The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c11.42

c11.42

To expend his limited man-power and military resources in additional conquests of dubious value, was therefore, a course of action whose unwisdom he realised quite early and explained to his courtiers who urged him on to win new territories. Sending punitive expeditions as a defence measure or to obtain treasure, he said, was one thing; to invade and seek to permanently occupy a warlike Hindu state, requiring the employment of a large number of loyal officers and troops, was an entirely different thing¹. "For me to seize and occupy other countries would only bring harm to the kingdom". "If the protection of the Mussalmans (from the Mongols) were not my first care, I would not stay a single day in the capital but would lead my well-prepared forces to capture the treasure, horses and elephants of the distant Ranas and to the destruction of the enemies of Islam". He remembered the wise counsels of the ancient kings: "strengthen and consolidate your own kingdom for it is wiser than to seize others that are difficult to hold and would only weaken your own"¹. Balban was certainly not a contended pacifist, but defence and conservation of resources received his first attention. Internal consolidation therefore became the keynote of his policy and territorial expansion was formally postponed.