Chapter 12
Turkish Invasions in North India
Many small kingdoms emerged powerful in different parts of
India. But their rule was limited to
specific regions though they consistently aspired to expand their boundaries
The frequent wars among the Rajputs resulted in political disunity in north
India. This attracted invasions by the
Turks Abbasid Caliphs of Baghdad recruited the KASHMIR SAIS Turks as guards and
professional soldiers. By the end of the
ninth ARASS OF MULTAN Bramaia R Indraprastha century, the power of Caliph
weakened. CHAHAMANAS cham y Rangu NEPAL
Brampa GURJARA PUTIHARAS Turks slowly took Praydig Bentus CHAND Paharpur
PARAMARAS PALAS over the power and ANARTA Naruda became governors of Closer
RASHTRAKUTAS Maikhet (Manyakheta) ARTES BAY OF BENGAL the provinces. Some of them ARABIAN asserted SEA their
independence from the Caliphs. LV
Fluctuating frontier One governor, who LAKSHADWEEP ANDAMAN & NICOBAR
ISLANDS conquered Ghazni in Afghanistan, started a new lineage of rulers known
as Ghaznavis. INDIAN OCEAN India at the
time of invasions by Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud Ghazni was born in 971 CE. He ascended the throne in 998 CE. He decided to invade north - west India where
the Gurjara - Pratihara empire had become weak due to frequent battles with
Pallavas and Rashtrakutas. Mahmud Ghazni
invaded India 17 times in 27 years (1000–1027 CE). He wanted to make Ghazni, a small hilly and
poor region, into a powerful empire. He
gained the control of Afghanistan and Khurasan.
He was attracted by the great wealth of India. So, he started plundering towns and temples
in north India like Nagarkot, Thanesar, Mathura and Kanauj. His most destructive attack was directed
against Somnath Temple in 1025 CE. This
temple is located on the sea coast of Gujarat.
Rajput Mahmud Ghazni warriors put up a stiff resistance but lost the
battle. Mahmud broke the idol of Somnath
and looted property worth 20 million rupees.
Some historians are of opinion that the main objective of Mahmud Ghazni
was to propagate Islam and gain popularity among muslims. Mahmud's invasions exposed the weakness of
Indian rulers and paved the way for the establishment of muslim rule in
India. Trade interests also attracted
many muslims to settle in India. also
saw the development of a close cultural interaction between India and Islamic
Central Asia. But, Mahmud's destruction
of valuable and artistic temples and idols was a great loss This to Indian
heritage. Do you know? Mahmud Ghazni is remembered as a plunderer of
towns and temples in India. But, in his
own country, he is remembered as a great builder of beautiful mosques, palaces
and libraries Firdausi. A famous poet,
wrote Shahnama in which he praised the steps that Mahmud Ghazni took to
propagate Islam and to build up Ghazni as a great empire. He also entrusted Al - Biruni to write an
account of the Indian sub - continent known as Kitab - Al - Hind. 91
Muhammad Ghori was the ruler of a small kingdom of Ghor in
Afghanistan He conquered Ghazni. He
placed it under the charge of his brother and decided to turn his attention
towards India to expand his empire unlike Mahmud Ghazni whose main aim of
invading India was to loot the great wealth of India The credit of the founding
of muslimempire in India goes to Muhammad
Ghori. He occupied Peshawar,
Lahore and Sindh. He was defeated in the
first Battle of Tarain by Prithviraj Chauhan (1191–1192 CE) but was victorious
in the second Battle of Tarain and took over Delhi and Ajmer. His dreamofestablishing an Islamicempire
would have been incomplete Muhammad Ghori without conquering kanauj. A fierce battle took place between the
Muslims and the Rajputs. The power of
Rajputs was crushed, King Jaichand was defeated and Muhammad Ghori occupied
Kanau and Benaras. Muhammad Ghori did
not have a child of his own. He put his
territories under the charge of his trusted slave and general, Qutubuddin Aibek. The disunity among Indian rulers and the
caste do you know? The system were the
main causes of the success of Ghori and the defeat of Indian rulers. The common people were except for conquering
Gujarat, dissatisfied as they had no contact with the rulers. Some Ghori was successful in every
invasion. King Bhimdev gave him Rajput
rulers helped the Turks against their own country. such a crushing defeat that Ghori more, the
feudal system, where the landowners were could not dream of peeping into very powerful,
weakened the power of the kings. Ghori's
Gujarat again. army was well - equipped
and his campaigns were properly planned.
The muslim armies moved swiftly on their horses as compared to the
armies of Indian rulers, that used old methods of war, equipment and
elephants. The elephants were not of
much help during the war as many a times, they turned their wrath on their own
forces! Keywords caliph: a leader of
Islamic polity regarded as a successor of Muhammad. heritage: the art, building, traditions and
beliefs that a society consider important to its history and culture, or the
legacy transformed from one generation to another. historian: an expectation in the study of
past events, lineage: the line of descendants of a particular ancestor, family,
race. recruitment: appointment. 92
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