Period of reign- 879 to 1215 CE
Religion - Sunni Muslim
Territories under their control- At the peak of its reign, the Ghurid Sultanate stretched from Khorasan in Afghanistan, the northern part of India and present-day Pakistan until Bengal.
Capital city - Firozkoh in Mandesh GHOR (present-day IRAN), Herat, Ghazni (both places presently in AFGHANISTAN)
TABLE OF CONTENT
- Lineage of GHORI DYNASTY
- List of kings: THE GHURIDS V/Z GHAZNAVIDS
- MUHAMMAD GHORI PAVES THE PATH FOR MUSLIM RULE IN INDIA
- THE GHURID EMPIRE CRUMBLES
The lineage of GHURID or GHORI DYNASTY
The GHURIDS are a clan that originates from within eastern Iran and central Asia. The word GHURID/ GHORI originates from GHOR/ GHOWR a rugged mountainous region in present-day central Afghanistan; the place where they belonged. Some scholars favoured the idea that the GHURIDS are similar to Pashto tribes of Afghanistan, while others believe they are of Central Asian origin (IE. TAJIK) and speak a distinct Persian dialect. We can only assume they were a semi-nomadic tribe of Eastern Iranian TAJIK origin since their first capital city was Firozkoh in eastern Iran.
Historical remnants in the form of ancient settlements, defence fortification etc indicate that prior to 12th CE this place was a colorful and eclectic mix of people from different faiths such as; Buddhism, Hinduism and Zoroastrian. But the coming of ISLAM changed all that!
Despite being well tucked within the vastness of these remote mountains, GHOR could not hide itself for too long. It shared its borders with the GHAZNAVID EMPIRE that was founded by Sebük Tigin in 977 CE. Sebük Tigin's son was the notable Mahmud of Ghazni (r. 998 to 1030 CE). Mahmud was called Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a title worthy of his power and influence. This Sultan was an Islamist to the core and vassal of the Abbasid Caliphs*.
* A Caliph is said to be a descendant of Islam's prophet Muhammad. As such a Caliph is a highly regarded individual in the Islamic world, just as the Pope is to the Roman Catholic populace worldwide.
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| Map of India during 1030 CE |
Mahmud of Ghazni~ the great proselytiser of Islam
In the early 12th CE (IE. 1011 CE), Mahmud of Ghazni raided GHOR and imprisoned its prince Ibn-I-Suri (who was a Buddhist). In due course of time, the GHURIDS who were also Buddhists converted to Islam under Mahmud's influence. The surrounding districts had also become Musselmans. An Islamic mindset began to spread its deadly fangs and from a peaceful tolerant lot, people were now indoctrinated to disregard basic human values. Those who still hadn't converted were considered infidels (worst of creatures) thus causing strife and infighting between the masses.
List of kings: THE GHURIDS V/Z THE GHAZNAVIDS
Abu Ali ibn Muhammad (r. 1011 to 1035 CE) was the first muslim king of the GHURID DYNASTY who embraced Islam in earnest and propogated the faith by building mosques and madrasas. His predecessors~ Amir Suri and Muhammad ibn Suri may have muslim names, but were Buddhists. Prior to that they might have started out as local tribal chiefs.
☀️Abu Ali ibn Muhammad was overthrown by his nephew, Abbas Ibn Shith (r. 1035 to 1060)
☀️ Muhammad ibn Abbas (r. 1060 to 1080 CE) son of above IE Abbas Ibn Shith
☀️ Qutb al-din Hasan (r. 1080 to 1100 CE) son of above
☀️Izz al-Din Husayn (r. 1100 to 1146 CE) son of above
☀️Sayf al-Din Suri (r. 1146 to 1149 CE) son of Izz al-Din Husayn. He had 6 other brothers and they all later split the GHURID KINGDOM among themselves.
The battle of Ghazni (1148 CE)
Despite all that, there arose a dispute between king Sayf and his brother Qutb al-Din who had received the territories of Warshad Warsh as his share. In order to escape his brother's wrath perhaps, Qutb escaped to nearby GHAZNI that was under the rule of Sultan Bahram-Shah. At the place of his refuge, Qutb it is said was poisoned to death.
Realising this Sayf al-Din Suri waged a war against the GHAZNAVID Sultan to avenge his brother's death. In the Battle of Ghazni (1148 CE) that ensued, Bahram-Shah was defeated and fled to KURRAM, while the GHURID ruler captured GHAZNI.
It did not take long however for Bahram-Shah to return in order to settle old scores... And when he did he killed Sayf and his aide in the more horrific manner and recaptured GHAZNI.
☀️ Baha al-Din Sam I (r 1149 CE) brother of the above king. He received GHUR as his part of the kingdom. He died of natural causes and thus a short time as king.
☀️ Ala al-Din Husayn (r. 1149 to 1161 CE) was the younger brother of previous two kings.
Ala al-Din Husayn: the great destroyer of GHAZNI
To avenge his brother's death, Ala al-Din Husayn took on the GHAZNAVID army at Tiginabad in 1150 and successfully defeated them. On three occasions Bahram-Shah tried to retaliate, but was eventually forced to flee to the GHAZNAVID territories of India. They pillaged and brutally destroyed everything good. 60,000 people were killed, even the dead were not spared~ the tombs of previous GHAZNAVID kings (except that of Mahmud, Mas'ud and Ibrahim) were opened up and their remains charred. The GHURIDS then burned down the city of GHAZNI. It is claimed that GHAZNI was in flames for 7 days and 7 nights.
The GHURIDS then went on to destroy yet another city named BUST (present-day Lashkargah in south-west Afghanistan). Ala al-Din Husayn has certainly come a long way; he was now called SULTAN AL-MUAZZAM. Furthermore, he declared independence from the SEIJUQ EMPIRE that bordered GHUR on the other side. He then conquered Bamiiyan, Tukharistan and Garchistan~ these new territories too he divided between his brothers.
☀️ Sayf al-Din Muhammad (r. 1161 to 1163) ascended the throne after his father and predecessor Ala al-Din Husayn.
Islam had split into sects; one being Isma'ilism a branch of Shia Islam. While the Isma'ilists enjoyed freedom under his father Ala al-Din Husayn, this king began persecuting them in earnest. He lost his life in another battle (1163 CE)
☀️ Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad (r. 1140 to 1203 CE) was the son of Baha al-Din Sam I (see above). Ghiyath was a great conqueror~ he stretched the borders of his empire till Gorgan and Bastam (both places in present-day Iran) and seized many other territories such as Herat, Pushang from the SEIJUQS. He captured territories in Khorasan that were in control Khwarezm empire. Many other kings accepted GHURID suzerainty.
MUHAMMAD GHORI~ THE KING THAT PAVED THE PATH FOR MUSLIM RULE IN INDIA
THE SECOND BATTLE OF TARAIN: 1192 CE is the reason that brought ISLAM into INDIA Click the link to Read more.
THE GHURID EMPIRE CRUMBLES
The GHURID dynasty was built with support from its own brethren; starting with the 1st GHURID king Abu Ali ibn Muhammad, to the benevolent Sayf al-Din Suri who divided the GHURID kingdom among his 6 brothers until Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad. But all that was going to change soon.
MUHAMMAD GHORI's only offspring was a daughter who died during his lifetime. He did have other family members, but GHORI preferred to place trust in his slave generals instead of his own GHURID brethren. And while there is no doubting the fact that GHORI's slave generals played a key role in expanding his empire throughout INDIA; they also carved a place for themselves thereon.
GHURID DYNASTY IN INDIA
MUHAMMAD GHORI died in the year 1206 CE. The GHURID dynasty that reached INDIA under him now became 3 new entities that asserted Muslim dominance in INDIA between 1206 until 1226. The Mughals arrived only later in the year 1526 CE.
The rise of QUTB I-DIN AIBAK
In 1193 when DELHI was captured by a general named QUTB I-DIN AIBAK, GHORI placed him as the governor-in-charge of Delhi. Thereafter in 1202-1203 when Sarnath, a Buddhist pilgrimage center was ravaged, here too QUTB I-DIN AIBAK was put in charge.
QUTB I-DIN AIBAK subsequently went on to establish the DELHI SULTANATE (1206 to 1526 CE) and thus began the MAMLUK DYNASTY.
Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji, The new Sultan of Bengal
Around 1203 Bakhtiyar Khalji, another general of GHORI took the Muslim conquests further eastward into Bihar and Bengal. He later founded the Khalji dynasty of Bengal (r. 1203 - 1227 CE).
Nasir ad-Din Qabacha, the new governor of Multan
Nasir ad-Din Qabacha was appointed as governor of Multan in 1203 CE by MUHAMMAD GHORI himself.
Next blog- Days of the Delhi Sultanate in India: A historical tour of Delhi
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