Ghurid Raids on North India (1180s)

Timeline

1. 1181–1183Ghazna · GhaznaIn the early 1180s, Muhammad of Ghur consolidated control over Ghur and Herat and attacked the declining Ghaznavid dynasty to the south. Around 1186 he finally captured Ghazna, destroying the Ghaznavid remnants on the Indian subcontinent and gaining a springboard for attacking northern India.
2. 1186–1188Lahore · LahoreGhurid forces captured the strategic stronghold of Lahore, controlling the gateway to the Punjab. This brought Islamic forces directly to the borders of the Hindu kingdoms, and Lahore became a supply and manpower base for subsequent expeditions. Local Hindu rulers were forced to submit or withdraw.
3. 1189–1190Tarain (Tara'in) · HaryanaIn the late 1180s, Ghurid forces began crossing the Sutlej River to raid the frontiers of Rajput kingdoms such as Kannauj. Small-scale skirmishes were frequent, and by 1190 a major decisive battle was imminent. The Ghurid expeditions marked a fundamental turning point in the political order of North India.