SULTAN MEHMOOD GHAZNAVI

Date of Birth

• Date of Birth He was Born in 979, Mahmood

became the Sultan of Ghazni in 998. He
inherited the small state of Ghazni from his
father Sebuktigin, and turned it into an empire
that lasted for about a century. He was a brave
man and use to take part in all the battles his
forces fought.
 Family

•
Family Yusuf Sebüktigin was his younger
brother. Sultan Mahmood's twin sons
succeeded him in succession: Muhammad
Ghaznavi and Ma'sud Ghaznavi I. Maw'dud
Ghaznavi was his grandson by his son Mas'ud
Ghaznavi.According to Buzurg of Shahriyar,
Sultan Mahmood had 9 wives and close to 56
children with up to 32 women. The name of
his wife is Kausari Jahan.
 Reign

• Reign He was the most prominent ruler of the

Ghaznavid dynasty who ruled from 997 until
his death in 1030 in the eastern Iranian lands
and in 994:he Gained the title of Saif-ud-daula
and became Governor of Khorasane
northwestern Indian subcontinent .
 Destruction of Krishna Janmabhoomi
Temple
• Mahmood of Ghazni destroyed important
Hindu shrine- Krishna Janmabhoomi Temple
(known as Kesava Deo Temple) in 1017 AD
along with several other Hindu and Buddhist
temples in the holy city of Mathura.
 Destruction of Somnath Temple

• Destruction of Somnath Temple Ghaznavi

destroyed and looted one of the most sacred
temple of Hindus- Somnath Temple in 1025
AD,killing over 50,000 people who tried to
defend it.The defenders included the 90-year-
old clan leader Ghogha Rana
 Somnath
• celebrated city of India, situated on the shore
of the sea, and washed by its waves. Among
the wonders of that place was the temple in
which was placed the idol called Somnath.
This idol was in the middle of the temple
without anything to support it from below, or
to suspend it from above
 Victories

• Victories He came to South Asia seventeen times

and went back to Ghazni every time with a great
victory. He fought against the strong forces of
Jaipal, Annadpal, Tarnochalpal, Kramta and the
joint forces of Hindu Rajas and Maharajas but all
of them were forced to flee away from the
battlefield due to Mahmood's war strategy as a
general. After the conquest of Multan and
Lahore, Mahmud made Punjab a part of his
empire in 1021. He was also called the founder of
Lahore
 Establishments

• He established law and order in the areas that he

ruled, giving special attention to the people he ruled.
The department of police and post were efficient. His
judicial system was very good as everybody was equal
before the law and justice Mahmood was also a great
patron of learning. His court was full of scholars
including giants like Firdosi the poet, Behqi the
historian and Al- Beruni the versatile scholar. It is said
that he used to spend four hundred thousand golden
Dinars on scholars. He invited the scholars from all over
the world and was thus known as an abductor of
scholars.
•
Under Mahmood, Ghazni became one of the
most important and beautiful cities of the Islamic
world. It was the city of mosques, madrasas and
libraries. He also established a Museum in
Ghazni. During his rule, Lahore also became a
great center of learning and culture. Lahore was
called 'Small Ghazni'. Saad Salman, a poet of
those times, has written about the academic and
cultural life of Lahore. Image of Mahmood in his
court
 Religious man

• Religious man Mahmood was also a deeply

religious man. He himself wrote a book on Fiqh.
He had respect for other religions. A large
number of Hindus lived in Ghazni, and they
enjoyed religious freedom. One of his
commanders named Tilak was a Hindu. A number
of soldiers in his army were also Hindus.
Mahmood attacked the Hindu Temples in India
because of political and not religious reasons.
 DEATH
• On April 30, 1030, Sultan Mahmood died in
Ghazni, at the age of 59. Sultan Mahmood had
contracted malaria during his last invasion.
The medical complication from malaria had
caused lethal tuberculosis. During his rule,
universities were founded to study various
subjects such as mathematics, religion, the
humanities, and medicine. Islam was the main
religion of his kingdom. Persian spoken in the
empire was made to the official language