These Mahomedan princes, though really independent, were however nominally subject to the Kalif ; and even Mahmoud, on his accession to the throne, received the robe of honour, and the investiture as sultan, from the Kalif Cader, in the year A. D. 998.
Before Mahmoud began his first expedition into India, he extended his empire northwards by reducing Bucharia, and he also obtained possession of Balk, or Balich. Three years after his accession, he entered Hindostan ; but he iemained only a short time, as in the year A. D. 1002, he invaded Segestan. In the year 1005, he again entered Hindostan, and seized on Ilabeth and Multan. But he was again induced to leave his newly acquired territory, in order to turn his arms against Ilek Khan, who, taking advantage of his absence, had besieged Balk. Such was the activity and success of Mahmoud, that in 1006 he had slain the invader of his kingdom, and driven his army across the Oxus. As soon as he had secured his territo ries, he returned to India, under the united influence of ambition and religion ; for, true to the spirit and express commands of Mahomet, his object was no less to make converts than to extend his dominions. His conquests, however, for some time were not very extensive ; for in the course of eight years he made no further progress than to Multan. The inhabitants of this district, who, ac cording to Major Rennell, were the Malli and Cathcri (that is, the Kuttry or Rajpoot tribe) of Alexander, inhe riting the martial spirit of their ancestors, opposed for so long a period such formidable armies, headed by so furi ous an enthusiast. In 1008, all the Hindoo princes, from the west of the Ganges to the river Nerbuddah, were con federated against Mahrnoud; but they were at length de feated; and the victor's first step towards the destruction of the native religion was, the demolition of the famous temple of Nagore Cote, in the mountains adjoining the Punjab country. His sixth expedition took place in the year 1011 ; in this also he was successful, and true to his religion, he again took advantage of his success to destroy Tannasar, a place of Hindoo worship, on the west of Delhi ; the city of Delhi itself was taken at the same time. In the year 1018, he reduced Canoge, and destroy
ed the temples of Matura, near Agra. Flushed with his victories, he resolved to attempt the subjugation of the Rajpoots of Ajmeer, who had joined in the confederacy against him ; but their country, full of mountains and fast nesses, presented such serious difficulties, that he was compelled to relinquish his attempt. About this period he seems to have reduced Bcnares and Patna. Hitherto his conquests and victories had been confined to the north of India ; but about the year 1020, allured by the reputed treasures of the south, he directed his march to that quar ter. His route was by Multan and Ajmeer, the citadel of which last he was compelled to leave in the possession of the enemy ; and in crossing the desert between it and Multan, he nearly lost the whole of his army from the want of water. He penetrated, however, as fai: as Guze rat, which appears to have fallen an easy prey : Nehrwalla, the ancient capital of that kingdom, was reduced ; and the famous Hindoo temple of Soumenat, adjoining the town of Puttan, on the sea coast, was destroyed. Mahmoud, how ever, suffered this new conquest to retain at least a nomi nal independence, appointing a descendant of the ancient rulers of Guzerat to be its sovereign.
After an active and successful reign of thirty-one years, this prince died in the year 1028: his kingdom, at the pe riod of his death, consisted of the eastern, and by far the largest portion of Persia, as well as nominally of all the Indian provinces, from the western part of the Ganges to the peninsula of Guzerat, and Irom the Indus to the mountains of Ajmeer. The Punjab, however, which was in the immediate vicinity of the empire of Ghazna, was the only part that was subject to regular government, under the Mahomedans. Mahmoud appears to have been a prince distinguished for the elegance and magnificence of his court, as well as for his patronage of literature. By his express order, the materials of the Shah-nameh were col lected; and under his eye, Ferdousi composed that poem which has immortalised his name.