Overview
Ahmad, son of Khidr, was the khan under whom the Western Khanate lost its independence. His quarrel with the religious scholars of Samarkand brought in the Seljuk sultan, and he ended his life condemned for heresy.
Rise to Power
He succeeded his father as a young man; his aunt Terken Khatun was the wife of Malik-Shah.
Rule and Achievements
- Clashed with the ulama of Samarkand, who appealed to the Seljuks
- In 1089 Malik-Shah took Samarkand and carried Ahmad off as a prisoner; the Western Khanate became a Seljuk vassal
- Restored around 1092, he ruled under Seljuk overlordship
Legacy
In 1095 the ulama accused him of heresy, and he was tried and executed. The coin record dates his two reigns slightly differently, 1087–90 and 1092–95.