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Qutb al-Din Aybak

Type Figure Region India Time c. 1150–1210 Also known as Aybak、Qutb al-Din

Turkic military commander, c. 1150–1210; originally a slave commander under Ghurid Sultan Shihab al-Din, he campaigned in India from the 1170s, held …

Timeline

  1. c. 1150–1170Turkestan · Central AsiaSold into slavery in childhood, he won the Ghurid sultan's favor for his prowess in horsemanship and archery, entered the military slave system, and gradually rose to become a trusted commander under Shihab al-Din.
  2. 1171–1180Multan · PunjabDuring this period he accompanied Shihab al-Din Ghuri's expeditions into India, taking part in the capture of fortresses such as Multan and Uch, displaying outstanding command ability and becoming the sultan's relied-upon vanguard commander.
  3. 1192–1210Delhi · DelhiAfter the Battle of Tarain he was commissioned to hold Delhi; after Shihab al-Din's assassination in 1206 he made himself sultan, founding an Islamic regime in India, and ordered the construction of the Qutb Minar.

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