Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c8.4

c8.4

Alptigin had purchased Subuktigin at Nishapur² from a certain merchant, Nasir Haji, who had brought him from Turkistan to Bukhara. Subuktigin was born in 942 C.E. (331 H.) He was captured by some Turk marauders when he was about 12.³ Alptigin brought him up and gradually raised him in posts of honour. He married his daughter to Subuktigin and, in course of time, conferred upon him the title of Amir-ul-Umara in recognition of his talents and because of the psychological awe which self-asserting slaves instilled in the masters minds, to which Juwayni refers. Subuktigin made frequent raids into Hind, in the prosecution of holy wars.⁴ After his master's death he was raised to the throne by his nobles. He turned out to be an ambitious ruler. With the help of his Turk and Afghan retainers and troops he mounted attacks upon the Samanid power at Bukhara and after years of continued fighting succeeded in securing the province for his son Mahmud in 994 C.E. Mahmud took the title of sultan and was so recognized by the Caliph. We meet Mahmud of Ghazni again and again during his campaigns in India.