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Imagine the stark contrast of life-a king on one day, paraded as a slave through enemy streets the next. Picture a family, filled with happiness and loved ones, torn apart forcibly, each member sold to different masters overnight. This isn't a mere hypothesis but a harsh, often overlooked reality endured by Hindu kings and commoners alike in medieval India under the rule and attacks of Islamic monarchs. A story that, remains one of the most neglected topics in secular India is - the story of Hindu slaves
In the shadows of medieval Central Asia, a grim trade flourished, weaving a dark thread through the tapestry of history. Hindu slaves, handcuffed and sold in bustling markets, became the silent yet crucial pillars of expanding empires. These captives, pulled from their homes, were thrust into the service of foreign Muslim invaders, fueling the relentless expansion of the Delhi Sultanate and the many other dynasties. Their labor and resilience, forged in the crucible of oppression, became the bedrock upon which these mighty empires were built, leaving an indelible mark on the rise of islamic rule and the fall of hindu empires.
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During the invasion by Muhammad al-Qasim, countless women and children were enslaved. Historical sources indicate that, in accordance with religious law, a fifth of the slaves and spoils were allocated to the caliph’s treasury and sent to Iraq and Syria, while the rest were distributed among the Islamic army. For instance, 60,000 captives were enslaved at Rūr, 30,000 at Brahamanabad, and 6,000 at Multan. Slave raids continued during the late Umayyad period in Sindh and extended further into regions like Ujjain and Malwa..
- André Wink, "Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World," vol. 1, pp. 172-173
Because Hindus were labeled as kafirs, or non-believers, in Muslim societies, they were particularly sought after in the early modern Central Asian slave markets, alongside Europeans, Shia Iranians, and Zoroastrians. The demand for Hindu slaves was so high that Muslim rulers in India granted Hindus the status of ‘dhimmi’ (protected) for practical reasons, despite its moral implications.
The significant presence of Hindu slaves in medieval and early modern Central Asia has often been overlooked in Indian historical narratives. For instance, the Bukharan waqfnama from 1326 repeatedly mentions Hindu slaves, and another document from 1489 in the archive of Sheikh Khwaja Ahrar describes Hindu slaves working as artisans and laborers on farms. Additionally, historical records note the presence of Hindu slaves among Turkic pastoral groups, such as in accounts of the Uzbek ruler Shibani Khan's victory over Tanish Sultan.
Hindus were transported to the Central Asian slave markets in large numbers through various means. According to commercial records, many slaves were moved by caravan traders who either bought them directly or acquired them through barter, exchanging goods such as horses.
The number of Hindu slaves in Central Asia surged dramatically after Shah Jahan's defeat in Balkh (1646-47), when many Hindu soldiers from the defeated Timurid army were taken as slaves to places like Samarqand, Turkestan, and Tashkent. The influx was so significant that the price of a 33-year-old Hindu male slave in Samarqand, which was 225 tanga in 1589, dropped to as low as 84 tanga after the 1647 defeat.
The exponential rise in the trade of Hindu slaves in Central Asian markets during Muslim dominion in India can be attributed to two main factors: constant wars and the tax revenue policies of Muslim rulers. During the early Arab invasions of Sind in the early 8th century CE, historical records indicate that the armies of Muhammad Qasim took many thousands of Hindus as slaves. This practice of enslaving Hindu prisoners became even more prominent during the later Turko-Afghan invasions of the Indian subcontinent.
(cited in Om Prakash's "Religion and Society in Ancient India," 1985, p. 140).
André Wink, "Al-Hind: The Making of the Indo-Islamic World," vol. 1, pp. 172-173
("Babur-nama: Memoirs of Babur," translated by Annette Beveridge, p. 225).
(KS Lal, "Slavery in India - Muslim Slave System in India," p. 58).
(Kidwai, "Sultans, Eunuchs and Domestics," p. 87).
(Barani, "Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi," edited by Saiyid Ahmad Khan, pp. 57-59, 382).
(Muhammad Qasim Firishta, Tarikh-i-Firishta, pp. 27-28, & 48-49).
("Babur-nama: Memoirs of Babur," translated by Annette Beveridge, p. 225).