Ghaznavids

Ghaznavids, Turkish Muslim dynasty that ruled Afghanistan and neighboring Punjab for more than 200 years. It was founded by Alptigin (died 963), a Samanid slave, who conquered the strategic mountain town of Ghaznī in 962 and made it into an independent kingdom. The greatest of the Ghaznavids was Sultan Mahmud of Ghaznī (971-1030), Alptigin's grandson, who led numerous raids into the Punjab, looting Indian cities of enormous wealth that he used to convert Ghaznī into one of the great centers of Islamic culture. Before his death Mahmud annexed the Punjab to his kingdom, and in 1160 the Ghaznavid capital was moved to Lahore. Muhammad of Ghur (flourished 1174-1206) deposed the last Ghaznavid ruler in 1186.