History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c37.s2: Minor Operations.
History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c37.s2
- Language
- English
Minor Operations.
v3.c37.s2.1
Kutubuddin whose life we shall presently relate was a most capable governor and administered justice with such impartiality that "The wolf and the sheep drank water out of the same pond." (Taj. E. II p. 225). This certainly assisted the pacification of the country but he also severely punished rebellious persons. "There was a certain tribe in the neighbourhood of Kol which gave great trouble and they were so completely slaughtered that three bastions were raised with their heads." The rebellion of Harirāj at Ajmer, as we have already noticed, was put down by Kutubuddin in 1195 A. D. In 1196 Shihabuddin again came to Hindustan and Kutubuddin joined him. They marched on Thanger which had a strong castle and the place was invested. Kunwar Pāla on finding it impossible to resist asked for pardon. "His life was spared but his kingdom was annexed." (Taj. E. II p. 227). This place cannot be identified; (Gaurishankar states that this Kunwar Pāla was a king of the Kerowli Yādava line and was driven out of Biyana at this time; Tod p. 346). It seems that the Sultan was bent on reducing the various strongholds of opposition in the conquered territory; and he next invested the fortress of Gwalior. The Taj states that Solankhapāla, its king, offered submission and tribute and was pardoned and even allowed to retain the fort. The Sultan then returned to Ghazni, leaving Kutubuddin again his viceroy, who continued the work of reducing refractory chieftains. He assisted Muhammad Ghori in reducing to subjection the troublesome Gakkhars. Muhammad Ghori was murdered, as stated before, by these Gakkhars on the left bank of the Indus in 1205 A. D.
v3.c37.s2.2
∗ We were told at Kanauj that there was a Persian Bakhar there giving details of the storming of the temple of Lakshmi called Sītā Rasoi temple (a place where Sītā had cooked food for Rāma) which has now been converted into a mosque, wherein the many pillars of the old temple are still retained. There was a most desperate fight at the storming of this temple in the fort and hundreds of Rajput and Mahomedan warriors were killed in the fight.
v3.c37.s2.3
Kutubuddin was elected Sultan and Emperor of India by the Turkish nobles and generals in Hindustan and this position was recognised by the king of Ghor, Shihabuddin’s brother, who had probably no ambition to rule both Ghazni and India. Thus began the independent Slave Turkish dynasty in India with Delhi as capital which Kutubuddin made his chief place of residence.