The first great khan
of this state was Seref ed-Devle Ebu-Suca Suleyman b. Yusuf. The dynasty members
pertaining to this state convened an assembly in the year of 1043-44 and determined their
activity fields. These people captured some of the Ferghana region and Ozkent. A Turkish
tribe composed of ten thousands of tents that lived between the cities of Bulgar and
Balasagun adopted the religion of Islam in September-October 1043. Suleyman was a fair
ruler and he had given the proper permission for Non-Muslims to live within this city in
safety and security, but he was in conflict with his brother, Mohammed. Mohammed arrested
him, and then declared his great khanate. But after fifteen months, he had to leave his
place to his elder son, Huseyin (1057-58).
On the other hand, the
second wife of Mohammed carried off several members of her family including his husband,
Huseyin for the enthronement of his son, Ibrahim. Therefore, Ibrahim ascended the trone.
Meanwhile, I. Ibrahim b. Nasr who was the great khan of the Western Karahanlilar State
captured Ferghana. Ibrahim who was the ruler of the Eastern Karahanlilar State was killed
by another member of his family and Mahmut b. Yusuf replaced him a the great khan. Mahmut
collaborated with the central-khan, el-Hasan b. Suleyman and they jointly set on motion in
order to take back the lands that were captured by the Western Karahanlilar State. As a
result, an agreement was concluded between the two parties providing that the Syr-Darya
(Seyhun) River was the border between the two states and Ferghana would be left to Eastern
Karahanlilar State. Mahmut's son, Omer replaced him, but his sultanate could only last for
two months. Bugra Han el-Hasan b. Suleyman captured him and became the great khan (1075).
The Karahanli army that was composed of forty thousands of Muslim warriors won a great
victory against 700.000 Non-Muslims. This victory must have taken place in the period of
these last two rulers.
When the Seljuk Sultan,
Melikshah advanced towards Ozkent, el-Hasan (or Harun) had to recognise his domination.
After a while, Hasan's brother, Yakup was enthroned in Samarkand. Hasan suppressed this
rebellion, but he did not surrender his brother to Sultan Melikshah. When Melikshah
captured again the city of Ozkent, Hasan declared his subjection and sent Yakub to him
together with his son (1090). Meanwhile, Tugrul b. Yinal captured el-Hasan. Under these
circumstances, Melikshah collaborated with Yakub againsr Tugrul. El-Hasan must have got
rid of Tugrul after this date. His successor and son, Ahmed defeated the Kara-Hitay people
in a distance of several days from the city of Kasghar in the year of 1128 and he blocked
their advance towards the west.
Ahmed's son, Ibrahim II who
replaced him had demanded help from Kara-Hitay people in order to resist against his
enemies. Kara-Hitay people captured Balasagun and entitled Ibrahim with the title of
"Ilig-i Turkmen". The capital city of the Eastern Karahanlilar State became the
city of Kasghar. Kara-hitay people sent Ibrahim over the Karluk people who rebelled in the
region (1158) and he must have been killed as a martyr in one of these wars. His son,
Mohammed II and his grandchild Ebu'l-Muzaffer Yusuf (February-March 1205) were his two
successors that born the title of Arslan Khan. While Ebu'l Feth Mohammed b. Yusuf, the
last representative of the Eastern Karahanli State who was taken as a prisoner by the
Kara-Hitay people was returning to Kasghar, he was killed as a result of a rebellion that
burst out before the arrival into the city (1210-11).
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