Battle of Dandanaqan summary

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

1. Seljuq raids devastated the border cities of Ghaznavid territories.
2. Sultan Mas'ud I (son of Mahmud of Ghazni) decided to expel Seljuqs from his territories and raised an army to do so.
3. During the march of Sultan Mas'ud's army to Sarakhs the Seljuq raiders harassed the Ghaznavid army with hit-and-run tactics.
4. Seljuq raiders destroyed the supply lines of Ghaznavids, cutting them off from the nearby water wells.
5. The discipline and morale of the Ghaznavid army dropped seriously. On May 23, 1040, around 20,000 Seljuk soldiers engaged in battle with an estimated 50,000 Ghaznavid soldiers in Dandanaqan, between Merv Oassis and Sarakhs.
6. The Seljuks occupied Khorasan and the cities of the area encountering little resistance.