Shazreh Adnan

September 9, 2014
History of the Subcontinent
Notes
1. Briefly define or explain the background of the arrival and spread of the Muslim
rule in the sub continent.
In the 600s, Arab traders were in contact with India, and merchants would
sail to places in India to trade goods. Naturally, through trade and
conversation these merchants brought their religion along with their culture
with them to the shores of India, and other places near India. Islam continued
to spread, and in 1629, the first mosque was built in Kerala.
2. a) Which ruler or person brought the Muslim rule into the sub-continent?
Leaders such as Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad Tughluq brought the
Muslim rule into the sub-continent.
b) Name the early Muslim rulers of the sub-continent?
Some early Muslim rulers of the sub-continent were: Mahmud of Ghazni,
Muhammad Tughluq, and Muhammad bin Qasim.
c) Describe the influence and contributions Muslim rulers had in the subcontinent.
Different Muslim rulers each had different influences and contributions in the
sub-continent. These rulers introduced the sub-continent to new styles of
architecture, unique development of arts and culture, better trading routes, a
more efficient government, and also improved the army.
3. Briefly talk about the following:
a) Alaptagain - Alaptagin was a Mamluke slave soldier from a Turkish tribe, and
served in the Samanid court in Bukhara. As the Samanid dynasty lost its power,
Alaptagin moved to the mountains of Afghanistan and established his authority in
Ghazna. The Samanids tried to subdue Alaptagin, but were unsuccessful.
Alaptagin died in 995.
b) Subuktheiun - Subuktheiun was the founder of theGhaznavid dynasty, ruling
from 977 to 997. Sabuktigin lived as a slave during his youth and later married the
daughter of his master. When his father-in-law Alaptagain died, Sebuktigin
became the new ruler and expanded the kingdom after defeating Jayapalato cover
the territory as far as the Neelum River in Kashmirand the Indus River in what is
now Pakistan.
c) Anandpal - Anandpal was the son of Jaipal, a Jat Ruler with capital at Lahore.
After Jaipal passed away, Anandpal took over and became emperor.
d) Jaipal - King Jaipal and later his son Anandpal resisted Mahmud but were
defeated. In 991 A.D. Raja Jaipal allied with other Hindu king including
Rajyapala the Prathira king of Kannauj and Dhanga the ruler of the distant
Chandela kingdom, but they too were defeated.
4. What do we know about the Ghazna?
The elder son of Sabuktagin, Mahmud of Ghazni took over the throne in 997
AD. He was aware of the wealth he could achieve from further conquests into
India. He was also very religious, and aimed to spread Islam. Mahmud is said
to have invaded India seventeen times between 1001 -1027 AD. King Jaipal
and later his son Anandpal resisted Mahmud but were defeated. Between
1009 A.D and 1026 A.D he invaded Kangra, Thaneshwar, Kanauj, Mathura,
Gwalior, Kashmir and Punjab. In 1025 A.D Mahmud invaded Somnath and
looted its temple on the coast of Saurashtra or Kathiwar. Enormous treasure

Shazreh Adnan
September 9, 2014
History of the Subcontinent
Notes

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of the fortified temple was looted. His last invasion was in about 1027 AD.
He died in 1030 AD.
What do we know about battle of Somnath?
Mahmud attacked Somnath, in 1025, and its ruler Bhima Deva I fled. The
next year, he captured Somnath and marched to Kachch against Bhima Deva.
That same year Mahmud also attacked the Jats of Jud. Somnath was raided.
Mahmud's armies stripped the temples of their wealth and then destroyed
them. Mahmud killed over 50,000 people who tried to defend it. The
defenders included the 90-year-old clan leader Ghogha Rana. Mahmud had
the gilded lingam broken into pieces and had it made into steps for his
mosque and palace.This battle lasted for three days.
Who was Mahmud Shah Ghaznai?
Mahmud Shah Ghaznai was the most prominent ruler of the Ghaznavid
Empire. He conquered the eastern Iranian lands and the northwesternIndian
subcontinent from 997 to his death in 1030. Mahmud turned the former
provincial city of Ghazna into the wealthy capital of an extensive empire. He
was the first ruler to carry the title Sultan, signifying the extent of his power.
During his rule, he invaded parts of Hindustan 17 times.
How was Ayaz related to Mehmood Shah Ghazni?
Malik Ayaz, son of Aymq Abu'n-Najm, was a Turkish slave who rose to the
rank of officer and general in the army of Sultan Mahmud. His rise to power
was a reward for the devotion he gave his master. In 1021, the Sultan raised
Ayaz to kingship, awarding him the throne of Lahore, which the Sultan had
taken after a long siege and a fierce battle in which the city was torched and
depopulated. As the first Muslim governor of Lahore, he rebuilt and
repopulated the city. He also added many important features, such as a
masonry fort.
Who burnt Ghazni?
Alaa-ud-Din, to revenge the death of his brother, defeated Behram and burnt
Ghazni turning it into ashes. Flames and smoke rose up for seven days. The
graves of the Ghaznavids were dishonored.
Define the following:
a) Slave dynasty: A dynasty in 13th-century India, founded by a Turkish ex-slave,
and lasted for nearly a century.
b) Qutubudin Ahmed: Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a ruler of the Mameluke dynasty of
the Delhi Sultanate. He was born to a Turkish family in Central Asia. He was sold
as a slave in his childhood, and so he was bought up by a Qazi of Nishapur. He
was treated like one of the sons of this Qazi. After a few years, his master died
and the Sultan Mohammad Ghori bought him. He soon became one of the
favourites of Sultan Mohammad. When Mohammad died in 1206, he became
the Sultan in India.
c) Qutub Minar: Qutab Minar is a 73 m-high tower of victory, built in 1193 by
Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom.

9. Who was Feroz Khilji, and why was he popular?

Feroz Khilji, was the first sultan of the Khilji dynasty. Jalaluddin went to
build his capital at Kilughari, and completed the unfinished palace and

Shazreh Adnan
September 9, 2014
History of the Subcontinent
Notes
gardens of Sultan Qaiqabad. He ruled much of Northern India for six years,
from 1290 to 1296. He was popular because ended he the slave dynasty.
10. Who founded the Tukhlaq dynasty?
Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq founded the dynasty in 1321.
11. Write about the economic and religious life in the Delhi Sultanate along with
literature and the social conditions during the time.
Literature: The rise of Persian speaking people to the throne naturally
resulted in the spread of the Persian language in India. It was the official
language and soon literary works in the language began to appear.
Initially Persian literature talked about topics which were familiar to those
from Persia. Gradually however as more Indians learnt the language, the
literary works began to have a more Indian theme.
Social conditions: The society of this time was going through some changes,
with a fusion between Islamic culture and the Indian culture of the time.
Economic life: Women were free to take up education and many women
from higher classes excelled in the arts and science. Peasant women had more
freedom, though this was largely for economic reasons.
Religious life: Many Indians were embracing the new religion and this
resulted in a new variant of the religion, one that absorbed many Indian ideas
and beliefs as well. The caste system went through some interesting changes.
The Hindus continued to follow the same caste system. As for the Muslims
the situation was a little different as the Islamic society did not formally
recognize caste. However with the entry in India, many Indian ideas were
being incorporated and the caste system was one of them.