DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.27192#0225
Chap. II.
GHAZNI
191
CHAPTER II.
GHAZNI.
CONTENTS.
Tomb of Mahmud—Gates of Somnath—Minars on the Plain
CHRONOLOGY.
Sabuktigin, founder . . A. D. 975
Mahmud. 997
Mas’ud. 1031
’Abdu-/-Rashid . . . . a.d. 1048
Ibrahim. 1059
Shihabu-d-Din (Ghuridynasty) 1203
Towards the latter part of the 9th century the power of the
Khalifs of Baghdad was sinking into that state of rapid decline
which is the fate of all Eastern dynasties. During the reign
of A1 Mo’tamid, A.D. 870-891, Egypt became independent, and
the northern province of Bukhara threw off the yoke under
the governor appointed by the Khalifah Nasr Ahmad, a
grandson of Saman, a Tartar chief, who declared and main-
tained his independence, and so formed the Samani dynasty.
After the dynasty had existed about a century, Sabuktigin,
a Turkish slave belonging to a general of one of the last of the
Samanian kings, rendered himself also independent of his
master, and established himself in Ghazni, of which he was
governor, founding the well-known dynasty of Ghaznavides.
His son and successor, Mahmud, A.D. 997-1030, is one of the
best-known kings in Indian History owing to his brilliant
campaigns in India, and more especially that in which he
destroyed the celebrated temple of Somnath.
On his return from an earlier campaign, in which he had
sacked the town of Mathura, we learn from Ferishta that the
king ordered a magnificent mosque to be built of marble and
granite, afterwards known by the name of the Celestial Bride.
Near it he founded a university. When the nobility of Ghazni
perceived the taste of their king in architecture, they also
endeavoured to vie with one another in the magnificence of
their palaces, as well as in the public buildings which were
GHAZNI
191
CHAPTER II.
GHAZNI.
CONTENTS.
Tomb of Mahmud—Gates of Somnath—Minars on the Plain
CHRONOLOGY.
Sabuktigin, founder . . A. D. 975
Mahmud. 997
Mas’ud. 1031
’Abdu-/-Rashid . . . . a.d. 1048
Ibrahim. 1059
Shihabu-d-Din (Ghuridynasty) 1203
Towards the latter part of the 9th century the power of the
Khalifs of Baghdad was sinking into that state of rapid decline
which is the fate of all Eastern dynasties. During the reign
of A1 Mo’tamid, A.D. 870-891, Egypt became independent, and
the northern province of Bukhara threw off the yoke under
the governor appointed by the Khalifah Nasr Ahmad, a
grandson of Saman, a Tartar chief, who declared and main-
tained his independence, and so formed the Samani dynasty.
After the dynasty had existed about a century, Sabuktigin,
a Turkish slave belonging to a general of one of the last of the
Samanian kings, rendered himself also independent of his
master, and established himself in Ghazni, of which he was
governor, founding the well-known dynasty of Ghaznavides.
His son and successor, Mahmud, A.D. 997-1030, is one of the
best-known kings in Indian History owing to his brilliant
campaigns in India, and more especially that in which he
destroyed the celebrated temple of Somnath.
On his return from an earlier campaign, in which he had
sacked the town of Mathura, we learn from Ferishta that the
king ordered a magnificent mosque to be built of marble and
granite, afterwards known by the name of the Celestial Bride.
Near it he founded a university. When the nobility of Ghazni
perceived the taste of their king in architecture, they also
endeavoured to vie with one another in the magnificence of
their palaces, as well as in the public buildings which were