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Ghurid Empire
Empire
Level 2
c. 1175 – 1206
Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad (Muhammad of Ghor) conquered north India, founding Turkish rule in Delhi.
- Capital
- Firozkoh / Ghazni
- Region
- Northwest
- Duration
- 31 years
- Main period
- Regional Kingdoms & Ghaznavid/Ghurid Expansion
Changing extent
Approximate extent over time (solid = latest, dashed = earlier).
Rulers
- Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad Sultan1163 – 1203Senior Ghurid ruler at Firozkoh.
- Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad (Muhammad of Ghor) Sultan1173 – 1206Victor at the Second Battle of Tarain.
Selected rulers; gaps in the list are not gaps in the dynasty.
Key events
| Year | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| 1175 | Muhammad of Ghor takes Multan | Multan |
| 1186 | Ghurids take Lahore, ending the Ghaznavids The last Ghaznavid ruler, Khusrau Malik, was captured. |
Lahore |
| c. 1190 | Minaret of Jam built | Jam |
| 1192 | Second Battle of Tarain Muhammad of Ghor defeats Prithviraj; Turkish rule in north India begins. Prithviraj Chauhan was defeated and killed, opening north India to the Ghurids. |
Tarain |
| 1194 | Battle of Chandawar Jayachandra of the Gahadavalas killed. Jayachandra was killed and the Ghurids took Kannauj and Varanasi. |
Chandawar |
| c. 1204 | Bakhtiyar Khalji takes Nadia Lakshmana Sena fled to east Bengal and Turkish rule began in Bengal. |
Nabadwip |
Sites & monuments
Minaret of Jam
Religious monument · c. 1190
📚 Recommended reading on the Ghurid Empire
Textbook
Themes in Indian History, Parts I–III (Class 12)
Source-based chapters on Harappa, Vijayanagara, the Mughal court and 1857 — essential for UPSC.
Textbook
An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I (Class 11)
The standard base for art and architecture questions — stupas, temples and sculpture.
Textbook
History of Medieval India
The go-to single volume on the Sultanate, Mughals and regional kingdoms.
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Contemporaries
Powers that coexisted with the Ghurid Empire for a significant part of its history.
Chahamanas (Chauhans) of Shakambhari ★
West · c. 650 CE – c. 1194
Chola Empire ★
South · c. 848 CE – 1279
Ghaznavid Empire ★
Northwest · c. 977 CE – c. 1186
Polonnaruwa Kingdom ★
Sri Lanka · c. 1070 – 1232
Sultanate of the Maldives ★
Islands · c. 1153 – 1968
Kalachuris of Tripuri
Central · c. 675 CE – 1212
Guhilas of Medapata
West · c. 728 CE – 1303
Thakuri Kingdom of Nepal
Himalaya · c. 750 CE – 1200
Paramara Dynasty
Central · c. 800 CE – 1305
Chandela Dynasty
Central · c. 831 CE – 1315
Chaulukyas (Solankis) of Gujarat
West · c. 940 CE – 1244
Western Chalukyas of Kalyani
Deccan · c. 973 CE – c. 1189
Hoysala Empire
South · c. 1026 – 1343
Soomra Dynasty
Northwest · c. 1026 – 1351
Sena Dynasty
East · c. 1070 – 1230
Eastern Ganga Dynasty
East · c. 1078 – 1434
Gahadavala Dynasty
Gangetic Plain · c. 1089 – c. 1197
Khasa Malla Kingdom
Himalaya · c. 1100 – c. 1400
Zamorins of Calicut
South · c. 1124 – 1766
Kachwahas of Amber (Jaipur)
West · c. 1128 – 1949
Kakatiya Dynasty
Deccan · c. 1163 – 1323
Seuna (Yadava) Dynasty
Deccan · c. 1187 – 1317
Pandya Empire (Second Empire)
South · c. 1190 – 1345