Azarbaijan Khanate had overthrown the Akkhanids and re-established Iranian rule in the region. The Seljuk Sultan Sanjar appealed to Toghrul Beg for aid against the Khwarizmians, who captured Urgench in 1156, and Toghrul Beg responded by leading his forces across the Jaxartes River in late 1156 or early 1157. Alp Arslan took advantage of the situation and marched on Merv. Toghrul Beg defeated the Khwarizmian forces under Toraq, brother of Il-Arslan, at the Battle of Battle of Oxus in 1157, but could not prevent the fall of Merv to Alp Arslan. Toghrul Beg retreated with his son Qutb al-Din, leaving the west of the Jaxartes River to the Seljuks and moving east towards Ghazni.

Khwarizmian forces under the command of Il-Arslan, the Khwarizmshah, pursued the Seljuks as they advanced towards Ghazni.得知消息，我赶紧下了马，踮着脚往那边瞅。只见那媒婆尖着嗓子，唾沫星子横飞，正跟那老丈人一套一套的唠呢。"哎呦喂，贵人不慌，您这女儿可是那块儿有出息的料子！脸蛋赛过那桃花，身段活脱脱是个美人胚子！再说了，咱这丫头手巧又能干，洗衣做饭样样行，还不耽误陪您喝酒聊天解闷儿！