The decision as to who should be the next Khan was made by the war-weary Khivan troops during their return to Khiva with the headless corpse of Mohammed Amin. On arrival they pronounced Abdullah Khan as the new ruler of the Khanate. This was immediately contested and almost resulted in an attempt to behead Abdullah Khan by one particularly affronted claimant. The Yomut Turkomans also had princes with a claim on the throne, and despite their speedy assassination by strangulation, the Yomuts refused to recognise Abdullah as Khan.

The Khan rode out to meet them with his troops, but were met by the pacifying Yomut Okhstakles (white beards) who came to meet him bare-footed and with their swords suspended from their necks as a sign of submission. This submission was to prove short-lived and within two months the Yomuts were once more rebelling and again the Khan went to meet them with his troops. During the ensuing battle the Khan was slain and, in all the confusion, was thrown into a mass grave with the other dead. The retreating Khivans once more found themselves without a Khan, and this time chose Abdullah's brother, Kutluq Murad Inaq.