Alp-Tegin, (Persian: الپتگین Alptegīn or Alptigīn[1]) or Alptekin, was a Turkic slave commander of the Samanid Empire, who would later become the semi-independent governor of Ghazna from 962 until his death in 963.

[3] During the reign of Nuh's son and successor Abd al-Malik I (r. 954–961), Alp-Tegin was appointed as the governor of Balkh, and by 961 he was the commander-in-chief (sipahsalar) of the Samanid army in Khorasan, thus succeeding Abu Mansur Muhammad.

Alp-Tegin also played a major role in the appointment of Muhammad Bal'ami as vizier,[3] whom he became close allies with.

[3] However, several powerful figures of the Samanid state, such as Fa'iq Khassa, favored Abd al-Malik's brother Mansur I, and managed to make him the new ruler.

Alp-Tegin then took his personal guard of Turkic slave-soldiers and group of Iranian ghazis to Balkh, where he in April 962 defeated an army sent by Mansur I.