Sack of Somnath

This article is about the 1026 attack on Somnath by the Ghaznavid Empire. For the Pakistani Naval raid in 1965, see Operation Somnath.
Sack of Somnath
Part of Ghaznavid campaigns in India

Ruins of Somnath as viewed in 1869
Date8 January 1026
Location
Somnath Temple
20°53′16.9″N 70°24′5.0″E / 20.888028°N 70.401389°E / 20.888028; 70.401389
Result Ghaznavid victory
Belligerents
Ghaznavids Chaulukya dynasty
Abhira dynasty
Commanders and leaders
Mahmud of Ghazni Bhima I
Mandalika
Strength
30,000 cavalry
Unknown number of volunteers		 20,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown 50,000 killed
Location within Gujarat
Sack of Somnath (India)

The Sack of Somnath in 1026 was a military campaign orchestrated by Mahmud of Ghazni, the ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, against the Chaulukya dynasty of Gujarat. This is considered Mahmud's fifteenth invasion of India, which saw strategic captures and battles that culminated in the destruction of the revered Somnath Temple. Facing staunch resistance, Mahmud's forces emerged victorious, resulting in significant casualties. Entering Somnath in early January, Mahmud looted and burned the temple, earning him a title "The Idol Breaker".

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.