Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji

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Ikhtiyar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji (Persian اختيار الدين محمد بن بختيار الخلجي), also known as Malik Ghazi Ikhtiyaru 'l-Din Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khalji, a member of the Muslim Pashtun Khilji or as it is known in Afghanistan Ghilzai tribe, who was head of the armies that conquered much of northeastern India.

He was one of the military generals of Qutb-ud-din Aybak. Muhammad Khilji conquered Bihar in 1193. His troops destroyed the famous Buddhist university at Nalanda (in modern Bihar State) in the year 1193. Later, he also brought Bengal’s ruler Lakshman Sen under his authority, and captured his capital in 1205. He is the founder of the Khilji dynasty and is considered to be the first muslim ruler of Bengal.

Early life

Khalji came from Afghanistan and moved to the Frontier and Punjab in Pakistan where many Khalji/Ghilzais still live. Later, when the ghaznavid Sebuetgin came to power he brought them to Ghazna where they became islamized and part of the ghaznavid army. After the ghaznavids the Ghalzais became slave of the persian Ghurids who moved them out of Khorasan (todays Afghanistan). Tradition has it that Khalji's conquest of Bengal at the head of 18 horsemen was foretold. It is held that he was of common birth, had long arms extending below his knees, a short physical stature and an unfavorable countenance. He was first appointed as the Dewan-i-ard at Ghor. But later he lost the job for irregularities in work. Then he approached India in about the year 1193 CE and tried to enter in the army of Qutb al-Din but failed. Then he went further eastward and took a job under Maklik Hizbar al-Din who was then the commander of the army of Badayun in northern India. After a short period he went to Oudh where Malik Husam al-Din, the governor, recognized him for his worth. Husam gave a landed estate in the south-eastern corner of modern Mirzapur District. He gathered some brave and adventurous Turks under his banner and soon consolidated his position, carrying out raids into neighboring territories.

Conquests

Khalji's career took flight with a stunning campaign which subjugated Bihar in 1203 CE. This effort earned him political clout in the court at Delhi.

But the greatest credit to his record was his conquest of Bengal in the following year which marks the beginning of muslim rule in this part of the subcontinent. As he came upon the city of Nadia, it is claimed by Muslim poets that he advanced so rapidly that only 18 horsemen from his army could keep up and that once in the city they were mistaken for horsetraders, allowing them to surprise Raja Lakshman Sen in the middle of a meal. The latter fled out the palace's back door in bare feet. The historicity of this dramatic conquest, however, is greatly disputed by modern historians.

Khalji went on to capture the capital Gaur, and conquered other parts of Bengal but, a large part of East and South Bengal remained independent and the descendants of Lakshman Sen continued to rule from Bikrampur. Khilji led a disastrous campaign into Tibet, and died in 1206 CE while on the retreat.

Legacy

Bengali poet Al Mahmud composed a book of poetry titled Bakhtiyarer Ghora meaning Horses of Bakhtiyar in early 1990's depicting Khaljee as the praiseworthy figurehead of conquest of Bengal.

References

• History of the Muslims of Bengal - Volume 1A: Muslim Rule in Bengal (600-170/1203-1757), By- Muhammad Mohar Ali, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Department of Culture and Publications.
• Bakhtiyar Khalji, Banglapedia
• Sena Dynasty, Banglapedia