Sultan Mahmud Ghazani

Sultan Mahmud Ghazani

--Born in 979. died on April 30 1030.

--Predecessor was Subuktageen,successor was Masud Ghazanvi

--one of the greatest conquerors the world has ever seen. 

--never defeated in a battlefield. 

--titles of Yamin-ud-Dawlah and Amin-ul-Millah

--Mahmud became the Sultan of Ghazni in 998. 

--He fought against the strong forces of Jaipal, Annadpal, Tarnochalpal, Kramta and the joint forces of Hindu Rajas

--The battle against Jaipal was the beginning of a long series of attacks by Mahmud against South Asia.

--he attacked Somnath and crushed the Hindu headquarter of political intrigue(backbone of the Hindus).

--The most important impact of Mahmud's expeditions was the conquest of Punjab for the first time by Muslims and the establishment of Muslim rule and society in the region.

--established his provincial headquarters at Lahore

--established law and order in the areas that he ruled

--The department of police and post were efficient. His judicial system was very good as everybody was equal before the law and justice was the order of the day.

--Mahmud was also a great patron of learning. His court was full of scholars including giants like Firdosi the poet, Behqi the historian and Al-Biruni the versatile scholar.

--Under Mahmud, Ghazni became one of the most important and beautiful cities of the Islamic world and Lahore became a great center of learning and culture. Lahore was called 'Small Ghazni'. 

--Mahmud was also a deeply religious man. He himself wrote a book on Fiqh. He had respect for other religions. A large number of Hindus lived in Ghazni, and they enjoyed religious freedom. One of his commanders named Tilak was a Hindu. A number of soldiers in his army were also Hindus. Mahmud attacked the Hindu Temples in India because of political and not religious reasons.

--Mahmud's first campaign to the south was against the Ismaili Fatimid Kingdom at Multan in a bid to curry political favor and recognition with the Abbassid Caliphate, he engaged with the Fatimids elsewhere. 

--After the death of Mahmud, the Ghaznavid dynasty lost much of its vigor; yet during the days of his son Masud and grandson Mahmud, Lahore remained an important province of the Ghaznavid Empire.

--Al-Beruni, Mahmud’s chronicler wrote:

“Mahmud utterly ruined the prosperity of the country …This is the reason too 

why Hindu sciences have retired far away from parts of the country 

conquered by us and havefled to places, which our hand cannot yet reach, to 

Kashmir, Benaras and other places.”