| Battle of Oxus River | |||||||||
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| Part of the Muslim conquest of Persia | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Sassanid Empire Göktürk Empire |
Rashidun Caliphate | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Yazdegerd III Khan of Farghana |
Ahnaf ibn Qais | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| Unknown but heavy | Unknown | ||||||||
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The Battle of Oxus River was a significant battle in the 7th century, fought between the armies of the Sassanid Empire and the Muslim Arab army that had overrun Persia. Following his defeat, the last Sassanid Emperor, Yazdegerd III, became a hunted fugitive who fled to Central Asia and then to China.
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Khurasan was second largest province of Sassanid Persian Empire. It stretches from what is now present day north eastern Iran, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its capital was Balkh, now in present day northern Afghanistan. In late 643 the mission of conquering Khurasan was assigned to Ahnaf ibn Qais.[1] Ahnaf marched from Kufa and took a short and less frequent route via Rayy and Nishapur. Rayy was already in Muslim hands and Nishapur surrendered with out resistance. From Nishapur Ahnaf marched to Herat which in now in present day southern Afghanistan. Herat was a fortified town, Siege of Herat lasted for few months before Herat surrendered. With the surrender of Heart, the whole of the southern Khurasan came under Muslim control. With Herat under his firm control, Ahnaf marched north direct to Merv, in present Turkmenistan.[2] Merv was the capital of Khurasan and here Yazdegred III held his court. On hearing of the Muslim advance, Yazdegred III left for Balkh. No resistance was offered at Merv, and the Muslims occupied the capital of Khurasan without a fight.
Ahnaf stayed at Merv and waited for reinforcement from Kufa.[3] Meanwhile Yazdgird had also gathered considerable power at Balkh and also sought alliance with the Khan of Farghana, who personally led the Turkish contingent to help Yazdegred III. Umar ordered that Yazdgird’s allied forces should be weaken by breaking up the alliance with Turks. Ahnaf successfully break up the alliance and Khan of Farghana pulled back his forces realizing that fighting with Muslims is not a good idea and it might endanger his own kingdom. Yazdgird's army was defeated at Battle of Oxus River and retreated across the Oxus to Transoxiana. Yazdegred III had a narrow escape and fled to China. Balkh was occupied by the Muslims, and with this occupation the Persian war was over. The Muslims had now reached the outermost frontiers of Persia. Beyond that lay the lands of the Turks and still further lay China. The old mighty empire of the Sassanids had ceased to exist. Ahnaf returned to Marv and sent a detail report of operations to Umar and a historic letter that Umar was anxiously waiting for, subject of which was that Persian Empire has been conquered and a permission was sought whether Oxus should be crossed to invade Transoxiana or not. Umar ordered Ahnaf to consolidate his power south of Oxus.
Yazdegerd III after being defeated at Battle of Oxus river was unable to raise another army and became a hunted fugitive. Following the battle he fled to Central Asia at the court of Khan of Farghana. From there Yazdegerd went to China.[3] Nevertheless Yazdegerd III keep on intruding in Persia, using his influence over the notables and chiefs of Persia, thus remained a motivating force behind the Persian rebellion. During Caliph Uthman's reign Yadegerd III came back to Bactria and Khurasan rebelled against Caliphate. Abdullah ibn Aamir crushed the rebellion and defeated Yazdegerd's forces. He fled from one district to another until a local miller killed him for his purse at Merv in 651.[4] For many decades to come, this was the easternmost limit of complete Muslim rule.