Ghurid invasion of Bengal

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Ghurid conquest of Bengal
Part of Indian campaigns of Muhammad of Ghor
Date1202 or 1204/5
Location
Nabadwip and Varendra [1] [2] [3]
Result Ghurid victory
Territorial
changes		 Annexation of Lakhnauti by Ghurid Dynasty [2]
Belligerents
Ghurid Dynasty Sena Dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Bakhtiyar Khalji Lakshmana Sena
Strength
18 horsemen [4] [5] Unknown

The Ghurid invasion of Bengal commonly known as Bakhtiyar Khalji's conquest of Bengal in 1202 or 1204/5 [a] was a military campaign of Ghurid dynasty led by Muhammad Bhakhtiyar Khalji against the Sena dynasty. Bakhtiyar Khalji emerged victorious in his campaign at Sena capital Nabadwip. [12] [13] [14] He established his kingdom at Lakhnawati which included a small part of Varendra. [15] Following their defeat, Lakshmana Sena, the eighty years old ruler of the Sena dynasty, retreated to the southeastern region of Bengal. [16] [12] [11]

Contents

Background

Bakhtiyar Khalji, after the successful annexation of Bihar to the Ghurid dynasty, learned about the Sena Dynasty and its illustrious ruler, Lakshmana Sena. Despite Sena's advanced age and reputation, Khalji was determined to extend his conquests further into Bengal. Upon hearing of Khalji's intent to invade Bengal, many Brahmins and traders decided to leave the Sena capital in search of safer locations. However, in a display of resilience, Lakshmana Sena chose to remain in Nadiya, ready to defend his realm. [17] [18]

The siege

Bakhtiyar, leading his forces from Bihar, strategically positioned the majority of his army within a forest near the city of Nadia [b] (in Rajshahi). It was said that he advanced so rapidly that only 18 horsemen from his army could keep up. Posing as horse traders, the small horde entered the city unchallenged and cautiously towards the palace. Upon reaching the palace, Bakhtiyar initiated an attack on the guards, causing a significant commotion. Then Lakshmana Sena was taking his mid day meal. [22] [23] He took the emperor and his army by shock. Before Lakshmana Sena could react Bakhtiyar entered the palace killed some of the guards causing Lakshmana Sena to flee with his retainers to east Bengal leaving his wives and servants on the hand of Bakhtiyar's army. [24] [25] As Bakhtiyar took the possession of the city, his men seized several horses and elephants along with enormous wealth. In the meantime, the main army had entered Bengal. However, Bakhtiyar didn't subjugate the whole of Bengal. [26] He then moved on to Lakhnauti, which he planned to make his capital. [17] [14] [27]

Aftermath

Bakhtiyar Khilji left Nadia in ruins and established his capital at Lakhnauti. [23] Lakshmana Sena continued to rule in Eastern Bengal approximately for three or four years after the raid on Nadia and died some time after 1205 A.D. [22] [28] According to the historical work Tabaqat-i Nasiri, Bang (Vanga or Eastern and Southern Bengal) was ruled by the descendants of Lakshmana Sena at least up to 1245 A.D. or 1260 A.D. [22] [29]

In the year 1204-5 (601 A.H.), Bakhtiyar Khalji struck a gold coin in the name of his overlord in Delhi, sultan Muhammad of Ghor, with one side depicting a cavalryman charging at full gallop and holding a mace in hand. The coin bears the conquest of Gaur. In 1205, Bakhtiyar Khalji was killed by one of his nobles, Ali Mardan Khalji. [17] [30] During the reign of Ali Mardan Khalji, who declared his independence from Delhi Sultanate, silver coins were struck, commemorating the conquest of Bengal in Ramzan 600 A.H. (May 1204 A.D.) [31]

Coin issued by Bakhtiyar Khalji reads "Gauda vijaye", "On the conquest of Gaur" inscribed in Sanskrit. Delhi Sultanate Coin from Gaur, Bengal in the British Museum.jpg
Coin issued by Bakhtiyar Khalji reads "Gauda vijaye", "On the conquest of Gaur" inscribed in Sanskrit.

Further reading

The detailed account of this conquest or the expedition of Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji to Nadia is given in Tabaqat-i Nasiri, a historical work, authored by Maulana Minahj-ud-din Abu Umar-i-Usman who held various high offices under the Sultans of Delhi. In 639 A.H. (1243 A.D.) he was appointed chief Qazi of the Delhi Sultanate and of the capital. Next year he proceeded to Lakhnauti and stayed for two years there to get the information about the history of Bengal narrated by him. [33]

Notes

  1. ↑ The date is varied upon sources 1202 AD [6] 1204 AD [7] [8] [9] 1205 AD [10] [11]
  2. ↑ Nadiya, a city that is now identified with the village of Naoda, a village several miles northeast of Rohanpur railway station in western Rajshahi District (and not to be confused with the city of Nadia in West Bengal) [19] [20] [21]

References

  1. ↑ Sarkar 1943, p. 8.
  2. 1 2 Hasan 2007, p. 10.
  3. ↑ Siddiq 2015, p. 35.
  4. ↑ Mehta, Jaswant Lal (1979). Advanced Study in the History of Medieval India. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 81. ISBN   978-81-207-0617-0.
  5. ↑ Randhawa, Mohinder Singh (1982). A History of Agriculture in India: Eighth to Eighteenth century. Indian Council of Agricultural Research. p. 21.
  6. ↑ Salma Ahmed Farooqui (2011). A Comprehensive History of Medieval India : Twelfth to the Mid-eighteenth Century. Pearson Education India. p. 53. ISBN   978-81-317-3202-1.
  7. ↑ Eaton 1993, p. 23.
  8. ↑ Hasan 2007, p. 10 "When the Turks attacked in 1204, Lakshmansena, along with his courtiers and several Brahmans, fled to the east, and Bakhtiyar established his kingdom of Lakhnawti, which in the early thirteenth century consisted only of a small area in Varendra"
  9. ↑ Ahmed, Abu Sayeed M. (2006). Mosque Architecture in Bangladesh. UNESCO Dhaka. p. 16. ISBN   978-984-32-3469-8.
  10. ↑ Siddiq 2015, p. 35 "It was on 19 Ramaḍān 601 (10 May 1205) that Ikhtiyār al-Dīn Muḥammad Bakhtiyār, an adventurer from the Turkish Khaljī tribe of mountainous central Afghanistan (known as Khaljistān), defeated Lakhśmana Sena, a Hindu king of the powerful Sena dynasty of Bengal, with just a handful of soldiers and swept over almost the whole terrain of Rāra and Barindra in an amazingly short time"
  11. 1 2 Ahmed, Helal Uddin (2012). "History". In Sirajul Islam; Miah, Sajahan; Khanam, Mahfuza; Ahmed, Sabbir (eds.). Banglapedia: the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Online ed.). Dhaka, Bangladesh: Banglapedia Trust, Asiatic Society of Bangladesh. ISBN   984-32-0576-6. OCLC   52727562. OL   30677644M . Retrieved 31 August 2025.
  12. 1 2 Syed, Muzaffar Husain; Akhtar, Syed Saud; Usmani, B. D. (2011-09-14). Concise History of Islam. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. p. 275. ISBN   978-93-82573-47-0.
  13. ↑ Sarkar 1943, p. 7.
  14. 1 2 Roy, Tirthankar (2012-06-18). India in the World Economy: From Antiquity to the Present. Cambridge University Press. pp. 45–46. ISBN   978-1-107-00910-3.
  15. ↑ Hasan 2007 , p. 10 "When the Turks attacked in 1204, Lakshmansena, along with his courtiers and several Brahmans, fled to the east, and Bakhtiyar established his kingdom of Lakhnawti, which in the early thirteenth century consisted only of a small area in Varendra"
  16. ↑ Jr, Everett Jenkins (2015-05-07). The Muslim Diaspora (Volume 1, 570-1500): A Comprehensive Chronology of the Spread of Islam in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. McFarland. p. 194. ISBN   978-1-4766-0888-4.
  17. 1 2 3 Chandra, Satish (2004). Medieval India: From Sultanat to the Mughals-Delhi Sultanat (1206-1526) - Part One. Har-Anand Publications. p. 43. ISBN   978-81-241-1064-5.
  18. ↑ Pandey, Bishnu Dayal (1994). Political History of Rajmahal. Capital Publishing House. p. 33. ISBN   978-81-85157-77-1.
  19. ↑ Eaton 1993, p. 11.
  20. ↑ Hasan 2007, p. 9.
  21. ↑ Siddiq 2015, p. 29.
  22. 1 2 3 Sen, Sailendra Nath (1999). Ancient Indian History and Civilization. New Age International. p. 289. ISBN   978-81-224-1198-0.
  23. 1 2 Majumdar 1971, p. 235.
  24. ↑ Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Asia and Oceania (ebook). Facts On File, Incorporated. 2010. p. 99. ISBN   9781438119137 . Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  25. ↑ Mahajan 2007 , p. 72 "Before the Raja could ascertain what had occurred Ikhtiyar-ud-din rushed into the palace and put a number of men before the sword. The Raja fled bare-footed by the back door of the palace and his whole treasure and all his wives, maid-servants attendants and women fell into the hands of the invader"
  26. ↑ Mahajan 2007 , p. 72 "Lakshman Sena took shelter in Eastern Bengal where he continued to rule for some time. No attempt was made by Ikhtiyar-ud-din to conquer the whole of Bengal "
  27. ↑ Irene, Salam (2010). The Muslims of Manipur. Gyan Publishing House. p. 20. ISBN   978-81-7835-828-4.
  28. ↑ Majumdar 1971, p. 235-236.
  29. ↑ Majumdar 1971, pp. 237–238.
  30. ↑ Sengupta, Nitish (2011). Land Of Two Rivers : A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. Penguin Books India. p. 64. ISBN   978-0-14-341678-4.
  31. ↑ Eaton 1993, pp. 32–35.
  32. ↑ Eaton 1993, pp. 33–34.
  33. ↑ Majumdar 1971, p. 254.

Bibliography

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