Afghanistan is the origin of the Ghaznavid dynasty.
Afghanistan . The land also served as the source from which the Kushans , Hephthalites , Samanids , Saffarids , Ghaznavids , Ghorids , Khiljis , Mughals , Hotaks , Durranis , and others have risen to form major empires . The Ghaznavid dynasty ( غزنویان ġaznaviyān ) was a Persianate Muslim dynasty of Turkic mamluk origin at their greatest extent ruling large parts of Iran , Afghanistan , much of Transoxiana , and northwest Indian subcontinent from 977 -- 1186 .