Mahmud of Ghazni
The Ghaznavid sultan who led more than ten expeditions into northern India and gathered Ferdowsi and Al-Biruni at his court.
Life
Son of Sabuktigin
Mahmud was the son of Sabuktigin, founder of the Ghaznavids; his mother was the daughter of a Persian noble. In 998 CE he defeated his brother Ismail, took power, broke away from the Samanid Empire and received honorific titles from the Abbasid caliph; he was one of the first monarchs to bear the title "sultan."
Expeditions to India
From 1001 he led repeated expeditions into northern India (traditionally seventeen), defeating the Hindu Shahis and raiding Multan, Thanesar, Mathura, Kannauj and other places; in 1025–1026 he plundered the Somnath temple in Gujarat and carried off enormous wealth. He also expanded west as far as Rey in western Iran.
Court of Ghazni
With his plunder he made Ghazni a splendid capital, and his court hosted the scholar Al-Biruni and the poet Ferdowsi (the story that he treated Ferdowsi shabbily is legend). He died in 1030.
Legacy
Mahmud opened the history of Islamic rule entering India; Muslim historiography reveres him as a holy warrior, while in India he is remembered as a plunderer—two diametrically opposed verdicts.
Did you know? His mausoleum still stands near Ghazni today.
Key dates
- 998Takes power
- 1001Defeats the Hindu Shahis
- 1018Raids Mathura and Kannauj
- 1025Plunders the Somnath temple
- 1029Captures Rey
- 1030Died