Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c9.7

c9.7

The narratives of contemporary and later chroniclers should not lead us to the conclusion that taking of Hindus as slaves was a childs play. There was stiff resistance to Muslim conquest and Muslim rule. Besides, the Sultans of Delhi had always to deal with a number of problems simultaneously. Most of the time of Sultan Iltutmish (1210-1236) was spent in suppressing his Turkish opponents, Qutbi and Muizzi Amirs in Delhi and rivals Yaldoz and Qubacha in Punjab and Sindh. He also faced the threat of invasion from the Mongol conqueror Chingiz Khan and the Khwarizmi Prince Jalaluddin Mangbarni fleeing before Chingiz. Therefore it was only sixteen years after his accession that he could march against Ranthambhor in 1226. During this period many Hindu kingdoms subdued by Aibak were becoming independent. Mandor near Jodhpur was attacked a little later. Here much booty fell into the hands of the victors, which obviously included slaves also.¹⁹ The year 1231 witnessed his invasion of Gwalior where he captured a large number of slaves. In 1234-35 he attacked Ujjain, broke its temple of Mahakal, and as usual made captives women and children of the recalcitrants.²⁰ But most of his compatriot Muslims were not satisfied with the Sultans achievements in the sphere of slave-taking and converting the land into Dar-ul-Islam all at once.