Muhammad Ghori (Shahabuddin Muhammad)
In AD 1173 Shahabuddin Muhammad (AD
1173–1206) also called Muhammad of Ghor
ascended the throne of Ghazni. The Ghoris were
not strong enough to meet the growing power
and strength of the Khwarizmi Empire; they
realised that they could gain nothing in Central
Asia. This forced Ghori to turn towards India to
fulfil his expansionist ambitions. Muhammad
Ghori was very much interested in establishing
looting its wealth. His campaigns were well
organised and whenever he conquered any
territory, he left a general behind to govern it in
his absence. His invasions resulted in the
permanent establishment of the Turkish
Sultanate in the region lying north of the
Vindhya Mountains.
Conquest of Punjab and Sind
Muhammad Ghori led his first expedition in
AD 1175. He marched against Multan and freed
it from its ruler. In the same campaign he
captured Uchch from the Bhatti Rajputs. Three
years later in AD 1178 he again marched to
conquer Gujarat but the Chalukya ruler of
Gujarat, Ghima II defeated him at the battle of
Anhilwara. But this defeat did not discourage
Muhammad Ghori. He realised the necessity of
creating a suitable base in Punjab before
venturing on the further conquest of India. He
launched a campaign against the Ghaznavid
possessions in Punjab. As a result Peshawar was
conquered in AD 1179–80 and Lahore in AD
1186. The fort of Sialkot and Debol were
captured next. Thus by AD 1190 having secured
Multan, Sind and Punjab, Muhammad Ghori
had paved the way for a further thrust into the
Gangetic Doab.
