Battle of Dandanaqan


The Battle of Dandanaqan was fought in 1040 between the Seljuqs and the Ghaznavid Empire near the city of Merv. The battle ended with a Seljuq victory and brought down the Ghaznavid domination in the Khorasan.

Preparations

When the Seljuq leader Tughrul and his brother Chaghri began raising an army, they were seen as a threat to the Ghaznavid territories. Following the looting of border cities by Seljuq raids, Sultan Mas'ud I decided to expel Seljuqs from his territories.

The battle

During the march of Sultan Mas'ud's army to Sarakhs, the Seljuq raiders harassed the Ghaznavid army with hit-and-run tactics. Seljuq raiders also destroyed the supply lines of Ghaznavids, cutting them off from the nearby water wells. The discipline and morale of the Ghaznavid army dropped seriously. Finally, on May 23, 1040, around 16,000 Seljuk soldiers engaged in battle with an estimated 50,000 Ghaznavid soldiers in Dandanaqan and defeated them, between Merv and Sarakhs.

Aftermath

The Seljuks occupied Khorasan and the cities of the area, encountering little resistance. Tughrul's successful siege of Isfahan in 1050-1051, led to the establishment of the "Great Seljuk Empire". As of Mas'ud's fate after the battle, he initially retreated to India, then was overthrown and later murdered in prison.