Sack of Somnath

Sack of Somnath
Part of Ghaznavid campaigns in India
Ruins of Somnath as viewed in 1869
Date 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
Commanders and leaders
Mahmud of Ghazni	Bhima I
Strength
60,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	50,000
class=notpageimage| Location within Gujarat Show map of Gujarat Sack of Somnath (India) Show map of India

The Sack of Somnath in 1026 was a military campaign orchestrated by Mahmud of Ghazni, a ruler of the Ghaznavid Empire, directed against the Chaulukya dynasty of Gujarat. This is considered Mahmud's fifteenth invasion of India, which saw strategic captures and decisive battles and culminated in the destruction of the revered Somnath Temple. Facing staunch resistance, Mahmud's forces emerged victorious, resulting in significant casualties.

Entering Somnath in mid-January, Mahmud looted and burned the temple, earning him the title 'The Idol Breaker.' His swift departure encountered naval clashes with the Jats near the Indus River. Conducting a naval attack near the Indus River, Mahmud of Ghazni inflicted a severe defeat on the Jats, compelling them to retreat with substantial losses. This event remains a historical symbol of cultural clash and religious desecration during Mahmud's military campaigns in medieval India.