MAHMUD[1] OF GHAZNI (971-1030), son of Sabuktagin, Afghan conqueror, was born on the 2nd of October 971. His fame rests chiefly on his successful wars, in particular his numerous invasions of India. His military capacity, inherited from his father, Nasir-ud-din Sabuktagin, was strengthened by youthful experience in the field. Sabuktagin, a Turki slave of Alptagin, governor of Khorasan under Abdalmalik I. b. Nuh of the Samanid dynasty of Bokhara, early brought himself to notice (see SAMANIDS). He was raised to high office in the state by Alptagin's successor, Abu Ishak, and in A.H. 366 (A.D. 977), by the choice of the nobles of Ghazni, he became their ruler. He soon began to make conquests in the neighbouring countries, and in these wars he was accompanied by his young son Mahmud. Before he had reached the age of fourteen he encountered in two expeditions under his father the Indian forces of Jaipal, raja of Lahore, whom Sabuktagin defeated on the Punjab frontier. In 994 Mahmud was made governor of Khorasan, with the title of Saif addaula (ud-daula) ("Sword of the State") by the Samanid Nuh II. Two years later, his father Sabuktagin died in the neighbourhood of Balkh, having declared his second son, Ismail, who was then with him, to be his successor. As soon as Ismail had assumed the sovereignty at Balkh, Mahmud, who was at Nishapur, addressed him in friendly terms, proposing a division of the territories held by their father at his death. Ismail rejected the proposal, and was immediately attacked by Mahmud and defeated. Retreating to Ghazni, he there yielded, and was imprisoned, and Mahmud obtained undisputed power as sovereign of Khorasan and Ghazni (997). The Ghaznevid dynasty is sometimes reckoned by native historians to commence with Sabuktagin's conquest of Bost and Kosdar (978). But Sabuktagin, throughout his reign at Ghazni, continued to acknowledge the Samanid suzerainty, as did Mahmud also, until the time, soon after succeeding to his father's dominions, when he received from Qadir, caliph of Bagdad (see CALIPHATE, C. § 25), a _khilat_ (robe of honour), with a letter recognizing his sovereignty, and conferring on him the titles _Yamiin-addaula_ ("Right hand of the State"), and _Amin-ul-Millat_ ("Guardian of the Faith"). From this time it is the name of the caliph that is inscribed on Mahmud's coins, together with his own new titles. Previously the name of the Samanid sovereign, Mansur II. b. Nuh is given along with his own former title, Saif addaula Mahmud. The earliest of those of the new form gives his name Mahmud bin Sabuktagin. Thereafter his father's name does not appear on his coins, but it is inscribed again on his tomb.