Challenges before Qutbuddin Aibek
The
circumstances in which he started discharging the administrative responsibility
of India were very unfavorable. The sudden death of Mohammad Ghori caused
political anarchy almost from Ghazni-Gor to Lakhnauti. Aibek had to face many
difficulties. His main problems were the following-
1. Rivals:
First
of all, Aibek had to face his rivals, among whom Ikhtiyaruddin, Yalduj and
Qubacha were prominent. They had very large area under their authority and they considered themselves
equal to Aibek. Yalduj ruled in Ghazni and Qubacha ruled in Multan.
2.
Hindu Sardars:
Aibek's other difficulty was that the leading Hindu chieftains were trying to recover
their lost independence. In 1026 AD, the Chandela Rajputs re-established their
authority over their capital Kalinjar. The Gahadwal Rajputs under the
leadership of Harishchandra captured Farrukhabad and Badaun. Gwalior again
passed into the hands of the Pratihara Rajputs. In Bengal and Bihar also, after
the death of Ikhtiyaruddin, the fire of rebellion ignited.
3. Fear
of invasion from Central Asia:
Aibek
was most afraid of invasion from Central Asia. The sight of the Shah of
Khwarizm was fixed on Ghazni and Delhi.
4. Ghazni
Empire
The
Ghazni Empire considered Lahore as its part, so Aibek wanted to free Lahore
from the dominance of Ghazni.
5. Obstacles
of Islamic law
According
to Islamic law a slave could not become a ruler, so it was necessary for Aibek
to free himself from servitude to Prince Mahmud, the successor of Ghori.
Aibek's
life in India
Aibek's
life in India can be divided into three phases-
First
phase till 1206 AD
When
he was the representative of Muizzuddin, his reign was full of military activities.
Phase
II from 1206 to 1208
When
he was the Malik or the warlord of the Indian Sultanate of Ghori, his life was
spent in political work.
Phase
III from 1208 to 1210
When
he was the formal ruler of the Indian state, he made the map of the Delhi
Sultanate.
Solving
Challenges: Achievements
Aibek had full
ability to overcome difficulties and obstacles, he overcome difficulties and
obstacles with courage and patience.
(a) The enlightened path
1. Marriage Diplomacy
He sought an
immediate solution by establishing diplomatic relations through marriage. He
tried its best to strengthen his position by establishing matrimonial relations
with the Turkish Sardars. He married his sister to Nasiruddin Qubacha and
Qubacha accepted his suzerainty. He married Tajuddin Yaldouz's daughter and
seeing the increasing status and usefulness of Iltutmish, he strengthened his
position by marrying his daughter to him.
2. Policy of efficient
inactivity
Rajputs:
Aibek was too busy with the politics of the north-west and the Bengal conflict
that he could not suppress the power of the Rajputs. Therefore, by establishing
his supremacy over Badaun, he appointed his slave Iltutmish as its ruler and
collected taxes from other small kings, but he did not try to recapture
Kalinjar and Gwalior.
Ghazni:
As soon as there was a rebellion in Ghazni, he moved from there.
Bengal:
Also supported Alimardan to compromise with the situation in Bengal. In fact,
in 1206 AD, Bakhtiyar
Khilji was killed by Alimarda Khan, but the local Khilji chieftains imprisoned
him and made Muhammad Sheikh the ruler in his place. Alimarda Khan escaped from
prison and reached Delhi and asked Aibek to intervene in Bengal. Alimarda Khan
was made the governor of Bengal. He accepted the submission of Aibek and agreed
to pay annual tribute to Delhi.
Central Asia:
Qutbuddin Aibek wisely kept himself away from the politics of Central Asia.
Therefore, he remained completely free from possible objections coming from
that side.
3. Dose for radicals
Quwwat-ul-Masjid
was built by demolishing 27
Hindu and Jain temples. He also built a mosque called Dhai Din Ka Jhopra by
demolishing a Sanskrit college in Ajmer.
(b) Turkish boldness : campaign of
conquest
1. Victory over rivals:
Aibek had three
main rivals in India - Ikhtiyaruddin, Qubacha and Yalduj. Ikhtiyaruddin always
respected Aibek and ruled under him. Qubacha was now Aibek's son-in-law. So
Kubacha did not oppose him and did not hurt him in any way. Yalduz was the
father-in-law of Aibek but Yalduz opposed Aibek. In 1208 AD, Yalduj prepared an army in Ghazni
and attacked Multan and captured it, but Aibek, with the help of Qubacha,
quickly chased him away from there and took control of Ghazni. But the people
of Ghazni could not tolerate this. Aibek was forced to return to Delhi but he
failed all the efforts of Yalduj to establish dominance over the Indian Empire.
(c) The path of refined Persian
generosity
1. Satisfied with the
post of Malik
Here one thing is
very important, which needs to be mentioned. After the sudden death of Mohammad
Ghori in 1206 AD, he had assumed
the administrative responsibility, but only against 'Malik' and 'Sipahsalar'.
He never addressed himself as 'Sultan' nor did he hold designation the Sultan.
2. Respect for
tradition
He was fully aware
of the principle of kingship, according to which “a slave could not become a
Sultan”. During the reign of Ghazni, Aibek obtained freedom from slavery by
obtaining a letter of emancipation from Prince Mahmud, the successor of Ghori,
who was spending days in Firozkoh. Ghiyasuddin Mehmud gave him the necessary
symbols of state power "Chhatra" and "Durbash". In this
way, when he got freedom from slavery, then in 1208-9 AD, he held post the Sultan.
3. Protection and impartialt
rule and generosity
Fakhe Mudabbir
writes at one place that 'although his soldiers had people from different
castes, tribes, regions; Turks, Ghauris, Khurasanis, Khaljis, Afghans and
Hindustani, yet no soldier had the courage to take a straw of grass, a piece of
bread, a goat or a bird from a farmer or forcibly take possession of his house
and land. So he ruled with justice and generosity and for his generosity he was
famous for centuries. Therefore, in contemporary literature, he is called with
the address of Lakh Baksh (the one who donates millions). Therefore, along with
military qualities, charity, justice and fatherly concern towards the subjects
easily establish his principle of kingship.
According to
Minhaj, Sultan was the second Hatim and was a very brave and generous ruler. He
was a great donor with a heart, so he was also called Lakh Baksh. He also built
Qutub Minar and Dhai Din Ka Jhopra Masjid.
According to Hasan
Nizami, lions and goats used to drink water at the bank of river in his
kingdom.
Conclusion
Thus, Aibek rose
from a common slave to a Sultan by virtue of his own merit. He removed the
obstacles in his path by his diplomacy and bravery. Dr. A. B. M. Habibullah evaluating
him in his famous book, writes, "The boldness of the Turks and the refined
taste and decency of the Persians were found in him."
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