History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s2.16

v3.c33.s2.16

Eventually Sabuktagin became so powerful in the Samani empire by means of his powerful and disciplined army that he could make and unmake viziers at Bokhara the capital of the Samani kings, as Shahaji could make and unmake kings in Nizamshahi and even kept the Samani emperor Nuh in fear of himself as Shahaji was feared at Bijapur. Sabuktagin usually resided at Balkh and not at Ghazni latterly and eventually died there He intended to return to Ghazni but that was not to be. He left the Ghazni kingdom to his son Ismail by will, probably thinking that Mahmud would be satisfied with his governorship of Khorasan at the capital of which viz: Nishapur he resided. This was again something like what happened to Shivaji. Shahaji left his own acquisitions at Bangalore to his other son and left Shivaji to remain content with the Poona Jaghir. Apparently Mahmud and Shivaji, though more capable, were less favourite with their fathers than their brothers. However in both cases the more capable son asserted himself and eventually became the master of the whole estate. It is needless to relate at length how Mahmud laid claim to Ghazni and the treasure amassed there and being opposed advanced on Ghazni, fought a battle with Ismail before its walls, defeated him and eventually took him prisoner. In this battle "black masses of elephants fought on the side of Ismail but to no avail". Elephants were useful within certain limits and Sabuktagin like other Mahomedan kings kept elephants and used them in fighting. Naturally these were at this time in the hands of Ismail whose incapacity, however, prevented him from using them with effect. By this battle Mahmud became the master of the Ghaznavide kingdom in 997 A. D.