Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak and the origin of Slave Dynasty

Qutub ud-din Aibak  also known as  Qutb al-din Aibak or Qutub ud Din Aybak (1150-1210),was the founder of Slave/Mamulk Dynasty  of Delhi in India.He was  the founder of Turkic dominion in India.



Qutb-ud-Din Aibak

He was born in Turkistan(Central Asia) in Aybak tribe in 1150A.D. He was captured  in  his childhood by a slave trader and sold  to chief Qazi of Nishapur (a town in Northern Iran). He was treated well by Qazi like his own son. He was well raised  and imparted a proper education. He also mastered archery and Horsemanship in small age. Qazi’s compassion for Aibak was unacceptable to his sons. When his master(Qazi) died his son due to jealousy sold him to a slave trader who  subsequently sold him to The Sultan of Ghor also known as Muhammad Ghori . Gradually  Ghori  started realizing his potential and eventually he was made Amir-i-Akhur(master of stable).He become one of the trusted slaves of  Sultan Mohammad Ghori. He  also proved himself as an able commander and given the rank of military command by Ghori. . The conquest of Northern India were mainly executed by him. After winning second battle of Tarain(1192), Ghori returned to Khorasan and gave the charge of consolidation of Ghurid Conquest in Northwest India to Aibak. He established his hegemony over areas between ri ver Ganga and Yamuna.In 1195-1203A.D,he launched campaigns against strongholds of Rajput’s while his lieutenant Muhammad Bin Bakhtiyar Khilji subjugated Bihar and Bengal.Despite the rebellion’s like Taj-ud-Din Ildiss and Nasir-ud-Din Qubachah , he efficiently managed administrative system  established by Ghori.

 

 Ghori  had no sons so after his assassination In 1206A.D Aibak succeded him. He was still technically a slave but he quickly obtained Manumission(An act of being relieved as a slave) .Aibak spent part of his time in Delhi but he was very fond of Lahore city and did much to beautify it. In 1210 Aibak died in an accident while playing Polo. He fell down from his horse and got severely injured and was never recovered from it. He was buried in Lahore near Anarkali Bazaar.

 

 

 

He started the construction of Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi  by breaking the temple made by Prithviraj Chauhan. Certain part of temple was kept intact outside the mosque. He also started the construction of Qutub Minar in memory of sufi saint  Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki,which he was not able to complete and were later completed by his successor Shamsuddin Iltutmish,another slave hence forth the slave Dynasty. These both were among the earliest Muslim monument in Delhi. He also built Adhai din ka Jhopra in Ajmer.