1 The throne contest-
2 ed between Mahmid
3 and his younger bro-
4 ther Ismail.
5 Defeat of Ismail.
6 Mahmid ascends
7 the throne of Ghazn{
8 And declares his in-
9 dependence.
10 Hie receives robes
11 and titles from tho
12 khalif of Bagdad.
13 His assumption
14 of the title of Sultan,
15 * Yiis zeal for tho
16 propagation of Islam.
17 Mahmud's first
18 Invasion, 1001 a. D.
19 Yils war with Jaipal,
20 raja of Lahore.
21 His victory.
22 Jatpal abdicates
23 totes on the
24 fizera rue,
25 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary
26 80
27 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
28 his consent to his own succession, and, on the death of his father, was
29 crowned with great solemnity at Balkh. Mahmfad, however, asserted his
30 right to the throne and offered Balkh and Khordsdn to the younger brother
31 as an independent monarchy, if he abandoned his pretensions to the rest,
32 but Ismail declined the offer. Mahmdd, upon this, made war on Ismail,
33 supported by his uncle Boghraz and his own younger brother, Amir Nasir-
34 ud-din Eusuf, The troops of Ismail were supported by a row of elephants,
35 and the two armies engaged with great fury near Ghazni. After a desperate
36 struggle Ismail acknowledged himself defeated and delivered up the keys
37 of the fortress and treasury to his brother, Mahmdd, who kept him in honour-
38 able restraint for the rest of his life.
39 Mahmud was thirty years of age when he ascended the throne and was
40 in the prime of life. Having been the constant companion of his father in
41 military expeditions, and entrusted by him with independent military com-
42 mands, he had gained a large experience in the art of war, while in the arts
43 of peace he possessed all the qualities of a great prince. His first act, after
44 ascending the throne, was to send an ambassador to the court of Bokhdra
45 to tender his allegiance to the royal house of Saméni, but soon afterwards
46 he threw off that allegiance and declared bis independence, in 999 A.D. Mah-
47 mtd now employed himself in reducing to order the provinces of Balkh and
48 Khordsén, and, his fame reaching the court of Bagdad, the Caliph Alkadar
49 Billah, of the house of Abbas, sent him a rich honorary dress and bestowed '
50 upon him the dignified titles of Amin-ul-Millat, or “ Asylum of the Faith,”
51 and Yamin-ud-Daulat, ‘the Right Arm of the State.” He assumed the title
52 of Sultan, and received in marriage the daughter of Elik-han, emperor of
53 Bokhara, the usurper of the Samdni dynasty.
54 Mahmtd had long heard accounts of the wealth and splendour of the
55 countries to the east of his frontier, and had made a vow that, if blessed
56 with tranquillity, he would turn his arms against the idolaters of Hindostdn,
57 extirpate idolatry from that country, and introduce, in its stead, the worship
58 of the one true God. Mahmfd was himself familiar with the parts of
59 India bordering on the banks of the Indus, and his zeal for the propagation
60 of Islam, as well as the confidence he reposed in the bravery of his troops,
61 soon impelled him to undertake an invasion of that country. Accordingly,
62 in the month of August, 1001 a.D., he marched from Ghazni to Peshawar,
63 at the head of ten thousand chosen horse. Here Jaipdl, the réj4 of Lahore,
64 met him with 12,000 horse and 30,000 foot, supported by 300 elephants.
65 An action took place between the _two armies, and the Hindus fought des-
66 perately, but they had at last to give way before the disciplined cavalry of
67 Mahmud, and were completely routed, five thousand of their number
68 eee pach “8 fa field of battle, and Jaipdl with fifteen of his principal
69 ing taken prisoners by the victors, The victory achieved by
70 Mahmdd acquired for him great fame and wealth ; and among the spoils
71 gained there were sixteen necklaces inlaid with precious stones, that
72 worn by Jaipdl alone being valued at £82,000. After this yi i
73 D ,000. this victory Mahmid
74 means to Bhatinda, the fort of which he invested and AC ole In the
75 ow ing spring he released Jaipdl, on his stipulating to pay an annual tri-
76 ute, but he put to the sword the Afghan chiefs who had opposed his march
77 to the Panjab. The aged Hindu ki 8 : : .
78 the defeats sustained by iin aie pele feeling. Dumeelt disgraced by
79 ‘ ; considering himself disqualified to rule,
80 eet the throne in favour of his son Ananeoal® and, having mounted @
81 al pile, which he had himself raised, sacrificed himself to his gods.
82 * Farishta calls him Anand
83 called Anangpal, ‘Anang, in Sh pal, but in the Rdjputdnd Chronicles and the Purdnas he is
84 2. tri, a= ta ‘ - 3
85 atrj aa (Et TOE Nan aitatkcom