Rise of Islam

and
India on the Eve of Turkish Invasion

By – Chauhan Sir
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<Chauhan_Sir_History>
Introduction:
• Around 7th century with the rise of Islam in
Central Asia, the confrontations between the
expansionist Caliphate forces and the native
kingdoms of Gurjara-Pratihara and later with the
Chauhans of Delhi-Ajmer paved way for Age of
Conflict.
• The frontier regions, especially northwest from
time immemorial had witnessed foreign invaders
making their way to the Indian subcontinent.
• By the end of the 9th century CE, the
Abbasid Caliphate declined.
• The Turkish government established independent
kingdoms and the Caliph became only a ritual
authority.
• One among them was Alpatgin, whose actual
capital was Ghazni.
• His successor and son-in-law Subuktigin wanted to
conquer India from the northwest.
• He succeeded in capturing Peshawer from Jayapal.
• But his raids did not produce a lasting effect.
• He was succeeded by his son Mahmood.
• By the 11th century, these newly Islamized
Turks began to push in India.
Rise of Islam:
• The religion Islam was born at Mecca in Arabia.
• Its founder was Prophet Muhammad.
• But his teachings made the wealthy people of Mecca
his enemies.
• Therefore, he migrated to Medina in 622 CE, which
was the starting point of the Muslim calendar and the
Muslim era called Hijra.
• After eight years he returned to Mecca with his
followers.
• He died in 632 CE.
• The followers of Muhammad set up an empire
called the Caliphate.
• Ummayads and Abbasids were called the Caliphs.
• Expanded their rule by conquest and spread their
religion Islam.
Developments invest in Central Asia:
• The rise of Islam, it's conquest of West Asia and
Iran, and it's slow expansion into Khorasan(
northeast part of Persia and covering also parts of
Central Asia and Afghanistan) and Central Asia,
particularly the fertile tract called Transoxiana or
Mawara-un-nahar("transitional zone" between
Central Asia and the Lands of ancient civilization in
East Asia that is between the rivers Oxuz and Syr
Darya) led to a gradual contraction of India's
cultural and political influence in the area, which
was largely Buddhist and affected India's Overland
trade with the China and West Asia and trade from
the seaports.
• However, the rise of Arab sea traders revived
India's sea trade, or did not keep themselves away
on account of the sentiments in some quarters that
travel across the salt-seas or beyond the areas
where the munj grass grew would lead to the loss
of one's Caste.
• Thus, Indian traders lived in the areas around the
Persian Gulf and beyond, and of Indian wades and
Craftsman were being welcomed at the court of
the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad.
• Arab traders settled down in Malabar.
• The Rashtrakuta rulers who dominated western
India, Malwa parts of South India up to the 10th
century welcomed the Arab traders, and even
permitted them to build mosques for worship.
• The Abbasid empire, which reached its zenith in
the 9th century, comprised at its height the areas
of Constantinople and Egypt to Central Asia and
the Arabian Peninsula.
• From the end of the 9th century, when the Abbasid
empire disintegrated, a series of aggressive,
expansionist state arose.
• These states were independent in all but name, as
they accepted the nominal Suzerainity of the
Caliph who legitimized their position by granting
them a formal letter or Manshur.
• In course of time, rulers of these states began to be
called Sultans.
• Most of these Sultans were Turks.
• The Turks who were nomads and lived in areas
now known as Mongolistan and Sinkiang, since,
8th century, been infiltrating into the region called
Transoxiana.
Islamization of Turks:
• Iranian rulers of the area, and the Abbasid Caliphs,
brought in the Turks as mercenaries and slaves,
and recruited them as Palace guards.
• Turkish immigrants became Islamized and
Persianized.
• They assimilated the Iranian language and culture
which was dominant in the region.
• Even earlier, both Arabic and Persian had been the
languages of the ruling classes, and Persian
culture and administrative practices had
influenced the Abbasids.
• Turks fought the Turkish tribes which had not
converted, and later expanded into India.
• The dynasties that came after the fall of Abbasids
were Samanid dynasty(874-999 CE),
Ghaznavids(962-1186), Seljukids and Khwarizmi.
• The Khwarizmi empire was destroyed by the
Mongol, Genghis Khan, in the 13th century.
• These empires fought each other, as also smaller
potentates in the region whom they tried to
subordinate.
• In the fierce battle for survival in the West and
Central Asia, military efficiency was considered the
most valuable asset.
• This led to the growth of a militarism which
spelt immediate danger to India and its outlying
areas- Zabulistan and Afghanistan, which till, then,
had not been converted to Islam.
Political condition of India on the Eve of Turkish invasion
• The Indian subcontinent was a mosaic of many
kingdoms of varying size and strength.
• The neighboring kingdoms constantly indulged in
warfare for the extension of their territories.
• Political disintegration in the North and central
India can be traced to the death of
Harshvardhan(647 CE).
• On the ruins of Vardhana empire a number of new
kingdoms came into existence.
• These kingdoms were not bound by any principle
of unity.
• Though some of these kingdoms were quite
extensive and powerful they could not present
any tangible opposition to the Turkish invaders as
they weaken themselves due to internal strife and
external conflict.
• The chief kingdoms that existed on the Eve of
Turkish invasion were the following:
• The Arab kingdoms of Sindh and Multan:
• The Arab invasion of Sindh 712 CE under the
leadership of Muhammad bin Qasim resulted in
the establishment of the Arab rule over Sindh and
Multan.
• Initially, the Arab rulers owed their allegiance to
the caliph of Baghdad.
• However, since 871 CE they asserted their
political independence from the Caliph and for
diplomatic reasons they offered nominal
allegiance to him.
• However, it is important to note that the
Arab conquest of Sindh did not help in any way in
the establishment of the Turkish rule in India.
• The Brahmin Hindu Shahi Kingdom:
• The Brahmin dynasty of the Shahiyas ruled over an
extensive territory spread from the River Chenab
to Multan and including the northwestern frontier.
• The Hindu Shahi Kingdom had played an important
role in resisting the advance of the Arabs in North
India for nearly 200 years.
• The rise of Ghaznavid empire in Afghanistan, the
Hindu shahis were forced to give up a part of their
Kingdom including Kabul and shift their capital
toward hand on the right Bank of River Indus.
• The Kingdom of Kashmir:
• Kalhan's Rajtarangini( 12th century) gives a
detailed account of the Kingdom of Kashmir.
• After the death of emperor Ashoka, Kashmir
became an independent Kingdom.
• The greatest ruler of Kashmir was Lalitaditya( 725-
755) who defeated Yashovarman, the ruler of
Kannauj in 740 CE.
• The Pratihara rulers of western India:
• The origin of Pratihara is shrouded in mystery.
• A number of scholars are of the opinion that they
were the descendants of Gurjara race.
• The Pratihara established a powerful Kingdom in
the western regions of India.
• Vatsraja was one of the prominent rulers of the
dynasty who acquired the title of Samrat.
• He defeated Dharampala, the ruler of Bengal and
gained control over Kannauj , which had been the
Imperial capital of Harshwardhan and
Yashovarman.
• There was a Tripartite Struggle for the control of
Kannauj between the Pratiharas, Palas of Bengal
and the Rashtrakutas of deccan.
• The Palas of Bengal:
• The Pala Kingdom was founded in Bengal in the
middle of 8th century.
• The Pala dynasty lasted for four centuries and had
17 rulers.
• The Pala Kingdom included considerable regions of
Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Assam.
• Pala influence extended to Tibet and
Southeast Asia.
• The greatest ruler of the Pala dynasty was
Dharampala.
• The struggle for mastery over Kannauj began
during his reign.
• The Rashtrakutas of Malkhed:
• Rahtrakutas were feudatories of Chalukyas of
Badami.
• Following the downfall of Chalukas, one of their
vassals, Dantidurga laid the foundation of
Rashtrakuta power in 750 CE with Malkhed near
Sholapur as capital.
• The Pratiharas and Palas was a contemporary of
the Rashtrakutas.
• Rashtrakutas came into conflict with the Pratiharas
for the control of Gujarat and Malwa.
• The Rajput Kingdoms:
• With the break of the Pratihara empire, a number
of Rajput kingdoms came into existence in North
and central India.
• On the Eve of Turkish invasions, the Rajputs ruled
major parts of northern and central India.
• Where and how the Rajputs originated is still a
mystery.
• According to some scholars, the Rajputs were of
foreign origin.
• This suggested by the efforts that were made by
the Brahmins to give them Royal lineages and
grant them Kshatriya status.
• They were provided with Genealogies, which
connected them either with the Solar(
Sooryavanshi) or Lunar( Chandravanshi) or fire(
Agnivanshi) race.
• In this way Royal respectability was conferred on
them.
 Chauhan_Sir_History

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