QARAKHANID DYNASTY

also spelled Karakhanid, also called Ilek Khanid, Turkic dynasty (9991211) that ruled in Transoxania in Central Asia. The Qarakhanids, who belonged to the Qarluq tribal confederation, became prominent during the 9th century. With the disintegration of the Iranian Samanid dynasty, the Qarakhanids took over the Samanid territories in Transoxania. In 999 Harun (or Hasan) Bughra Khan, grandson of the paramount tribal chief of the Qarluq confederation, occupied Bukhara, the Samanid capital. The Samanid domains were split up between the Ghaznavids, who gained Khorasan and Afghanistan, and the Qarakhanids, who received Transoxania; the Oxus River thus became the boundary between the two rival empires. During this period the Qarakhanids were converted to Islam. Early in the 11th century the unity of the Qarakhanid dynasty was fractured by constant internal warfare. In 1041 Muhammad 'Ayn ad-Dawlah (reigned 104152) took over the administration of the western branch of the family, centred at Bukhara. At the end of the 11th century, the Qarakhanids were forced to accept Seljuq suzerainty. With a decline in Seljuq power, the Qarakhanids in 1140 fell under domination of the rival Turkic Karakitai confederation, centred in northern China. 'Uthm an (reigned 120411) briefly reestablished the independence of the dynasty, but in 1211 the Qarakhanids were defeated by the Khwarezm-Shah 'Ala' ad-Din Muhammad and the dynasty was extinguished.