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How might have the Seljuks under Tughril and Chaghri either not end up in Persia or fail to conquer it? I have a few guesses myself.
1. When Mahmud of Ghazni drove out their uncle out of the Khorasan, could've Tughril and his brother, instead of sacking Merv and Nishapur OTL (leading to the Battle of Dandanaqan and the subsequent invasion of Persia) moved elsewhere, like going into the service of the Cumans, Khazars, Volga Bulgars, or Kara Khanids?
2. Back in 985, when the Seljuks split off from the other Oghuz Turkic tribes in the Khorasan, could they have migrated to the Volga instead of the Oxus, thus not converting to Islam, thus butterflying away everything else?
3. What if Chaghri was killed in an arguement with his brother about how they should combat the Ghaznavids? (Tughril was rather hesitant and suggested to continue with the hit and run operations. But Chaghri preferred to fight and he commanded the Seljuk army)
4. What would be the impact of this absence of Turcoman invasion for the Islamic World and beyond?
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