Mahmud of Gazni & Muhammad Ghori
Ghaznavids (1000 – 1200 AD)
Islam → Founded in Mecca by prophet muhammad (622 AD)
622 AD → Starting point of Muslim calender
Later, Profet moved to Madina & this Muslim era was called Hijra
Followers of prophet set up an empire known as Caliphate
Umayyads & Abbasids were called Caliphs (Arabs)
Mahmud of Gazni
Around 900 AD, Caliphate declined & Turkish established independent kingdoms
Mahmud of Gazni is said to have made 17 raids to India, mainly aimed at rich temples & cities of North India
North Indian frontier Hindu Shahi kingdom of Jayapala (Punjab to Kabul) was defeated in 1001 AD
His successor Anandpala also got defeated in battle of Waihind (1008 AD).
In battle of Waihind, Anandpala was supported by Rulers of Kannauj & Rajasthan; as a result Mahmud got his rule established over almost all over Punjab
Famous Poets Patronized by Mahmud of Gazni
Firdausi → Wrote Shahnamah
Alberuni → Wrote Kitab-i-Hind
Muhammad Ghori
After death of Mahmud, Ghori succeeded to the throne of Ghazni
In 1186, He attacked Punjab & captured it from “Khusro Malik”, annexing it to his dominions
Realizing the urgency of situation, North Indian Hindu princes formed a confederacy under the command of Prithvi Raj Chauhan
Prithvi raj chauhan defeated Muhammad Ghori in Battle of Tarain, near Delhi in 1191
Again, Muhammad Ghori gathered a vast army & sent message to Prithvi raj chauhan to be a Muslim & accept his supremacy but Chauhan rejected his terms.
In 1192, in 2nd battle of Tarain , Prithvi raj Chauhan was captured & killed, marking the establishment of 1st Muslim kingdom rule over Ajmer in India
Muhammad Ghori returned to Ghazni leaving his general Qutubuddin Aibak to make further conquests in India → Aibak captured Delhi & Meerut and in 1193
Ghori invaded Jayachandra “Ruler of Kannauj” in battle of Chandwar or Ghardawala & annexed it, setting Turkish rule in North India