The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest timesSkrine, Francis Henry
History
The heart of Asia : $b A history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times
Skrine, Francis Henry
Asia, Central -- History; Asia, Central -- Relations -- Russia; Russia -- Relations -- Asia, Central
According to Narshakhi,[258] Ilik Khān died in A.H. 403 (1012), and
was succeeded by his brother Toghān Khān, who, a few days after his
accession, was attacked by what appeared to be an incurable malady.
The Sultans of Khitāy and Khotan, thinking to take advantage of
his helpless state, advanced with an enormous host to attack his
dominions.[259] But, on hearing of the approaching invasion, the Khān
miraculously recovered his health and forthwith set out to oppose his
enemies. We are told that they retreated without striking a blow as
soon as they learnt that their quarry had regained his strength, but
were hotly pursued and harassed by the Khān for three months.
Toghān Khān died in A.H. 408 (1018). He is spoken of in terms of the
highest praise, both on account of his piety and his learning. His
successor was Arslān Khān, who, however, was unable to preserve the
integrity of his kingdom. Coming into conflict with Sultan Mahmūd, he
was defeated and killed in the year A.H. 410 (1020).
Kādir[260] Khān, who now ascended the throne at Samarkand, is said to
have brought the whole of Kāshghar and Khotan under his subjection.
He died in A.H. 423 (1031), and was succeeded by his son Arslān Khān.
During his reign he received a deputation from some Turks of Tibet,
who, hearing of his justice and clemency, asked permission to settle
in the neighbourhood of Balāsāghūn. He granted their request, and when
they arrived he tried to compel their acceptance of Islām. This they
refused, but as they were otherwise loyal and obedient he gave way and
allowed them to remain in a state of heathenism.[261] Arslān Khān was
overthrown in A.H. 425 (1033) by his brother Boghrā Khān, during whose
reign the immigrant Turks embraced Islām (A.H. 432).[262] He died by
poison in A.H. 439 (1047), and was succeeded by his son Ibrāhīm--the
last chief of the house of Boghrā Khān.[263]
The kingdom of Kāshghar seems shortly afterwards to have fallen into
the hands of another branch of the Eastern Uïghūrs, called by Narshakhi
the Tufghāj,[264] the first of whose representatives, Ibrāhim, was
killed in battle against Alp Arslān, the Seljūk, in A.H. 472 (1079),
and was succeeded by his brother Khidhr Khān.[265] He apparently died
in the same year, when his son Ahmed Khān came to the throne. The
latter, in A.H. 482 (1089), was attacked and defeated by Melik Shāh,
and sent prisoner to Isfahān; but soon afterwards he was reinstated as
governor of Transoxiana. In 488 he was condemned to death by the mullās
or doctors of Samarkand, on the ground that he professed heretical
tenets acquired during his residence in Persian `Irāk. After him Mas`ūd
Khān[266] reigned for a short period, and was succeeded by Kādir Khān,
who in A.H. 495 (1101) perished in an insurrection fomented by him
against Sanjar, the then governor of Khorāsān.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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