How Muslims Conquered India | History Documentary

Summary

This video explores the history of Islam's introduction to India through the Ghaznavids and Ghurids dynasties, originating from Afghanistan. Key figures like Mahmud of Ghazni and Muizz-ud-din Muhammad led numerous invasions into Northern India, initially for plunder rather than religious conversion. The Ghaznavids' raids set the stage for the Delhi Sultanate, which significantly influenced Muslim rule in India over the next three centuries.

Takeaways

• 🌍 India, known for its Hindu faith, is also home to the world's third-largest Muslim population.
• ⚔️ The political rise of Islam in India began with the Ghaznavids and Ghurids, originating from modern-day Afghanistan.
• 🏰 Mahmud of Ghazni, a key figure of the Ghaznavids, led 17 campaigns into India, primarily motivated by wealth rather than religious zeal.
• 💰 Mahmud's invasion of India was driven by the acquisition of wealth, such as his raid on the Somnath temple, from which he brought back large sums of booty.
• 🏴 The Ghaznavids maintained control over northern India, focusing on raiding rather than religious conversion, allowing Hindus to retain their faith.
• 🤔 Historians debate whether Mahmud’s invasions were driven by religious duty or material gain, with evidence suggesting the latter.
• 🏯 The Ghaznavids eventually declined after Mahmud's death, as the Seljuk Turks overtook much of their western territories.
• 🔱 The Ghurids, particularly under the leadership of Mu'izz al-Din, succeeded the Ghaznavids in northern India and played a key role in establishing Muslim rule.
• 🕌 Mu'izz al-Din's victory at the second Battle of Tarain (1192) paved the way for lasting Muslim rule in India, leading to the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate.
• 🛡️ The Delhi Sultanate, founded after the Ghurids' decline, continued to expand Muslim authority in India for the next three centuries.

Q & A

What is the significance of India's Muslim population in the context of global Muslim demographics?

India is home to the third largest Muslim population in the world, which highlights the country's religious diversity and the significant presence of Islam within it.

Which two Muslim dynasties from modern-day Afghanistan played a crucial role in introducing Islam as a political force in the Indian subcontinent?

The Ghaznavids and the Ghurids were the two Muslim dynasties that significantly contributed to the introduction of Islam in the Indian subcontinent.

Who were the greatest rulers of the Ghaznavids and Ghurids, and how did they impact northern India?

Mahmoud of Ghazni and Muizz-ud-din Muhammad, known as Muhizul Deen, were the greatest rulers of their respective dynasties. They impacted northern India through constant raids and the eventual establishment of Muslim states.

How did the early Muslim invasions of India fare against the native Indian dynasties?

The early Muslim invasions, led by the Umayyads and Abbasids, were largely unsuccessful in expanding beyond the Indus River due to the resistance from native Indian dynasties.

What changes in the Islamic world during the mid-10th century facilitated a more successful Muslim push into the Indian heartland?

The fragmentation of the Khilafah into smaller states and the introduction of Turkic slave soldiers through the ghilman system allowed for a more focused and intense push into India.

How did the Raznavids, under Sebuktigin and his successors, establish themselves as a power in the region?

The Raznavids established themselves by expanding their authority eastward, raiding into India, and proclaiming independence from the Samanids.

What was the primary motivation behind Mahmoud of Ghazni's campaigns into India?

The primary motivation was financial gain, as evidenced by the substantial loot and wealth he acquired from his campaigns, rather than religious zeal.

What was the significance of the Somnath raid led by Mahmoud of Ghazni?

The Somnath raid was significant as it resulted in a large amount of wealth being plundered, and it highlighted the financial motivations behind the Ghaznavid invasions.

How did the Ghurids eventually surpass the Ghaznavids in influence and power?

The Ghurids, under Muizz-ud-din Muhammad, managed to conquer the Ghaznavid capital of Lahore and expand their control over the Indian subcontinent, leading to the decline of the Ghaznavids.

What was the impact of the Second Battle of Tarain on the establishment of Muslim states in India?

The Second Battle of Tarain was pivotal as it opened the Gangetic plane of northern India to Muslim invasions, leading to the establishment of Muslim states rather than just annual raids or invasions.

How did the Delhi Sultanate emerge from the Ghurid empire, and what was its role in establishing Muslim authority in India?

The Delhi Sultanate emerged after the death of Muizz-ud-din Muhammad when his slave commander, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, established it. It played a crucial role in establishing Muslim authority across India over the next three centuries through its five different dynastic iterations.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 India's Historical Muslim Dynasties and Their Origins

India, often perceived as predominantly Hindu, hosts one of the world's largest Muslim populations. The political presence of Islam in India was initiated by two Afghan-based Muslim dynasties: the Ghaznavids and the Ghurids. Their rulers, Mahmoud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghor, paved the way for Muslim influence through raids and the establishment of Muslim states. This video is part of a broader historical exploration of India, which spans beyond its modern borders to include regions like Pakistan and Bangladesh. It traces the roots of Muslim conquests beginning in the 8th century with Muhammad bin Qasim's capture of Sindh and Multan.

05:03

⚔️ Ghaznavid Dynasty's Raids into Northern India

In the 10th century, changes in the Islamic world, such as the fragmentation of the caliphate and the rise of smaller independent Muslim states, facilitated the Ghaznavid dynasty's military campaigns in India. The Ghaznavids, led by Sabuktigin and later his son Mahmoud, began raids into India, targeting northern regions like Punjab. Despite early resistance from Indian dynasties, Mahmoud's campaigns continued for decades, weakening northern Indian kingdoms and allowing the Ghaznavids to plunder wealth, notably from the Somnath Temple in Gujarat. These campaigns, while framed as religious, were largely driven by material gain.

10:04

💰 Mahmoud of Ghazni: Conqueror for Wealth or Religion?

Mahmoud of Ghazni's conquests into India, which resulted in immense wealth for his empire, raise the question of whether his motivations were religious or financial. While many view Mahmoud as a champion of Islam, evidence suggests that his main goal was to plunder India's riches rather than spread the faith. His successors struggled to maintain his empire, particularly after facing defeats by the Seljuk Turks. Despite these setbacks, the Ghaznavids held onto the Punjab, with Lahore becoming a significant city in the empire.

15:05

🔥 The Rise of the Ghurids and the Fall of the Ghaznavids

The Ghurids, originating from Afghanistan, began to challenge the Ghaznavids in the mid-12th century. Under Alauddin Husain, they destroyed the Ghaznavid capital Ghazni and forced the remnants of the Ghaznavid dynasty to retreat to Punjab. The Ghurids, led by rulers like Mu'izz al-Din, launched campaigns into India, capturing Lahore and moving deeper into the subcontinent. The Ghurid invasions eventually led to the establishment of Muslim dominance in northern India.

🏰 The Delhi Sultanate: Legacy of the Ghurid Invasions

The Ghurid invasions laid the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate, established by Qutbuddin Aibak after the death of his master, Mu'izz al-Din, in 1206. Over the next three centuries, the Delhi Sultanate, through its various dynasties, would play a crucial role in spreading Muslim rule across India. These invasions and subsequent Muslim states marked a shift from mere raids to the creation of a permanent Muslim presence in the Indian subcontinent.

Keywords

💡Islam

Islam is one of the major monotheistic world religions that emerged in the 7th century CE on the Arabian Peninsula. In the context of the video, Islam's introduction as a political and military force in the Indian subcontinent is highlighted through the efforts of Muslim dynasties, particularly the Ghaznavids and the Ghurids. The video discusses how Islam spread into India through conquests and raids, significantly impacting the religious and cultural landscape of the region.

💡Ghaznavids

The Ghaznavids were a Muslim dynasty of Turkic origin that ruled parts of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, and northern India during the late 10th to the late 12th centuries. Led by notable rulers like Mahmud of Ghazni, they conducted numerous raids into India, contributing to the establishment of Muslim states in the region. The video emphasizes the Ghaznavids' military campaigns and their role in bringing Islam to the Indian subcontinent.

💡Ghurids

The Ghurids, also known as the Ghori or Huarezmian Shahs, were a Persianate Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of modern-day Afghanistan and northern India in the 12th century. The video mentions their conquests, particularly under Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad Ghuri, which led to the Second Battle of Tarain and the eventual establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, further solidifying Muslim rule in India.

💡India

Historically, 'India' has referred to a broad region encompassing present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The video discusses how the Muslim invasions and the establishment of Muslim states transformed the political and religious landscape of this region. It highlights the significance of India as a target for Muslim conquests due to its wealth and the lack of a strong central power.

💡Muslim State

A Muslim state, in the context of the video, refers to a political entity governed by Islamic laws and principles. The video traces the establishment of such states in the Indian subcontinent through the military campaigns of the Ghaznavids and Ghurids, which led to the Delhi Sultanate and the subsequent spread of Islamic rule across India.

💡Raids

Raids, in this context, refer to the military incursions conducted by Muslim rulers into India primarily for plunder and wealth. The video describes how these raids, especially those led by Mahmud of Ghazni, were a significant aspect of the early Muslim presence in India and contributed to the eventual establishment of Muslim states.

💡Delhi Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate was a Muslim kingdom that ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent from the 13th to the early 16th century. The video highlights the Delhi Sultanate as a pivotal outcome of the Ghurid invasions, marking a transition from periodic raids to a more permanent Muslim rule in India.

💡Hindu Shahi

The Hindu Shahi dynasty was a ruling power in northern India during the period discussed in the video. They were a significant obstacle to the early Muslim invasions, as mentioned in the context of the Ghaznavids' campaigns. The video illustrates the struggle between the Hindu Shahi and the Muslim invaders as a key aspect of the historical narrative.

💡Punjab

Punjab is a region in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, significant in the video due to its strategic importance during the Muslim invasions. It was a target of the Ghaznavids' raids and later became part of the Ghurids' domain, highlighting its role as a gateway for Muslim forces into the heart of India.

💡Tarain

Tarain, or more specifically, the Second Battle of Tarain, was a decisive battle fought between the Ghurids and the Rajput forces of northern India. The video emphasizes this battle as a turning point, which led to the establishment of Muslim rule in large parts of northern India and paved the way for the Delhi Sultanate.

💡Muslim Dynasties

Muslim Dynasties, in the context of the video, refer to the various ruling families of Islamic origin that controlled territories in the Indian subcontinent. The video discusses how these dynasties, particularly the Ghaznavids and Ghurids, shaped the political and religious landscape of the region through their military campaigns and the establishment of Muslim states.

Highlights

India is home to the third-largest Muslim population in the world despite being seen as a bastion of the Hindu faith.

Islam was introduced as a political force in India through two dynasties centered in modern-day Afghanistan: the Ghaznavids and the Ghurids.

Mahmoud of Ghazni and Mu'izz al-Din were key figures in establishing Muslim political dominance in Northern India.

The Muslim invasion of India began much earlier, with Muhammad bin Qasim’s conquest of Sindh and Multan in 715 AD.

The Ghaznavids emerged from the Turkic slave system, with Sebuktegin being the progenitor of the dynasty, later expanded by his son Mahmoud.

Mahmoud of Ghazni's 17 campaigns into India were driven primarily by financial motivations, rather than religious zeal.

Mahmoud's most famous raid was the sacking of the Somnath Temple in Gujarat in 1025, which yielded 20 million dinars in loot.

Despite being portrayed as a Muslim hero, Mahmoud's invasions of India were largely for plunder, and not for the spread of Islam.

After Mahmoud's death, the Ghaznavids were weakened by the rise of the Seljuk Turks, losing their western empire in 1040 at the Battle of Dandanaqan.

The Ghurid dynasty rose to power after the decline of the Ghaznavids, with Alauddin Husayn burning Ghazni to the ground in the 1150s.

Mu'izz al-Din Ghurid launched successful invasions into Northern India, culminating in the conquest of Lahore and ending the Ghaznavid dynasty in 1186.

The Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 opened Northern India to Muslim rule, marking a turning point in the establishment of Muslim states in the region.

Mu'izz al-Din’s slave commander, Qutb al-Din Aibak, expanded Ghurid territory in India and laid the foundation for the Delhi Sultanate.

The Ghurid Empire’s rule in Central Asia collapsed after Mu'izz al-Din's assassination in 1206, but its legacy continued in India.

Qutb al-Din Aibak established the Delhi Sultanate, which would play a pivotal role in Muslim authority in India for the next three centuries.

Transcripts

india seen as the bastion of the hindu

faith

it is actually home to the third largest

muslim population

in the world the introduction of islam

as a political power force in the

subcontinent

came through the efforts of two muslim

dynasties

centered in modern-day afghanistan the

raznavids

and the hurids through the actions of

their two respective greatest rulers

mahmoud of ghazni and muhizul deen

northern india was constantly exposed to

raids

and in time the establishment of a

muslim state

this video is a part of the discovery of

india a huge collaboration between a

bunch of history youtubers

who are all trying to track the prolific

history of the indian subcontinent

[Music]

before we get into it it's important to

underline

that historically the term india does

not perfectly correlate with the modern

day nation state

of india in the past india came to

represent

most of modern-day pakistan and

bangladesh as well

with that being said the muslim invasion

of india

did not begin in the 11th century

in the early stages of islam when the

umayyads were expanding in every

direction

a muslim force was sent to bring parts

of northwestern india

under the khilafah's control by 715 a.d

the young general muhammad bin qasim

had managed to subdue the regions of

sindh and

multan despite repeated attempts by the

umayyads and then the abbasids

over the course of the next 100 years or

so

to expand their territory and influence

beyond the indus river

the native indian dynasties were able to

hold them off

if we fast forward to the mid 10th

century

we see that key developments had taken

place in the islamic world

which would facilitate a much more

successful muslim

push into the indian heartland

firstly by now the khilafah had lost its

status as the only source of central

authority

in political islam as a result

de facto and even dijuri independent

states

emerged throughout the islamic world

in the eastern provinces of horison and

trans-oxyana

the samanid dynasty established itself

the formation of smaller states within

the monolith that was the khilafah

allowed these smaller states to pursue

their own specific goals

with more focus and intensity than could

be afforded if they had to constantly

report back

to the khalif in damascus or baghdad

another key development was the

introduction of turkic slave soldiers

through the gilman system in time some

of these

turks would even establish de facto

independent states

like ahmad ibn tulun did in egypt

the raznavid dynasty which is so

important to our story

was born out of this system the

progenitor of the raznavids

sebuktigin was apparently born in modern

day kyrgyzstan

he was bought by the samantha commander

alpt again

who would go on to rule the city of

razna now known as razni

in afghanistan independently in all the

name

in 977 a.d subukhtagan became in charge

of the city

and quickly sought to expand his

authority

to his east subukran raided the

territory of the hindu shahi

which ruled over an area that stretched

from the kabul valley in eastern

afghanistan

down to kashmir in northern india

this would begin the vaznavid tradition

of raiding into india

but the emergence of the raznavids as a

true power

would have to be left the sabuktagan sun

mahmoud

mahmoud began his reign in 998 a.d

and quickly proclaimed his independence

from the samanids

under mahmoud the raznavids would become

one of the preeminent powers in the

islamic world

a key reason for this was the loot and

wealth he gained from his 17

campaigns into india but before he could

penetrate beyond the indus river

mahmoud had to deal with the same hindu

shahi rulers

who preoccupied his father in 1001

mahmoud inflicted a heavy defeat upon

them

at the battle of peshawar although the

hindu shahi would prove to be an

obstacle until the 1020s

mahmoud now had his eyes set on the

punjab

and beyond an important point to get

across

is that northern india was ruled by

several kingdoms

which at times would compete with one

another

in fact this was a feature of the

northern indian political scene

for almost the entirety of the period we

are discussing

from roughly 1 000 to 1200 a.d

and so the lack of a strong central

power would allow the ghaznavids

and later the roreds to pick off the

indian kingdoms one by one

and that's exactly what mahmoud did

over the course of almost three decades

he repeatedly targeted the duab region

in north india the area between the

yamuna and ganges rivers

on occasion he even went as far as the

central indian city

of gwalior in 1025

mahmoud marched his army across the tar

desert

in northwestern india so that he could

reach the gujarat

in western india there lay the great

hindu temple of samnath

said to be home to untold wealth

the raznavid forces were not

disappointed

there are estimates that mahmoud brought

back up to 20 million

dinars worth of booty back to his

imperial capital

atrazni the somnath raid

brings a key issue to light did mahmoud

carry out his military campaigns in the

subcontinent to reaffirm his status as a

champion of islam

or were machiavellian motivations the

main impetus behind his antagonistic

approach

throughout history mahmoud has enjoyed

the portrayal of arghazi sultan

someone who fought to bring islam to new

territories

especially in india for many pakistani

bangladeshi

and indian muslims mahmoud is seen as

one of the founding fathers of islam in

the indian subcontinent

in 1926 when the indian historian

muhammad habib

expressed that the ghaznavid sultan was

motivated mainly by material wealth

rather than religious zeal it led to

large-scale

criticism from his readers showing that

muslims still

strongly viewed mahmoud as a muslim hero

even 900 years later but having said all

of this

it seems quite clear that the main goal

of mahmoud and his

successors in invading india was

financial rather than religious

there seems to be little attempt to

convert hindus in india

since a permanent annexation of the

territory

would have required a large army to

occupy it

the raznavids needed a lot of money to

run and maintain a complex state and

army

and looting india was a perfect solution

for that

there wasn't even a requirement for

indian slave troops

wanting to enter the raznavid army to

convert to islam beforehand

so whilst the prestige of being seen as

a muslim hero

and having closer relations to the

abbasids would undoubtedly have played a

role

the raznavid invasions of india were

rooted in a desire for plunder

and wealth

[Music]

after mahmoud's death in 1030

his successors were never able to

continue his rich legacy

with the same vigor this was largely due

to the seljuk turks

who were migrating southward from their

central asian homelands

in 1040 mahmoud's son masood

lost the western portion of the raznavid

empire

when they lost at the battle of

dandanakan

nevertheless the raznavid still retained

their eastern

provinces including the punjab which had

been annexed by mahmoud

in fact lahore in the punjab

became the second city of the empire

behind

ghazni despite not being able to hit the

lofty standards

set by mahmoud the raznavids still

maintained the level of imperial glory

that was the envy of many of their

neighbors

through the help of the italian

archaeological mission in afghanistan

in the 1950s and 60s we know about the

extensive palaces

and gardens constructed during the reign

of masood iii

at the beginning of the 12th century

these were in

all likelihood financed by spoils from

raids on india his son

bahram shah was obliged to pay a large

tribute to his uncle the

again this was in all likelihood paid

for by the razna of its favorite cash

cow

india it's actually in the reign of

bahram shah

that we get properly introduced to the

other dynasty which would in some ways

actually have an even greater impact on

implanting

islam in india the horiz

originating from the mountainous region

of war in modern day afghanistan

historians have never really been able

to conclusively ascertain

their ethnic origins we do know that

islam was properly introduced into the

region

in the reign of mahmoud and his son

masood of ghazni

in any case the ruler in the 1150s

alauw deen hussein marched to razni

and burned it to the ground earning the

nickname

jahan suz or burner of the world

within a decade the raznavids had to

abandon razni

and afghanistan and settle in the punjab

at this time the hurids were led by this

man

reayathuldeen who would oversee the

zenith of the rorid

empire while riathldeen was focused on

contending with the huarezmian shahs in

the north

and west his younger brother muay zuldin

shifted his attention eastward and used

razni as his base to launch invasions of

the subcontinent

in the same way the razanavids had done

in 1186 the younger horrid brother

finally brought an end to the raznavid

dynasty

when he captured their capital lahore

with much of the indus region under his

control

or serenity by the mid-1180s

muhizul deen was ready to strike into

the indian heartland

in 1178 he had seen his invasion of the

gujarat

definitively repulsed thus he decided to

change direction

and focus his expansionist thrust into

india

eastward in order to push into

and beyond the rich duab region the

hurids had to overcome pritviraj

chohan of the chohan dynasty of northern

india

in the winter of 1191 muslin

marched his troops all the way to

terrain

north of delhi there he was conclusively

defeated

and even wounded in battle at the hands

of a hindu confederacy

led by prithviraj chohan

only a year later the roared ruler would

return to the exact same site

and at the second battle of terrain in

1192

avenged his prior defeat the gangetic

plane of northern india was now open for

the taking

in the course of indian history it's

tough to understate the importance

of the second battle of terrain as more

so than any other battle

it left india open to the establishment

of muslim states

rather than mere annual raids or

invasions

and that's exactly what happened muzul

deen

largely delegated his indian holdings to

his slave commander

kudbuddin a buck whilst he had to deal

with other imperial matters

a buck would expand the warded

territories in india

in this endeavor he was aided by

ichthyar uldin khalji

another commander of muhizuldin who

would expand warded authority

all the way to the bengal in eastern

india

in the process ushering in islamic rule

in the region

even launched an ill-fated campaign into

the mountainous region of tibet

in 1203 kriyatuldeen died

and was succeeded as supreme ruler by

his younger brother moazuldeen

but he himself was assassinated in 1206

and the hooded empire was remarkably

dismantled

within a decade all the warded

possessions in central asia

were subsumed by the juarezmians

whilst their indian territories were

divided amongst various hoarded

commanders

chief amongst them was the

aforementioned kudbuddin ibak

immediately after the death of muhizu

deen

he would go on to establish the delhi

sultanate

which through its five different

dynastic iterations

would go on to have a pivotal role in

establishing muslim authority

across india over the course of the next

three centuries

so as we can see the hoarded invasions

clearly set up the foundations for the

delhi sultanate

after 1206

[Music]

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i also want you guys to check out the

entire discovery of india playlist

which i'll link in the bio and the

comments section

i'm sure you'll be able to find other

really cool videos about indian history

that will interest you

i'd especially recommend odd compass

video on the southern indian rashtrakuta

dynasty

as well as almo kadima's on the mugu

empire

until next time peace