In the 11th century, under Maḥmūd of Ghazni, Ghaznī, a small town in ______, became the capital of the vast empire of the Ghaznavids. 

The correct answer is Afghanistan.

Key Points

• Mahmud of Ghazni defeated Hindushahis to conquer and annex Peshawar and Punjab.
• Maḥmūd is said to have vowed to invade India once a year and, in fact, led about 17 such expeditions.
• The first large-scale campaign began in 1001 and the last ended in 1026.
• In 1001, Maḥmūd marched on India and defeated Jaipal, the king of Punjab.
• Maḥmūd was the first to carry the banner of Islam into the heart of India.

Additional Information

• Ottoman Empire in Turkiye was Founded by Osman I in 1299, the Ottoman Empire became one of the most powerful empires in history.
• After the fall of the Ottoman Empire post-WWI, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk founded the Republic of Turkiye in 1923
• Alexander the Great Conquered Egypt in 332 BCE, leading to the establishment of the Ptolemaic Kingdom.
• Library of Alexandria Became a center of learning and culture in the Hellenistic world.
• Zoroastrianism the predominant religion, founded by the prophet Zoroaster, emphasizing the duality of good and evil came from Persia.