How much bigger can the Ghaznavids get?

A couple of weeks ago, I discovered the Ghaznavids, a lesser-known Persian dynasty that ended up crumbling after being defeated by the Seljuks in 1058 and losing their western territories. But what if the Ghaznavids had defeated the Seljuks? How much further could they expand? I think it's possible that they'd end up conquering the Saffarids or the Samanids, as well as some territory in the Caucasus. They might also be able to expand further into modern-day Pakistan and Kashmir, perhaps gaining influence over much of northern India. What of the Abbasids and the Byzantines? How will the lack of a Seljuq Empire affect the region?
 
A couple of weeks ago, I discovered the Ghaznavids, a lesser-known Persian dynasty that ended up crumbling after being defeated by the Seljuks in 1058 and losing their western territories. But what if the Ghaznavids had defeated the Seljuks? How much further could they expand? I think it's possible that they'd end up conquering the Saffarids or the Samanids, as well as some territory in the Caucasus. They might also be able to expand further into modern-day Pakistan and Kashmir, perhaps gaining influence over much of northern India. What of the Abbasids and the Byzantines? How will the lack of a Seljuq Empire affect the region?

This is a really ambiguous question because these volatile Persianate states could easily become very powerful or crumble within a moment. Most of the Ghaznavid's interests at their height were west and north bound. They'd have to secure their northern borders against further invasions from their fellow Turks before expanding, and I'd bet they'd go westward into Fars and Azeri territory. Chances of them coming into serious conflict with the Byzantines is relatively low, unless they somehow manage to consolidate their territories and bulk up their military. Being a Sunni Muslims, they might have a good relationship with the Abbasids. But then that didn't stop the Khwarezmians from cutting off ties, so it might not stop the Ghaznavids either.
 
One problem of Ghazni was its over-extension : what we have there is mostly the success of one man, Mahmud, over its neighbours due to his personnal skills. Even during his reign, he had to regularly fight back Turkic peoples and Central Asia khanates.

Giving that Samanids already began their fall since 999, I fear that Ghaznavids may have been taken between two fronts there.

Now, assuming they survive it, I don't think they could have done a great conquest up to the West :
- Divided structure : Harun ibn Altun, as his father before him, was independent de facto and his rebellion against Masud was more the formalization of the situation.
- Lack of "targets" : Ghaznavids owed their power to the regular raids they did in India, giving them wealth and prestige. What was left in India were quite more powerful kingdoms.
-Succession querells

Admitting they can smithe back Selkujs, I think they would have tried to crush whatever remained of Samanids and go against Buyids that supported their Persian vassals rebellions. Such would have probably provoked an influx of Sunni Turkic mameluk in the region, at it precisely lead to Ghaznavid appearance. I can see them crushing Buyids hard enough to provoke the fall of their hegemon on Abbassids themselves, but it doesn't mean that their presence would be much welcomed.
After all Khwarezmians weren't that much themselves.

With these issues, and still a growing Turkic presence in Iran, I don't think they would have made it to Baghdad, not mentioning Byzantium.
 
Thanks for the help, guys. :) I admit I'm still a novice when it comes to medieval Islamic history (although I'm trying to change that - I've got several books on the period off of Amazon and I plan on reading them during my vacation), so your insight was welcomed. :D

@LSCatilina: You mentioned that you think there would be a growing Mamluk presence in the uber-Ghaznavid Empire. Is it possible that we could see a Mamluk Dynasty in Persia?
 
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Ghaznavid were mamluks, originating from servile armies of Samanids.

I didn't know that. I thought they were your average run-of-the-mill Tajik warlords that managed to overthrow the Kabul Shahis an establish the first Mulsim nation in Afghanistan.
 
I didn't know that. I thought they were your average run-of-the-mill Tajik warlords that managed to overthrow the Kabul Shahis an establish the first Mulsim nation in Afghanistan.

Their power there was issued from Samanids, that gave the Ghazni governorate to Alp Tegin, the ancestor of the dynasty, was basically a Samanid governor, and Sebük Tegin (originally a slave) was part of his houseold and eventually family.
 
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