ARRIVAL OF ARABS AND TURKS IN INDIA
ARAB CONQUEST OF THE SlNDH
As early as 637 AD, Arabs started sending expeditions to the Western coast of India. In the early years of the 8th
century AD, the king of Ceylon had sent some ships to the Khalifa(Caliph) Walid. These ships were plundered by pirates near Debal, a port in Sindh. At that time, Dahir, a Hindu Raja,
ruled over Sindh. Al-Hajjaj, the Governor of Basra, demanded Compensation, but Dahir refused to pay it. Hajjaj sent an Expedition against Dahir. After two expeditions failed, in
712 AD, he sent another expedition, this time under his nephew And son-in-law,
Mohammed- bin-Qasim.
REASONS FOR FAILURE OF ARABS IN INDIA
The conquest of Sindh by the Arabs was a triumph without any results. Not only did they fail to extend their dominions Further, they could not even retain their hold on Sindh.
Due to the following reasons
New Khalifa’s Attitude towards Sindh The new Khalifa Did not make any material gain from the desert land of Sindh and hence, put a break on military help to Sindh.Fight over Khilafat (Caliphate) As a result of breaking out
of A mutual struggle for occupying the seat of Khilafat, the
Arab Attention was diverted from Sindh.
Distance from Baghdad Long distance between Sindh and Baghdad (the ultimate source of power for Sindh Administration under the Arabs) and lack of communication And transport did not encourage further battles.Mohammed-bin-Qasim In a very short time he conquered Debal by slaying Dahir. He then conquered Brahmanabad.
After this, he conquered Multan. This practically made him.The ruler of the whole of Sindh. But his brilliant career Administration of Arabs in Sindh came to a sad end, when he Was put to death by the Caliph.
ADMINISTRATION OF ARABS IN SlNDH
Sindh was under the Arabs for 200 years. An efficient Administration was provided by them. It was divided into a Number of districts (iqtas), which were made over to the
Arab Military officers on condition of military service. The Arabs
followed a tolerant religious policy.
Those who paid the poll tax or Jizya were exmpted from embracing Islam and were Known as Zimmis’ Mohammed-bin-Qasim was the first person to impose Jijya in India.
IMPACT OF ARAB RULE IN SlNDH
Politically, the Arab conquest of Sindh is Considered insignificant from the point of view
Of growth of Islam in India. Their victory did not leave any impact on the monarchical
Character of Indian polity.
However, it succeeded in converting the Sindh Population to lslam on a very limited and Temporary scale. The Arabs did not make any Permanent impact on the Indian Social System. However, its first impact was that it Laid the foundation of Islam in India.The Formal Slavery System was introduced
In India by the Arabs. The earliest Muslim Settlements in India were established during Arab rule.
The Arab rule in Sindh strengthened Arab Trade and encouraged more Arabs to settle Down on the East coast. The Sindhi tanners Were trained in the art of tanning soft leathe By the Arab leather workers. As a result of This, Sindhi leather demanded a higher price In foreign markets.
TURK CONQUEST THE GHAZNAVIS
An adventurer Alp-Tegin founded the Principality of Ghazni in 962 AD. After his Death in 977, his slave and son-in-law,Subuktigin, succeeded him. His policy of Conquest brought him in conflict with the Sayyid dynasty. He defeated its ruler, Jaipal,Twice and thus extended the kingdom beyond .The Indus.After a reign of 20 years, Subuktigin died in 997 AD and was succeeded by his son Mahmud, a brilliant general and a mighty conqueror.
MAHMUD GHAZNAVI
He led as many as 17 expeditions into India During the years 1000-1026. As out of these,The one against the temple of Somnath in 1025 AD was the most important as it gave Mahmud a vast treasure.Mahmud was posed as a great but shikan or Destroyer of the images for the glory of Islam. He patronised Firdausi Al-Biruni (scholar), who wrote Kitab-ul-Hind, Utbi (court Historian)Mahmud did not make any systematic effort to capture Indian
territories, Except for that held by the Sayyid dynasty. However, Mahmud
may be seen As the founder of Turkish rule in India to the extent that
his conquests Opened India to conquest from the North-West. The Yamini
dynasty, to Which Subuktigin and his successors belonged was soon
overthrown. By Muhammad of Ghur.
DECLINE OF THE GHAZNl RULE IN INDIA
Little or no attention was paid to internal strengthening
and organisation Of the empire.Excess use of military power in external security. Mahmud
Ghazni had Incompetent successors Lack of definite and Universal Law relating to
succession to throne Resulted in constant fighting amongst the successors of
Mahmud. Ala-ud-din Hussain, a Gaud king, attacked Ghazni in 1155. Khusrau.Malik, the last Ghazni ruler, was killed by Mohammed Ghur in
1192. It exposed political disunity and military weakness of
India.There was no new source of income which weakened the
economic Condition of India.
Al-Biruni
Al-Biruni worked during the first half of the 1 lth century
AD, first In his native Khwarazm under the patronage of the last of the local
rulers. In 1017, on the Conquest of Khwarazm by the Ghaznavi ruler Mahrnud,
Al-B~run~ was carried off To Ghazn~, as a part of the booty. Under Masud I (re~gned
1030-40). Successor of Mahmud, Al-B~runi was able to go on with hls wrlting and
scientific work. It was Here rn about 1036 that he completed his great astronomical
work K~tab-ul-Hrnd (Qanum-al-Masud~) Im-al-Nujam, the Masudic canon, Includes
not only hls Astronomical tables but also table of geographical
coordinates of important Places throughout the world Thls table has over six hundred
entrles and hence IS, double the slze of al-Battan1 or of Ibn Yunus.
MOHAMMED OF GHUR (1 1 75-1 206):
Shihab-ud-din (later Moiz-ud-din Mohammed or Mohammed of Ghur) was a Great conqueror. After setting up his Government in Ghazni (1173 AD), Directed his expeditions further towards India. In 1175 AD, he captured Multan and Then Sindh.Three years later, he tried to enter into Gujarat, but found the local Rajputs too Strong for him. He was defeated by Mularaja of Anhilwara and was repulsed
With heavy losses in 1178 AD. By 1182 AD, however, the whole Sindh was Subdued. The next object of his attention Was Lahore which was ruled by Khusrau Malik, the last prince of the house of Ghazni.
He captured Lahore, deposed Khusrau Malik and annexed Punjab in his domain.The Muslim rivals, have been disposed of Mohammed Ghur, turned to the conquest Of the Hindu kingdoms. He tried to enter India through Gujarat,But was defeated by Bhima 11, brother of Chalukya King Mulraja in the Battle of Neharwala, Gujarat near Abu mountain In 1178-79 AD. He again tried his luck in 1191 AD, but the Chahamana ruler of Ajmer, Prithviraj I11 confronted him.Prithviraj defeated the invading army at Tarain near Thaneshwar in 1191 AD. But In the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 AD, Prithviraj was defeated, captured and Executed. Mohammed followed up his Success by conquering Ajmer.He then returned to Ghazni leaving the Conduct of the Indian campaigns to his Trusted slave, Qutb-ud-din Aibak who Captured Delhi, Meerut, Ranthambore and Koil in 1193 AD and then marched towards
Benares.The Sultan in the meantime, returned From Ghazni and defeated Raja Jaichandra (orJaichandra) of Kannauj in the Battle Of Chandwar (Firozabad near Agra In 1193-94).
Gwalior fell in 1196 AD and next fell Anhilwara. Bakhtiyar Khilji one of Ghori’s Commanders annexed Bihar and Bengal And destroyed Nalanda and Vikramshila University. With the reduction of Kalinjar In 1203 AD, the conquest of upper India Was complete by the time of Mohammed’s Assassination in 1206 AD Bihar and Bengal were also conquered.
CAUSES FOR THE DEFEAT OF THE INDIAN RULERS BY THE TURKS:
Political Causes
Disunity amongst the rulers Absence of powerful Central
Authority Neglect of the frontiers Feudal system weakened the power of
king Absence of political insight
Social Causes
Hinduism’s emphasis on fragmentation of society as against
Islam, which Preached brotherhood amongst all.
Religious Causes
Invaders’ spirit of jihad, meaning a crusade to protect and
spread Islam. Fragmented Hindu religion with many sects as against unitary
Islam.
Military Causes
Absence of appropriate military organisation. Defensive attitude of the Indian rulers at war.Lack of offensive.Absence of military leadership.Over dependence of the Indian rulers on elephants and swords
against the Turks who used superior horses, armoured horsemen and
mounted archers.
 |
| Arab in India |
#Later_mughals:
0 Comments