Musa Baytash Khan


Musa Baytash Khan was the fifth head of Karakhanid state and second Muslim khan to rule. His name often mentioned as Tonga Illig, Arslan Khan. His brother was the lesser khan with western parts of the country assigned as his appanage.

Reign

His reign saw raids against Qocho and Khotan. He developed water conservancy and transportation near Kashgar and founded a school and a library. Ibn ul-Athir reported that during his reign, there were 200,000 Turkic people embraced Islam in 960. Samanid proselytizers Abul Hasan Said b. Hatim and Abuzar Ammar at-Tamimi were instrumental in this regard. Musa Baytash temporarily lost Kashgar to King of Khotan, Visa Sura when latter attacked Karakhanid state in 971. He won a big victory. In addition to women and children, there were elephants in the spoils, which were sent to Song China as tribute. It's unknown when his reign came to an end.
He left only one son, Ali Arslan Khan. His daughter Büwi Maryam's tomb located in Beshkerem, Kashgar is holy site for Muslims.