Muhammad Ghori’s Conquest of North India
Medieval History › Early Medieval Period · Topic 1.21
Muhammad Ghori, also called Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam, ruled from Ghazni from 1173 to 1206. After being beaten at Mount Abu in 1178 and at Tarain in 1191, he defeated Prithviraj Chauhan at the second battle of Tarain in 1192 and Jaichandra at Chandawar in 1194, and left his slave Qutbuddin Aibak to hold the conquered land.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Early Medieval Period
At a Glance
- Ruler Muizzuddin Muhammad bin Sam, 1173 to 1206
- Defeats Mount Abu in 1178; first Tarain in 1191
- Victories Second Tarain in 1192; Chandawar in 1194
- Deputy Qutbuddin Aibak
- Result Foundation of Turkish rule in north India
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: Early Medieval Period
Where Does It Fit?
This is the last topic of the category on the early medieval period. The previous topic covered Mahmud of Ghazni’s raids, and this topic completes the story with the conquest that founded the Delhi Sultanate. The next category is the Delhi Sultanate, beginning with the Slave Dynasty. Previous topic: Mahmud of Ghazni’s Invasions of India.
Why Did the Ghurids Turn to India?
In short: Muhammad Ghori turned to India because the Khwarizmi empire blocked the Ghurids in Central Asia, so expansion into India was their only choice.
In the middle of the twelfth century a group of Turkish tribesmen, partly Buddhist and partly pagan, shattered the Seljuk Turks. Two new powers rose in the vacuum: the Khwarizmi empire in Iran and the Ghurid empire of Ghur in northwest Afghanistan. The Ghurids had begun as vassals of Ghazni but threw off its yoke, and their sultan Alauddin earned the title jahan-soz, the world burner, by burning Ghazni in revenge for the treatment of his brothers. Khwarizm Shah conquered Khurasan, which was the bone of contention between the two, and this left the Ghurids no option but to look towards India.
How Did the Conquest Proceed?
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1173 | Muizzuddin Muhammad ascends at Ghazni; his elder brother rules at Ghur |
| About 1175 | Conquers Multan and Uchch by the Gomal pass |
| 1178 | Routed by the Gujarat ruler near Mount Abu and barely escapes |
| By 1190 | Takes Peshawar, Lahore and Sialkot from the Ghaznavids |
| 1191 | First battle of Tarain: Ghurids routed by Prithviraj; Muizzuddin saved by a young Khalji horseman |
| 1192 | Second battle of Tarain: Prithviraj defeated |
| 1194 | Battle of Chandawar: Jaichandra killed; Banaras ravaged |
After the defeat at Mount Abu he saw the need for a suitable base in the Punjab before attacking India, and so he first fought the Ghaznavid possessions there. In 1191 Prithviraj took Tabarhinda after a twelve-month siege but made little effort to oust the Ghurids from the Punjab, perhaps thinking this was another passing Turkish raid. This gave Muizzuddin time to regroup.
What Happened in the Second Battle of Tarain?
The second battle of Tarain in 1192 is regarded as one of the turning points of Indian history. Muizzuddin marched with a reported 1,20,000 men, including heavy cavalry in steel armour and 10,000 mounted archers. Prithviraj appealed to the rajas of north India, and many sent contingents, but Jaichandra of Kanauj stayed away, as there was an old rivalry between the two states. The legend that this was due to Prithviraj carrying off Jaichandra’s daughter Sanyogita is a late romance by the poet Chand Bardai and is not accepted by many historians. Prithviraj is said to have fielded 3,00,000 men and 300 elephants, but the numbers may be exaggerated.
The battle was mainly one between cavalry, and the speed, organisation and mounted archers of the Turks decided it. Prithviraj was captured near Sirsa, and the Turks took Hansi, Sirsa and Samana, and then Ajmer. For some time Prithviraj ruled Ajmer as a vassal, as coins show with his name on one side and the name of Muhammad Sam on the other. He was soon executed on a charge of conspiracy, his son was put on the throne, and Delhi was made a base for the Turkish advance into the Ganga valley. Prithviraj’s son later moved to Ranthambhor and founded a new Chauhan kingdom.
How Did the Turks Win the Ganga Valley?
After Tarain, Muizzuddin returned to Ghazni and left the affairs in India with his slave Qutbuddin Aibak. In 1194 he returned with 50,000 cavalry and fought Jaichandra, the Gahadavala ruler of Kanauj, at Chandawar. Jaichandra had almost won when an arrow killed him, and his army broke. Banaras was ravaged and many temples were destroyed. The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in north India, though consolidating the conquest took almost fifty years. Before his death in 1206 Muizzuddin took the forts of Bayana and Gwalior, and Aibak later took Kalinjar, Mahoba and Khajuraho from the Chandellas. Bakhtiyar Khalji overran Bihar and, about 1204, Bengal.
Why Did the Rajputs Lose?
| Factor | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Military | The Turks had better organised and faster cavalry and mounted archers; the Rajputs lacked large bodies of heavy cavalry and mounted archers |
| Political | The rise of local landed chiefs had weakened Rajput states; chiefs rarely acted together and dispersed after battle |
| Organisation | The Turks used the iqta and khalisa systems to keep large standing armies; many officers were trusted slaves |
| Strategy | After Kabul and Lahore fell the Rajputs made no concerted attempt to recover them and ignored events in Central Asia |
Personal bravery was not the difference. Indian swords and poisoned arrows were respected, and caste did not stop lower castes from fighting, so Rajput armies were often larger.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Turning point Tarain 1192 is among the most asked battles
- Foundation of the Sultanate Leads straight into the Slave Dynasty
- Causes The reasons for the Rajput defeat are a common Mains question
What Came Next?
The next macro category begins the Delhi Sultanate, starting with the dynasty founded by the generals of Muhammad Ghori. Next topic: Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty (Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultan, Balban).
Key People and Terms
- Tarain Site of the battles of 1191 and 1192
- Chandawar Battle of 1194 against Jaichandra
- Qutbuddin Aibak Slave general left in charge in India
- Iqta Non-hereditary land assignment for troops
- Khalisa Land whose revenue went directly to the sultan
- Jahan-soz World burner, title of Alauddin of Ghur
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Mount Abu 1178; first Tarain 1191; second Tarain 1192.
- Chandawar 1194 destroyed Jaichandra.
- Aibak was left in charge in India.
- Bakhtiyar Khalji overran Bihar and Bengal.
- Muizzuddin died in 1206.
Do Not Confuse With
- First and second Tarain Ghurid defeat in 1191 versus Rajput defeat in 1192
- Muhammad Ghori and Mahmud of Ghazni Founder of Turkish rule versus raider
- Prithviraj Chauhan and Jaichandra Chauhan of Ajmer and Delhi versus Gahadavala of Kanauj
Memory Hook
Abu beats him, Tarain one beats him, Tarain two crowns him, Chandawar opens the doab.
Mains Angle
Questions on the conquest ask for causes of the Rajput defeat. These points add depth.
- Cause Cavalry tactics, iqta, Rajput disunity
- Event Tarain 1192 and Chandawar 1194
- Effect Foundation of Turkish rule
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the reasons for the defeat of the Rajputs by Muhammad Ghori in the twelfth century.”
How to Answer
- Background Ghurid rise and Rajput disunity.
- Battles Tarain and Chandawar.
- Causes Military, political and strategic.
- Effect Turkish rule begins.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the second battle of Tarain?
In 1192 Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan at Tarain after careful preparation, using heavy cavalry and mounted archers. The Turkish speed and organisation decided the battle, Prithviraj was captured near Sirsa, and the Turks took Hansi, Samana and Ajmer.
Who won the first battle of Tarain?
Prithviraj Chauhan won the first battle of Tarain in 1191 and routed the Ghurid forces. Muhammad Ghori's life was saved by a young Khalji horseman, and Prithviraj then took Tabarhinda after a siege of twelve months, though he did not pursue the Ghurids into the Punjab.
Why did Jaichandra not help Prithviraj?
Jaichandra, the Gahadavala ruler of Kanauj, stayed away because of an old rivalry between the two states. The story that Prithviraj carried off Jaichandra's daughter Sanyogita is a later romance by Chand Bardai and is not accepted by many historians.
What was the battle of Chandawar?
Chandawar, near Kanauj, was fought in 1194 between Muhammad Ghori, with 50,000 cavalry, and the Gahadavala ruler Jaichandra. Jaichandra was killed by an arrow when he had almost won, and Banaras was then ravaged, with many temples destroyed, which gave the Turks a hold up to the borders of Bihar.
Why did the Rajputs lose to the Turks?
Rajput weakness was social and organisational: local chiefs had weakened the states, and the Turks had better cavalry, mounted archers and standing armies through the iqta and khalisa systems. The Rajputs also lacked strategic vision after Kabul and Lahore fell.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Muhammad Ghori defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the second battle of Tarain in 1192.
Prithviraj was captured near Sirsa.
2 Muhammad Ghori won the first battle of Tarain in 1191.
He was routed by Prithviraj.
3 Jaichandra of Kanauj was defeated and killed at Chandawar in 1194.
The battle was near Kanauj.
4 Muhammad Ghori left Qutbuddin Aibak in charge of his Indian conquests.
Aibak was his trusted slave.
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