Achievements of Qutbuddin Aibek

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."