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Muslim Invasion in India Notes with PDF

By October 4, 2025 Educational Resources 0 Comments

These notes are your ultimate revision weapon to revise Muslim Invasion in India. We’ve distilled years of previous exam questions (PYQs) into one powerful, concise resource. Everything you need to know, nothing you don’t.

  • PYQs, Decoded: All key concepts from past exams, organized and simplified.
  • Revise in Record Time: Short, precise, and designed for last-minute review.
  • Focus on What Matters: Master high-probability topics and boost your confidence.
  • Free PDF to download.

Prophet Muhammad & Early Islam

  • Birth and Death:
    • Born in 570 A.D. (CE) in the city of Mecca.
    • Passed away in 632 CE.
  • Geographical Origin:
    • The city of Mecca is located in Saudi Arabia (Arabian Peninsula).

Terminology and Early History of India

  • Origin of the word ‘Hindu’:
    • The term “Hindu” was first used by the Arabs to refer to the people living beyond the Indus River.
  • Historical Source on Sindh:
    • The Chachnama is a Persian text detailing the history of Sindh (7th-8th centuries).
    • It states that Aror was the capital of the Indus region in the 6th & 7th centuries.

The Arab Invasion (The First Muslim Attack)

  • Commander: Muhammad-Bin-Qasim (an Arab).
  • Date of Invasion: 712 A.D. (some sources note 711 A.D.).
  • Events:
    • Invaded Sindh.
    • Defeated and killed the ruler, Raja Dahir.
  • Outcome:
    • Arab rule was largely confined to Sindh and Multan.
    • Their power eventually weakened and did not expand further into India at this time.

The Ghaznavid Invasions

  • Founder of the Dynasty: Alptigin.
  • Mahmud of Ghazni:
    • Invaded India 17 times between 999-1027 A.D..
    • His primary motive was plundering wealth, not establishing a permanent empire.
    • He was successfully resisted by the Chandela king Vidyadhar.
  • Scholars in Mahmud’s Court:
    • Utbi: His court historian.
    • Firdausi: A famous poet who wrote the Shahnama; known as the ‘Homer of the East’.
    • Al-Beruni: A renowned scholar who:
      • Traveled to India with Mahmud in the 11th century A.D..
      • Wrote Tahqiq-I-Hind.
      • Was a Sanskrit scholar and an expert in trigonometry.
      • Was not a secular author (but did not endorse the plunder of Somnath).

The Ghurid Invasions (Muhammad Ghori)

  • Overview:
    • A ruler from Central Asia who conquered North India.
    • His invasions began in 1175 A.D. with an attack on Multan and Uch (in Upper Sindh).
    • His victories laid the foundation for prolonged Muslim rule in India.
  • Key Battles:
    • First Defeat (1178 AD): Defeated by Bhimdev-II (Bhim II) of Gujarat’s Solanki dynasty. The regent queen Naika Devi led the forces.
    • First Battle of Tarain (1191 AD): Defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan.
    • Second Battle of Tarain (1192 AD): Defeated Prithviraj Chauhan. This was the pivotal battle that established Muslim power in North India.
    • Battle of Chandawar (1194 AD): Defeated Jayachandra (Jaichand) of Kannauj.
  • Administration:
    • Introduced the Iqta system (land grant system) in North India.
    • Granted the first Iqta in India to Qutbuddin Aibak in 1192.

Ghori’s Slave Generals

  • Qutbuddin Aibak:
    • A slave and trusted general of Muhammad Ghori.
    • Appointed commander of Ghori’s Indian possessions after the Second Battle of Tarain.
    • In charge of the conquered territories from 1192 to 1206.
  • Bakhtiyar Khalji:
    • Another slave general.
    • Conquered Bihar and Bengal (not directly planned by Ghori or Aibak).
    • Destroyed the Buddhist centers of Vikramshila and Nalanda.
    • Defeated the ruler of Bengal, Lakshman Sen, who fled his capital, Nadiya.
    • Founder of Khalji dynasty of Bengal.

Numismatics (Coinage)

  • Mahmud of Ghazni:
    • Issued silver coins with Sanskrit legends on one side and Arabic on the other.
    • Coins minted in Lahore used the Sharda script.
  • Muhammad Ghori:
    • His coins bore an image of the Hindu Goddess Lakshmi on one side.
    • The other side had the word “Karma” written in Arabic.

Chronology of Major Invaders

The correct chronological order is:

  1. Mahmud of Ghazni (Invaded 999-1027 AD)
  2. Muhammad Ghori (Invaded 1175-1205 AD)
  3. Genghis Khan (Mongol threat emerged in 1221 AD)
  4. Taimur (Timur) (Invaded India in 1398 AD)

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