The
Muslim Period in Indian History
There
were many causes for Muslim conquest but the major reason was the spread of
Islam. The Muslim dominated Kabul, the Punjab, and Sind, before intruding
in to India. The wealth in India lured the Muslim rulers. Further the
inter-rivalry between the kingdoms in India paved the way for their entry in to
India.
The
very first Muslim attack on India in Sindh in the year 715 A.D was by Arabs led
by Mohammad
Bin Qasim. They displaced Raja Dahir
who ruled Sindh from his capital Deval (near modern Karachi). Arabs even
unsuccessfully tried to attack Malwa. After this invasion, which was limited to
Sindh, for a period of 300 years, kings like Raja Bhoja and other Gurjara Kings
thwarted further Muslim attacks. The next invasion was by Turk Sabuktagin.
He had established himself in Khorasan and extended his kingdom to Kabul and
Ghazni. In 986 AD he came into conflict with Raja Jaipal of Bathinda. In 991
A.D. Raja Jaipal allied with other Hindu king including Rajyapala the Prathira
king of Kannauj and Dhanga the ruler of the distant Chandela kingdom but they
too were defeated.
Mahmud
of Ghazni : The elder son of Sabuktagin, Mahmud of Ghazni
assumed the throne in 997 AD. He was very conscious of the wealth he could
achieve from further conquests into India. He was also a religious fanatic who
aimed to spread Islam. Mahmud is said to have invaded India seventeen times
between 1001 -1027 AD. King Jaipal and later his son Anandpal resisted Mahmud
but were defeated. Between 1009 A.D and 1026 A.D he invaded Kangra, Thaneshwar,
Kanauj, Mathura, Gwalior, Kashmir and Punjab. In 1025 A.D Mahmud invaded
Somnath and looted its temple on the coast of Saurashtra or Kathiwar. Enormous
treasure of the fortified temple was looted. His last invasion was in about
1027 AD. He died in 1030 AD.
Mohammad
Ghori :
