History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s2.22

v3.c33.s2.22

Mahmud after this event consolidated his power in the west by entering into a formal alliance with Ilekkhan the Turk who had taken Bokhara by this time. Mahmud obtained the southern provinces of the Samani kingdom, Khorasan and others, while Ilekkhan retained Mawarun-nahar the province to the north of the Oxus, with Bokhara the principal city of the Samani kingdom. Mahmud appears to have strengthened this peace with Ilekkhan by marrying his daughter to his son. Thus secure in the west of his kingdom, Mahmud was free to devote his attention to Hindustan the riches and idols of which tempted his desire and offended his religious zeal. It need not be supposed, however, that India was the sole or chief subject of thought with Mahmud henceforward. For his activities and his energies required, and found scope in, watching the west as well as the east and are described with equal detail by Utbi. We will, however, properly enough confine our attention now to Mahmud’s doings in reference to India. It is sometimes represented that Mahmud made a vow to make every year a religious expedition to India. This is, however, not only not correct in fact but is also an afterthought of Mahmud’s later chroniclers and Utbi mentions no such vow.