i) An important aspect of Islam in India was its early acceptance of a long-term coexistence with Hinduism, despite all the violence that occurred in military campaigns, conquests and depredations.
ii) The conqueror Muizzuddin of Ghor had, on some of his gold coins, stamped the image of the goddess Lakshmi.
iii) Muhammad Tughlaq in 1325 issued a farman enjoining that protection be extended by all officers to Jain priests; he himself played holi and consorted with yogis.
iv) The historian Barani noted with some bitterness how 'the kings of Islam' showed respect to 'Hindus, Mongols, Polytheists and infidels, by making them sit on masnad (cushions) and
v) By honouring them in other ways, and how the Hindus upon paying taxes (jiziya-o- kharaj) were allowed to have their temples and celebrations, employ Muslim servants, and flaunt their titles(rai, rana, thakur, sah, mahta, pandit, etc), right in the capital seats of Muslim rulers.

i) Bandagan is the plural of banda, literally military slaves. They were graded according to the years of service, proximity and trust worthiness.
ii) This trust led to their appointment as governors and military commanders.
iii) The Ghurid bandagan in North India were the slaves of Muiz-ud- Din Ghuri.
iv) Since these slaves were without a social identity of their own they were given new names by their masters, which included the nisba, which indicated their social, or regional identity.
v) Slaves carried the nisba of their master: hence Mu'izz al- Din's slave carried the nisba Mu'izzi and later Sultan Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish's slave were called the Shamsi bandagan.

Rajput Kingdoms
i) By the beginning of the tenth century two powerful Rajput Kingdoms Gurjar Prathihara and Rashtrakutas had lost their power.
ii) Tomaras (Delhi), Chauhans (Rajasthan), Solankis (Gujarat), Paramaras (Malwa), Gahadavalas (Kanauj) and Chandelas (Bundelkhand) had become important ruling dynasties of Northern India.
iii) Vighraharaja and Prithviraj, two prominent Chauhan rulers, Bhoja of Paramara dynasty, Ghadavala king Jayachandra, Yasovarrnan, Kirti Varman of Chandelas were all strong in their own regions.
iv) The Rajputs had a long tradition of martial spirit, courage and bravery.
v) There was little difference between the weapons used by the Turks and the Rajputs.

i) Mahmud ruled for thirty-two years.
ii) During this period, he conducted as many as seventeen military campaigns into India.
iii) He targeted Hindu temples that were depositories of vast treasures.
iv) Though the motive was to loot, there was also a military advantage in demolishing temples and smashing idols.
v) The Ghaznavid soldiers viewed it also as a demonstration of the invincible power of their god.
vi) The religious passions of Mahmud's army expressed itself in slaughter of 'infidels' and plunder and destruction oftheir places of worship.

i) Ziauddin Barani: Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi(1357) History of Delhi Sultanate up to Firuz Tughlaq
ii) Amir Khusrau: Mifta Ul Futuh (Victories of Jalal-ud-din Khalji); Khazain Ul Futuh (Victories of Allauddin Khalji - Texts in Persian)
iii) ughlaq Nama (History of Tughlaq dynasty in Persian)
iv) Shams-i-Siraj Afif: Tarikh i Firuz Shahi (after Barani's account of Delhi Sultanate in Persian)
v) Ghulam Yahya Bin Ahmad: Tarikh-i- Mubarak Shahi (Written in Persian during the reign of Sayyid ruler Mubarak Shah)
vi) Ferishta: History of the Muslim Rule in India (Persian).