Bakhtiyar Khalji led his army through harsh terrain into the cultivated valley of mainland Kamarupa and Tibet, where he met fierce resistance and a guerrilla uprising
Several thousand; cavalry reduced to a few hundred
Unknown
He was motivated by a desire to control the lucrative trade between Tibet and India. Tibet was a source of the most prized possession of any army---horses---and Khalji was keen to secure this route and control the trade by conquering Tibet.
The Muslims conquered Bengal after overthrowing the Sena dynasty in Gaur between 1198 and 1202. Bakhtiyar Khalji, the Governor of Bengal, subsequently became obsessed with ambitions of conquering Tibet. Historically, Bengal had trade relations with Tibet along the ‘Tea-Horse Route’, through Assam, Sikkim and Bhutan, to parts of China and Southeast Asia, which were home to gold and silver mines.[3] Tibet was also a source of horses.[4] The planned invasion also coincided with the Era of Fragmentation and the collapse of the Tibetan Empire.
The expedition was aided by Ali Mech, a tribal chief, in the foothills of Kamarupa. He was a recent convert to Islam, and he helped the expedition by acting as a guide for them.[5][6]
Campaign
On his way north, he invited the King of Kamarupa (Assam) to join him but the latter refused. After marching for 15 days through North Bengal and Sikkim, Khalji's army reached the Chumbi valley in Tibet. Surprisingly, they had faced little resistance but it soon became obvious why. The Tibetans had lured Khalji and his army into a trap. The rugged Himalayan mountain passes were an unfamiliar terrain to the invading army, who were more used to the sultry and humid plains of Bengal. The Tibetans inflicted heavy casualties on the invaders and Khalji decided to retreat. But, all along the escape route, the Tibetans continued to carry out relentless guerrilla-style attacks on the retreating army. Khalji's men were so badly defeated that the starving soldiers were forced to eat their own horses to stay alive.
On their way back to Bengal, the Army passed through the plains of Kamarupa (now North Bengal), while going through the territory of Kamarupa in the sub-alpine Himalayan hills, where his army crossed an ancient stone bridge on the river. The forces found the arches in the bridge to be destroyed by the Assamese which made it difficult to cross the deep river. In a desperate attempt to reach the other side of the river at Devkot, Khalji's forces lost a number of men and horses. It is said that of the 10,000-strong army that had marched into Tibet, only around 100 men returned.[7][8]
Aftermath
There are two accounts of what happened to Bakhtiyar Khalji following the Tibet and Kamarupa debacle. One account speaks of him dying from ill health and injury during this retreat to Bengal.[9][6] Another account notes that he was assassinated by Ali Mardan Khalji after returning to Devkot in Bengal.[7]
^Debajyoti Burman (1947). Indo-Muslim Relations: A Study in Historical Background. Jugabani Sahitya Chakra. p. 67.
^Khan, Muhammad Mojlum (21 October 2013). The Muslim Heritage of Bengal: The Lives, Thoughts and Achievements of Great Muslim Scholars, Writers and Reformers of Bangladesh and West Bengal. Kube Publishing Ltd. p. 19. ISBN9781847740625.
^Farooqui Salma Ahmed (2011). A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century. Pearson Education India. p. 53. ISBN978-81-317-3202-1.
^P. K. Mishra (1999). Studies in Hindu and Buddhist Art. Abhinav Publications. p. 101. ISBN978-81-7017-368-7.
^Siddiq, Mohammad Yusuf (2015). Epigraphy and Islamic Culture: Inscriptions of the Early Muslim Rulers of Bengal (1205–1494). Routledge. p. 36. ISBN9781317587460.
^ abNadwi, Abu Bakr Amir-uddin (2004). Tibet and Tibetan Muslims. Translated by Sharma, Parmananda. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. pp. 43–44. ISBN9788186470350.
^ abNitish K. Sengupta (1 January 2011). Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib. Penguin Books India. pp. 63–64. ISBN978-0-14-341678-4.
^William John Gill; Henry Yule (9 September 2010). The River of Golden Sand: The Narrative of a Journey Through China and Eastern Tibet to Burmah. Cambridge University Press. p. 43. ISBN978-1-108-01953-8.
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Bakhtiyar Khalji the Muslim conqueror of Bengal under the Delhi Sultanate launched a campaign to invade Tibet in the 13th century 2 Bakhtiyar Khalji s Tibet campaignBakhtiyar Khalji led his army through harsh terrain into the cultivated valley of mainland Kamarupa and Tibet where he met fierce resistance and a guerrilla uprisingDate1206LocationChumbi Valley TibetResultTibetan victoryBelligerentsDelhi SultanateMech tribeTibetan tribesCommanders and leadersBakhtiyar Khalji Ali MechTibetan tribal leadersStrength10 000 approx 1 UnknownCasualties and lossesSeveral thousand cavalry reduced to a few hundredUnknownHe was motivated by a desire to control the lucrative trade between Tibet and India Tibet was a source of the most prized possession of any army horses and Khalji was keen to secure this route and control the trade by conquering Tibet Contents 1 Background 2 Campaign 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground EditThe Muslims conquered Bengal after overthrowing the Sena dynasty in Gaur between 1198 and 1202 Bakhtiyar Khalji the Governor of Bengal subsequently became obsessed with ambitions of conquering Tibet Historically Bengal had trade relations with Tibet along the Tea Horse Route through Assam Sikkim and Bhutan to parts of China and Southeast Asia which were home to gold and silver mines 3 Tibet was also a source of horses 4 The planned invasion also coincided with the Era of Fragmentation and the collapse of the Tibetan Empire The expedition was aided by Ali Mech a tribal chief in the foothills of Kamarupa He was a recent convert to Islam and he helped the expedition by acting as a guide for them 5 6 Campaign EditOn his way north he invited the King of Kamarupa Assam to join him but the latter refused After marching for 15 days through North Bengal and Sikkim Khalji s army reached the Chumbi valley in Tibet Surprisingly they had faced little resistance but it soon became obvious why The Tibetans had lured Khalji and his army into a trap The rugged Himalayan mountain passes were an unfamiliar terrain to the invading army who were more used to the sultry and humid plains of Bengal The Tibetans inflicted heavy casualties on the invaders and Khalji decided to retreat But all along the escape route the Tibetans continued to carry out relentless guerrilla style attacks on the retreating army Khalji s men were so badly defeated that the starving soldiers were forced to eat their own horses to stay alive On their way back to Bengal the Army passed through the plains of Kamarupa now North Bengal while going through the territory of Kamarupa in the sub alpine Himalayan hills where his army crossed an ancient stone bridge on the river The forces found the arches in the bridge to be destroyed by the Assamese which made it difficult to cross the deep river In a desperate attempt to reach the other side of the river at Devkot Khalji s forces lost a number of men and horses It is said that of the 10 000 strong army that had marched into Tibet only around 100 men returned 7 8 Aftermath EditThere are two accounts of what happened to Bakhtiyar Khalji following the Tibet and Kamarupa debacle One account speaks of him dying from ill health and injury during this retreat to Bengal 9 6 Another account notes that he was assassinated by Ali Mardan Khalji after returning to Devkot in Bengal 7 See also EditBritish expedition to TibetReferences Edit Debajyoti Burman 1947 Indo Muslim Relations A Study in Historical Background Jugabani Sahitya Chakra p 67 Khan Muhammad Mojlum 21 October 2013 The Muslim Heritage of Bengal The Lives Thoughts and Achievements of Great Muslim Scholars Writers and Reformers of Bangladesh and West Bengal Kube Publishing Ltd p 19 ISBN 9781847740625 Farooqui Salma Ahmed 2011 A Comprehensive History of Medieval India Twelfth to the Mid Eighteenth Century Pearson Education India p 53 ISBN 978 81 317 3202 1 P K Mishra 1999 Studies in Hindu and Buddhist Art Abhinav Publications p 101 ISBN 978 81 7017 368 7 Siddiq Mohammad Yusuf 2015 Epigraphy and Islamic Culture Inscriptions of the Early Muslim Rulers of Bengal 1205 1494 Routledge p 36 ISBN 9781317587460 a b Nadwi Abu Bakr Amir uddin 2004 Tibet and Tibetan Muslims Translated by Sharma Parmananda Dharamsala Library of Tibetan Works and Archives pp 43 44 ISBN 9788186470350 a b Nitish K Sengupta 1 January 2011 Land of Two Rivers A History of Bengal from the Mahabharata to Mujib Penguin Books India pp 63 64 ISBN 978 0 14 341678 4 William John Gill Henry Yule 9 September 2010 The River of Golden Sand The Narrative of a Journey Through China and Eastern Tibet to Burmah Cambridge University Press p 43 ISBN 978 1 108 01953 8 Ahmed ABM Shamsuddin 2012 Bakhtiyar Khalji In Islam Sirajul Miah Sajahan Khanam Mahfuza Ahmed Sabbir eds Banglapedia the National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh Online ed Dhaka Bangladesh Banglapedia Trust Asiatic Society of Bangladesh ISBN 984 32 0576 6 OCLC 52727562 Retrieved 1 January 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bakhtiyar Khalji 27s Tibet campaign amp oldid 1124808665, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
