BPSC / BSSC — Medieval History

Chapter 14: Arab & Turk Invasions in India

712 CE – 1206 CE | Muhammad bin Qasim · Mahmud Ghazni · Muhammad Ghori
⚔️ First Invasions 🕌 Medieval India Start 📖 3 Key Historians ⚠️ 7 Exam Traps
Arab Invasion — Overview
First Muslim Invader
Arabs
First Arab Invader
Muhammad bin Qasim
Year
712 CE
Victory over
Sindh (Battle of Rewar)
Muhammad bin Qasim 712 CE
  • First Arab / First Muslim invader of India
  • Battle of Rewar — defeated Raja Dahir (ruler of Sindh)
  • Victory over Sindh
Sources of Information
Source Detail
Chachnama Book — primary source on Arab invasion of Sindh
Futuh al-Baldan Author: Al-Baladhuri
Arab Invasion — Key Line
First Muslim invader of India?
Arabs → Muhammad bin Qasim (712 CE)
Sindh ka ruler kaun tha jab Arabs ne attack kiya?
Raja Dahir — defeated at Battle of Rewar
Ghazni Dynasty — Setup
Dynasty Founder
  • Alaptagin — Founder of Ghazni Dynasty
  • Established independent Turk state
First Invader of India
  • Subuktigin — first Ghazni ruler to invade India
  • Father of Mahmud Ghazni
Mahmud Ghazni (998–1030 CE)
Reign
998–1030 CE
Total Invasions
17 times (1000–1027 CE)
Objective
Plunder Indian wealth
Death
1030 CE
Key Invasions
1001 CE — 1st Invasion
Against Jaipal (Hindu Shahi ruler) — defeated
1025–26 CE — 16th Invasion (Most Famous)
Attack on Somnath Temple — ruler Bhim I defeated
Immense wealth looted, temple damaged
1030 CE
Death of Mahmud Ghazni
Court Historians of Mahmud Ghazni
Author Book
Utbi Kitab-ul-Yamini
Firdausi Shahnama
Al-Biruni Tahqiq-i-Hind (Kitab-ul-Hind)
Muizuddin Muhammad Ghori
Origin
Ghur region, Afghanistan
Ancestors
Feudal rulers of Ghazni
Ascended throne
1173 CE
First Invasion
1175 CE — Multan & Kutch
Invasion Timeline
1175 CE — 1st Invasion
Attacked Multan and Kutch
1178 CE — Gujarat (Patan)
Ruler Bhim II victoriousFirst defeat of Ghori Ghori Defeated
1191 CE — 1st Battle of Tarain
Prithviraj Chauhan victorious Prithviraj Wins | Ghori defeated Ghori Loses
1192 CE — 2nd Battle of Tarain
Muhammad Ghori victorious Ghori Wins | Prithviraj defeated Prithviraj Loses
1194 CE — Battle of Chandawar
Ghori victorious; Jayachandra defeated
1205 CE — Last Campaign
Against Khokhar tribe of Punjab
All Major Battles — Summary
Battle of Rewar 712 CE
  • Muhammad bin Qasim vs Raja Dahir (Sindh)
  • Result: Raja Dahir defeated — Sindh under Arab control
Somnath Temple Attack (16th Invasion) 1025–26 CE
  • Mahmud Ghazni vs Bhim I
  • Bhim I defeated — immense wealth looted
  • Temple damaged
1st Battle of Tarain 1191 CE
  • Muhammad Ghori vs Prithviraj Chauhan
  • Result: Prithviraj Chauhan victorious Prithviraj Wins
  • Ghori escaped — regrouped
2nd Battle of Tarain 1192 CE
  • Muhammad Ghori vs Prithviraj Chauhan
  • Result: Muhammad Ghori victorious Ghori Wins
  • Prithviraj Chauhan defeated & captured
  • Decisive battle — opens Delhi to Muslim rule
Battle of Chandawar 1194 CE
  • Muhammad Ghori vs Jayachandra (Gahadavala ruler)
  • Result: Ghori victorious — Jayachandra defeated
Quick Battle Comparison
Battle Year Winner Loser
Battle of Rewar 712 CE Muhammad bin Qasim Raja Dahir
Gujarat (Patan) 1178 CE Bhim II Muhammad Ghori
1st Battle of Tarain 1191 CE Prithviraj Chauhan Muhammad Ghori
2nd Battle of Tarain 1192 CE Muhammad Ghori Prithviraj Chauhan
Battle of Chandawar 1194 CE Muhammad Ghori Jayachandra
Slaves of Muhammad Ghori
Tajuddin Yaldoz Ghazni
  • Given control of Ghazni
⭐ Qutubuddin Aibak Lahore · Delhi
  • Given control of Lahore and Delhi
  • After Ghori's death → Established Slave Dynasty (Delhi Sultanate) in 1206 CE
  • Most important legacy — Foundation of Muslim rule in India
Nasiruddin Qubacha Multan
  • Given control of Multan
Bakhtiyar Khilji Bengal
  • Given control of Bengal
  • Destroyer of Nalanda University, Bihar
  • Most infamous act — burned Nalanda, ending its legacy
Slave → Territory Map
Slave / General Territory Key Fact
Tajuddin Yaldoz Ghazni
Qutubuddin Aibak Lahore, Delhi Founded Slave Dynasty 1206 CE
Nasiruddin Qubacha Multan
Bakhtiyar Khilji Bengal Destroyed Nalanda University
Bonus — Sufi Connection
Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti
⚠️ Exam Traps
Trap #1 — First Muslim vs First Arab Invader

First Muslim invaders = Arabs (as a group). First individual Arab/Muslim invader = Muhammad bin Qasim (712 CE). "First Muslim" ka seedha jawab = Arabs ya Muhammad bin Qasim — context dekhna zaroori hai.

Trap #2 — Mahmud Ghazni ka objective

Mahmud Ghazni ka India invasion ka maqsad sirf wealth looting tha — permanent conquest nahi. Ghori ka maqsad permanent rule tha. Dono ka intention ALAG tha.

Trap #3 — 17 Invasions vs 16th Invasion

Mahmud Ghazni ne 17 invasions kiye total. Somnath Temple attack uski 16th invasion (1025–26 CE) thi — 17th nahi. Bahut aksar exam mein 17th likha hota hai — yeh galat hai.

Trap #4 — Bhim I vs Bhim II

Somnath Temple (1025–26 CE) ke time ruler = Bhim I (Gujarat) — who was defeated. Gujarat (1178 CE, Patan) mein Ghori ke against = Bhim II victorious. Dono alag hain — I aur II confuse mat karo.

Trap #5 — 1st vs 2nd Battle of Tarain

1191 CE (1st battle) = Prithviraj Chauhan jeeta. 1192 CE (2nd battle) = Ghori jeeta, Prithviraj haara. Reverse mat karo — yeh most common mistake hai.

Trap #6 — Nalanda Destroyer

Nalanda University ko destroy kiya Bakhtiyar Khilji ne — Muhammad Ghori ne ya Mahmud Ghazni ne nahi. Bakhtiyar = Bengal wala slave of Ghori.

Trap #7 — Al-Biruni ki Book

Al-Biruni ki book = Tahqiq-i-Hind (Kitab-ul-Hind bhi kahte hain). Utbi ki book = Kitab-ul-Yamini. Dono Mahmud Ghazni ke court mein the. Firdausi ka Shahnama bhi Mahmud ke court mein — lekin yeh Persian epic poetry hai, India ka history nahi.

⚡ Quick Recall Cards
Arab Invasion
First Muslim invader (individual)?
Muhammad bin Qasim — 712 CE
Sindh ka ruler when Arabs attacked?
Raja Dahir — Battle of Rewar
Arab invasion ka primary source book?
Chachnama + Futuh al-Baldan (Al-Baladhuri)
Mahmud Ghazni
Ghazni dynasty ka founder?
Alaptagin
Pehla Ghazni invader of India?
Subuktigin
Mahmud Ghazni ka reign?
998–1030 CE
Total invasions?
17 (1000–1027 CE)
Somnath attack — kaunsa invasion?
16th (1025–26 CE) — Bhim I defeated
Invasion objective?
Plunder Indian wealth (permanent conquest nahi)
Historians of Mahmud Ghazni
Kitab-ul-Yamini?
Utbi
Shahnama?
Firdausi
Tahqiq-i-Hind?
Al-Biruni
Muhammad Ghori
Origin?
Ghur region, Afghanistan
Throne ascend?
1173 CE
First invasion?
1175 CE — Multan & Kutch
Ghori ki pehli defeat?
Gujarat 1178 CE — Bhim II ne haraaya
Last campaign?
1205 CE — Khokhar tribe, Punjab
Battles — Who Won?
1st Battle of Tarain (1191)?
Prithviraj Chauhan jeeta — Ghori haara
2nd Battle of Tarain (1192)?
Ghori jeeta — Prithviraj haara
Battle of Chandawar (1194)?
Ghori jeeta — Jayachandra haara
Slaves of Ghori — Territory
Qutubuddin Aibak → ?
Lahore + Delhi → Founded Slave Dynasty 1206 CE
Bakhtiyar Khilji → ?
Bengal → Destroyed Nalanda University
Nasiruddin Qubacha → ?
Multan
Tajuddin Yaldoz → ?
Ghazni
Chishti Sufi Order founder?
Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti — came with Ghori
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