Ikhshid (Persian: اخشید; fromSogdian:xšyδ,əxšēδ) was theprincely title of theIranian rulers ofSoghdia and theFerghana Valley inTransoxiana during the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods.[1] The title is ofIranian origin; scholars have derived it variously from theOld Iranian rootkhshaeta,lit. 'shining, brilliant', or fromkhshāyathiya, 'ruler, king' (which is also the origin of the title 'shah').[1]
TheIkhshids of Sogdia, with their capital atSamarkand, are well attested during and after theMuslim conquest of Transoxiana. The line survived intoAbbasid times, although by then its seat was inIstikhan.[1] Among the most notable and energetic of the Soghdian kings wasGurak, who in 710 overthrew his predecessorTarkhun and for almost thirty years, through shifting alliances, managed to preserve a precarious autonomy between the expandingUmayyad Caliphate and theTürgeshkhaganate.[2]
Also, The ruler of Kāš (Kashgar) in the late 8th century, according to the Middle PersianManichean textMahrnāmag (Müller, lines 75-76), was called xšy∂ (‘ruler’ inSogdian), with the title “Head of Auditors” and the name lyfwtwšy, which is possibly Chinese.[3] In the early 3rd century, Kashgar became a major power center in the "Western Regions". However, by the mid-3rd century, as per an inscription byShapur I, Kashgar was likely the easternmost point of the PersianSasanian Empire.[4]
The Arab authors report that the title was also used by the ruler of thePrincipality of Farghana during the same period:Ibn al-Athir reports that it was theikhshid of Ferghana who called upon theChinese for aid against the Arabs, resulting in theBattle of Talas.[1]
The title's prestige in Central Asia remained high as late as the 10th century, when it was adopted by theTurkic commander and ruler ofEgyptMuhammad ibn Tughj, whose grandfather had come from Ferghana. After his title the short-lived Egyptian dynasty founded by Muhammad al-Ikhshid is known as theIkhshidid dynasty.[1][5]
