Sebüktegin

Sebüktegin was the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty, which in the eleventh century ruled eastern Iran and conquered northern India. The Pand-nama, a book of counsel said to have been written by him, tells his origins.^[1] He was born at Barskhan near Issyk Kul. The Tukhsi carried him off. He was sold as a child to a slave merchant of Chach.^[1] He was educated as a page, a ghulam, at Nasaf in southern Sogdiana. He entered the service of Alptegin and succeeded to power at Ghazna.^[1] His case shows what must have been the fate of many Turkic warriors in the service of the Abbasid, Samanid and Ghaznavid rulers.^[1]