South Asia c' 1000

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South Asia c. 1000

• The Sultanate PeriodSome Questions of Analysis
  and Periodization

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Political Developments, c. 1000

• Since the seventh century, smaller kingdoms had
  become the norm
• Dominated by new warrior groups such as Rajputs
  (north) and Cholas (south)
• Most had smaller territories and subdivided rule
  among subordinate dynasties
• Cholas were more expansionist, had features of a
  growing empire

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North-west Frontier

• The weakening of the Abbasid Empire in the middle
  east gave an impetus to Turkish, Afghan, Mongol
  tribes in Central Asia.
• These groups would expand out of Central Asia
  into the Middle East, S. Asia, and China.
• Most groups were pastoral nomads, but their
  background offered many advantages compared to
  the sedentary, settled empires they attacked.

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Origins of Turkish Power

• Origins of Turks
• Relative status of Turks at the time of Mahmuds
  birth r. 998-1030CE (former slave soldiers)
• Open-ness of Turkish identity and utility in
  raising armies
• Influence of Islamwere Turkish states
  theocracies or was it a legitimizing move?
• Persianizationlanguage, arts, courtly culture
  (Patronage of Al-Beruni and Firdausi)

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Mahmuds rise to power

• Benefited from the expansion under his father
  Subuktigin
• Was able to create larger army by enrolling other
  tribes and mercenaries
• Needed larger revenue sources to continue
  expansion and pay allies

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Major South Asian Campaigns

• 1000-1005 Northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir
• 1006, 1008-1009 Multan
• 1018-1019First extensive raid into Delhi,
  Mathura, Kanauj
• 1025-1026 The Somnath raids
• Some myths and realities about raids

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Mahmuds motivation and his impact

• Was his primary motivation political or religious
  (sharia-minded)?
• Primary impact was not that of conquest but of
  the possibility of gaining access to a insecure
  cash/bullion hordes. Also demonstrated the need
  for local allies and the difficulties of
  continued rule.
• The raided parts quickly recovered. Trade was
  established, temples were rebuilt. Rajput
  confederacies quickly re-established political
  control.
• The popular historiography is less helpful in
  giving us information about Mahmuds own time,
  much more useful in indicating his influence and
  growing myth in later times as exemplary Turkish
  warrior and ruler.

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Ilbari Rule

• Long gap of almost 150 years between Mahmud and
  the Ilbaris
• Next campaign does not occur until the late 12th
  Century under Muhammad Ghori
• The renewed strength of the Rajputs and Indian
  tribes is clearly demonstrated in their strong
  opposition of Muhammad Ghoris armies

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Muiz-ud-din Mohamad Ghori, 1173-1206

• Multan campaign1175-8
• Lahore1179-86, three attempts
• First Battle of Tarrain1190
• Finally, Victory at the Second Battle of Tarrain,
  1192

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Delhi Sultanate
Sind
Jaunpur
Malwa
Bengal
Gujrat
Khandesh
Gondwana
Orissa
Bahamani Sultanate
Telingana
Vijaynagar
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Raichur Doab