Investigation of the Military Structure of the Ghaznavid Era

Subject Areas : Archaeology

Gholamreza Shahrian ¹ , Mahmood Seyyed ^{2 *}

1 - Department of History, Central Tehran branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran , Iran
2 - Assistant professor,central tehran branch. islamic azad university.

Received: 2024-10-29 Accepted : 2025-01-15 Published : 2025-09-25

Keywords: " Ghaznavids" Army" Military Structure" Abbasid", " Transformation",

Abstract :

After Arab invasions and territorial expansion in Sassanian-era Iran, Iranians resisted Umayyad and Abbasid caliphs due to bias and discrimination. Uprisings against biased Arab rulers reduced their control over the Islamic Caliphate's eastern borders, paving the way for local government formation and independence. The Abbasid caliphate, facing challenges in the west and engaging with the Byzantine Empire, was alarmed by emerging local governments like the Tahirids, Saffarids, and Samanids. To maintain influence, the Abbasid caliphate considered granting conditional independence to these regions. The Ghaznavid rulers, originally prominent commanders in the Abbasid army, grew and trained within its military structure. Supported by the people and their soldiers, they pursued independence, breaking allegiance to Baghdad and establishing their government. Initially part of the Abbasid army, these rulers, including Ghaznavid emirs, moved eastward due to conflicting interests with the Baghdad caliphate. There, they formed semi-independent structures to maintain influence.In the eastern borders, where political systems like the Ghaznavids relied on military power, the army (Sepah) and militarism played a crucial role in historical research. The central question explores how the military system and militarism in local governments, such as the Ghaznavids, contributed to their formation, development, and expansion during the early Islamic centuries. Research reveals the Ghaznavid government's military system and militarism were modeled after predecessors like the Abbasids, Umayyads, and Sassanians. Local governments like the Tahirids and Saffarids significantly influenced this evolution. Over time, Ghaznavid rule underwent fundamental changes in the army and militarism, reaching maturity in response to evolving needs.

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