A DISCUSSION ON MAHMOOD GHAZNAVI THE .INCRIDABLE

7/27/2019 A DISCUSSION ON MAHMOOD GHAZNAVI THE .INCRIDABLE

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Military compaigns of Mahmud Ghaznavi and Muhammad

GhoriMongol Policy of Sultanate of Delhi

Military compaigns of Mahmud Ghaznavi and Muhammad Ghouri

July 30, 2010 by Atiq Khan

1-Introduction:

Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi and Muhammad Ghouri are the two

important personalities of the sub-continent during the medieval

age. Both were enterprising soldiers and invaded India time and

again. A careful and close scrutiny of their respective

achievements and character shows that they resembled each

other in more than one respect and differed in many respects.

Mahmud was far more a great general than Muhammad Ghouriand the military career of Mahmud was more brilliant than that of

the Muhammad Ghouri.

2-An Overview of the campaigns of Sultan Mahmud:

Mahmud was a man of ambition and enterprise. On receiving the

recognition of his sovereignty from al-Qadir Billah, the Khalifah of

Baghdad, he made it obligatory on himself to undertake every

year an expedition to Hind. From 1000 to 1026 Mahmud led a

good many expeditions to Hind. According to Sir Henry Elliot,

Mahmud led as many as seventeen expeditions; it is accepted by


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the most of the historians.

3-Prominent Invasion of Mahmud:

a-Capture of Frontier Forts:

The first expedition of Mahmud which was undertaken in 1000

A.D. against the frontier towns of the Khyber Pass was an

important one. During this expedition he captured a few forts and

towns of the Khyber Pass.

b-Defeat of Jaypal of Hindushahi kingdom:

Second expedition of the Mahmud was against his fathers

enemy, Jaypal, the king of Hindushahi kingdom. A fierce battle

was fought at Peshawar in November, 1001 in which the Muslims

came out victorious. Jaypal could not tolerate this insult. He after

appointing his son Anandpal as the next king, burnt himself to

death.

c-Conquest of Multan:

The fourth expedition of Mahmud was led against the Muslim

ruler of Multan. Abul Fateh Daud the ruler of Multan had friendly

relation with Anandpal. In 1006, Mahmud marched across the

Punjab, Anandpal was defeated and driven to Kashmir hills.

Mahmud than invaded Multan. Daud fled, and Multan wascaptured. Sukhpal or Nawasa Shah, a grandson of Jaypal was left

in charge of Multan.

d-Battle of Waihind:


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The sixth expedition of Mahmud was led against Anandpal 1008.

He organized a confederacy against the Muslims in which the

great Hindu Rajas of Ujjain, Gwalior, Kalinjar, Qanauj, Delhi and

Ajmer had joined. Mahmud had never met such a vast armyorganized by the Hindu confederates. The Khokars, a tribe of

Punjab also joined the Rajputs in their struggle against the

Muslims. It was a challenge to Mahmud. He met the huge Hindu

army near Waihind. The bear-footed and bear-headed Khokars

fought very bravely against the Muslims. It was a critical moment

for the Muslims. but fortunately the elephant of Anandpal got

frightened and fled away from the battle-field. This caused a

great confusion and panic among the Hindu soldiers who also ran

away from the battle-field. Mahmud won victory.

e-Conquest of Punjab:

Trilochanpal son of Anandpal, after exile again came to Punjab

and established himself in the Sivalik hills. He entered into an

alliance with Vidyadhar, the chandela ruler of Bundelkhan. In

order to break this alliance, Mahmud again came to Indo-

Pakistan, and finally defeated Trilochanpal. The result of this

expedition was more enduring than those of others. He annexedthe Punjab to his dominions and entrusted a regular Amir with

the government of the province.

f-Expedition against Qanauj:

The next important expedition of Mahmud was directed against

Qanaj, the imperial capital of Hindustan. In 1018. Mahmud at the

head of a large army, set out from Ghazni. He captured all the

forts on the way. The Raja of Baran or Bulandshahar, offered his

submission and embraced Islam along with ten thousand men.

Mahmud appeared before the gate of Qanauj in 1019, January,

Rajaypal, the Pratihara ruler of Qanauj submitted to Mahmud

without any fighting.


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g-Causes of Attack on Somnath:

After the fall of Punjab, the Hindu think tank assembled atSomnath which was more of a political center than a temple

to plan a big war against Mahmud. He took all the Rajas and

Maharajas by surprise when he attacked Somnath and crushed

the Hindu headquarter of political intrigue. With the destruction

of Somnath he broke the backbone of the Hindus in the region

and thus had no need to attack India again.

The most momentous expedition of Sultan Mahmud was indeed

the capture of Somnath in Kathiwar. Regarding the cause of thisexpedition, the famous historian, Ibn-ul-Athis says that, when

Mahmud of Ghazni was gaining victory after victory in India, the

Hindu began to say that the success of Mahmud was due to

displeasure of the Somnath god with the inhabitants of the

defeated territories. At this, Mahmud decided to conquer

Somnath in order to prove the futility of their belief. This view is

corroborated by Ibn Khaldun, Farishta and Wolseley Haig.

Towards the close of 1025, Mahmud set from Ghazni and passing

through Multan and the desert of Rajputana, he stood before the

gates of Somnath on the 9th of January 1026. The Hindus offered

a stubborn resistance, but were defeated.

The expedition to Somnath says Dr. M. Nazim, is one of the

greatest feats of Military adventure in the history of Islam.

h-Last expedition:

The last expedition was undertaken against the Jats of Salt Range

in 1027 who had molested the Muslim army on its return journey

from Somnath. The Jats were defeated and many of them were


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put to death.

4-Estimate of Sultan Mahmud:

He came to South Asia seventeen times and went back to Ghazni

every time with a great victory. He fought against the strong

forces of Jaipal, Annadpal, Tarnochalpal, Kramta and the joint

forces of Hindu Rajas and Maharajas but all of them were forced

to flee away from the battlefield due to Mahmuds war strategy

as a general.

According to S. M. Jaffar, Mahmud was endowed with a genius ofwar. He was a scientific general, skillful in planning and thorough

in execution. His army consisted of heterogeneous elements

such as Arabs, Afghanis, Turks and Hindus but he showed

wonderful ability in welding together these elements into a

powerful and invincible unit. As a conqueror, his purpose was to

achieve fame and glory and he had achieved it.

5-Nature of the Mahmuds Invasions:

Sultan Mahmud made seventeen expeditions into Indo-Pakistan

and conquered a number of places in the sub-continent. But he

didnt establish his rule over them or annex any part of the

conquered territories except the Punjab. Various opinions have

been expressed by the historians about the motives of Sultan

Mahmuds invasions.

6-Mahmud one of the Greatest Conqueror:

One of the most controversial personalities in the history of South

Asia, Mahmud Ghaznavi is known as one of the greatest

conquerors the world has ever seen. He was one of the very few

leaders who were never defeated in a battlefield.


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Unlike other great conquerors like Alexander and Chengez Khan,

Mahmud did not leave the areas conquered to the mercy of his

soldiers. After becoming the first Muslim ruler to conquer

Northern Punjab, he consolidated his rule in the area andestablished his provincial headquarters at Lahore. He established

law and order in the areas that he ruled, giving special attention

to the people he ruled.

Professor Sharma is of the view that, Mahmud was a seasoned

soldier. Fear did not find any place in his heart. His army won

against the rulers of India like comb through a poll of hair. It

was no small achievement to develop a small mountain

principality of Ghazni into a large and prosperous empire bysheer force of arms. He never shrank from war; rather he took

delight in it. His military exploits in the east effaced the glories of

Alexanders conquest from the minds of many.

7-Mahmud forerunner of Ghouri:

The establishment of Muslim rule in Punjab is a significant event

in the history of Islam in Sub-continent. Muslims gained their first

foothold in Northern Indian. The conquest of Punjab also paved

the way for other conquerors like Muhammad Ghuri. After the

death of Mahmud, the Ghaznavid dynasty lost much of its vigor;

yet during the days of his son Masud and grandson Mahmud,

Lahore remained an important province of the Ghaznavid Empire.

Later, the Ghaznavid rulers moved their headquarter from Ghazni

to Punjab and ruled Peshawar, Lahore and Multan till the last half

of 12th century when Muhammad Ghuri defeated them.

8-An Overview of Muhammad Ghouri:


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Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam, better known in history as

Muhammad Ghouri, became the ruler of Ghazni in 1173. He was

an ambitious king and fired with the love of conquest and power.

The Ghourid wanted to establish an empire but their successive

defeats at the hands of Shah of Khwarzim forced them to give up

the idea of founding an empire in Central Asia and they nowturned their attention towards India. Having established himself

at Ghazni, he turned his attention to the fertile plains of the sub-

continent.

The Ghaznavid who were defeated and ousted from Ghazni took

shelter in the Punjab. They became so strong in the country that

their very presence was regarded as source of future troubles to

the Ghourids. Hence the destruction of the Ghaznavid power in

the Punjab demanded the immediate attention of the Ghouriking.

India was divided into many warring States and there was no

political unity in the country. Muhammad Ghouri found in the

disunited condition of India a brilliant prospect of his success.

9-Campaigns of Muhammad Ghouri:

i-Conquest of Multan and Uch: (1175-76)

First invasion of Muhammad Ghouri was directed against Multan

which was at the time ruled bby Karamathians. He captured the

city and appointed his own governor there. From Multan he

proceeded to Uch and Sind which was captured after sometimes.

ii-Unsuccessful Attempt on Gujrat:

Fin 1178, Muhammad Ghouri led an expedition against Anhilwara,

capital of Gujrat but he was defeated by Bhim II, the Vaghela king


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of Anhilwara.

iii-Conquest of the Punjab:

Finding it impossible to conquer India through Sind and Multan,

Muhammad Ghouri thought of conquering the Punjab which was

the key of Hindustan. After a few years of war, Khusrau Malik, the

last ruler of Ghaznavid dynasty, was captured and imprisoned in

Ghur. The Punjab was then annexed to his empire and the

Ghaznavid rule in West Pakistan came to an end.

iv-First Battle of Tarain: (1191)

After the fall of Ghaznavids, Muhammad Ghouri had to face the

opposition of the Rajputs. The rapid success of Muhammad

Ghouri alarmed Pirthviraj, the Chauhan ruler of Delhi and Ajmer.

He gathered a big force and marched against the Ghouri chief. In

1191 both the armies met in the field of Tarain, near Thaneswar

and a battle was fought in which the Muslims were defeated and

routed. But Muhammad Ghouri did not lose heart at this failure.

v-Second Battle of Tarain: (1192)

Having organized a strong army, Muhammad Ghouri invaded in

1192. He along with his force reached a place near Tarain and

encamped there. Pirthviraj appealed to the Rajput princes to join

him against the Muslim invader. It is said that as many as 150

Rajput princes with the exception of Raja of Qanauj lent him their

help.

Muhammad Ghouri adopted a new tactics of attacks. He divided

his army into four divisions and ordered one division to engage

the Rajputs at one time while the others were resting. The

division was further ordered to pretend or feign flight after


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sometime fighting. The Rajputs fought bravely but the new

tactics of Muhammad Ghouri proved to be too strong for them.

Prithviraj tried to run away from the battle field but he was

captured and put to death.

vi-Expedition against Jai Chand of Qanauj:

In 1194, Muhammad Ghouri again came to India in order to

subdue Jai Chand of Qanauj, the mortal enemy of Pirthviraj. Qutb-

ud-Din joined his master with his force. Jai Chand met the

combined forces of his enemy and was defeated in a battle near

at Chandwar. The victorious army then proceeded to Benares and

captured it.

According to Professor S. R. Sharma, The fall of Jai Chand at

Chandwar made Muhammad the master of the political as well as

the religious capitals of Hindustan, Qanauj and Benares.

vii-Qutbub-ud-Din Aibak Incharge of Conquered Territories.

After the Second battle of Tarain, Muhammad Ghouri returned to

Ghazni and his trusted lieutenant, Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was

entrusted with the charge of his conquered territories. Aibak was

a man of military ability and political insight. He consolidated and

extended the conquests of his master. He soon conquered

Meerut, Koil (Modern Aligarh) and Delhi. He made Delhi the

capital of empire (1194) thinking that Lahore was too far from his

new possessions.

In 1196 he capture Gwalior and then marched against Bhim Deva

of Anhiwala. He conquered Anhiwala in Gujrat (1198).

Kalinjar was invaded by Aibak in 1202 which was the military

capital of Parmardi Deva, the Chandela king of Bundelkhan. They


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offered a strong resistance to Muslims but ultimately they were

defeated and the fort of Kalinjar fell into the hands of the

Muslims. Thus all the important places of Northern India were

brought under the control of Muslims by Aibak.

viii-Conquest of Bihar and Bengal by Bakhtiar Khilji:

Ikhtiyar-ud-Din Muhammad bin Bakhtiar Khilji, a lieutenant of

Qut-ud-Din, was extending the Turkish supremacy over Eastern

India. Muhammad bin Bakhtiar Khilji was an outstanding figure in

the history of Bengal. He marched towards Nadia, the capital of

Bengal, with such rapidity that only 18 horsemen could pace with

him. He was so bold that he did not hesitate to launch an attack

with this small force. On hearing the news of his attack,

Lakshman Sen who was taking his meal, fled away by a back

door and took shelter at Vikrampur near Sonargaon. Bengal was

captured and the seat of government was transferred to

Lakhnauti or Gaur. The brave soldier died on his return journey

from Tibet to Devkot in 1206.

10-Estimate of Sultan Muhammad Ghouri:

Muhammad Ghouri was a great politician and a far-sighted

statesman. He fully realized the rotten political condition of India

and therefore decided to establish a permanent kingdom here.

11-Nature of Ghouris Conquest:

His first and foremost aim was to found a permanent Muslim

empire in Indian and he furnished during his life time all the

resources required for the maintenance of his empire. He trained

under his guidance a number of able administrators who amply

justified his confidence and trust.


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12-The Founder of Muslim Empire in India:

Though the life of Muhammad Ghouri came to a tragic end, the

traditions established by him were continued under his able

successors, the Turkish slaves who ruled after him. He lives in

history not a mere conqueror, but as an empire builder,

Muhammad Ghouri is, therefore, justly called the founder of the

Muslim Empire in Indo-Pakistan.

13-Remarkable Figure in Indo-Pak History:

Muhammad Ghouri was one of the most remarkable figures inMedieval India. He was a man of courage, enterprise and spirit.

He had to fight against the Hindu States incessantly for several

years and during this period he showed extraordinary coolness

and perseverance. It was no small credit for him that he, with

limited resources, was able to establish a large empire which

extended from Afghanistan to Bengal. He was a God fearing

and just sovereign who was well known for his sympathy and

kindness to his subjects.

14-Conclusion:

Both Mahmud Ghazni and Muhammad Ghouri were the greatest

soldiers but Mahmud was far greater general than Muhammad

Ghouri and the military career of Mahmud was far more brilliant

than that of the latter. Mahmud never suffered a reverse but

Muhammad Ghouri was an ordinary soldier and suffered many

defeats in India but he never lose heart on these defeats and

take revenge of them and crushed the power of Hindu Rajas.Muhammad Ghouri is called the founder of Muslim Empire in

India. He took great care in consolidating his conquests. Both of

them rendered a great service to the cause of Islam.

Source: R.C Majumdar, Ishwari Prasad, K.Ali, Oxford History of


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India etc.

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About

Atiq Khan







1-Introduction:







Mahmud was far more a great general than Muhammad Ghouri

and the military career of Mahmud was more brilliant than that of






13/45









A.D. against the frontier towns of the Khyber Pass was animportant one. During this expedition he captured a few forts and








death.


The fourth expedition of Mahmud was led against the Muslimruler of Multan. Abul Fateh Daud the ruler of Multan had friendly



Mahmud than invaded Multan. Daud fled, and Multan was

captured. Sukhpal or Nawasa Shah, a grandson of Jaypal was left



14/45


The sixth expedition of Mahmud was led against Anandpal 1008.He organized a confederacy against the Muslims in which the


Ajmer had joined. Mahmud had never met such a vast army

organized by the Hindu confederates. The Khokars, a tribe of






frightened and fled away from the battle-field. This caused agreat confusion and panic among the Hindu soldiers who also ran








expedition was more enduring than those of others. He annexed

the Punjab to his dominions and entrusted a regular Amir with










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After the fall of Punjab, the Hindu think tank assembled at

Somnath which was more of a political center than a temple







the capture of Somnath in Kathiwar. Regarding the cause of this

expedition, the famous historian, Ibn-ul-Athis says that, when













h-Last expedition:



16/45



put to death.







as a general.

According to S. M. Jaffar, Mahmud was endowed with a genius of

war. He was a scientific general, skillful in planning and thorough












Mahmuds invasions.





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Northern Punjab, he consolidated his rule in the area and

established his provincial headquarters at Lahore. He established







principality of Ghazni into a large and prosperous empire by

sheer force of arms. He never shrank from war; rather he took
















18/45






the idea of founding an empire in Central Asia and they now

turned their attention towards India. Having established himself


continent.





the Punjab demanded the immediate attention of the Ghouri

king.












19/45



of Anhilwara.












He gathered a big force and marched against the Ghouri chief. In1191 both the armies met in the field of Tarain, near Thaneswar





1192. He along with his force reached a place near Tarain andencamped there. Pirthviraj appealed to the Rajput princes to join



help.


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tactics of Muhammad Ghouri proved to be too strong for them.Prithviraj tried to run away from the battle field but he was








captured it.










Meerut, Koil (Modern Aligarh) and Delhi. He made Delhi thecapital of empire (1194) thinking that Lahore was too far from his

new possessions.




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defeated and the fort of Kalinjar fell into the hands of theMuslims. Thus all the important places of Northern India were





India. Muhammad bin Bakhtiar Khilji was an outstanding figure inthe history of Bengal. He marched towards Nadia, the capital of


















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Muhammad Ghouri was one of the most remarkable figures in

Medieval India. He was a man of courage, enterprise and spirit.





extended from Afghanistan to Bengal. He was a God fearingand just sovereign who was well known for his sympathy and


14-Conclusion:







take revenge of them and crushed the power of Hindu Rajas.

Muhammad Ghouri is called the founder of Muslim Empire in



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India etc.

About these ads

About

Atiq Khan







1-Introduction:












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year an expedition to Hind. From 1000 to 1026 Mahmud led agood many expeditions to Hind. According to Sir Henry Elliot,















death.







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captured. Sukhpal or Nawasa Shah, a grandson of Jaypal was left





























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After the fall of Punjab, the Hindu think tank assembled at

Somnath which was more of a political center than a temple






















27/45

h-Last expedition:




put to death.




forces of Jaipal, Annadpal, Tarnochalpal, Kramta and the jointforces of Hindu Rajas and Maharajas but all of them were forced


as a general.





wonderful ability in welding together these elements into apowerful and invincible unit. As a conqueror, his purpose was to








Mahmuds invasions.



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established his provincial headquarters at Lahore. He established























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the idea of founding an empire in Central Asia and they now

turned their attention towards India. Having established himself


continent.





the Punjab demanded the immediate attention of the Ghouri

king.











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Fin 1178, Muhammad Ghouri led an expedition against Anhilwara,capital of Gujrat but he was defeated by Bhim II, the Vaghela king

of Anhilwara.



Muhammad Ghouri thought of conquering the Punjab which wasthe key of Hindustan. After a few years of war, Khusrau Malik, the





After the fall of Ghaznavids, Muhammad Ghouri had to face theopposition of the Rajputs. The rapid success of Muhammad













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help.















captured it.

According to Professor S. R. Sharma, The fall of Jai Chand atChandwar made Muhammad the master of the political as well as










new possessions.


32/45























Muhammad Ghouri was a great politician and a far-sightedstatesman. He fully realized the rotten political condition of India




33/45

















years and during this period he showed extraordinary coolnessand perseverance. It was no small credit for him that he, with





14-Conclusion:








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take revenge of them and crushed the power of Hindu Rajas.

Muhammad Ghouri is called the founder of Muslim Empire in




India etc.

About these adsHome

About

Atiq Khan







1-Introduction:












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Mahmud was a man of ambition and enterprise. On receiving therecognition of his sovereignty from al-Qadir Billah, the Khalifah of


















death.



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captured. Sukhpal or Nawasa Shah, a grandson of Jaypal was leftin charge of Multan.


























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forts on the way. The Raja of Baran or Bulandshahar, offered hissubmission and embraced Islam along with ten thousand men.





After the fall of Punjab, the Hindu think tank assembled atSomnath which was more of a political center than a temple





















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h-Last expedition:




put to death.







as a general.














Mahmuds invasions.


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One of the most controversial personalities in the history of SouthAsia, Mahmud Ghaznavi is known as one of the greatest







established his provincial headquarters at Lahore. He establishedlaw and order in the areas that he ruled, giving special attention












in the history of Islam in Sub-continent. Muslims gained their firstfoothold in Northern Indian. The conquest of Punjab also paved








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the idea of founding an empire in Central Asia and they nowturned their attention towards India. Having established himself


continent.





the Punjab demanded the immediate attention of the Ghouriking.








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of Anhilwara.



















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help.















captured it.











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new possessions.














Bengal, with such rapidity that only 18 horsemen could pace withhim. He was so bold that he did not hesitate to launch an attack












44/45


His first and foremost aim was to found a permanent Muslimempire in Indian and he furnished during his life time all the





















14-Conclusion:



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take revenge of them and crushed the power of Hindu Rajas.Muhammad Ghouri is called the founder of Muslim Empire in




India etc.

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A DISCUSSION ON MAHMOOD GHAZNAVI THE .INCRIDABLE