CSS Forums - Causes of Mahumd's success in India & effects of his invasions.

[B][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"][CENTER][U]Causes of the Mahmud’s Success:[/U]
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[B]Dissension of the Hindus:
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The Hindus were numerically superior to the Muslims, but they could not stand unitedly against the invaders. These dissentions and mutual jealousies of the Hindus contributed greatly to the success of the Muslims.

Ishwari Prasad, “There was little feeling of national patriotism in the country. The masses were indifferent to political revolutions. Whenever a confederacy was organized, its members often fell out among themselves, and pride of the clan or the tribe interfered with the discipline of the coalition and paralyzed the plans of leaders”.

Caste distinctions and the general separation of the rulers from the rural folk prevented the kind of solidarity which would have been required for such a defence effort.

[B]Old Method of Warfare:
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The Hindus followed the old methods of warfare. Their absolute dependence on unwieldy war elephants, which proved immobile and dangerous to fight against the well-trained cavalry leaders, offered the Muslims a chance to inflict a crushing blow on them in the field.

[B]Obedience of the General:
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The Hindus were not good at coordinating their efforts or at outwitting the strategy and tactics of the invaders. The Rajputs cavalry consisted of uncontrolled and unruly men, who would not take orders easily, whereas the cavalry of the Muslim consisted of specially trained soldiers who had practically grown up with their horses and were subjected to a constant drill. Religious factor further unified the Muslims who fought bravely and showed great obedience to their Commander-in-Chief. Mahmud’s figure in the eyes of his followers was as a devoted champion of the faith. They followed him uncomplainingly wherever he led them.

[B]Military Competence:[/B]

Islamic society was much more open and democratic than Hindu society. Anybody who wanted to join an army and proved to be good at fighting could achieve rapid advancement. Hindu armies were led by kings and princes whose military competence was not necessarily in keeping with their hereditary rank; by contrast, the Muslim generals whom they encountered almost invariably owed their position to their superior military merit. Even Sultans would be quickly replaced by slaves-turned-generals if they did not know how to maintain their position. This military evolution was characteristic of early Islamic History. The Ghaznavids and the Ghurids and then the sultans of Delhi were all slaves to begin with. They made a mark by their military prowess and their loyalty and obedience. The immobile Hindu society and its hereditary rulers were no match for such people.

[B]Unity of Muslims:
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The Muslims had better organization, discipline and cohesion. The teachings of Islam made them united under their leader against the common enemy. They gave battle to the enemy with courage and energy. Their enthusiasm was further heightened by the prospect of wealth and the love of adventure.

[B]Generalship of Sultan Mahmud:[/B]

Generalship of Sultan Mahmud whose tactics and diplomacy in battles ensured more than anything the success of the Muslims. Ishwari Prasad, “His expeditions testify to his boldness of conception, vigour of mind and undaunted courage against heavy odds. A born military leader, he never shrank from war, always sustained in his endeavours by the thought that he was fighting for the glory of Islam.”

Mahmud’s Indian campaigns invariably began in the dry season: his return to Afghanistan was always made before the monsoon rains filled the rivers of the Punjab, which would have cut off his route.

[B][FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"][CENTER][U]Effects of the Sultan Mahmud’s Invasions:[/U][/CENTER][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]

It has been said that Sultan Mahmud made seventeen expeditions into India and conquered a number of places. Almost the whole of Northern India felt the weight of his arm. But if his Indian expeditions are analyzed one by one, it will reveal to the readers that the results of his victories were not permanent.

[B][B]Conquest of the Punjab:
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The only permanent result of his seventeen expeditions was the conquest of the Punjab. Many places were conquered, but a few were permanently annexed to the empire of Ghazni. After his demise, only a portion of the Punjab, Sind and some parts of the adjoining provinces, such as Multan, acknowledged the Ghaznavid suzerainty. Elsewhere in India the result of his invasions soon wore off. Sultan Mahmud could not establish his rule in the conquered provinces. The Rajputs, who overran the countries after the Sultan’s departure re-establish their rule in Northern India except the Punjab which eventually opened the gates to the Sultan’s co-religionists. Thus, the conquest of the Punjab was the net result of his seventeen expeditions and in considerations of this result; he may be called an Indian sovereign in a limited sense.

[B]Glory of Ghazni:
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The Effect of the invasions of Sultan Mahmud in the political, economic and cultural history of India cannot be denied. While it made India much poorer, it contributed to the glory and grandeur of Ghazni and enabled the Sultan to finance his scheme of war and peace. Mahmud spent large sum in beautifying his capital Ghazni and endowing institutions in it. He made it one of the finest cities of the day.

Ishwari Prasad, “He promoted learning by establishing a university at Ghazni, a library, and a museum, adorned with the trophies of war, which he brought from the conquered lands. It was through his liberality that beautiful edifices rose at his capital, making it one of the finest cities in Asia”.

[B]Political and Economic Effect:
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Politically, the expeditions paved the way for the further conquests of India by the Muslims. The success of Sultan Mahmud exposed the weakness of the Indian political and military systems and established the superiority of the Muslims over the Hindus ‘in the art of war, discipline and devotion to duty’. Economically, the invasions caused a heavy drain on India’s agelong accumulated wealth. While it made India much poorer.

[B]Contact of Two Great Civilizations/Cultural Effect :
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Culturally, Sultan Mahmud’s invasions brought the civilization of Hindus and Muslims into close contact and led to mutual exchange of ideas and thoughts between the conqueror and conquered. “In the train of Muslim warriors and warlords came Muslim saints and savants who permeated the rank of Indian society, promulgated Islam in India and won a number of converts.” Though conversion to Islam did not form any part of the motives of Sultan Mahmud’s conquest, ‘his invasions indirectly facilitated the future progress of Islam in India’. Mahmud took away from India precious stones and craftsmen for the purpose of constructing great buildings in Ghazni.

[B]Propagation of Islam:
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Mahmud’s invasions paved the way for the propagation of Islam. Several savants, preachers and scholars came to the sub-continent. The famous amongst them were Hazrat Syed Ismail, Syed Fakhr-ud-Din Hussain Zanjani, Hazrat Syed Ali Hajveri (Data Ganj Bakhs and Hazrat Shah Yousaf Gardaizi. Mahmud did not establish any institution to preach Islam nor like the Europeans did he force the people to embrace Islam. But for the predominance of the Islam over sub-continent his continuous attacks provided the atmosphere for the propagation of Islam.