Lesson 1/44 min
From Sindh to Delhi (712–1206)
In 712 Muhammad bin Qasim crossed the Indus and faced Raja Dahir, who was defeated and killed. But bin Qasim died young, so Islam did not yet become a lasting political power.
The conquest of Sindh (712)
- The Umayyad caliph was Walid bin Abdul Malik
- Hajjaj bin Yusuf, governor of Iraq and the eastern lands, sent his son-in-law Muhammad bin Qasim
- Debal city fell first; later Dahir, king of Sindh, was defeated and killed at Rawar
- 712 is counted as the political beginning of Islam in the subcontinent
Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni
- Came about 300 years after bin Qasim; raided India 17 times
- Attacked the Somnath temple in Gujarat in 1026
- Court poet Ferdowsi (the Shahnama); the scholar Al-Biruni was at his court
Lasting Muslim rule in India began with Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam of Ghur, also known as Shihabuddin Muhammad Ghuri. His general was Qutbuddin Aibak.
The two battles of Tarain
| Battle | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First Tarain | 1191 | Prithviraj Chauhan wins; Ghuri is defeated and wounded |
| Second Tarain | 1192 | Ghuri wins; Prithviraj is killed |
After the victory Ghuri returned to Ghazni and left the government to Qutbuddin. In March 1206, on his way back from putting down a Khokhar revolt in Punjab, Ghuri was killed by an assassin. On hearing the news, Aibak declared himself independent Sultan of Delhi, and independent Muslim rule in India began.
Memory trick: 1191, first Tarain: Ghuri loses. 1192, second Tarain: Ghuri wins.
Check yourself
When was the second battle of Tarain, and who won?
At a glance
- 1
In 712 Muhammad bin Qasim defeated Dahir, king of Sindh; he was sent by Hajjaj bin Yusuf.
- 2
Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni raided India 17 times and attacked the Somnath temple in 1026.
- 3
First Tarain 1191 (Prithviraj wins); second Tarain 1192 (Muhammad Ghuri wins).
- 4
Ghuri was killed in 1206; Qutbuddin Aibak declared himself independent Sultan of Delhi.