Chapter 5 – AGE OF CONFLICT

The period between the year 1000 and the year 1200, commonly referred to as the age of conflict,
was characterized by abrupt shifts of power and influence in Western and Central Asia, as well as in
North India, with numerous instances of rapid succession of empires and states.

THE GHAZNAVIDS
The Samanids, who ruled in Trans Oxiana, Khurasan and parts of Iran had to battle continually with
the non-Muslim Turkish tribesmen on their northern and eastern frontiers. It was during this struggle
that a new type of soldier, the ghazi was born. It was the Ghazis' bravery and ingenuity that helped
the fledgling Muslim countries survive the Turks.

 About Mahmud

After the decline of the Samanid kingdom, the Ghaznavid ruler Mahmud ascended the throne (998
1030) at Ghazni. He is considered a hero of Islam because of his stout defense against the central
Asian Turkish tribal invaders. The Ghazi Spirit, further increased during his reign and he was closely
associated with the Renaissance of the Iranian spirit.

A high watermark in the Iranian Renaissance was reached with Firdausi’s Shah Namah. He was the
poet laureate at the Court of Mahmud. There was a revival of Iranian nationalism and Persian
language and culture became the language and culture of the Ghaznavid empire. So much so that
Mahmood himself claimed to be descended from the legendary Iranian king, Arafiyab. The Turks
became not only Islamized but Persianized. Although Mahmud played an important role in the
defense of the Islamic states against the Turkish tribe and the Iranian controller Renaissance. In India,
his remembrances are limited to plunderers and destroyers of temples. It is said that he made 17
raids on India.

 Mahmud v/s Hindushahi

The initial raids were directed against the Hindushahi rulers who at the time held Peshawar and
Punjab. The Hindushahi ruler Jayapala had in alliance with the displaced Samanid Governor of
Ghazni, the Bhatti ruler of the area around Multan and the amir of Multan invaded Ghazni. He had to
suffer defeat as the coalition collapsed. In a furious battle near Peshawar, in 1001 Jayapala was again
defeated. Mahmud advanced to the Shahi capital and thoroughly ravaged it.

 Indo – Gangetic raids

Mahmud launched a series of expeditions into the Indo – Gangetic plains. These raids were aimed at
plundering the rich temples and towns which had amassed wealth over generations.

He posed as a great but Shikan or ‘destroy the images’ for the glory of Islam. His most daring raids,
however, were in Kannauj in 1018 and against Somnath in Gujarat in 1025. He sacked Mathura and
plundered Kannauj in the campaign against it. From the Punjab he attacked Thaneswar, which was
the old capital city of Harsha, and in 1025 he devised a plan to attack Somnath. The city had a rich
temple and attracted pilgrims, and it was also a prosperous port. He met little resistance on the way
and reached Somnath, though it is difficult to say if his attack on the city was a prelude to an invasion
of Rajasthan or Gujarat. He died there in 1030.

It is not wrong to think of Mahud only as a raider and plunderer. The conquest of Punjab and Multan
by Ghaznavid completely changed the political landscape in North India. At the same time, several
new states came into being in the north of India.
THE RAJPUT STATES
The Pratihara empire eventually fell, leading to the formation of several Rajput states in the north of
India. The biggest of these states were the Gahadavallas of Kannauj, Paramaras of Malwa and
Chauhans in Ajmer. But there were also other smaller kingdoms in the area, like the Kalachuri near
Jabalpur in Uttar Pradesh, Chandelas and Chalukyas in Gujarat, and Tomars in Delhi.

At its height, Gahadvar dynasty’s greatest ruler was Govind Chandra. He made Kannauj his capital,
with Banares remaining a second capital. Persian sources of the time call Govind Chandra, the
greatest ruler of Hindustan. The Chauhan’s who had served under the rulers of Gujarat established
their capital at Nadol. The greatest ruler in the dynasty was Vigraharaj who captured Chittor and
established Ajmer and made it his capital. The most famous among the Chauhan rulers was Prithviraj
III.

 Rajput characteristics (forthelackofbetterword) and society structure

Rajput society was based on a clan system. Each clan was descended from a shared ancestor, real or
imagined. These clans usually ruled over a small area. In some cases, these settlements were made
up of 12, 24, 48, or 84 villages. The Rajputs had strong ties to land, family, and honor. Every Rajput
state was meant to be ruled by a Rana or a Rawat.The benefits were the sense of brotherhood and
equality that the Rajputs had. But the downside was that they tended to form exclusive groups
where everyone claimed to be better than everyone else. They weren't ready to extend this sense of
brotherhood to non-Rajputs.

They thought of war as a game. The perfect ruler was the one who would raise his army after the
celebration of ‘Dussehra’ to attack the lands of his neighbours. The people of the villages and cities
suffered the most. Most of these Rajput rulers were devotees of Hinduism (although some also
worshiped Jainism). They gave lavish gifts and land grants to Brahmins and temples. The Rajpur rulers
also patronized arts and letters.

 Temple building (not exactly related to rajputs but author ne likha hai, and im goin
chronologically)

The period following the 8th century and particularly the 10th to 12th centuries can be seen as the
definitive period of temple construction in North India. Several of the most renowned temples in the
present day can be attributed to this period.

The style of temple construction, which came into prominence, was called the Nagara. It is found
mainly in North India and the Deccan. Its main characteristic feature was the tall, curved spiral roof
over the Garbha Griha, or the deity room. A Mandapa was added to the Sanctum sanctorum. The
Parsvanatha Temple the Vishwa Natha Temple and the Kandarya Mahadeo Temple at Khajuraho
illustrate this style. In Orissa, the most magnificent examples of architecture of the time are the
Lingaraja temple built in 11th century and the Sun temple of Konark, built in 13th century. The famous
Jagannatha temple at Puri also belongs to this period.

THE TURKISH CONQUEST OF NORTH INDIA

After the Ghaznavid conquest of the Punjab, distinct 2 patterns of relations between the Muslims
and the Hindus were at work.
One was the lure for plunder, which resulted in raids into the Gangetic valley and Rajputana by the
successors of Mahmud. At the second level, Muslim traders were allowed even welcomed in the
country since they helped in strengthening and augmenting India’s trade with central and West Asian
countries. Colonies of Muslim traders sprang up in some of the towns in North India. In the wake of
these came a number of Muslim religious preachers called the Sufis to Punjab. Lahore became a
center of Arabic and Persian languages and literature.

THE BATTLE OF TARAIN

In the mid-12th century, a group of Turkic tribesmen, who were part Buddhist and part pagan, took
down the powerful Seljuk Turk. This caused two new powers to rise to power - the Khwarizmi Empire
in Iran and the Ghulid Empire in Ghur, Afghanistan. After a dispute between the two groups, the
Ghurids turned to India for expansion. In 1178, they tried to capture Gujarat, but they didn't make it.
So, they settled in Punjab and by 1190, they had taken Peshawar and Lahore, and were on their way
to Delhi and the Gangetic doab.

The expansion of the Chauhan power towards the Punjab bought them into conflict with the
Ghaznavid rulers of the area. Thus, a battle between these two ambitious rulers Muizzuddin
Mohammed and Prithviraj was inevitable. In the battle, which was fought at Tarain in 1191,
Muizzuddin lost.

The second battle of Tarain in 1192 is regarded as one of the turning points in Indian history.
Muizzuddin was fully prepared for the battle. Once Prithviraj figured out what the hooded track was,
he asked for help from all the Rajas in northern India, but not everyone was on his side. Ultimately, it
was the speed and skill of the Turkish cavalry, their mounted archers, and heavy cavalry that won the
day. Unfortunately, Prithviraj got caught near Saraswati and was executed on charges of conspiracy.
His son then took over and set up a powerful Chauhan Kingdom in Ranthampur. So, the area around
Delhi and parts of eastern Rajasthan came under the rule of the Turks.

TURKISH CONQUEST OF GANGA VALLEY

Between 1192 and 1206, Turkish rule was extended over the Ganga Jamuna Doab and its
neighboring area, Bihar and Bengal were also overrun.

After Muizzuddin returned to Ghazni, leaving the affairs in India in the hands of one of his trusted
slaves, Qutbuddin Aibak.

Bakhtiyar Khalji had been appointed in charge of some of the areas beyond. He had taken advantage
of this to make frequent raids into Bihar, which was at that time in the nature of a no man’s rule.
Bengal was a rich prize because its internal resources and flourishing foreign trade had given it the
reputation of being fabulously rich.

He foolishly undertook an expedition into the Brahmaputra Valley in Assam. The Magh rulers of
Assam retreated and allowed the Turkish armies to come in as far as they could. At last, the tired and
exhausted armies found they could advance no further and decided to retreat. Tired and weakened
by hunger and illness, the Turkish army had to face a battle in which there was a wide river in front,
and the Assamese army at the back. The Turkish army suffered a total defeat. Khilji was stabbed to
death.
CAUSES OF THE DEFEAT OF THE RAJPUTS
The Turkish bows were capable of firing arrows at greater distances; however, the Indian bows were
designed to be more precise and lethal, with the Arrowheads typically containing poison.
Additionally, the Indians had the advantage of having elephants, whereas the Turks had horses that
were faster and more robust than those imported into India.

The Indians' social and organizational weaknesses were further compounded by the rise of
feudalism, which had weakened the administrative and military structures of the Indian states due to
the influence of local landed elements and their chiefs. In contrast, the Turks' travel system and the
expansion of their Iqta and the Khalisa system allowed them to keep large standing armies that could
stand in the field for years.

Many of these Turkish officers were slaves, trained to fight and grew up in the service of the Sultan,
whom he trusted implicitly. However, the Rajpur system lacked what one might call strategic vision.
For the Rajputs, their case was all about India, and they did not pay much attention to what was
happening outside India, especially in what is now Central Asia, which has often played a crucial role
in the history of India.