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During whose reign was Alberuni a historian?
Alberuni served as a historian during the reign of Mahmud of Ghaznavi, the ruler of Ghazni who invaded India multiple times in the 11th century. Alberuni travelled with Mahmud’s court and used this opportunity to explore India extensively. A brilliant scholar of mathematics, astronomy, geography andRead more
Alberuni served as a historian during the reign of Mahmud of Ghaznavi, the ruler of Ghazni who invaded India multiple times in the 11th century. Alberuni travelled with Mahmud’s court and used this opportunity to explore India extensively. A brilliant scholar of mathematics, astronomy, geography and anthropology, he learned Sanskrit to study Indian scriptures firsthand. His most important contribution is Kitab-ul-Hind, a detailed scientific account of India’s culture, religion, education, sciences, geography and social life. Alberuni’s writing is objective, analytical and comparative, making him one of the earliest and most credible scholars to document medieval India from an outsider’s perspective.
See lessWhich general of Muhammad Ghori conquered Bihar (1202-03), Bengal (1204-05) and invaded Assam (1206)?
Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji emerged as a key military leader under Muhammad Ghori and Qutbuddin Aibak. He undertook rapid cavalry-based campaigns in eastern India. In 1202–03, he captured Bihar, including major Buddhist centres such as Nalanda and Vikramashila. By 1204–05, he advanceRead more
Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji emerged as a key military leader under Muhammad Ghori and Qutbuddin Aibak. He undertook rapid cavalry-based campaigns in eastern India. In 1202–03, he captured Bihar, including major Buddhist centres such as Nalanda and Vikramashila. By 1204–05, he advanced into Bengal, defeating local rulers and establishing Turkish control. Ambitious in his pursuits, he ventured further into Assam in 1206, although this expedition ultimately proved disastrous. His military exploits significantly extended Ghurid power into eastern India and transformed Bengal’s political landscape, laying the foundation for later Muslim rule in the region.
See lessMuhammad Ghori is considered the founder of the Muslim state in India, but who is considered the founder of an independent Muslim state in India?
Muhammad Ghori’s military campaigns laid the groundwork for Muslim political expansion in India, but he ruled from Ghazni, not India. After his death in 1206, his loyal slave and general Qutbuddin Aibak became the effective ruler of the conquered Indian territories. Rather than submitting to rival GRead more
Muhammad Ghori’s military campaigns laid the groundwork for Muslim political expansion in India, but he ruled from Ghazni, not India. After his death in 1206, his loyal slave and general Qutbuddin Aibak became the effective ruler of the conquered Indian territories. Rather than submitting to rival Ghurid nobles, Aibak declared independence and established his own authority, marking the birth of the Delhi Sultanate. He shifted the political centre to Delhi and Lahore organised administration, distributed Iqtas and began landmark construction projects like the Qutub Minar. His reign represents the formal establishment of an autonomous and enduring Muslim state in India.
See lessWho was the ruler of Devagiri at the time of Alauddin Khilji’s invasion?
In 1296, Alauddin Khilji launched a swift and unexpected attack on Devagiri, then ruled by Ramchandra Dev of the Yadava dynasty. Ramchandra was caught unprepared and unable to muster adequate resistance. After negotiations, he accepted Alauddin’s terms, paid a substantial tribute and became his suboRead more
In 1296, Alauddin Khilji launched a swift and unexpected attack on Devagiri, then ruled by Ramchandra Dev of the Yadava dynasty. Ramchandra was caught unprepared and unable to muster adequate resistance. After negotiations, he accepted Alauddin’s terms, paid a substantial tribute and became his subordinate ruler. Interestingly, Ramchandra later gained Alauddin’s trust and was treated with respect, even receiving the title “Rai Rayan.” This alliance helped Alauddin extend his authority over the Deccan without prolonged conflict. Devagiri’s submission marked the first major step in the Sultanate’s expansion into southern India, laying groundwork for Malik Kafur’s later campaigns.
See less“When he ascended the throne, he was completely independent of the rules and regulations of the Sharia.” Baruni said this about which Sultan?
Ziauddin Barani, the 14th-century chronicler, observed that Alauddin Khilji exercised absolute sovereign authority and consciously detached governance from the influence of Islamic clerics. According to Barani, Alauddin believed a ruler’s decisions should not be restricted by Sharia if state interesRead more
Ziauddin Barani, the 14th-century chronicler, observed that Alauddin Khilji exercised absolute sovereign authority and consciously detached governance from the influence of Islamic clerics. According to Barani, Alauddin believed a ruler’s decisions should not be restricted by Sharia if state interests demanded otherwise. He introduced wide-ranging reforms—price control measures, market regulation, strict revenue collection, anti-corruption steps and military reorganisation—based on practical governance, not religious doctrine. Alauddin argued that political stability, military strength and economic efficiency were superior objectives. His autonomy from Sharia represented a shift toward a more centralised, pragmatic and secular administration within the Delhi Sultanate.
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