Bahram-Shah of Ghazna

Bahram-Shah (full name:Yamin ad-Dawlah wa Amin al-Milla Abul-Muzaffar Bahram-Shah) (1084 – 1157) was Sultan of the Ghaznavid Empire from 25 February 1117 to 1152. Son of Mas'ud III and Gawhar Khatun, sister of Sanjar, sultan of the Great Seljuq Empire. During his entire reign, his empire was a tributary of the Great Seljuq Empire. Removes Arslan Shah Following the murder of Sultan Shirzad by Arslan Shah in 1116 and the latter's usurpation of the Ghaznavid throne, Bahram marched an army from Zamin-Dawar to assert his claim to the throne. Arslan and Bahram's forces met at Tiginabad, whereupon Bahram was defeated and fled to the Seljuk court in Khurasan. Gaining support from Sanjar, sultan of the Great Seljuq Empire, Bahram returned with a Seljuq army and defeated Arslan Shah's army at the Battle of Ghazni. A decisive battle occurred just outside Ghazna on the plain of Shahrabad, again resulting in Arslan's defeat and he fled to the Ghaznavid territories in northern India. Bahram entered Ghazna, in the company of Sanjar, and was formally installed as sultan in 1117, but as a vassal of the Great Seljuq Empire. Bahram saw Ghazna, his capital, subjected to 40 days of occupation and ransacking by the Seljuq army. After Sanjar's departure, Arslan Shah advanced towards Ghazna and Bahram fled from the capital city to the fortress of Bamian. At Bahram's request, Sanjar sent another army to retake Ghazna. Arslan fled into the Ughnan mountains but was captured by the commander of Sanjar's army and was strangled on Bahram's orders. Bahram's reign Bahram's court was accompanied by a Seljuq amil or tax collector and the sending of his eldest son, Daulat Shah, to the Seljuq court at Merv as a hostage. It is believed that Bahram raided India once, attacking Sapadalaksha or eastern Rajputana. Faced with a rebellious faction led by Muhammad b. 'Ali, Bahram marched an army to Multan in 1119. Bahram asked for Muhammad's obedience but was refused. The ensuing battle in western Punjab resulted in Muhammad's death and the deaths of most of his sons. Bahram appointed Salar Husain b. Ibrahim 'Alawi as his governor in India.