Resources for the Study of Indian History

Disclaimer: Many claims and counter-claims have been made about the nature of the Arab, Persian and Turkish invasions of India which began in the eighth century and continued through the eighteenth century. Many of those who have made claims have failed to substantiate them using primary sources, which has resulted in confusion. This reference is based on research ranging over a wide range of primary sources, providing excerpts of relevant passages in English translation. Many of these texts were written by authors who accompanied the invaders and recorded what they saw in Arabic, Persian or Turkish. The source of these excerpts are the translations made by Sir H. M. Elliot, and edited and published in 24 volumes by John Dowson in 1867. Each scholar studying this material must make his or her own analysis and interpretation. No attempts are made here to make value judgements, nor should the historical events described herein be projected onto contemporary peoples or situations. In any balanced interpretation of today’s society, this data would be only a small subset of the much larger set of information needed to reach a balanced conclusion.

Arab Invasion of Sindh

Date	Source	Events
711-713 CE	Chach Na’ma	Invasion of Sindh by Muhammad bin Qâsim
711-c. 850 CE	Futuhu-l Bulda’n	Arab Invasion and administration in Sindh

Ghaznivid Period

Date	Source	Events
986-1019 CE	Tarikh Yamini	Subuktigin and Mahmud’s Attacks on India
late 10th century	Tarikhu-s Subuktigin	Subuktigin’s Assault on Hansi
1008 CE	Tarikh-i Firishta	Mahmud’s Defeat of Indian confederacy at Peshwar
1009-1024 CE	Habibu-s Siyar	Mahmud’s Attack on Kangra, Kanauj & Somnath
1014 CE	Khulasatu-t Tawarikh	Mahmud’s Attack on Thaneswar
1018-1019 CE	Tabakat-i Akbar	Mahmud’s Attack on Kanauj and Mathura
1023-1024 CE	Asaru-l Bilad	Mahmud’s Attack on Somnath
1023-1024 CE	Kamilu-t Tawarikh	Mahmud’s Attack on Somnath
1023-1024 CE	Tabakat-i Nasiri	Mahmud’s Attack on Somnath
1023-1024 CE	Tarikh-i Alfi	Mahmud’s Attack on Somnath
1024 CE	Mirati Mas’udi	Aftermath of Attack on Somnath
early 12th century	Nuzhatu-l Mushtak	Description of Indians

Delhi Sultanate

Date	Source	Events
1192-early 13th century	Taju-l Ma’asir	Qutb-ud-din Aibak & Îltutmish’s Raids
1193-1260 CE	Tabakat-i Nasiri	Muhammad Bakhtiyar’s raid on Bihar; events during the reigns of the Îltutmish & Nâsir-ud dîn Mahmûd
1194 CE	Kamilu-t Tawarikh	Qutb-ud-din Aibak’s Attack on Benaras
1298 CE	Tazjiyatu-l Amsar	Sultan ‘Alau-d dîn’s Invasion of Gujarat
1303-1310 CE	Tarikh-i ‘Alai	Sultan ‘Alau-d dîn’s Conquests
1397-1398 CE	Malfuzat-i Timuri	Timur’s invasion of India
1397-1398 CE	Zafar-nama	Timur’s invasion of India
1492, 1542 CE	Zubdatu-t Tawarikh	Events during the Lodî dynasty
no date	Mukhtasiru-t  Tawarikh	General Description of India

Moghul Period

Date	Source	Events
1564, 1567	Tabakat-i Akbar-shahi	Âsaf Khân’s raid on Gondwâna; Akbar’s assault on Chitor
1565-late 1500s	Tarikh-i Tahiri	Attacks on Thatta by the Portuguese and Mirza Muhammad Baki
late 1500s	Beg Lar Nama	Sacking of ‘Umarkot by Mir Abu-l Kasim
1714 CE	Muntakhabu-l Lubab	Persecution of Sikhs and Hindus
1739 CE	Tarikh-i Hindi	Nâdir Shâh’s sack of Delhi
1739 CE	Tazkira	Nâdir Shâh’s sack of Delhi