NOTES ON SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE GHAZNAVID EMPIRE ACCORDING TO SELECTED HISTORIOGRAPHY SOURCES

The Ghaznavid Empire ruled territories of Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and northern India during its glorious era, especially during the reign of Mahmud al-Ghaznawi (997-1031AD). Such feat indirectly created societal plurality thus prompting the Ghaznavids to introduce policies which took into account national, cultural and religious diversity. Based on that reality, this study aims at analysing the development of social aspects in the Ghaznavid era as noted in a number of selected historiographical sources, among them being Tarikh al-Yamini authored by al-Utbi and Zayn al-Akbar by Gardizi. In addition to this, this study also examined modern historiography discussing social aspects of the Ghaznavid Empire to support findings obtained from primary sources. This study applied a qualitative approach through historical study and content analysis in collecting and analysing data obtained from primary and secondary sources. Findings of this study shows that discourse on social aspects in the Ghaznavid era touched on the population in the empires territories, encompassing societal structure, political governance, and cultural development. Such notes proved that the Ghaznavid Empire also enjoyed peaks of social achievement in parallel with the advancement of the Ghaznavid rule.