95 
1886.] Ghaznavis in Maward-un-Nah^' and ^art of Khurasan. 
Nasr II 301—331 H. 
Surnamed Abn Salih and afterwards entitled Amir-i-Sa’id, the 
“ August Arnir,” then a boy of 8 or 10, was taken from the harem to 
succeed his father ; Abu ’Abd-ullah Muhammad bin Ahmad al Jihani 
being appointed Regent. The Regent was a sagacious and moderate 
man who administered the government with a firm hand, but the ex¬ 
treme youth of the Amir encouraged a refractory spirit among many of 
the nobles and governors in the Provinces. Ishak Samani, with his 
son Ilyas* revolted at Samarkand and two campaigns were undertaken 
against him before he was finally defeated. Mansur,* another son of this 
Ishak, at one time governor of Rai, raised the standard of rebellion at 
Nishapiir in 302, and Husain ’AH the governor of Hirat joined him. 
Mansur died, and Husain was captured, and imprisoned, but subsequently 
pardoned. In 307 Ahmad bin Sahl also an Amir or governor of Hirat, 
a faithful partizan of the family but to whom promises had been broken, 
rebelled, was beseiged, imprisoned, and died. In 309 troubles arose 
in Tabaristan. The ’Alawis had not only recovered from their defeats 
under Isma’il and Ahmad, but began extending their authority over part 
of Kliurasan. They too were defeated, but peace was not restored, fresh 
partizans appearing in some quarters as fast as dislodged in others, and 
some years of desultory fighting ensued before Hasr could re-establish 
the Samani power in that Province again. Hirat seems to have been a 
scene of constant change. In 309 Abu Mansur-i-Jihani was appointed 
governor. In 311 Shah Malik son of Ya’kiib bin Lais, Saffari, was 
beaten off after four months’ investment by one Simjur. In 319 Abu 
Zakria-i-Yahya Samani* successfully attacked the city, leaving a slave 
Karatigin in possession. Almost immediately Hasr himself arrived and 
re-established Simjur. In 321 Mansur the son of ’AH was appointed 
and held it for three years, when it was conferred upon Muluimmad bin 
Hasan bin Ishak. The same year, 324, Abu-l’-Abbas Muhammad bin Al- 
Jarrah took it, and sent his predecessor bound to one Balkatigin. In 329 
Balkatigin was himself removed from the government of Hirat which was 
again conferred upon Abu Mansur-i-Karatigin. This would appear the 
first mention of Balkatigin, or of a Balkatigin, and it was also during 
this reign that Alptigin is first spoken of as one of Hasr’s mamelukes or 
slaves, though it is not until the reign of Huh I that he is mentioned as 
Amir.” 
Nasr as a ruler appears not to have been without talents, and in 
spite of difficulties to have retained the territories of his predecessors in¬ 
tact, if indeed he did not somewhat extend them. His range of mint 
* See Genealogical Table of the Samanis. 
