Qutb ud-Din Aibak
Qutb ud-Din Aibak was a Turkic slave-soldier who rose to become the founder of the Delhi Sultanate in 1206, the first Muslim sultanate to rule over the Indian subcontinent. Originally purchased as a slave and trained as a military commander by Muhammad of Ghor, he conquered large parts of northern India and upon his master’s death declared himself sultan in Lahore. He is credited with beginning construction of the Quwwat ul-Islam mosque and the Qutb Minar in Delhi, the earliest surviving monuments of Islamic architecture in India. His dynasty — the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty — inaugurated five centuries of Muslim sultanate rule in Delhi.
- Lived: 1150 CE – 1210 CE
- Nationality: indian
- Roles: ruler, general
