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Draft:Assassination of Muhammad of Ghor

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Assassination of Muhammad of Ghor
LocationDamyak, Ghurid Empire
Date15 March 1206
Attack type
Assassination
WeaponDagger
DeathsMuhammad of Ghor, possibly a few others
PerpetratorsDisputed, see § Assassination

The Assassination of Muhammad of Ghor occurred at Dhamiak, Punjab on 15 March 1206. Of the numerous sources recounting the event multiple perpetrators for the killing have been named, including the Punjabi Khokhar tribe and the Isma'ili Shias, the cause of which has been stated to have been conflict arising after the Ghurid campaigns in India. Multiple Muslim historians reference the killing such as Minhaj-i Siraj Juzjani, Firishta and Ibn al-Athir, the aftermath of this event led to the disintegration of the Ghurid dynasty.

Background

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The Ghurid dynasty had began the invasion of South Asia in 1175 CE with the conquest of Multan, Muhammad of Ghor had seen himself as the heir of the Punjab as it had come under the control of the Ghaznavids previously, following the defeats of the Hindu Shahi Empire in 1026 CE.[1] Multan during this time was under the control of the Qarmatians, who were an Isma'ili Shia religious group, but was however conquered by the Ghurids.[2] The conquest of Uch followed soon after and according to Firishta, Muhammed Ghuri had sent a private letter to the wife of the Bhatti ruler for marriage in return for removing her husband, as he had forseen the capture of the fort as being difficult. The wife replied stating she would give her daughter for marriage instead due to her old age and proceeded to assassinate her husband and open the gates of the Uch fort to the Ghorids.[3] It was was further noted that after this event Muhammed Ghuri had indeed married the Bhatti princess however he had sent her mother to Ghazni to avoid entrusting her with the region in which she had soon after died of 'sorrow and disappointment', likewise the princess two years onwards had passed away from grief.[4]

After the conquest of the Southern Punjab, Muhammed Ghuri began his final assaults on the remaining Ghaznavid strongholds, under the last ruler Khusrau Malik. During this period the Khokhar tribe of Punjab were subject to the rulers of Jammu, however Khusrau Malik had promoted them to halt paying tax in return for his support. An attempt to besiege the fort of Sialkot unsuccesfully followed soon after, after a failed besiegement of Lahore by Muhammed Ghuri,[5] though in Ghori's second siege of Lahore he was successful in taking Khusrau Malik prisoner and destroying the Ghaznavids rule in 1186 CE.

Muhammed Ghuri was defeated in Andkhud by the Khwarazmian Turks, 1204 CE, which dealt a huge blow to his military reputation. The word of this defeat spread throughout his empire, in which the Khokhars and other tribes of the Punjab between the Koh-i-Jud and Lahore hills had soon after began to revolt, led by Rae Sal whom had completely shut the route between Ghazni and Lahore so that 'not a single soul could pass'. Ibn al-Athir further supports this and states that most of the Indians had followed them and 'cast off obedience' to the Ghorid emir of Lahore.[6] It is also recounted that this rebellion had led to Lahore's capture and the Ghorid governor of Multan's defeat[7] which forced Ghori to enter battle with the rebels near Jhelum. Minhaj-i Siraj Juzjani notes that the fighting ensued for a full day and that the Ghorids were almost forced to retreat until reinforcements had arrived, leading to their victory and the general massacre of the Khokhars.[8]

Assassination

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Numerous sources recount the assassination of Muhammed Ghuri in Dhamiak, Punjab with the Tarikh-i-Alfi, commisioned by the Mughal emperor Akbar, noting it was a deed done by the Khokhars who had lost relatives in Ghoris quelling of their rebellion, this has also been stated by Firishta. Alfi recounts that one among the group of assassins had wounded a door keeper in which his cries began to draw attention, seizing this opportunity the rest of the group rushed to the sultan dealing many severe wounds to him.[9]

Ibn al-Athir notes that the assassination was conducted by the Khokhars however two from among the group were muslim men indicating a joint Khokhar-Isma'ili attack. He decribes the assassination in great detail and narrates that 'a body of infidel Khokhars dogged his army determined to slay him because of the killing and taking of prisoners and captives he had inflicted on them' and that they dealt twenty four wounds to the sultan.[10] Furthermore, he had written that it occurred after he was returning from Lahore at the time of evening prayer, where he was encamped at Dhamiak. Ibn al-Athir expands on the Isma'ili involvement in the killings describing that their involvement was from their fear of him invading Khurasan in which Muhammad Ghori had an army already besieging one of their fortresses.[11]

Jami' al-tawarikh also states that the perpetrators were Khokhars but then further expands on those involved, that it was brought about by Imam Fakhruddin whom used to accompany Muhammed Ghuri.[12] Ibn al-Athir mentions this also, however he recounts that the accusations came from 'troublemakers of Ghazni' who accussed the imam of sending the assassins instigated by the Khwarazmian Shah in which Fakhruddin was then held in safety by the Ghorid vizier.[13]

Aftermath

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After Muhammed Ghuri's death, the Ghurid dynasty ceised to exist and was disintegrated into numerous empires ruled by his Mamluk slaves, most notably creating the first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mamluk dynasty (Delhi).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Mahajan, V. D. (2007). History of Medieval India. S. Chand Publishing. p. 66. ISBN 978-81-219-0364-6. He considered himself the heir to the Panjab which belonged to the empire of Ghazni.
  2. ^ Punjab Govt. (1926). Multan District Gazette. p. 28. The country, however, remained nominally subject to the Ghaznavides, until they in their turn were overthrown by Muhammad Ghori, who. in the course of his expeditions passed several times through Multan and on one occasion is recorded to have ' delivered that place from the hands of the Karmatians.
  3. ^ www.islamicebay.com (1829). History Of The Rise Of The Mahomedan Power In India Volume 1, 2, 3. p. 95. ...led an army towards Mooltan, and having subdued that province, martched to Oocha. The Raja was besieged in his fort; but Mahomed Ghoori, finding it would be difficult to reduce the place, sent a private message to the Raja's wife, promising to marry her if she would deliver up her husband.
    The base woman returned for answer, that she was rather too old herself to think of matrimony; but that she had a beautiful and young daughter, whom if he would promise to espouse, and leave her in free possession of her wealth, she would in a few days remove the Raja. Mahomed Ghoory accepted the proposal; and this Princess, in a few days, found means to assassinate her husband, and to open the gates to the enemy.    Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. ^ www.islamicebay.com (1829). History Of The Rise Of The Mahomedan Power In India Volume 1, 2, 3. p. 95. Mahomed only partly performed his promise, by marrying the daughter, upon her embracing the true faith; but he made no scruple to depart from his engagements with the mother; for instead of trusting her with the country, he sent her to Ghazni, where she afterwards died of sorrow and disappointment. Nor did the daughter long survive, for in the space of two years she also fell a victim to grief.Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Jūzjānī, Minhāj Sirāj (1881). Ṭabaḳāt-i Nāṣirī: A General History of the Muḥammadan Dynasties of Asia, Including Hindūstān, from A.H. 194 (810 A.D.) to A.H. 658 (1260 A.D.) and the Irruption of the Infidel Mughals Into Islām. Gilbert & Rivington. pp. 453–454.
  6. ^ Al-Kāmil fī al-tārīkh by Ibn Athir. p. 90.
  7. ^ Jūzjānī, Minhāj Sirāj (1881). Ṭabaḳāt-i Nāṣirī: A General History of the Muḥammadan Dynasties of Asia, Including Hindūstān, from A.H. 194 (810 A.D.) to A.H. 658 (1260 A.D.) and the Irruption of the Infidel Mughals Into Islām. Gilbert & Rivington. pp. 481–482.
  8. ^ Jūzjānī, Minhāj Sirāj (1881). Ṭabaḳāt-i Nāṣirī: A General History of the Muḥammadan Dynasties of Asia, Including Hindūstān, from A.H. 194 (810 A.D.) to A.H. 658 (1260 A.D.) and the Irruption of the Infidel Mughals Into Islām. Gilbert & Rivington. p. 483.
  9. ^ Jūzjānī, Minhāj Sirāj (1881). Ṭabaḳāt-i Nāṣirī: A General History of the Muḥammadan Dynasties of Asia, Including Hindūstān, from A.H. 194 (810 A.D.) to A.H. 658 (1260 A.D.) and the Irruption of the Infidel Mughals Into Islām. Gilbert & Rivington. p. 486.
  10. ^ Al-Kāmil fī al-tārīkh by Ibn Athir. pp. 92–93.
  11. ^ Al-Kāmil fī al-tārīkh by Ibn Athir. p. 93. It is claimed that it was the Isma'ilis who killed him because they feared his expedition into Khurasan. He had an army that was besieging one of their fortresses, as we have related.
  12. ^ Bibliotheca Indica. Asiatic Society. 1881. p. 485.
  13. ^ Al-Kāmil fī al-tārīkh by Ibn Athir. p. 93. Some troublemakers, people of Ghazna, came and said to the mamlukes, 'Fakhr al-Din al-Razi killed your master, because he 1s the one who sent the assassins, instigated by Khwarazm Shah. They rose up against him, meaning to kill him, but he fled and sought Muayyad al-Mulk, the vizier. After he had told him of his situation, the vizier sent him secretly to a safe place.

Sources

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Category:History of Punjab

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