Sultan Mahmud

Sultan Mahmud

Sultan Mahmud, son of Subuktagin was born in 971 A. D. He began to invade India in 1000 AD. The early wars were against Jaypal and other kings of the Punjab. In 1008 A.D. he won a great victory over Anandapal, Jaypal’s son. It is said that he led 17 campaigns in India. Of the Indian provinces he conquered, he retained only the Punjab. He died in 1030.

Twenty years after his death a new Muslim kingdom grew up in the hills of Ghor. Soon after, a war broke out between Ghazni and Ghor in which Ghazni was captured and burnt. A little later, 1173 A. D. Sultan Ghiasuddin of Ghor annexed Ghazni and Kabul and placed them in charge of his brother, Mohammad of Ghor. He took Multan and Sind. He captured Lahore in 1186.

Four years after capturing Lahore he first invaded the Gangetic basin. As he advanced towards Delhi, he was met and defeated by Prithiraj at Punjab in but Mohammad retuned the very next year.