The invader Shahab-Ud-Din Muhammad Ghauri came after Muhammad bin Qasim and Mehmud of Ghaznavi. But he is known to lay the foundation of the first Muslim rule in the Subcontinent. He ended the dynasty of Mehmud Ghaznavi and founded the Ghori reign in 1173 AD.
Early life
Shahab-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori opened his eyes in the land of Afghanistan in 1149. He was the son of Baha al-Din Sam I belonged to the Ghorid tribe. He helped his brother Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad to expand the Ghurid Empire in the western frontier.
His Invasion
The inborn invader focused on India after the successful establishment of the Ghauri Empire in Afghanistan. He moved to Multan and defeated Qarmatians rulers in 1175. After that in 1178, he turned south from Multan to Uch and then to Chaulukya capital of Anhilwara (modern-day Patan in Gujarat). He failed to defeat Chaulukay and returned to Multan. However, he became able to take over Peshawar and Sialkot.
Then in 1186, he ended the Ghaznavid dynasty with the capture of Lahore. He executed the Ghaznavid ruler Khusrau Malik. Moreover, he turned back to Ghor along with the rulers of Bamiyan and Sistan. Where in 1190 he aided his brother Ghiyath in defeating the forces of Sultan Shah at Mery. Further, he annexed most of the Latter’s territories in Khorasan.
His Purpose of Invasion
There were several purposes of his invasion of India. Firstly he was not satisfied with the Ghaznavid dynasty. Secondly, he was well aware of India’s political, religious, social, and military weakness and that encouraged him to conquer. Thirdly India was full of natural resources and he wanted to attain more power and wealth. Moreover, he was ambitious to spread Islam by pulling down Hindu rule.
His Death
After his success in the settlement in India, he started his journey to Ghazni in 1206. He left all the affairs in charge of his slave Qutb al-Din Aibak. During his journey, he rested at Dhamiak near Sohawa with his caravan. And that rest led him to the permanent rest. Because he was assassinated there on the 15th of March 1206 while offering his evening prayer.
His succession
The warrior had no offspring but he used to well treat his slaves. And he trained them will all skills. So they succeeded him after his assassination. Once a courtier lamented that the Sultan had no male heirs, Mu’izz retorted:
“Other monarchs may have one son or two sons; I have thousands of sons, my Turkish slaves who will be the heirs of my dominions, and who, after me, will take care to preserve my name in the Khuṭbah (Friday sermon) throughout these territories.”
As one of his slaves, Qutbu l-Din Aibak became ruler of Delhi in 1206, establishing the Sultanate of Delhi, which marked the start of the Slave dynasty. While Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha became ruler of Multan in 1210. Whereas Tajuddin Yildoz became ruler of Ghazni. And Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji became ruler in parts of Bengal.
Pakistan military honored Shahab-Ud-Din Ghauri by naming three of its medium-range ballistic missile Ghauri-I, Ghauri-II, and Ghauri-III.
