Far East Kingdoms

Samanid Emirate
AD 820 - 1000

The Samanids took the Transoxiana region from the Tahrid governors of Khorasan in 820. From there they controlled the trade between Central Asia and the central Islamic caliphate, and these included the trade in Turkish slaves. The state grew to cover most of eastern Persia while the Buwayid amirs gained control of western Persia.

819 - 864

Saman Khoda

864 - 892

Nasr I

892 - 907

Ismail I

900

The Saffarid emirs in Khorasan are defeated by the Samanids and reduced in territory to Seistan in Persia, where they remain Samanid vassals. The Samanids install their own governors in the region.

907 - 914

Ahmad II

914 - 943

as-Sa'id Nasr II

943 - 954

Hamid Nuh I

954 - 961

Abdül-Malik I

961 - 976

Mansur I

962

Zabulistan is seized by a rebellious Samanid governor and a semi-independent Afghan kingdom is formed with its capital at Ghazni.

976 - 997

Nuh II

977

The Afghan city of Ghazni comes under the rule of the Yamanid dynasty, which becomes fully independent of Samanid control as it forms its own Ghaznavid sultanate, although it still pays lip service to its former masters.

994

Nuh II faces internal uprisings, as the emirate becomes more unstable, and the Ghaznavid ruler comes to his assistance. The rebels are defeated at Balkh and then Nishapur.

997 - 999

Mansur II

Deposed.

999

The Turkic Karakhanids depose Mansur II, allied with the Buwayids who are supreme in south-western Persia and Mesopotamia. The Karakhanids take possession of areas of Afghanistan.

999 - 1000

Abdül Malik II

1000

Samanid power swiftly declines in the face of Buwayid supremacy, while the revolt of the Ghaznavids brings the emirate to an end.

1000 - 1005

Ismail II al-Muntasir

Assassinated.

1005

Ismail II, the last Samanid ruler, is assassinated after a five year struggle against the Karakhanids from the north. They, in turn, are immediately ousted by the Ghaznavids.