Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni was an Islamic invader from Afghanistan, who raided India 17 times and looted the wealth of many hindu temples, including the Somnath temple. There is a general consensus among historians that Mahmud’s military campaigns in the Indian subcontinent involved acts of cruelty and devastation, particularly when it came to the sacking of temples and the looting of wealth. But his crimes are not limited to plundering wealth. He slaughtered or enslaved 2 million Hindus, and sent the slaves to Ghazni, where they were either sold or forced to serve the generals.
The Mahmud of Ghazni, also known as Mahmud of Ghazna, was a powerful ruler who reigned over the Ghaznavid Empire in the 11th century. While he is often celebrated for his military prowess and patronage of art and learning, there are accounts of his military campaigns that involved acts of cruelty and destruction.
Mahmud of Ghazni is particularly notorious for his multiple invasions of the Indian subcontinent. These campaigns were primarily aimed at plundering the wealth and treasures of the Hindu temples and kingdoms in the region. One of his most infamous attacks was on the wealthy temple of Somnath in Gujarat, which was considered one of the holiest sites in hinduism.
During his conquest of Somnath in 1026, Mahmud’s forces are said to have engaged in widespread looting, destruction, and killing. The temple was ransacked, its precious idols and treasures were seized, and the sanctum sanctorum was desecrated. The attack on Somnath was accompanied by a significant loss of life, as Mahmud’s troops clashed with the defenders of the temple and the surrounding area.
It’s important to note that Mahmud of Ghazni was a Turkish invader who attacked India 17 times between 1000 and 1024 AD for the dual purposes for accumulating wealth and spreading Islam. In 1024 AD, he raided Gujarat and took away all the wealth of the Somnath temple, damaging it severely.
Mahmud of Ghazni succeeded his father in 998 AD and established a huge empire in Central Asia, with Ghazni as the capital. He raided India for the first time in 1000 AD. He later attacked Kabul, Delhi, Kanauj, Mathura, Kangra, Thaneshwar, Kashmir, Gwalior, Malwa, Bundelkhand, Tripuri, Bengal and Punjab.
In 1024 AD, he raided the temple of Somnath on the coast of Saurashtra. This was supposed to be one of his biggest raids. He broke the Jyotirlinga of Somnath’s Shiva temple. About 50,000 Hindus died in the Battle of Somnath, after which, Mahmood stole all the gold and riches from the temple.
He was ruthless and his invasions were harshly plunderous. He transformed places like Mathura, Kanauj, Thaneshwar into ruins.
He may have been considered to be a great Islamic hero as he looted the wealth of the temples and then destroyed them completely at various places such as Jwalamukhi, Maheshwar, Narunkot and Dwarka, but for an average hindu, his status was like a thief. He was a Turkish invader who attacked India 17 times between 1000 and 1024 AD for the dual purposes for stealing wealth and spreading Islam. In 1024 AD, he raided Gujarat and took away all the wealth of the Somnath temple, damaging it severely.
Ghanzi’s conquests made the frontiers of India weak and allowed the Afghan and Turkish rulers to enter the territories of Gangetic Valleys at any point of time.
Mahmud Ghazni’s secretary al-Utbi records:
“Swords flashed like lightening amid the blackness of clouds, and fountains of blood flowed like the fall of setting star. The friends of god defeated their opponents….the Musalmans wreaked their vengeance on the infidel enemies of god killing 15,000 of them…making them food of the beasts and birds of prey….god also bestowed on his friends such an amount of booty as was beyond all bounds and calculations, including 500,000 slave’s beautiful women’
