Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/60

 GOLD COIN OP MAHMUD, STRUCK AT NAISHAPDE IN KHORASAN, A. H. 402 (A. D. 1011-1012). CHAPTER II THE HOLY WAES OF ISLAM WAGED AGAINST HINDU- STAN BY SABUKTAGIN AND MAHMUD OF GHAZNI 975 -1030 A. D. rMHE Mohammedan conquest of India, as has been -L shown in the third volume of this series, was effected in reality not by the Arabs but by the Moslem Turks from Central Asia, who had settled in Afghan- istan and made the mountain fortress of Ghazni their stronghold in the latter part of the tenth century. Sabuktagin, a slave by birth but a sovereign by achieve- ment, ruled as lord of the Afghan tribes around his little kingdom of G-hazni (976-997 A. D.) and brought province after province under his imperial sway until he was prepared to invade northwestern India. His sword had a double sanctification in this endeavour, since it was to be drawn to fight the battle for the faith under the crescent and green banner of Islam against the infidels and idolaters of Hindustan, and a rich reward of booty was also in prospect for the puissant commander. He advanced from Afghanistan into the 34