mahmyt. Apart from in India, he also ran military campaigns against Ilek Han and his land, and captured Gur in 1010, Murgap in 1012, and Samarkand and Buhara in 1016. Towards the last years of his reign, he realised that Togrul and Cagry Begs, whom he had protected, were starting to become a threat to him. Togrul and Cagry Begs remained loyal to and dependent on the Gaznaly State till 1027 (418). After the death of Mahmyt, their names become heard louder and more frequently.

Mahmyt’s interest in science, literature and art and his patronage of scholars and scientists were no less than his statesmanship and commandership. He hosted and protected poets, such as Firdewsi, in his palace. His land, particularly the city Gazna, was far ahead and superior to others with respect 

o its mansions, mosques, water canalets, irrigation networks and facilities needed for health and social life.

His land stretched from Lahore to Samarkand and to Isfahan. However, within a short period he started to lose the provinces in the North. A few years later, in 1040 during the battle of Daňdanakan near Merw, Mahmyt’s son Masud was defeated by the Seljuk Turkmens and in consquence, their sovereignty and ownership of Horasan came to an end. 

(140-142.)

There had always been a few independent Hanates in the province of Ur, a mountainous place between Herat and Gazna. The Gur Turkmens had abode in the citadel of Firuzkuh. Gaznaly Mahmyt captured this city in 1010 (401). It was Muhammed Suri who was ruling there at that time. Gaznalys reign was at its most powerful. The Gaznalys and Gurs also inter-married. However, Kutbettin Muhammed of the Gurs killed his own father-in-law at the behest of the Gaznalys. Upon this, Suri’s brother conquered Gazna in 1148 to take revenge for what happened. A year later Behram Shah recaptured the city and tortured Seyfettin Suri to death. This ruthless act perpetrated for the second time against their family strengtheed the will for revenge in Aleaddin Huseyin, the brother of Seyfetin Suri. Aleaddin attacked Gazna, set fire to it and put all to death by the sword. For this reason he is known as, “the man who set the world on fire.” 

(143-144.)

The rise of the Türkmen commanders Togrul and Çagry Begs annoyed the Soltan of the Türkmens, Gaznaly Mahmyt, who had conquered huge territories in the East and West, including India. He called one of the Hans of the Seljuk Türkmens in order to learn about them. Ysraýyl Han started 

out towards the headquarters of the Soltan with ten thousand riders. The Soltan immediately sent a message to the Han and indicated that he had not summoned support but was only calling the Han to meet. Then Ysraýyl came to the meeting with three hundred of his riders. The Soltan cheerfully welcomed him and then asked:

“If we needed military support, how many soldiers would you send us?”

Ysraýyl took an arrow from his quiver and said:

“If you send this arrow, then an army consisting of thirty thousand soldiers will come from the Balkans.”

“If we needed more than that?”

“Then, if you send this arrow, ten thousand more riders will also come.”

“If we needed many more than that?”

“If you send this arrow towards the Balkan Mountains, then an army of a hundred thousand soldiers will come.”

“Yes, but if we needed a greater force than that?”

Then Ysraýyl gave another arrow and said:

“If you send this to Türkmenistan, then an army of five hundred thousand soldiers will come.”

(156-157.)

The Seljuks were a brave and dauntless people who liked horses and rode them well. Otherwise, Gaznaly Mahmyt would not have invited them to Khorasan! Contrary to what many historians have claimed, Soltan Mahmyt’s intention was not to do favours to Türkmens. Soltan Mahmyt was himself a Türkmen, as were the majority of his soldiers. Türkmens lived in the villages and cities in Khorasan. They dwelled especially in the Merw, Abywerd, Nusaý, Sarahs, Amul, Balkan, Zem, Maveraunnehir, Müngyşlak and Was regions.

Soltan Mahmyt had organized 18 military campaigns to India, and filled the treasury of the state with gold and silver. However, there now emerged a challenge to him and a threat to his state from his relatives, the Seljuks. Soltan Mahmyt’s response was the wise strategy of having the Seljuks cross over the Jeýhun Sea and settle in Khorasan. This was a part of a policy known and implemented by many for thousands of years, ‘Divide, Disintegrate and Rule’. The Seljuks migrated, but no-one would give them land or pasture. So, the Seljuks had to struggle for survival. Their struggle was against the settled Türkmens of Merw, Sarahs, Abywerd and Nusaý. In fact it was the Soltan himself who had invited the Seljuks but it was basically because the Seljuks were stronger and more vigorous than the settled Türkmens. The Soltan left the choice of land to the will of the Seljuks. These domestic conflicts were the harbingers of war. Thus Soltan Mahmyt would more easily organize his military campaigns to India because, he had sown the seeds of war among the Türkmens. On one occasion, to demonstrate his power in comparison with the Seljuks, Soltan Mahmyt called Arslan Han for a meeting and had him arrested and imprisoned in Kelejar fortress. Incidentally, the Seljuks did not fight amongst themselves over territorial claims. They challenged only the Türkmens in Khorasan and there existed no other option for the Seljuks at that time. Through all this, the Seljuks did not war with their relatives, the Türkmens, and chose to request a homeland officially from the Soltan himself. Soltan Mahmyt gave them a place. However the descendant of Soltan Mahmyt, his son Soltan Mesut, changed this policy. Relations between Seljuks and Soltan Mesut worsened continuously until Soltan Mesut sent a great army under the command of his pre-eminent commander Begdogdy. However, this talented commander was defeated by the Seljuks. In the battle, the Seljuks made use of the tactic called ‘ Strike and Retreat’.

(220-221.)

The founder of the Gaznaly State was the Khorasan governor, Alp Tegin, from the Gaý (Kayi) tribe of Oguzs, who had earlier served the Samanids. He came to the city of Gazna in 962 and took it under his rule. The state took its name from this city. Although the territories of the state were extended by Sebük Tegin, the most splendid period of the state had been during the rule of Soltan Mahmyt.

In a short period, Gaznaly Soltan Mahmyt, having gained the support of the Oguz tribes, became a great power and endeavoured to spread Islam in the neighboring countries. His 

main target was to expand his state and disseminate Islam. The borders of the state expanded to Khorasan, Harezm, Iraq, Belkh, South Iran and north India in a very short time.

For a certain period, he maintained friendly relations with Garahanly State. During that period, he could not come to an agreement with the sons of Seljuk. Furthermore he had Arslan Beg arrested and put into jail. However, he later authorized the migration and settlement of the Seljuks in Khorasan. Though he had disputes with Togrul and Çagry Begs, the grandsons of Seljuk Beg, he prevented fraternal quarrels amongst the Garahanlys. On this issue he said: “Stop your enmity towards each other. Put your swords in their sheaths. Everyone must concern himself with the province under his rule,” and settled the disputes between them. However, by his death, they had started struggling for the throne again.

After Soltan Mesut ascended to the throne, the Seljuks settled in Khorasan became his main target. These two Oguz tribes could not share the land and fought first in 1038 near Täkgala and later in 1040 near Sarahs on the Daňdanakan Plain. This resulted in Soltan Mesut withdrawing with great losses and Khorasan, Iran, Köneürgenç and Maveraunnehir passing to the control of the Seljuks. After this, the Gaznaly State faced great turmoil and finally became subject to the Seljuk State.

(223-224.)