Ikhtiyār al-Dīn Muḥammad Bakhtiyār Khaljī, (
Pashto
Pashto (,; , ) is an Eastern Iranian language in the Indo-European language family. It is known in historical Persian literature as Afghani ().
Spoken as a native language mostly by ethnic Pashtuns, it is one of the two official langua ...
:اختيار الدين محمد بختيار غلزۍ, fa, اختیارالدین محمد بختیار خلجی, bn, ইখতিয়ারউদ্দীন মুহম্মদ বখতিয়ার খলজী) also known as Bakhtiyar Khalji, was a
Turko-
Afghan
Afghan may refer to:
*Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia
*Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity
**Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pash ...
military general of the
Ghurid
The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the ...
ruler
Muhammad of Ghor, who led the
Muslim conquests of the eastern Indian regions of
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
and
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
and established himself as their ruler. He was the founder of the
Khalji dynasty of Bengal, which ruled Bengal for a short period, from 1203 to 1227 CE.
Khalji's invasions of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a physiographical region in Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas. Geopolitically, it includes the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, In ...
between A.D. 1197 and 1206 led to mass flight and massacres of
Buddhist monks
A ''bhikkhu'' (Pali: भिक्खु, Sanskrit: भिक्षु, ''bhikṣu'') is an ordained male in Buddhist monasticism. Male and female monastics (" nun", ''bhikkhunī'', Sanskrit ''bhikṣuṇī'') are members of the Sangha (Buddhist ...
, and caused grave damage to the traditional Buddhist institutions of higher learning in Northern India.
In Bengal, Khalji's reign was responsible for displacement of Buddhism by
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...
.
His rule is said to have begun the
Islamic rule in Bengal, most notably those of
Bengal Sultanate
The Sultanate of Bengal ( Middle Bengali: শাহী বাঙ্গালা ''Shahī Baṅgala'', Classical Persian: ''Saltanat-e-Bangālah'') was an empire based in Bengal for much of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It was the domina ...
and
Mughal Bengal.
Bakhtiyar launched an ill-fated
Tibet campaign in 1206 and was assassinated upon returning to Bengal by Ali Mardan.
He was succeeded by
Muhammad Shiran Khalji.
Early life
Bakhtiyar Khalji was born and raised in
Garmsir,
Helmand, in present-day southern
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
. He was member of the
Khalaj tribe,
[''the Khiljī tribe had long been settled in what is now Afghanistan ...']
Khalji Dynasty
''Encyclopædia Britannica
The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various t ...
''. 2010. ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. 23 August 2010. which is of
Turkic origin and after being settled in south-eastern
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
for over 200 years, eventually led to the creation of the
Ghilji
The Ghiljī ( ps, غلجي, ; fa, خیلجی, Xelji) also spelled Khilji, Khalji, or Ghilzai or Ghilzay (), are one of the largest Pashtun tribes. Their traditional homeland is Ghazni and Qalati Ghilji in Afghanistan but they have also sett ...
tribe.
Bakhtiyar during his early years went in search of employment to
Ghazni
Ghazni ( prs, غزنی, ps, غزني), historically known as Ghaznain () or Ghazna (), also transliterated as Ghuznee, and anciently known as Alexandria in Opiana ( gr, Αλεξάνδρεια Ωπιανή), is a city in southeastern Afghanistan ...
and
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
, although he was rejected there due to his ugly appearance. Afterwards, he move towards
Badaun in present-day
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 195 ...
, where the
Ghurid
The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the ...
governor Hizabrudin Hasan Adib took Bakhtiyar in his service and thus, he got his first assignment. A slightly different account of 14th century chronicler
Abdul Malik Isami
Abdul Malik Isami (1311–?) was a 14th-century Indian historian and court poet. He wrote in Persian language, under the patronage of Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, the founder of the Bahmani Sultanate. He is best known for ''Futuh-us-Salatin'' (c. 1350) ...
states that Bakhtiyar's first employment was in the service of a
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
ruler Jaitra Singh. The account of Isami is not attested by the earlier authorities and is unlikely to be true considering the hostility between the two in later twelfth century. While, there were instances of
Afghan
Afghan may refer to:
*Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia
*Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity
**Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pash ...
soldiers fighting in the Rajput forces as attested by a later chronicler
Ferishta as well, still the account of Isami regarding Bakhtiyar's first assignment is largely unreliable and dubious.
Although, Bakhtiyar did not came from an obscure background. His uncle Muhammad bin Mahmud Khalji was a lieutenant of the
Ghurid
The Ghurid dynasty (also spelled Ghorids; fa, دودمان غوریان, translit=Dudmân-e Ğurīyân; self-designation: , ''Šansabānī'') was a Persianate dynasty and a clan of presumably eastern Iranian Tajik origin, which ruled from the ...
ruler
Muhammad of Ghor and according to chronicler
Minhaj-i-Siraj fought valiantly in the
Second Battle of Tarain against
Chahamana ruler
Prithviraja III where the Ghurids secured a decisive victory. Mahmud was later honoured with the iqta of Kashamandi for his gallantry in Tarain. After the death of his uncle, the iqta was passed to Bakhtiyar. However, Bakhtiyar did not stay in Kashamndi for long and approached the commander of
Benaras
Varanasi (; ; also Banaras or Benares (; ), and Kashi.) is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.
*
*
*
* The city has a syncretic tra ...
Husamudin Aghul Bek who was impressed with his gallantry and bestowed on him the iqta of Bhagwat and Bhilui. ( present-day
Mirzapur
Mirzapur () is a city in Uttar Pradesh, India, 827 km from Delhi and 733 km from Kolkata, almost 91 km from Prayagraj (formally known as Allahabad) and 61 km from Varanasi. It is known for its carpets and brassware industries, and the folk ...
district)
In his early career before the expeditions in Bengal and
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
, Bakhtiyar displaced the minor Gahadavala chiefs in the region of present-day
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (; , 'Northern Province') is a state in northern India. With over 200 million inhabitants, it is the most populated state in India as well as the most populous country subdivision in the world. It was established in 195 ...
and from there raided
Maner
Maner also spelled Maner Sharif, is a Block and satellite town in Patna Metropolitan Region. It is part of the Patna district in the Indian state of Bihar. Maner Sharif lies 24 km west of Patna, the capital of Bihar on NH-922. The town ...
and
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
where he looted a large amount of booty. These successful neighbouring raids increased Bakhtiyar's fame and several
Khalji emir joined in his service. At the same time, Muhammad of Ghor's slave
Qutb ud-Din Aibak also honoured him.
Conquest of Bengal
Khalji was head of the
Ghurid Empire military force that conquered parts of eastern India at the end of the 12th century and at the beginning of the 13th century.
He subjugated
Bihar
Bihar (; ) is a state in eastern India. It is the 2nd largest state by population in 2019, 12th largest by area of , and 14th largest by GDP in 2021. Bihar borders Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West ...
in 1200. His invasions severely damaged the Buddhist establishments at
Odantapuri,
Vikramashila, and destroyed
Nalanda University.
Minhaj-i-Siraj's ''
Tabaqat-i Nasiri'' documents Bakhtiyar Khalji's sack of a Buddhist monastery,
which the author equates in his description with a city he calls "Bihar", from the soldiers' use of the word ''
vihara''.
According to the early 17th-century Buddhist scholar
Taranatha, the invaders massacred many monks at Odantapuri, and destroyed Vikramashila.
In 1203, Khalji took his forces into
Bengal
Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. With the
octogenarian emperor
Lakshmana Sena at the helm,
Sena dynasty was in a state of decline, and could not provide much resistance. As Khalji came upon the city of
Nabadwip, it is said that he advanced so rapidly that only 18 horsemen from his army could keep up. The small horde entered the city unchallenged and took the emperor and his army by shock .
This caused Lakhsmana Sena to flee with his retainers to east Bengal.
Khalji subsequently went on to capture
Gauda (ancient Lakhnauti), the capital and the principal city of Bengal and intruded into much of Bengal.
Muhammad Bakhtiyar's rule was related by
Minhaj al-Siraj, as he visited Bengal about 40 years later:
Death and aftermath
Ikhtiyar al-Dīn Muḥammad Khalji left the town of
Devkot in 1206 to
attack Tibet, leaving
Ali Mardan Khalji in
Ghoraghat Upazila
Ghoraghat ( bn, ঘোড়াঘাট) is an upazila of Dinajpur District in the Division of Rangpur, Bangladesh.
History
Ghoraghat was established in the time of Bakhtlar Khilji (see Blochmanu's Contr., J.A.S,1873, p. 215, Tabaqat-i-N ...
to guard the eastern frontier from his headquarters at
Barisal
Barisal ( or ; bn, বরিশাল, ), officially known as Barishal, is a major city that lies on the banks of the Kirtankhola river in south-central Bangladesh. It is the largest city and the administrative headquarter of both Barisal Di ...
. Bakhtiyar Khalji's forces suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of Tibetan guerrilla forces at
Chumbi Valley, which forced him to retreat to Devkot with only about a hundred surviving soldiers. As he lay ill and exhausted in Devkot, Bakhtiyar Khalji was assassinated by Ali Mardan Khalji.
The Khalji noblemen then appointed
Muhammad Shiran Khalji as Bakhtiyar's successor. Loyal troops under Shiran Khalji and Subedar Aulia Khan avenged Ikhtiyar's death, imprisoning Ali Mardan Khalji. Eventually Ali Mardan fled to Delhi and provoked the Sultan of Delhi
Qutb al-Din Aibak to invade Bengal, who sent an army under Qayemaz Rumi, the governor of
Awadh, to dethrone Shiran Khalji . Shiran fled to Dinajpur where he later died.
Ghiyas-ud-din Iwaz Khalji assisted the invasion and assumed the governorship of Bengal in 1208. But shortly after, he yielded power to Ali Mardan willingly, when the latter returned from Delhi in 1210. However, the nobles of Bengal conspired against and assassinated Ali Mardan in 1212. Iwaj Khalji assumed power again and proclaimed his independence from the Delhi sultanate.
Legacy
Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji had the
Khutbah read and coins struck in his name. Mosques,
madrasas, and
khanqah
A khanqah ( fa, خانقاه) or khangah ( fa, خانگاه; also transliterated as ''khankah'', ''khaneqa'', ''khanegah'' or ''khaneqah''; also Arabized ''hanegah'', ''hanikah'', ''hanekah'', ''khankan''), also known as a ribat (), is a buildin ...
s arose in the new abode of Islam through Bakhtiyar's patronage, and his example was imitated by his subordinates.
Khalji's conquest began nearly 600 years of Muslim rule over Bengal which ended when British East India company rook complete control of Bengal between 1772 to 1793.
See also
*
List of rulers of Bengal#Delhi Sultanate era
*
Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi
*
Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masud
Ghazi Salar Masud or Ghazi Miyan (1014 – 1034 CE) was a semi-legendary Muslim figure from India. By the 12th century, he had become reputed as a warrior, and his tomb (''dargah'') at Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, India, had become a place of pilgrima ...
*
Bakhtiarpur
Bakhtiyarpur is a town and a municipality notified area, near Patna City in Patna district in the state of Bihar, India. Bakhtiyarpur is under the Patna Sahib (Lok Sabha constituency), and is a Vidhan Sabha constituency of Bihar in Patna Dist ...
References
Bibliography
*
External links
* History of the Muslims of Bengal – Volume 1A: Muslim Rule in Bengal (600-170/1203-1757), by Muhammad Mohar Ali,
Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University, Department of Culture and Publications.
*
*
{{Khalji dynasty
Mamluk dynasty (Delhi)
Medieval India
Rulers of Bengal
1206 deaths
12th-century Indian monarchs
Indian Muslims
Year of birth unknown
Buddhism and Islam
Indian people of Turkic descent