Mu'ayyid Al-Din Ai-Aba - Under Mahmud Khan

Under Mahmud Khan

Sanjar had escaped from Ghuzz captivity in 1156, but died a year later; before his death he confirmed Mahmud Khan as his successor. In spite of this, Mahmud Khan was incapable of establishing any effective control over Ai-Aba and was forced to deal with him as an equal. The latter had gone to war after Sanjar's death against Ikhtiyar al-Din Ai-Taq, another amir who had formerly been one of Sanjar's ghulams. Ai-Taq received assistance from the Bavandids of Tabaristan, but was nevertheless defeated by the armies of Ai-Aba and Mahmud Khan and was compelled to make peace with them in 1158.

After the war with Ai-Taq, Ai-Aba and Mahmud Khan attempted to quell the Ghuzz bands that had set themselves up in various parts of Khurasan. The Ghuzz, however, managed to defeat them and then went on the offensive. After occupying Merv, they moved against Ai-Aba's territories and raided Sarakhs and Tus. Furthermore, they offered their services to Mahmud Khan, who considered them to be a useful check on Ai-Aba's power and accepted.

The Ghuzz continued to push against Ai-Aba, even managing to temporarily occupy Nishapur in 1159. Ai-Aba's fortunes were soon revived, however, and he was able to retake his capital that same year. He then began a purge against individuals who he considered to be responsible for the internal strife that had plagued the cities for several years, such as the head of the Nishapur Alids. In 1161, meanwhile, Mahmud Khan attempted to abandon his alliance with the Ghuzz and make peace with Ai-Aba, who however seized and blinded him before imprisoning him and his son. For two years after this he made the khutba out for himself only.