Editing History of Tajikistan (section)

===Samanid Empire (819–999)===
[[File:Samanid dynasty (819–999).GIF|thumb|Samanid empire]]

The [[Samanid dynasty]] ruled (819–1005) in [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]] (including Eastern Iran and [[Transoxiana]]) and was founded by [[Saman Khuda]]. The Samanids were one of the first purely indigenous dynasties to rule in Persia after the Muslim Arab conquest. During the reign (892–907) of Saman Khuda's great-grandson, Ismail I (known as [[Ismail Samani]]), Samanids expanded in Khorasan. In 900, Ismail defeated the Saffarids in Khorasan (area of current Northwest Afghanistan and northeastern Iran), while his brother was the governor of Transoxiana. Thus, Samanid rule was acclaimed over the combined regions. The cities of [[Bukhara]] (the Samanid capital) and Samarkand became centres of art, science, and literature; industries included pottery making and bronze casting. After 950, Samanid power weakened, but was briefly revitalized under Nuh II, who ruled from 976 to 997. However, with the oncoming encroachment of Muslim [[Turkic peoples|Turks]], the Samanids lost their domains south of the [[Oxus river]] which were taken by [[Ghaznavids]].  In 999, Bukhara was taken by the [[Qarakhanids]].  The Samanid [[Isma'il Muntasir]] (died 1005) tried to restore the dynasty (1000–1005), until he was assassinated by an Arab [[bedouin]] chieftain.<ref name="sinor">{{citation |year = 1990|title = The Cambridge History of Early Inner Asia|editor-last = Sinor|editor-first = Denis|publisher = Cambridge University Press|isbn = 0-521-24304-1}}</ref>

The attack of the Qarakhanid Turks ended the Samanid dynasty in 999 and dominance in Transoxiana passed on to Turkic rulers.