The Nāṣirī Generations 95.4

95.4

Ahmad was succeeded as ruler of Sijistan by his son, KHALAF, but the date of the former’s death or the latter’s accession is not mentioned — it was probably in 331 H. — but, in 353 H., Khalaf set out on a pilgrimage to Makkah, leaving as his deputy, his son-in-law, Tahir, son of Al-Husain, to administer the government of Sijistan. Tahir coveted his dominions, and, when Khalaf returned from the pilgrimage, he would not allow him to resume his authority. Khalaf proceeded to the Court of Mansur, son of Nuh, Samani, the eighth of that dynasty, who sent a force with Khalaf, which, after ousting Tahir and reinstating Khalaf, returned to Bukhara. having tendered their allegiance to the Sultans, Alb-Arsalan and Malik Shah, the states of Nimroz came under their sway, and they took possession of those territories. Tahir now returned, and again dispossessed Khalaf, who, a second time, received aid from Mansur, Samani; but, by the time the Samani forces reached Sistan, Tahir was dead, and Husain, his son, had succeeded to the authority. After considerable fighting, Husain retired to one of the fortresses of that territory, and was therein invested. He despatched an envoy to Amir Mansur’s presence, who sent a mandate directing him to appear before him, and so Husain was allowed to proceed to Bukhara. This was at a period when the Samani power was much weakened, and in the same year that Is-hak, son of Alb-Tigin, the Turk, encountered Abu-’Ali-i-Lawik, previously ruler of Ghaznin.