Mahmud of Ghazni’s Attacks on India: Timeline, Battles, and Results
.jpg "Mahmud Ghazni Attack on India: UPSC & Competitive Exam Notes । Medieval History Notes")
Breif History of Mahmud of Ghazni
In all Mahmud Ghazni invaded India 17 times during AD 1000–1026. Mahmud Ghazni was Son of Sabuktigin, the founder of Ghazni dynasty & Turkish slave commander.
Mahmud Ghazni first encountered the Hindushai ruler, Jaipal in AD 1001. In the years AD 1004–06 Mahmud Ghazni attacked the rulers of Multan. Soon Punjab also passed into the hands of the Ghaznavids. Between AD 1014–1019, Mahmud en- riched his treasury by looting the temples of Nagarkot, Thanesar, Mathura and Kanauj.
The attack against Nagarkot in AD 1008 has been described as his first great tri- umph. In AD 1025, Mahmud embarked on the most ambitious Indian campaign, the attack on the Somnath temple in Saurashtra. Mahmud captured the city after grim struggle in which more than 50,000 defenders lost their lives. Mahmud left Somnath after a fortnight when he came to know that the Gujarat king Bhima-I had completed preparations to confront him. His attacks on India were an attempt to fulfil his ambi- tion to make Ghazni the formidable power in the politics of Central Asia. Mahmud’s raids into India were only to acquire the famous wealth of India. This wealth would help him to consolidate his vast rule in Central Asia. He did not wish to establish an empire in India. The Ghaznavids had their control on parts of Punjab and Sind which continued till AD 1135. However his invasions exposed the weak defence of Indian kingdoms. They also opened possibility of attacks in future by the Turks.
Early Life and Rise to Power of Mahmud of Ghazni
⦿ Mahmud of Ghazni was born in AD 971 in the city of Ghazni, located in present-day Afghanistan.
⦿ He was the son of Sabuktigin, a former Turkish slave who rose to become a powerful military commander and the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty.
⦿ Mahmud belonged to the Ghaznavid dynasty, which had its early roots in the Persian region of Zabulistan.
⦿ He ascended the throne in AD 998 and ruled the Ghaznavid Empire until AD 1030.
⦿ During the early years of his reign, Mahmud undertook a series of successful military campaigns that greatly expanded his empire.
⦿ His conquests extended the Ghaznavid territories to an extent comparable to the ancient Kushan Empire.
⦿ Mahmud relied on effective Central Asian military strategies, especially the use of fast-moving, horse-mounted cavalry.
⦿ His army was well known for its skilled use of compound bows, which gave it a tactical advantage in warfare.
⦿ By AD 1001, Mahmud shifted his attention towards the Indian subcontinent.
⦿ He targeted the fertile and wealthy region of Punjab, which lay to the south-east of his empire.
⦿ This marked the beginning of his repeated invasions into India and his growing involvement in Indian affairs.
Mahmud Ghazni's Invasions of India 17 Times
⦿ Mahmud Ghazni first attack in India
1000 AD : First invasion of Mahmud Ghazni in 1000 AD . Mahmud of Ghazni first invaded modern Afghanistan and Pakistan in 1000 AD. He defeated Hindu shahi kingdom ruler Jaya Pala, who killed himself later, and his son Ananda Pala became his successor.
1005 AD : Ghazni invaded Bhatia.
1006 AD: Ghazni invaded Multan. During this time, Ananda Pala attacked him.
1007 AD: Mahmud of Ghazni attacked and crushed Sukha Pala, the ruler of Bhatinda.
1011 AD: Ghazni raided Nagarkot in the Punjab hills.
1013 AD: This was Mahmud's 8th expedition into Pakistan and Eastern Afghanistan, the shahi kingdom under Anand Pala, who was defeated by Ghazni in the Battle of Waihind, the Hind shahi capital near Peshawar.
1014 AD: Thanesar was conquered by Mahmud.
1015 AD: Kashmir was attacked by Mahmud.
1018 AD: He attacked Mathura, where a number of coalition of rulers were defeated, including a ruler called Chandra Pala.
1021 AD: Mahmud conquered Kanauj by defeating Kanauj King Chandella Ganda. In the same year he defeated and killed two more rulers, Shahi Trilochana Pala and his son Bhima Pala, thereby conquering Rahib and Lahore (modern Pakistan).
1023 AD: Gwalior was invaded and conquered by Ghazni.
Last invasion of Mahmud Ghazni, 1027 AD: In 1027, he attacked the Somnath temple. The brave Hindu Rajputs tried to defend the temple when the enemy tried to get inside it. The Hindus fought very bravely and initially the enemies could not damage the temple. However, after 3 days of fights, Mahmud Ghazni's troops were successful in plundering the Somnath temple, in which the sacred idol, Linga was destroyed. Ghazni looted all the treasures of the temple, which was at that time worth 20-million Dinars, more than eighty times of what he had collected in his first invasion. Around 5000 Hindus died during this last invasion.
Impact of Ghaznavi’s Attacks on India
⦿ Mahmud of Ghazni significantly influenced the political, social, and cultural history of India through his repeated invasions.
⦿ After consolidating control over regions such as Khorasan, Sistan, and Ghur, Mahmud redirected his military focus toward the Indian subcontinent.
⦿ Over a span of about twenty-five years, he launched nearly seventeen expeditions into India, greatly expanding the Ghaznavid Empire.
⦿ The destruction of the Hindu Shahi Kingdom removed a crucial defensive barrier of north-western India, leaving the region exposed to future invasions.
⦿ His campaigns revealed the military weaknesses and outdated war tactics of the Rajput rulers.
⦿ The invasions clearly exposed the lack of political unity among Indian kingdoms, which made coordinated resistance impossible.
⦿ Mahmud’s victories opened the north-western routes of India to later Muslim rulers, including Turks and Afghans, enabling deeper penetration into the Gangetic plains.
⦿ Repeated raids led to large-scale extraction of wealth from Indian temples and cities, weakening India’s economic and political stability.
⦿ Although known for destruction, Mahmud was also a supporter of art, learning, and scholarship.
⦿ His court became a center of intellectual activity and attracted scholars such as Firdausi, the author of Shahnameh, and Al-Biruni, the writer of Kitab-ul-Hind.
⦿ These invasions encouraged cultural contact between India and the Islamic world.
⦿ Muslim scholars, artists, and thinkers introduced new ideas and traditions, leading to an exchange of knowledge.
⦿ Persian cultural elements gradually influenced Indian literature, art, and architecture, shaping later medieval Indian culture.
Death of Mahmud Ghazni:
When Mahmud Ghazni acquired malaria during one of his expeditions in April 1030, he was 58 years old. Due to further issues, He contracted tuberculosis, which caused his death.
Top GK Questions on Mahmud Ghaznavi for Competitive Exams
1. Who was the father of Mahmud of Ghazni?
A. Subuktgin
B. Qadirbillah
C. Alberuni
D. None of the above
Answer: A. Subuktgin
Explanation: Subuktgin, a former Turkish slave, was the founder of the Ghaznavid dynasty and father of Mahmud.
2. During Mahmud’s expedition, who was first defeated in Peshawar?
A. Rajyapal
B. Jaipal
C. Surajpal
D. Anandpal
Answer: B. Jaipal
Explanation: Raja Jaipal of the Hindu Shahi dynasty was defeated by Mahmud at Peshawar in 1001 AD.
3. Arrange the correct chronology of Mahmud’s invasions:
I. Invasion on Somnath
II. Invasion on Kalinjar
III. Invasion on Mathura & Kannauj
IV. Invasion of Thaneshwar
V. Battle with Anandpal
Options:
A. IV, V, III, I, II
B. I, II, III, IV, V
C. V, IV, III, II, I
D. V, I, III, IV, II
Answer: C. V, IV, III, II, I
Explanation: Mahmud first fought Anandpal, then Thaneshwar, Mathura & Kannauj, invaded Somnath, and finally Kalinjar.
4. Who was the ruler of Gujarat when Mahmud attacked the Somnath temple?
A. Sukhpal
B. AQueen
C. Gand Chandel
D. Bhimdev
Answer: D. Bhimdev
Explanation: Bhimdev was the king of Gujarat when Mahmud Ghazni attacked and looted the Somnath temple.
5. Who was the ruler of Multan during Mahmud’s invasion?
A. Bhimdev
B. Anandpal
C. Sukhpal
D. Rajaram
Answer: C. Sukhpal
Explanation: Sukhpal ruled Multan when Mahmud Ghazni invaded the region.
6. Which ruler committed suicide after the battle with Mahmud?
A. Bhimdev
B. Rajyapal
C. Jaipal
D. Sukhpal
Answer: C. Jaipal
Explanation: Raja Jaipal, defeated by Mahmud at Peshawar, committed suicide following the loss.
7. The Turkish invasions of India began mainly from which century?
A. 7th
B. 8th
C. 9th
D. 11th
Answer: D. 11th century
Explanation: Turkish invasions of India started in the 11th century with Mahmud of Ghazni.
8. Who was the first Turkish invader of India?
A. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
B. Mahmud of Ghazni
C. Muhammad Ghori
D. Timur
Answer: B. Mahmud of Ghazni
Explanation: Mahmud of Ghazni was the first major Turkish invader to attack India.
9. How many times did Mahmud of Ghazni invade India?
A. 5
B. 10
C. 17
D. 20
Answer: C. 17
Explanation: Mahmud of Ghazni invaded India 17 times between 1000–1027 AD.
10. Which famous temple was destroyed by Mahmud in 1025?
A. Konark
B. Somnath
C. Meenakshi
D. Jagannath
Answer: B. Somnath
Explanation: Mahmud Ghazni looted and destroyed the Somnath temple in Gujarat for its wealth.
11. Who was the Indian king defeated by Mahmud in his first battle?
A. Prithviraj Chauhan
B. Jaipal
C. Raja Dahir
D. Rana Sanga
Answer: B. Jaipal
Explanation: Raja Jaipal of the Hindu Shahi dynasty was defeated by Mahmud at Peshawar in 1001 AD.
12. Who succeeded Mahmud of Ghazni and continued Turkish invasions?
A. Muhammad Ghori
B. Muhammad bin Qasim
C. Qutbuddin Aibak
D. Alauddin Khilji
Answer: A. Muhammad Ghori
Explanation: Muhammad Ghori carried forward the Turkish invasions into northern India after Mahmud Ghazni.
