100 E. E. Oliver —Decline of the Sdmdnis and the Rise of the [No. 2, 
and to have promptly betrayed his trust, and when Bughra advanced to 
Bukhara there was nothing left for Nuh but flight in disguise with a few 
faithful retainers, Buglira entering the capital in triumph in 382 H. 
Fciyik, who had now declared himself his subject and been rewarded 
with Isfanjab was despatched to Balkh, to collect taxes, and cause the 
Khan’s names to be inserted in the public prayers and the coinage. 
Bu gh ra, however, did not remain long in Bukhara, becoming much afflicted 
by a painful disease, which he attributed to the unhealthiness of the Samani 
capital, he determined to return to Kashghar. As soon as he com¬ 
menced his retreat,* Nuh with the assistance of certain tribes of 
Ghuzz Turks, viz.^ Turkomans, plucked up heart and set off in pursuit 
overtaking him at Samarkand. Bughra at once faced about, and inflicted 
another defeat on the Amir, but before reaching Turkistan died himself 
in 383 H. He is described as a just and well-disposed monarch, the 
friend of learning, and the learned, from Kash gh ar to Chin. It is also 
worthy of note that it was in her reign, in 375, that Saljuk, the son of 
Lukman, one of the aforesaid Ghiizz Turks with his family and dependents 
finding their native pastures in the Karakhita too circumscribed, en¬ 
tered Mawara-un-Nahr for the sake of the pasturage, wintering in the 
Niirof Bukhara, and summering in the Sughd of Samarkand, and living to 
ultimately establish the famous Saljiik dynasty. 
Niih once more retired to his faithful capital, almost the only part of 
his dominions that remained so, and cast about for some alliance to 
strengthen himself against his rebellious vassals. Such an alliance he 
found in Sabuktigin the famous founder of the dynasty of the Ghaznavis. 
Upwards of thirty years had elapsed since Sabuktigin had gone with 
Alptigin to Ghaznin and several changes, which will be subsequently 
noticed, had meanwhile occurred there, but the former slave, who had 
now become practically the independent ruler over territory extending 
from Ghaznin to the Indus, was nevertheless still devoted to the house 
of his suzerain. The people of Balkh had already implored his aid 
against the tyranny of Fayik, and when a similar call came from Nuh, 
Sabuktigin marched to the Oxus with a large army, including 200 ele¬ 
phants, halting on the way for a short holy war against certain here¬ 
tics and schismatics on the confines of Talkan, for which the Khalifah 
rewarded him with the title of Naser-ud-din, “ The defender of the 
Faith.” Null met him at Kash, and their united forces marched into 
Khurasan. Abu ’ Ali although powerfully supported by the governors 
of Gurgan and ’ Irak was no match for the combined armies of Niih 
and Sabuktigin, with whom was his son Mahmud. A battle was fought 
* The Tabakat records that he made ’Abd-ul-Aziz, an uncle of Nuh’s his regen 
at Bukhara. 
