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categories: People from Kaushambi district,1316 deaths,Indian Sunni Muslims,14th-century Indian monarchs,Indian people of Afghan descent,13th-century Indian monarchs,Sultans of the Khalji dynasty,Alauddin Khalji,Indian warriors,Deaths from edema,Asian people of Turkic descent,13th-century births

paragraph: Alauddin Khalji

paragraph: ʿAlāʾ ud-Dīn Khaljī () was the second and the most powerful ruler of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent.

paragraph: Born as Ali Gurshasp, Alauddin was a nephew and a son-in-law of his predecessor Jalaluddin. When Jalaluddin became the Sultan of Delhi after deposing the Mamluks, Alauddin was given the position of "Amir-i-Tuzuk" (equivalent to master of ceremonies). Alauddin obtained the governorship of Kara in 1291 after suppressing a revolt against Jalaluddin, and the governorship of Awadh in 1296 after a profitable raid on Bhilsa. In 1296, Alauddin raided Devagiri, and acquired loot to stage a successful revolt against Jalaluddin. After killing Jalaluddin, he consolidated his power in Delhi, and subjugated Jalaluddin's sons in Multan.

paragraph: Over the next few years, Alauddin successfully fended off the Mongol invasions from the Chagatai Khanate, at Jaran-Manjur (1297–1298), Sivistan (1298), Kili (1299), Delhi (1303), and Amroha (1305). In 1306, his forces achieved a decisive victory against the Mongols near the Ravi riverbank, and in the subsequent years, his forces ransacked the Mongol territories in present-day Afghanistan. The military commanders that successfully led his army against the Mongols include Zafar Khan, Ulugh Khan, and his slave-general Malik Kafur.

paragraph: Alauddin conquered the kingdoms of Gujarat (raided in 1299 and annexed in 1304), Ranthambore (1301), Chittor (1303), Malwa (1305), Siwana (1308), and Jalore (1311). These victories ended several Hindu dynasties, including the Paramaras, the Vaghelas, the Chahamanas of Ranastambhapura and Jalore, the Rawal branch of the Guhilas, and possibly the Yajvapalas. His slave-general Malik Kafur led multiple campaigns to the south of the Vindhyas, obtaining a considerable amount of wealth from Devagiri (1308), Warangal (1310) and Dwarasamudra (1311). These victories forced the Yadava king Ramachandra, the Kakatiya king Prataparudra, and the Hoysala king Ballala III to become Alauddin's tributaries. Kafur also raided the Pandya kingdom (1311), obtaining a large number of treasures, elephants and horses.

paragraph: At times, Alauddin exploited Muslim fanaticism against Hindu chieftains and the treatment of the "zimmis". He rarely heeded to the orthodox "ulema" but believed "that the Hindu will never be submissive and obedient to the Musalman." He undertook measures to impoverish them and felt it was justified because he knew the Hindu chiefs and "muqaddams" led a luxurious life but didn't pay a "jital" in taxes. Under the Mamluks, Indian Muslims and Hindus were deprived of positions in higher bureaucracy. However, Amir Khusrau mentions a Hindu officer of his army despatched to repel the Mongols. In addition, many non-Muslims served in his army.

paragraph: Alauddin instituted a number of administrative changes, related to revenues, price controls, and society. During the last years of his life, Alauddin suffered from an illness, and relied on Malik Kafur to handle the administration. After his death in 1316, Malik Kafur appointed Shihabuddin, son of Alauddin and his Hindu wife Jhatyapali, as a puppet monarch. However, his elder son Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah seized the power shortly after his death.

paragraph: Section::::Early life.

paragraph: Contemporary chroniclers did not write much about Alauddin's childhood. According to the 16th/17th-century chronicler Haji-ud-Dabir, Alauddin was 34 years old when he started his march to Ranthambore (1300–1301). Assuming this is correct, Alauddin's birth can be dated to 1266–1267. His original name was Ali Gurshasp. He was the eldest son of Shihabuddin Mas'ud, who was the elder brother of the Khalji dynasty's founder Sultan Jalaluddin. He had three brothers: Almas Beg (later Ulugh Khan), Qutlugh Tigin and Muhammad.

paragraph: Alauddin was brought up by Jalaluddin after Shihabuddin's death. Both Alauddin and his younger brother Almas Beg married Jalaluddin's daughters. After Jalaluddin became the Sultan of Delhi, Alauddin was appointed as "Amir-i-Tuzuk" (equivalent to Master of ceremonies), while Almas Beg was given the post of "Akhur-beg" (equivalent to Master of the Horse).

paragraph: Section::::Early life.:Marriage to Jalaluddin's daughter.

paragraph: Alauddin married Jalaluddin's daughter, Malika-i-Jahan, long before the Khalji revolution of 1290. The marriage, however, was not a happy one. Having suddenly become a princess after Jalaluddin's rise as a monarch, she was very arrogant and tried to dominate Alauddin. According to Haji-ud-Dabir, Alauddin married a second woman, named Mahru, who was the sister of Malik Sanjar alias Alp Khan. Malika-i-Jahan was greatly infuriated by the fact that her husband had taken a second wife. According to Dabir, this was the main cause of misunderstanding between Alauddin and his first wife. Once, while Alauddin and Mahru were together in a garden, Jalaluddin's daughter attacked Mahru out of jealousy. In response, Alauddin assaulted her. The incident was reported to Jalaluddin, but the Sultan did not take any action against Alauddin. Alauddin was not on good terms with his mother-in-law either, who wielded great influence over the Sultan. According to the 16th-century historian Firishta, she warned Jalaluddin that Alauddin was planning to set up an independent kingdom in a remote part of the country. She kept a close watch on Alauddin, and encouraged her daughter's arrogant behavior towards him.

paragraph: Section::::Early life.:Governor of Kara.

paragraph: In 1291, Alauddin played an important role in crushing a revolt by the governor of Kara Malik Chajju. As a result, Jalaluddin appointed him as the new governor of Kara in 1291. Malik Chajju's former "Amirs" (subordinate nobles) at Kara considered Jalaluddin as a weak and ineffective ruler, and instigated Alauddin to usurp the throne of Delhi. This, combined with his unhappy domestic life, made Alauddin determined to dethrone Jalaluddin.

paragraph: Section::::Conspiracy against Jalaluddin.

paragraph: While instigating Alauddin to revolt against Jalaluddin, Malik Chajju's supporters emphasized that he needed a lot of money to raise a large army and stage a successful coup: Malik Chajju's revolt had failed for want of resources. To finance his plan to dethrone Jalaluddin, Alauddin decided to raid the neighbouring Hindu kingdoms. In 1293, he raided Bhilsa, a wealthy town in the Paramara kingdom of Malwa, which had been weakened by multiple invasions. At Bhilsa, he came to know about the immense wealth of the southern Yadava kingdom in the Deccan region, as well as about the routes leading to their capital Devagiri. Therefore, he shrewdly surrendered the loot from Bhilsa to Jalaluddin to win the Sultan's confidence, while withholding the information on the Yadava kingdom. A pleased Jalaluddin gave him the office of "Ariz-i Mamalik" (Minister of War), and also made him the governor of Awadh. In addition, the Sultan granted Alauddin's request to use the revenue surplus for hiring additional troops.

paragraph: After years of planning and preparation, Alauddin successfully raided Devagiri in 1296. He left Devagiri with a huge amount of wealth, including precious metals, jewels, silk products, elephants, horses, and slaves. When the news of Alauddin's success reached Jalaluddin, the Sultan came to Gwalior, hoping that Alauddin would present the loot to him there. However, Alauddin marched directly to Kara with all the wealth. Jalaluddin's advisors such as Ahmad Chap recommended intercepting Alauddin at Chanderi, but Jalaluddin had faith in his nephew. He returned to Delhi, believing that Alauddin would carry the wealth from Kara to Delhi. After reaching Kara, Alauddin sent a letter of apology to the Sultan, and expressed concern that his enemies may have poisoned the Sultan's mind against him during his absence. He requested a letter of pardon signed by the Sultan, which the Sultan immediately despatched through messengers. At Kara, Jalaluddin's messengers learned of Alauddin's military strength and of his plans to dethrone the Sultan. However, Alauddin detained them, and prevented them from communicating with the Sultan.

paragraph: Meanwhile, Alauddin's younger brother Almas Beg (later Ulugh Khan), who was married to a daughter of Jalaluddin, assured the Sultan of Alauddin's loyalty. He convinced Jalaluddin to visit Kara and meet Alauddin, saying that Alauddin would commit suicide out of guilt if the Sultan didn't pardon him personally. A gullible Jalaluddin set out for Kara with his army. After reaching close to Kara, he directed Ahmad Chap to take his main army to Kara by the land route, while he himself decided to cross the Ganges river with a smaller body of around 1,000 soldiers. On 20 July 1296, Alauddin had Jalaluddin killed after pretending to greet the Sultan, and declared himself the new king. Jalaluddin's companions were also killed, while Ahmad Chap's army retreated to Delhi.

paragraph: Section::::Ascension and march to Delhi.

paragraph: Alauddin, known as Ali Gurshasp until his ascension in July 1296, was formally proclaimed as the new king with the title "Alauddunya wad Din Muhammad Shah-us Sultan" at Kara. Meanwhile, the head of Jalaluddin was paraded on a spear in his camp before being sent to Awadh. Over the next two days, Alauddin formed a provisional government at Kara. He promoted the existing "Amirs" to the rank of "Maliks", and appointed his close friends as the new "Amirs".

paragraph: At that time, there were heavy rains, and the Ganga and the Yamuna rivers were flooded. But Alauddin made preparations for a march to Delhi, and ordered his officers to recruit as many soldiers as possible, without fitness tests or background checks. His objective was to cause a change in the general political opinion, by portraying himself as someone with huge public support. To portray himself as a generous king, he ordered 5 manns of gold pieces to be shot from a "manjaniq" (catapult) at a crowd in Kara.

paragraph: One section of his army, led by himself and Nusrat Khan, marched to Delhi via Badaun and Baran (modern Bulandshahr). The other section, led by Zafar Khan, marched to Delhi via Koil (modern Aligarh). As Alauddin marched to Delhi, the news spread in towns and villages that he was recruiting soldiers while distributing gold. A large number of people, from both military and non-military backgrounds, joined him. By the time he reached Badaun, he had a 56,000-strong cavalry and a 60,000-strong infantry. At Baran, Alauddin was joined by seven powerful Jalaluddin's nobles who had earlier opposed him. These nobles were Tajul Mulk Kuchi, Malik Abaji Akhur-bek, Malik Amir Ali Diwana, Malik Usman Amir-akhur, Malik Amir Khan, Malik Umar Surkha and Malik Hiranmar. Alauddin gave each of them 30 to 50 "mann"s of gold, and each of their soldiers 300 silver "tanka"s (hammered coins).

paragraph: Alauddin's march to Delhi was interrupted by the flooding of the Yamuna river. Meanwhile, in Delhi, Jalaluddin's widow "Malka-i-Jahan" appointed her youngest son Qadr Khan as the new king with title Ruknuddin Ibrahim, without consulting the nobles. This irked Arkali Khan, her elder son and the governor of Multan. When "Malika-i-Jahan" heard that Jalaluddin's nobles had joined Alauddin, she apologized to Arkali and offered him the throne, requesting him to march from Multan to Delhi. However, Arkali refused to come to her aid.

paragraph: Alauddin resumed his march to Delhi in the second week of October 1296, when the Yamuna river subsided. When he reached Siri, Ruknuddin led an army against him. However, a section of Ruknuddin's army defected to Alauddin at midnight. A dejected Ruknuddin then retreated and escaped to Multan with his mother and the loyal nobles. Alauddin then entered the city, where a number of nobles and officials accepted his authority. On 21 October 1296, Alauddin was formally proclaimed as the Sultan in Delhi.

paragraph: Section::::Consolidation of power.

paragraph: Initially, Alauddin consolidated power by making generous grants and endowments, and appointing a large number of people in the government offices. He balanced the power between the officers appointed by the Mamluks, the ones appointed by Jalaluddin, and his own appointees. He also increased the strength of the Sultanate's army, and gifted every soldier the salary of a year and a half in cash. Of Alauddin's first year as the Sultan, Ziauddin Barani wrote that it was the happiest year that the people of Delhi had ever seen.

paragraph: At this time, Alauddin's could not exercise his authority over all of Jalaluddin's former territories. In the Punjab region, his authority was limited to the areas east of the Ravi river. The region beyond Lahore suffered from Mongol raids and Khokhar rebellions. Multan was controlled by Jalaluddin's son Arkali, who harboured the fugitives from Delhi. In November 1296, Alauddin sent an army led by Ulugh Khan and Zafar Khan to conquer Multan. On his orders, Nusrat Khan arrested, blinded and/or killed the surviving members of Jalaluddin's surviving family.

paragraph: Shortly after the conquest of Multan, Alauddin appointed Nusrat Khan as his "wazir" (prime minister). Having strengthened his control over Delhi, the Sultan started eliminating the officers that were not his own appointees. In 1297, the aristocrats ("maliks"), who had deserted Jalaluddin's family to join Alauddin, were arrested, blinded or killed. All their property, including the money earlier given to them by Alauddin, was confiscated. As a result of these confiscations, Nusrat Khan obtained a huge amount of cash for the royal treasury. Only three "malik"s from Jalaluddin's time were spared: Malik Qutbuddin Alavi, Malik Nasiruddin Rana, Malik Amir Jamal Khalji. The rest of the older aristocrats were replaced with the new nobles, who were extremely loyal to Alauddin.

paragraph: Meanwhile, Ala-ul Mulk, who was Alaudidn's governor at Kara, came to Delhi with all the officers, elephants and wealth that Alauddin had left at Kara. Alauddin appointed Ala-ul Mulk as the kotwal of Delhi, and placed all the non-Turkic municipal employees under his charge. Since Ala-ul Mulk had become very obese, the fief of Kara was entrusted to Nusrat Khan, who had become unpopular in Delhi because of the confiscations.

paragraph: Section::::Mongol invasions and northern conquests, 1297–1306.

paragraph: In the winter of 1297, the Mongols led by a noyan of the Chagatai Khanate raided Punjab, advancing as far as Kasur. Alauddin's forces, led by Ulugh Khan, defeated the Mongols on 6 February 1298. According to Amir Khusrow, 20,000 Mongols were killed in the battle, and many more were killed in Delhi after being brought there as prisoners. In 1298–99, another Mongol army (possibly Neguderi fugitives) invaded Sindh, and occupied the fort of Sivistan. This time, Alauddin's general Zafar Khan defeated the invaders, and recaptured the fort.

paragraph: In early 1299, Alauddin sent Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan to invade Gujarat, where the Vaghela king Karna offered a weak resistance. Alauddin's army plundered several towns including Somnath, where it desecrated the famous Hindu temple. The Delhi army also captured several people, including the Vaghela queen Kamala Devi and slave Malik Kafur, who later led Alauddin's southern campaigns. During the army's return journey to Delhi, some of its Mongol soldiers staged an unsuccessful mutiny near Jalore, after the generals forcibly tried to extract a share of loot ("khums") from them. Alauddin's administration meted out brutal punishments to the mutineers' families in Delhi, including killings of children in front of their mothers. According to the Delhi chronicler Ziauddin Barani, the practice of punishing wives and children for the crimes of men started with this incident in Delhi.

paragraph: In 1299, the Chagatai ruler Duwa sent a Mongol force led by Qutlugh Khwaja to conquer Delhi. In the ensuing Battle of Kili, Alauddin personally led the Delhi forces, but his general Zafar Khan attacked the Mongols without waiting for his orders. Although Zafar Khan managed to inflict heavy casualties on the invaders, he and other soldiers in his unit were killed in the battle. Qutlugh Khwaja was also seriously wounded, forcing the Mongols to retreat.

paragraph: In 1301, Alauddin ordered Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan to invade Ranthambore, whose king Hammiradeva had granted asylum to the leaders of the mutiny near Jalore. After Nusrat Khan was killed during the siege, Alauddin personally took charge of the siege operations, and conquered the fort in July 1301. During the Ranthambore campaign, Alauddin faced three unsuccessful rebellions. To suppress any future rebellions, he set up an intelligence and surveillance system, instituted a total prohibition in Delhi, established laws to prevent his nobles from networking with each other, and confiscated wealth from the general public.

paragraph: In the winter of 1302–1303, Alauddin dispatched an army to ransack the Kakatiya capital Warangal. Meanwhile, he himself led another army to conquer Chittor, the capital of the Guhila kingdom ruled by Ratnasimha. Alauddin captured Chittor after an eight-month long siege. According to his courtier Amir Khusrow, he ordered a massacre of 30,000 local Hindus after this conquest. Some later legends state that Alauddin invaded Chittor to capture Ratnasimha's beautiful queen Padmini, but most modern historians have rejected the authenticity of these legends.

paragraph: While the imperial armies were busy in Chittor and Warangal campaigns, the Mongols launched another invasion of Delhi around August 1303. Alauddin managed to reach Delhi before the invaders, but did not have enough time to prepare for a strong defence. Meanwhile, the Warangal campaign was unsuccessful (because of heavy rains according to Ziauddin Barani), and the army had lost several men and its baggage. Neither this army, nor the reinforcements sent by Alauddin's provincial governors could enter the city because of the blockades set up by the Mongols. Under these difficult circumstances, Alauddin took shelter in a heavily guarded camp at the under-construction Siri Fort. The Mongols engaged his forces in some minor conflicts, but neither army achieved a decisive victory. The invaders ransacked Delhi and its neighbourhoods, but ultimately decided to retreat after being unable to breach Siri. The Mongol invasion of 1303 was one of the most serious invasions of India, and prompted Alauddin to take several steps to prevent its repeat. He strengthened the forts and the military presence along the Mongol routes to India. He also implemented a series of economic reforms to ensure sufficient revenue inflows for maintaining a strong army.

paragraph: In 1304, Alauddin appears to have ordered a second invasion of Gujarat, which resulted in the annexation of the Vaghela kingdom to the Delhi Sultanate. In 1305, he launched an invasion of Malwa in central India, which resulted in the defeat and death of the Paramara king Mahalakadeva. The Yajvapala dynasty, which ruled the region to the north-east of Malwa, also appears to have fallen to Alauddin's invasion.

paragraph: In December 1305, the Mongols invaded India again. Instead of attacking the heavily guarded city of Delhi, the invaders proceeded south-east to the Gangetic plains along the Himalayan foothills. Alauddin's 30,000-strong cavalry, led by Malik Nayak, defeated the Mongols at the Battle of Amroha. A large number of Mongols were taken captive and killed; the 16th-century historian Firishta claims that the heads ("sir") of 8,000 Mongols were used to build the Siri Fort commissioned by Alauddin.

paragraph: In 1306, another Mongol army sent by Duwa advanced up to the Ravi River, ransacking the territories along the way. Alauddin's forces, led by Malik Kafur, decisively defeated the Mongols. Duwa died next year, and after that the Mongols did not launch any further expeditions to India during Alauddin's reign. On the contrary, Alauddin's Dipalpur governor Malik Tughluq regularly raided the Mongol territories located in present-day Afghanistan.

paragraph: Section::::Marwar and southern campaigns, 1307–1313.

paragraph: Around 1308, Alauddin sent Malik Kafur to invade Devagiri, whose king Ramachandra had discontinued the tribute payments promised in 1296, and had granted asylum to the Vaghela king Karna at Baglana. Kafur was supported by Alauddin's Gujarat governor Alp Khan, whose forces invaded Baglana, and captured Karna's daughter Devaladevi (later married to Alauddin's son Khizr Khan). At Devagiri, Kafur achieved an easy victory, and Ramachandra agreed to become a lifelong vassal of Alauddin.

paragraph: Meanwhile, a section of Alauddin's army had been besieging the fort of Siwana in Marwar region unsuccessfully for several years. In August–September 1308, Alauddin personally took charge of the siege operations in Siwana. The Delhi army conquered the fort, and the defending ruler Sitaladeva was killed in November 1308.

paragraph: The plunder obtained from Devagiri prompted Alauddin to plan an invasion of the other southern kingdoms, which had accumulated a huge amount of wealth, having been shielded from the foreign armies that had ransacked northern India. In late 1309, he sent Malik Kafur to ransack the Kakatiya capital Warangal. Helped by Ramachandra of Devagiri, Kafur entered the Kakatiya territory in January 1310, ransacking towns and villages on his way to Warangal. After a month-long siege of Warangal, the Kakatiya king Prataparudra agreed to become a tributary of Alauddin, and surrendered a large amount of wealth (possibly including the Koh-i-Noor diamond) to the invaders.

paragraph: Meanwhile, after conquering Siwana, Alauddin had ordered his generals to subjugate other parts of Marwar, before returning to Delhi. The raids of his generals in Marwar led to their

paragraph: confrontations with Kanhadadeva, the Chahamana ruler of Jalore. In 1311, Alauddin's general Malik Kamaluddin Gurg captured the Jalore fort after defeating and killing Kanhadadeva.

paragraph: During the siege of Warangal, Malik Kafur had learned about the wealth of the Hoysala and Pandya kingdoms located further south. After returning to Delhi, he took Alauddin's permission to lead an expedition there. Kafur started his march from Delhi in November 1310, and crossed Deccan in early 1311, supported by Alauddin's tributaries Ramachandra and Prataparudra.

paragraph: At this time, the Pandya kingdom was reeling under a war of succession between the two brothers Vira and Sundara, and taking advantage of this, the Hoysala king Ballala had invaded the Pandyan territory. When Ballala learned about Kafur's march, he hurried back to his capital Dwarasamudra. However, he could not put up a strong resistance, and negotiated a truce after a short siege, agreeing to surrender his wealth and become a tributary of Alauddin.

paragraph: From Dwarasamudra, Malik Kafur marched to the Pandya kingdom, where he raided several towns. Both Vira and Sundara fled their headquarters, and thus, Kafur was unable to make them Alauddin's tributaries. Nevertheless, the Delhi army looted a large number of treasures, elephants and horses. The Delhi chronicler Ziauddin Barani described this seizure of wealth from Dwarasamudra and the Pandya kingdom as the greatest one since the Muslim capture of Delhi.

paragraph: During this campaign, the Mongol general Abachi had conspired to ally with the Pandyas, and as a result, Alauddin ordered him to be executed in Delhi. This, combined with their general grievances against Alauddin, led to resentment among Mongols who had settled in India after converting to Islam. A section of Mongol leaders plotted to kill Alauddin, but the conspiracy was discovered by Alauddin's agents. Alauddin then ordered a mass massacre of Mongols in his empire, which according to Barani, resulted in the death of 20,000 or 30,000 Mongols.

paragraph: Meanwhile, in Devagiri, after Ramachandra's death, his son tried to overthrow Alauddin's suzerainty. Malik Kafur invaded Devagiri again in 1313, defeated him, and became the governor of Devagiri.

paragraph: Section::::Administrative changes.

paragraph: Alauddin was the most powerful ruler of his dynasty. Unlike the previous rulers of the Delhi Sultanate, who had largely relied on the pre-existing administrative set-up, Alauddin undertook large-scale reforms. After facing the Mongol invasions and several rebellions, he implemented several reforms to be able to maintain a large army and to weaken those capable of organizing a revolt against him. Barani also attributes Alauddin's revenue reforms to the Sultan's desire to subjugate the Hindus by "depriving them of that wealth and property which fosters rebellion". According to historian Satish Chandra, Alauddin's reforms were based on his conception of fear and control as the basis of good government as well as his military ambitions: the bulk of the measures were designed to centralise power in his hands and to support a large military.

paragraph: Some of Alauddin's land reforms were continued by his successors, and formed a basis of the agrarian reforms introduced by the later rulers such as Sher Shah Suri and Akbar. However, his other regulations, including price control, were revoked by his son Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah a few months after his death.

paragraph: Section::::Administrative changes.:Revenue reforms.

paragraph: The countryside and agricultural production during Alauddin's time was controlled by the village headmen, the traditional Hindu authorities. He viewed their haughtiness and their direct and indirect resistance as the main difficulty affecting his reign. He also had to face talk of conspiracies at his court.

paragraph: After some initial conspiracies and Hindu revolts in rural areas during the early period of his reign, he struck the root of the problem by introducing reforms that also aimed at ensuring support of his army and food supply to his capital. He took away all landed properties of his courtiers and nobels and cancelled revenue assignments which were henceforth controlled by the central authorities. Henceforth, "everybody was busy earning with earning a living so that nobody could even think of rebellion". He also ordered "to supply some rules and regulations for grinding down the Hindus, and for depriving them of that wealth and property which fosters rebellion. The Hindu was to be reduced to be so reduced as to be unable to keep a horse to ride on, wear fine clothes, or to enjoy any luxuries of life."

paragraph: Alauddin brought a large tract of fertile land under the directly-governed crown territory, by eliminating iqta's, land grants and vassals in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab region. He imposed a 50% "kharaj" tax on the agricultural produce in a substantial part of northern India: this was the maximum amount allowed by the Hanafi school of Islam, which was dominant in Delhi at that time.

paragraph: Alauddin also eliminated the intermediary Hindu rural chiefs, and started collecting the "kharaj" directly from the cultivators. He did not levy any additional taxes on agriculture, and abolished the cut that the intermediaries received for collecting revenue. Alauddin's demand for tax proportional to land area meant that the rich and powerful villages with more land had to pay more taxes. He forced the rural chiefs to pay same taxes as the others, and banned them from imposing illegal taxes on the peasants. To prevent any rebellions, his administration deprived the rural chiefs of their wealth, horses and arms. By suppressing these chiefs, Alauddin projected himself as the protector of the weaker section of the rural society. However, while the cultivators were free from the demands of the landowners, the high taxes imposed by the state meant a culviator had "barely enough for carrying on his cultivation and his food requirements."

paragraph: To enforce these land and agrarian reforms, Alauddin set up a strong and efficient revenue administration system. His government recruited a large number of accountants, collectors, and agents. These officials were well-paid but were subject to severe punishment if found to be taking bribes. Account books were audited and even small discrepancies were punished. The effect was both large landowners and small-scale cultivators were fearful of missing out on paying their assessed taxes.

paragraph: Alauddin's government imposed the "jizya" tax on its non-Muslim subjects, and his Muslim subjects were obligated to contribute "zakat". He also levied taxes on residences ("ghari") and grazing ("chara'i"), which were not sanctioned by the Islamic law. In addition, Alauddin demanded four-fifth share of the spoils of war from his soldiers, instead of the traditional one-fifth share ("khums").

paragraph: Section::::Administrative changes.:Market reforms.

paragraph: Alauddin implemented price control measures for a wide variety of market goods. Alauddin's courtier Amir Khusrau and the 14th century writer Hamid Qalandar suggest that Alauddin introduced these changes for public welfare. However, Barani states that Alauddin wanted to reduce the prices so that low salaries were acceptable to his soldiers, and thus, to maintain a large army. In addition, Barani suggests that the Hindu traders indulged in profiteering, and Alauddin's market reforms resulted from the Sultan's desire to punish the Hindus.

paragraph: To ensure that the goods were sold at regulated prices, Alauddin appointed market supervisors and spies, and received independent reports from them. To prevent a black market, his administration prohibited peasants and traders from storing the grains, and established government-run granaries, where government's share of the grain was stored. The government also forced the transport workers to re-settle in villages at specific distances along the Yamuna river to enable rapid transport of grain to Delhi.

paragraph: Chroniclers such as Khusrau and Barani state that the prices were not allowed to increase during Alauddin's lifetime, even when the rainfall was scarce. The shopkeepers who violated the price control regulations or tried to circumvent them (such as, by using false weights) were given severe punishments.

paragraph: Section::::Administrative changes.:Military reforms.

paragraph: Alauddin maintained a large standing army, which included 475,000 horseman according to the 16th-century chronicler Firishta. He managed to raise such a large army by paying relatively low salaries to his soldiers, and introduced market price controls to ensure that the low salaries were acceptable to his soldiers. Although he was opposed to granting lands to his generals and soldiers, he generously rewarded them after successful campaigns, especially those in Deccan.

paragraph: Alauddin's government maintained a descriptive roll of every soldier, and occasionally conducted strict reviews of the army to examine the horses and arms of the soldiers. To ensure that no horse could be presented twice or replaced by a poor-quality horse during the review, Alauddin established a system of branding the horses.

paragraph: Section::::Administrative changes.:Social reforms.

paragraph: Although Islam bans alcoholic drinks, drinking was common among the Muslim royals and nobles of the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century, and Alauddin himself was a heavy drinker. As part of his measures to prevent rebellions, Alauddin imposed prohibition, because he believed that the rampant use of alcoholic drinks enabled people to assemble, lose their senses and think of rebellion. According to Isami, Alauddin banned alcohol, after a noble condemned him for merrymaking when his subjects were suffering from a famine. However, this account appears to be hearsay.

paragraph: Subsequently, Alauddin also banned other intoxicants, including cannabis. He also banned gambling, and excommunicated drunkards and gamblers from Delhi, along with vendors of intoxicants. Alauddin's administration strictly punished the violators, and ensured non-availability of alcohol not only in Delhi, but also in its surrounding areas. Nevertheless, alcohol continued to be illegally produced in and smuggled into Delhi. Sometime later, Alauddin relented, and allowed distillation and drinking in private. However, public distribution and drinking of wine remained prohibited.

paragraph: Alauddin also increased his level of control over the nobility. To prevent rebellions by the nobles, he confiscated their wealth and removed them from their bases of power. Even charitable lands administered by nobles were confiscated. Severe punishments were given for disloyalty. Even wives and children of soldiers rebelling for greater war spoils were imprisoned. An efficient spy network was set up that reached into the private households of nobles. Marriage alliances made between noble families had to be approved by the king.

paragraph: Alauddin banned prostitution, and ordered all existing prostitutes of Delhi to be married. Firishta states that he classified prostitutes into three grades, and fixed their fees accordingly. However, historian Kishori Saran Lal dismisses this account as inaccurate. Alauddin also took steps to curb adultery by ordering the male adulterer to be castrated and the female adulterer to be stoned to death.

paragraph: Alauddin banned charlatans, and ordered sorcerers (called "blood-sucking magicians" by his courtier Amir Khusrau) to be stoned to death.

paragraph: Section::::Last days.

paragraph: During the last years of his life, Alauddin suffered from an illness, and became very distrustful of his officers. He started concentrating all the power in the hands of his family and his slaves. He became infatuated with his slave-general Malik Kafur, who became the de facto ruler of the Sultanate after being promoted to the rank of viceroy ("Na'ib").

paragraph: Alauddin removed several experienced administrators, abolished the office of "wazir" (prime minister), and even executed the minister Sharaf Qa'ini. It appears that Malik Kafur, who considered these officers as his rivals and a threat, convinced Alauddin to carry out this purge. Kafur had Alauddin's eldest sons Khizr Khan and Shadi Khan blinded. He also convinced Alauddin to order the killing of his brother-in-law Alp Khan, an influential noble who could rival Malik Kafur's power. The victims allegedly hatched a conspiracy to overthrow Alauddin, but this might be Kafur's propaganda.

paragraph: Alauddin died on the night of 4 January 1316. Barani claims that according to "some people", Kafur murdered him. Towards the end of the night, Kafur brought the body of Alauddin from the Siri Place and had it buried in Alauddin's mausoleum (which had already been built before Alauddin's death). The mausoleum is said to have been located outside a Jama Mosque, but neither of these structures can be identified with certainty. According to historian Banarsi Prasad Saksena, the ruined foundations of these two structures probably lie under one of the mounds at Siri.

paragraph: The next day, Kafur appointed Alauddin's young son Shihabuddin as a puppet monarch. However, Kafur was killed shortly after, and Alauddin's elder son Mubarak Khan seized the power.

paragraph: Alauddin's tomb and the "madrasa" dedicated to him exist at the back of Qutb complex, Mehrauli, in Delhi.

paragraph: Section::::Last days.:Personal life.

paragraph: Alauddin's wives included Jalaluddin's daughter, who held the title "Malika-i-Jahan", and Alp Khan's sister Mahru. He also married Jhatyapali, the daughter of Hindu king Ramachandra of Devagiri, probably after the 1296 Devagiri raid, or after his 1308 conquest of Devagiri. Alauddin had a son with Jhatyapali, Shihabuddin Omar, who succeeded him as the next Khalji ruler.

paragraph: Alauddin also married Kamala Devi, a Hindu woman, who was originally the chief queen of Karna, the Vaghela king of Gujarat. She was captured by Khalji forces during an invasion, escorted to Delhi as part of the war booty, and taken into Alauddin's harem. She eventually became reconciled to her new life. According to the chronicler Firishta, sometime between 1306-7, Kamala Devi requested Alauddin to secure her daughter Deval Devi from the custody of her father, Raja Karan. Alauddin sent an order to Raja Karan telling him to send Deval Devi immediately. Deval Devi was eventually brought to Delhi and lived in the royal palace with her mother.

paragraph: Malik Kafur, an attractive eunuch slave captured during the Gujarat campaign, caught the fancy of Alauddin. He rose rapidly in Alauddin's service, mainly because of his proven ability as military commander and wise counsellor, and eventually became the viceroy ("Na'ib") of the Sultanate. A deep emotional bond developed between Alauddin and Kafur. According to Barani, during the last four or five years of his life, Alauddin fell "deeply and madly in love" with Kafur, and handed over the administration to him. Based on Barani's description, scholars Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai believe that Alauddin and Kafur were in a homosexual relationship. Historian Judith E. Walsh, scholar Nilanjan Sarkar and scholar Thomas Gugler also believe Alauddin and Kafur were lovers in a sexually intimate relationship. Given his relationship with Kafur, historians believe Alauddin may have been bisexual or even homosexual. Historian Banarsi Prasad Saksena believes that the closeness between the two was not sexual.

paragraph: Section::::Architecture.

paragraph: In 1296, Alauddin constructed the Hauz-i-Alai (later Hauz-i-Khas) water reservoir, which covered an area of 70 acres, and had a stone-masonry wall. Gradually, it became filled with mud, and was desilted by Firuz Shah Tughlaq around 1354. The autobiographical memoirs of Timur, who invaded Delhi in 1398, mention that the reservoir was a source of water for the city throughout the year.

paragraph: In the early years of the 14th century, Alauddin built the Siri Fort. The fort walls were mainly constructed using rubble (in mud), although there are some traces of ashlar masonry (in lime and lime plaster). Alauddin camped in Siri during the 1303 Mongol invasion, and after the Mongols left, he built the Qasr-i-Hazar Situn palace at the site of his camp. The fortified city of Siri existed in the time of Timur, whose memoirs state that it had seven gates. It was destroyed by Sher Shah Suri in 1545, and only some of its ruined walls now survive.

paragraph: Alauddin commissioned the Alai Darwaza, which was completed in 1311, and serves as the southern gateway leading to the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque built by Qutb al-Din Aibak. He also started the construction of the Alai Minar, which was intended to be double to size of the Qutb Minar, but the project was abandoned, probably when he died.

paragraph: The construction of the Lal Mahal (Red Palace) sandstone building near Chausath Khamba has also attributed to Alauddin, because its architecture and design is similar to that of the Alai Darwaza.

paragraph: In 1311, Alauddin repaired the 100-acre Hauz-i-Shamasi reservoir that had been constructed by Shamsuddin Iltutmish in 1229, and also built a dome at its centre.

paragraph: Section::::Religion & relationships with other communities.

paragraph: Section::::Religion & relationships with other communities.:Views on religion.

paragraph: Like his predecessors, Alauddin was a Sunni Muslim. His administration persecuted the Ismaili (Shia) minorities, after the orthodox Sunnis falsely accused them of permitting incest in their "secret assemblies". Alauddin ordered an inquiry against them sometime before 1311. The inquiry was conducted by the orthodox "ulama", who found several Ismailis guilty. Alauddin ordered the convicts to be sawn into two.

paragraph: Ziauddin Barani, writing half-a-century after his death, mentions that Alauddin did not patronize the Muslim "ulama", and that "his faith in Islam was firm like the faith of the illiterate and the ignorant". He further states that Alauddin once thought of establishing a new religion. Just like the Islamic prophet Muhammad's four Rashidun caliphs helped spread Islam, Alauddin believed that he too had four Khans (Ulugh, Nusrat, Zafar and Alp), with whose help he could establish a new religion. Barani's uncle Alaul Mulk convinced him to drop this idea, stating that a new religion could only be found based on a revelation from god, not based on human wisdom. Alaul Mulk also argued that even great conquerors like Genghis Khan had not been able to subvert Islam, and people would revolt against Alauddin for founding a new religion. Barani's claim that Alauddin thought of founding a religion has been repeated by several later chroniclers as well as later historians. Historian Banarsi Prasad Saksena doubts the authenticity of this claim, arguing that it is not supported by Alauddin's contemporary writers.

paragraph: According to Barani, Alauddin was the first sultan to separate religion from the state. Barani wrote that he:

paragraph: Section::::Religion & relationships with other communities.:Relationship with Hindus.

paragraph: At times, he exploited Muslim fanaticism against Hindu chiefs and the treatment of the "zimmis". Persian historian Wassaf states that he sent an expedition against Gujarat as a holy war and it was not motivated by "lust of conquest". The masnavi "Deval Devi—Khizr Khan" by Amir Khusrau states that Gujarat was only annexed in the second invasion which took place seven years after the first one, implying the first was merely a plundering raid. At Khambhat, it is said that the citizens were caught by surprise. Wassaf states that "The Muhammadan forces began to kill and slaughter on the right and on the left unmercifully, throughout the impure land, for the sake of Islam, and blood flowed in torrents."

paragraph: Alauddin and his generals destroyed several Hindu temples during their military campaigns. These temples included the ones at Bhilsa (1292), Devagiri (1295), Vijapur (1298–1310), Somnath (1299), Jhain (1301), Chidambaram (1311) and Madurai (1311).

paragraph: He compromised with the Hindu chiefs who were willing to accept his suzerainty. In a 1305 document, Khusrau mentions that Alauddin treated the obedient Hindu zamindars (feudal landlords) kindly, and granted more favours to them than they had expected. In his poetic style, Khusrau states that by this time, all the insolent Hindus in the realm of Hind had died on the battlefield, and the other Hindus had bowed their heads before Alauddin. Describing a court held on 19 October 1312, Khusrau writes the ground had become saffron-coloured from the tilaks of the Hindu chiefs bowing before Alauddin. This policy of compromise with Hindus was greatly criticized by a small but vocal set of Muslim extremists, as apparent from Barani's writings.

paragraph: Alauddin rarely listened to the advice of the orthodox ulama. When he had asked about the position of Hindus under an Islamic state, the "qazi" Mughis replied that the Hindu "should pay the taxes with meekness and humility coupled with the utmost respect and free from all reluctance. Should the collector choose to spit in his mouth, he should open the same without hesitation, so that the official may spit into it... The purport of this extreme meekness and humility on his part... is to show the extreme submissiveness incumbent upon this race. God Almighty Himself (in the Quran) commands their complete degradation in as much as these Hindus are the deadliest foes of the true prophet. Mustafa has given orders regarding the slaying, plundering and imprisoning of them, ordaining that they must either follow the true faith, or else be slain or imprisoned, and have all their wealth and property confiscated."

paragraph: Alauddin believed "that the Hindu will never be submissive and obedient to the Musalman unless he is reduced to abject poverty." He undertook measures to impoverish them and felt it was justified because he knew that the chiefs and "muqaddams" led a luxurious life but never paid a jital in taxes. His vigorous and extensive conquests led to him being viewed as persecutor both at home and abroad, including by Maulana Shamsuddin Turk, Abdul Malik Isami and Wassaf. Barani, while summing up his achievements, mentions that the submission and obedience of the Hindus during the last decade of his reign had become an established fact. He states that such a submission on the part of the Hindus "has neither been seen before nor will be witnessed hereafter".

paragraph: Under the Mamluk dynasty, obtaining a membership in the higher bureaucracy was difficult for the Indian Muslims and impossible for Hindus. This however seems to have changed under the Khaljis. Khusrau states in "Khazainul Futuh" that Alauddin had dispatched a 30,000 strong army under a Hindu officer Malik Naik, the "Akhur-bek Maisarah", to repel the Mongols. During Ikat Khan's rebellion, the Sultan's life was saved by Hindu soldiers ("paiks"). Because of the large presence of non-Muslims in the imperial army, Alaul Mulk advised him not to leave Delhi to repel the Mongol Qutlugh Khwaja who had surrounded it.

paragraph: Section::::Religion & relationships with other communities.:Relationships with Jains.

paragraph: Per Jain sources, Alauddin held discussions with Jain sages and once specially summoned "Acharya" Mahasena to Delhi. There was no learned Digambracarya in North India during this period and Mahasena was persuaded by Jains to defend the faith. Alauddin was impressed by his profound learning and asceticism. A Digambara Jain Purancandra was very close to him and the Sultan also maintained contacts with the Shwetambara sages. The Jain poet "Acharya" Ramachandra Suri was also honored by him.

paragraph: "Kharataragaccha Pattavali", completed in 1336–1337, details atrocities on Jains under his reign including destruction of a religious fair in 1313 while capturing Jabalipura (Jalor). The conditions seem to have changed a year later. Banarasidas in "Ardhakathanaka" mentions that Jain Shrimala merchants spread over North India and in 1314, the sons of a Shrimala and others along with their cousins with a huge congregation of pilgirms were able to visit a temple at Phaludi despite Ajmer and its neighbourhood under siege by Muslim forces.

paragraph: Alp Khan who was transferred to Gujarat in 1310, is praised by Jain sources for permitting reconstruction of their temples. Kakkasuri in "Nabhi-nandana-jinoddhara-prabandha" mentions Alp Khan issuing a "farman" permitting the Jain merchant Samara Shah to renovate a damaged Shatrunjaya temple. He is also mentioned to have made huge donations towards "repairing Jain temples".

paragraph: Section::::Coins.

paragraph: Khalji minted coins using the title of "Sikander Sani". Sikander is Old Persian for 'victor', a title popularized by Alexander. While sani is Arabic for to 'brilliant'. The coin legend ("Sikander-e -Sani") translates to 'brilliant victor' in recognition of his military success. Sikander-e-Sani may also roughly translate to 'the second Alexander', an attempt by Khalji to associate himself with the famous conqueror.

paragraph: He had amassed wealth in his treasury through campaigns in Deccan and South India and issued many coins. His coins omitted the mention of the Khalifa, replacing it with the self-laudatory title "Sikander-us-sani Yamin-ul-Khilafat". He ceased adding Al-Musta'sim's name, instead adding "Yamin-ul-Khilafat Nāsir Amīri 'l-Mu'minīn" (The right hand of the Caliphate, the helper of the Commander of the Faithful).

paragraph: Section::::In popular culture.

paragraph: BULLET::::- Alauddin Khalji is the antagonist of "Padmavat", an epic poem written by Sufi poet Malik Muhammad Jayasi in 1540.

paragraph: BULLET::::- Khalji was portrayed by M. N. Nambiar in Chitrapu Narayana Rao's film "Chittoor Rani Padmini" (1963).

paragraph: BULLET::::- Om Puri portrayed Alauddin Khalji in Doordarshan's historical drama "Bharat Ek Khoj".

paragraph: BULLET::::- Khalji was portrayed by Mukesh Rishi in Sony Entertainment Television's historical drama "Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur".

paragraph: BULLET::::- Ranveer Singh portrayed a fictional version of Alauddin in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's epic period drama film "Padmaavat".

paragraph: Section::::External links.

paragraph: BULLET::::- "Khazáínu-l Futúh" (also known as "Táríkh-i 'Aláí"), a book describing Alauddin's military career by his court poet Amir Khusrau. English translation, as it appears in "The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians: The Muhammadan Period", by Sir H. M. Elliot. Vol III. 1866-177. Page:67-92.

description: 13th Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate and 2nd from the Khalji dynasty

enwikiquote_title: Alauddin Khalji

wikidata_label: Alauddin Khalji

wikipedia_title: Alauddin Khalji


text:
DL
baronet
Baronetage of Nova Scotia
Sinclair-Lockhart baronets
Murkle
Caithness
Stevenson
Haddington
Paris
Michael de Courcy
Bedford School
Sinclair-Lockhart baronets
Murkle
Caithness
Stevenson
Haddington
Haddington, East Lothian
St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington

categories: 1820 births,1899 deaths,People educated at Bedford School

paragraph: Sir Robert Sinclair, 9th Baronet

paragraph: Sir Robert Charles Sinclair, 9th Baronet DL (1820–1899) was a baronet in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia, the ninth of the Sinclair-Lockhart baronets of Murkle in the County of Caithness and of Stevenson in the County of Haddington.

paragraph: Section::::Biography.

paragraph: Born in Paris on 25 August 1820, the son of Admiral Sir John Gordon Sinclair, 8th Baronet (1790–1863), the grandson of Admiral Hon. Michael de Courcy, and the great-grandson of John de Courcy, 18th Lord Kingsale, Sir Robert Sinclair, 9th Baronet was educated at Bedford School. He was the ninth of the Sinclair-Lockhart baronets of Murkle in the County of Caithness and of Stevenson in the County of Haddington, created on 18 June 1636 for Sir John Sinclair, 1st Baronet (d. 1649). He succeeded to the title upon the death of his father, the 8th baronet, in 1863.

paragraph: Sir Robert Sinclair, 9th Baronet died without issue in Haddington, East Lothian on 5 May 1899, aged 78, and was succeeded by his kinsman Major General Sir Graeme Alexander Sinclair-Lockhart, 10th Baronet (1820–1904).

paragraph: He is buried just in front of the altar inside St Mary's Collegiate Church, Haddington. His two wives flank him.

description: Baronet

wikidata_label: Sir Robert Sinclair, 9th Baronet

wikipedia_title: Sir Robert Sinclair, 9th Baronet


href: Nayanars Hinduism Shaivism Periya%20Puranam Sekkizhar Kazharsinga Thanjavur Marukal%20Nadu Pallava Vellalar caste Shiva Shaivism Thiruvarur Thyagaraja%20Temple%2C%20Tiruvarur mandapa Sundarar Tamil%20month Shraavana Pushya nakshatra Anjali%20mudra

text:
Nayanar
Hindu
Shaivism
Periya Puranam
Sekkizhar
Kazharsinga
Thanjavur
Marukal Nadu
Pallava
Vellalar
caste
Shiva
Shaivism
Thiruvarur
Thyagaraja Temple
mandapa
Sundarar
Tamil month
Avani
Pushya
nakshatra
Anjali mudra

paragraph: Seruthunai Nayanar

paragraph: Seruthunai Nayanar, also known as Seruthunai (also spelt as Ceruttunai, Cheruthunai and Seruttunai), Seruthunaiyar and Seruttunai Nayanar , was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the 55th in the list of 63 Nayanars.

paragraph: Section::::Life.

paragraph: The life of Seruthunai Nayanar is described in the "Periya Puranam" by Sekkizhar (12th century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars. The "Periya Puranam" narrates his tale twice, once in the chapter dedicated to him and again in the tale of the Pallava king Kazharsinga, who is also considered as a Nayanar saint. Kazharsinga is dated between 8-9th century depending on identification with historical Pallava kings.

paragraph: Seruthunai Nayanar was born in Thanjavur, Marukal Nadu which was then part of the Pallava kingdom ruled by Kazharsinga. Thanjavur is now in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Seruthunai was a Vellalar, a caste of agricultural land owners. He was a devout devotee of Shiva, the patron god of Shaivism. He journeyed to Thiruvarur and worshipped at the shrine of Araneri, dedicated to Shiva. This temple is identified as the Sri Achaleswarar (Vandarkuzhali) temple, which is located in the Thyagaraja Temple complex. He volunteered to perform various services in the temple.

paragraph: Once, the reigning king Kazharsinga and his queen consort arrived to pay respects to Shiva. She arrived in the temple hall (mandapa) where various flowers were gathered to use as floral offerings to Shiva as well as create garlands for him. A flower had fallen from the dais where the garlands were made. The queen picked the flower and smelt it. In Hinduism, it is taboo to use or smell flowers meant for God, before they are offered to him. Seruthunai Nayanar was enraged by the conduct of the Pallava queen. Ignoring her royal status, he dragged her by her hair and pushed her on the ground. He caught her nose and punished her by severing it. For fearless actions, he is said to have attained the abode of Shiva after death. The chapter of Kazharsinga gives further details about the event. The queen screamed in pain. The infuriated Kazharsinga rushed to her and asked who had dared to assault his queen and challenge his authority. Seruthunai Nayanar took responsibility and explained the rationale of his actions. Kazharsinga deemed the punishment inadequate and chopped off the hand of the queen, by which he lifted the flower.

paragraph: Section::::Remembrance.

paragraph: One of the most prominent Nayanars, Sundarar (8th century) venerates Seruthunai Nayanar in the "Tiruthonda Thogai", a hymn to Nayanar saints and praising him as king of Thanjavur.

paragraph: Seruthunai Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Avani, when the moon enters the Pushya nakshatra (lunar mansion). He is depicted with folded hands (see Anjali mudra). He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.

wikidata_label: Seruthunai Nayanar

wikipedia_title: Seruthunai Nayanar


text:
Nayanar
Hindu
Shaivism
Periya Puranam
Sekkizhar
Pazhayarai
Chola
vaishya
caste
Shiva
Shaivism
Kowpeenam
Kalyanasundaresar Temple
Nallur
Brahmin
Brahmachari
Tripundra
Panchakshara
mantra
Parvati
Kailash
Telugu
Basava Purana
Palkuriki Somanatha
Appar
Sundarar
Tamil month
Aani
Pūrva Phalguṇī
nakshatra
Anjali mudra

paragraph: Amaraneedi Nayanar

paragraph: Amaraneedi Nayanar, also known as Amarneethi (Nayanar), Amarneeti (Nayanar), Amarniti (Nayanar), Amar-Nidhi (Nayanar) and Amarneethiyar, was a Nayanar saint, venerated in the Hindu sect of Shaivism. He is generally counted as the seventh in the list of 63 Nayanars.

paragraph: Section::::Life.

paragraph: The life of Amaraneedi Nayanar is described in the "Periya Puranam" by Sekkizhar (twelfth century), which is a hagiography of the 63 Nayanars.

paragraph: Amaraneedi Nayanar was born in Pazhayarai, the ancient capital of the Chola kingdom. He was a vaishya, member of the merchant caste. Amaraneedi was a trader of gold, jewels and clothes. Amaraneedi was a staunch devotee of Shiva, the patron god of Shaivism. He donated food and clothes to devotees of Shiva. He would especially gift Kowpeenam (loin-cloth) to Shaiva ascetics. Once, the merchant visited the Kalyanasundaresar Temple of Nallur (Tirunallur) dedicated to Shiva, to attend the temple festival. He worshipped at the Shiva temple and stayed at Nallur for a few days. One day, Shiva came to Amaraneedi's house disguised as a Brahmin Brahmachari (a celibate member of the priest caste). The young Brahmachari had matted hair and wore only a Kowpeenam. He was adored with the Tripundra (Shaiva marks on the forehead) and carried a staff with two Kowpeenams on it. The Brahmachari told Amaraneedi that he had come having heard of the merchant's generosity. Amaraneedi asked him for a chance to serve him, the Brahmachari lad consented and kept one of his dried Kowpeenams in the merchant's custody and left for a bath.

paragraph: While Amaraneedi kept the Kowpeenam in a safe place, Shiva caused it to be mysteriously disappear. When the Brahmachari returned, he asked for his dried Kowpeenam for a change of dress as his other Kowpeenam on his staff was drenched in the rain. Amaraneedi could not find the Kowpeenam where he left it and searched the house in vain. The dejected Amaraneedi returned with his wife and kin and another Kowpeenam. He apologised and prostrated before the Brahmachari and offered a Kowpeenam of a superior quality. The enraged Brahmachari refused to accept it and after much persuasion, demanded a Kowpeenam equal in weight of the lost Kowpeenam.

paragraph: In a weighing scale, the Brahmachari placed his wet Kowpeenam from the staff in a pan and Amaraneedi placed his Kowpeenam in the other pan. As the Brahmachari's Kowpeenam was weightier, he started putting all the Kowpeenams he had. Then he added silken and cotton garments, but the Kowpeenam pan did not rise from the ground. Finally, Amaraneedi started to add all his wealth, including gold, silver and jewels, in the other pan. After Amaraneedi realized all his wealth could not match the weight of Kowpeenam, he asked the Brahmachari if he, his wife and child can ascend the pan. On consent of the Brahmachari, he circumbulated the pan and implored Shiva that his devotion and service was true, the pans should become equal in weight. He recited the Panchakshara mantra, dedicated to Shiva and got into the pan. Immediately, the pans were balanced. Men and celestial beings showered the devotee with flowers. The Brahmachari disappeared and Shiva appeared with his consort Parvati and blessed the family. The family had become the "possessions" of Shiva. The weighing scale converted into a heavenly chariot and transported them to Kailash, Shiva's abode.

paragraph: Besides the "Periya Puranam", the tale is told in the temple lore of the Kalyanasundaresar Temple. Kalyanasundaresar, the presiding form of Shiva, is said to have tested Amaraneedi Nayanar in the guise of the Brahmachari boy.

paragraph: The tale of Amaraneedi (called Iruvadandari in the account) is also recalled in the thirteenth-century Telugu "Basava Purana" of Palkuriki Somanatha in brief and with some variation. Shiva is said to have come disguised as a devotee and given his blanket and loin-cloth for safe keeping. At the end, only Iruvadandari ascended the pan and was made a "pramatha", an attendant of Shiva.

paragraph: Section::::Remembrance.

paragraph: One of the most prominent Nayanars, Appar (Tirunavukkarasar, 7th century) dedicates a hymn to Amaraneedi Nayanar, recalling his tale while praising the temple of Nallur. Another famed Nayanar, Sundarar (8th century) venerates Amaraneedi Nayanar in the "Tiruthonda Thogai", a hymn to Nayanar saints. He is described adored with a soft jasmine garland.

paragraph: Amaraneedi Nayanar is worshipped in the Tamil month of Aani, when the moon enters the Pūrva Phalguṇī nakshatra (lunar mansion). He is depicted with a crown and folded hands (see Anjali mudra). He receives collective worship as part of the 63 Nayanars. Their icons and brief accounts of his deeds are found in many Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu. Their images are taken out in procession in festivals.

wikidata_label: Amaraneedi Nayanar

wikipedia_title: Amaraneedi Nayanar


text: Canisius College

text: anthrozoology

text: animal law

text: Harvard Law School

text: animal rights

text: speciesism

text: Great Ape Project

categories: Canisius College faculty,Stanford University alumni,University of Chicago alumni,Animal articles needing expert attention,Alumni of the University of Oxford,Legal scholars,University of California, Santa Barbara alumni,Harvard University faculty,University of California, Los Angeles alumni,Animal rights scholars,Living people

paragraph: Paul Waldau

paragraph: Paul Francis Waldau is a former professor at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, where he headed the graduate program on anthrozoology, which he founded. He has several times served as Barker Lecturer in animal law at Harvard Law School, and is the author of a number of books on animal rights and speciesism.

paragraph: Waldau has also served as the legal director of the Great Ape Project, which campaigns for rights for chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans.

paragraph: Section::::Books.

paragraph: BULLET::::- (2001). "The Specter of Speciesism: Buddhist and Christian Views of Animals". Oxford University Press.

paragraph: BULLET::::- (ed.) (2006). "A Communion of Subjects: Animals in Religion, Science, and Ethics". Columbia University Press.

paragraph: BULLET::::- (ed.) (2008). "An Elephant in the Room: The Science and Well-being of Elephants in Captivity". Center for Animals and Public Policy.

paragraph: BULLET::::- (2011). "Animal Rights: What Everyone Needs to Know". Oxford University Press.

paragraph: BULLET::::- (forthcoming). "The Animal Invitation: Religion, Law, Science and Ethics in a More-Than-Human World".

paragraph: BULLET::::- (2013). "Animal Studies: An Introduction". Oxford University Press.

paragraph: Section::::Further reading.

paragraph: BULLET::::- Koch, John (1 July 2001). "Paul Waldau, ethicist and former lawyer", "The Boston Globe".

description: American academic

wikidata_label: Paul Waldau

wikipedia_title: Paul Waldau


text:
2016 Summer Olympics
Asian Records
Toyo University
World Swimmer of the Year
Tochigi, Tochigi
Japan
2012 Olympics
London
Gold Coast
Conor Dwyer
Thomas Fraser-Holmes
Daiya Seto
Park Tae-hwan
Michael Phelps
Ryan Lochte
Tyler Clary
Incheon
Sun Yang
Park Tae-hwan
2016 Olympics
Rio de Janeiro
Wang Shun

categories: Olympic bronze medalists for Japan,World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming,Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Asian Games silver medalists for Japan,Swimmers at the 2018 Asian Games,Japanese male swimmers,Olympic gold medalists in swimming,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2014 Asian Games,Universiade silver medalists for Japan,Universiade gold medalists for Japan,Olympic bronze medalists in swimming,Universiade medalists in swimming,Olympic silver medalists in swimming,People from Tochigi, Tochigi,Male medley swimmers,1994 births,Olympic silver medalists for Japan,Asian Games gold medalists for Japan,Living people,Asian Games medalists in swimming,Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m),Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games,Medalists at the 2018 Asian Games,Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Olympic swimmers of Japan,Olympic gold medalists for Japan,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Asian Games bronze medalists for Japan

paragraph: Kosuke Hagino

paragraph: He is a four-time Olympic medalist, most notably winning gold in the 400 m individual medley at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

paragraph: Hagino holds the Asian Records in the 200 m and 400 m individual medley (long course), the 100 m and 200 m individual medley (short course). With Team Japan, he holds the Asian Records for the 4×100 m freestyle relay and the 4×100 m medley relay.

paragraph: Hagino attends Toyo University, and is coached by Norimasa Hirai. He is one of the only two Asians to have been voted World Swimmer of the Year.

paragraph: Section::::Background.

paragraph: Kosuke Hagino was born in Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan on 15 August 1994.

paragraph: Section::::Career.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:Beginnings: 2012 Olympic Games.

paragraph: Hagino made his international breakthrough at the 2012 Olympics held in London. He qualified First in the 400 m individual medley heats with a new Asian record of 4:10.01, and would go on to win his first international medal with a bronze in the event and again lower his Asian record to a 4:08.94.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:Rise to recognition: 2013 World Championships.

paragraph: Coming into the Championships Hagino had qualified for a full slate of events including the 200 m freestyle, 400 m freestyle, 100 m backstroke, 200 m backstroke, 200 m individual medley and the 400 m individual medley. In his first event the 400 m freestyle Hagino won his first silver medal at the World Championships medal with a new Japanese record of 3:44.82.

paragraph: In the Finals of 200 m Freestyle, Hagino clocked a personal best time of 1:45.94.; he came in 5th.

paragraph: Nearly an hour later, he was swimming, this time in the Finals of the 100 m backstroke. He was placed seventh in 53.93, much slower than his National record of 53.10 (which would have won him a silver medal.)

paragraph: On day five, after qualifying for the final, Hagino won another silver medal in the 200 m individual medley. His time of 1:56.29 was about half a second off his Nationals time of 1:55.74; he won Silver The following day, he led off his team, in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, and was able to take off a hundredth of a second off his 200 m free time from day three, swimming a 1:45.93. He was placed fifth in the 200 m backstroke final that night, finishing in 1:55.42.

paragraph: On the final night of competition, despite being the favorite, Hagino was only able to manage fifth place, finishing in 4:10.77. Although only winning two medals in his seven events, he was the only swimmer at the meet to swim six individual events.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:Breakthrough: 2014 Pan Pacific Championships and 2014 Asian Games.:2014 Pan Pacific Championships.

paragraph: On day one of the Pan Pacs in Gold Coast, Hagino swam in the 200m freestyle. Hagino swam fastest in the heats, with 1:46.60, besting second place Conor Dwyer by five hundredths of a second. He later shaved almost half a second off his heats timing in the 'A' final, bringing it down to 1:46.08, a tenth of a second behind Thomas Fraser-Holmes. Hagino would earn a silver, his first medal of the meet.

paragraph: On day two, Hagino swam in the 400m individual medley in his first event of the day. Hagino again swam fastest in the heats with 4:11.48, around three tenths of a second faster than second place and long-time rival, fellow Japanese Daiya Seto. Hagino would again swim fastest in the 'A' final with 4:08.31 for his first gold and second medal of the meet. Hagino later swam in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay as the lead, clocking 1:46.13, touching first for Japan in the first leg. Japan finished second to the U.S. with 7:05.30, settling for silver.

paragraph: On day three, Hagino swam in the 400m freestyle. Hagino swam with a time of 3:48.92 in the heats, at fourth place. He then swam 3:44.56 in the 'A' final, finishing more than a second behind winner Park Tae-hwan. He earned his third silver and fourth medal of the meet. Hagino then swam in the 200m backstroke, where he qualified fifth with 1:56.94. He finished last in the 'A' final, where he surprisingly swam almost three seconds slower than his heats timing. It would be Hagino's only medal-less event.

paragraph: On day four and Hagino's final event, he swam in the 200m individual medley that featured a competitive field including teammate Seto and American legends Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Tyler Clary. Hagino swam fastest in the heats with a 1:57.61, besting second place Seto by more than a half a second. He again swam fastest in the 'A' final, swimming 1:56.62, narrowly out-touching Phelps by two hundredths of a second. He earned his second gold of the meet.

paragraph: Hagino earned medals in five of his six events. He won two gold and three silver medals.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:Breakthrough: 2014 Pan Pacific Championships and 2014 Asian Games.:2014 Asian Games.

paragraph: On the first day of the Asiad in Incheon, Hagino swam in the 200m freestyle that featured Asia's best with Asian Record holder Sun Yang and Games Record holder Park Tae-hwan. He clocked 1:48.99 for second place in the heats, nine hundredths of a second behind Sun. In the final, Hagino shaved off more than two seconds off his heats timing, swimming 1:45.23 for his first gold medal of the Games. Hagino then swam in the 100m backstroke, clocking the third fastest time in the heats with 54.86. In the final, he swam almost a second faster for a bronze, and his second medal of the games.

paragraph: On Day Two, Hagino swam in the 200m individual medley, which he holds the Asian Record of 1:55.33. He surprisingly swam third in the heats, clocking 2:00.85. In the final, he missed his own Asian Record by one hundredth of a second, but set a new Games Record. It was his second gold of the Games. Hagino later swam in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, which Japan held the Asian Record of 7:02.26. He swam a split of 1:44.97, the fastest split of any swimmer in the relay. Japan would then fail to beat their record, however set a new Games Record of 7:06.74 for the gold medal.

paragraph: On day three, Hagino swam in the 400m freestyle than again featured Asian Record holder Sun and Games Record holder Park. He qualified second with 3:52.24 in the heats, and brought his time down to 3:44.48, but again finished second to Sun. He earned his first silver of the Games.

paragraph: On day four, Hagino swam in the 400m individual medley, which he holds the Asian Record of 4:07.61. He finished second to prime rival Seto in the heats, swimming 4:18.77, around two seconds slower. Hagino then swam close to his personal best with 4:07.75 in the final, failing to beat his Asian Record but setting a new Games Record. It was his fourth gold medal.

paragraph: On day five and Hagino's final event, he swam in the 200m backstroke, and qualified fourth in the heats with 2:00.34. He managed to win bronze in the final, swimming 1:56.36.

paragraph: Hagino swam seven-for-seven, earning four golds, a silver and three bronze medals. He was announced as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

paragraph: Hagino was also World Swimmer of the Year, and is the first and only Japanese to earn the award.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:Continued Success: 2016 Olympic Games.

paragraph: Hagino competed in his second Olympic games at the 2016 Olympics held in Rio de Janeiro. He qualified third in the heats and went on to win gold for the 400 m individual medley, breaking his own Asian record with a time of 4:06.05 and winning Japan's first-ever gold for this event. Hagino won silver in the 200 m individual medley, becoming the first Asian man (along with Wang Shun) to medal at the event, and bronze in the 4x200 m freestyle relay.

description: Japanese swimmer

wikidata_label: Kosuke Hagino

wikipedia_title: Kosuke Hagino


text: Luxembourg City

text: Games of the Small States of Europe

text: 2008 Summer Olympics

text: opening ceremony

text: 2008 Summer Olympics

text: Beijing

text: opening ceremony

text: men's 200 m freestyle

text: FINA World Junior Championships

text: Monterrey, Mexico

text: Virdhawal Khade

text: Květoslav Svoboda

text: European Junior Championships

text: FINA World Championships

text: Rome, Italy

text: 200 m individual medley

text: 400 m individual medley

text: 200 m freestyle

text: Ieuan Lloyd

text: 2011 FINA World Championships

text: Shanghai

text: 200 m individual medley

text: 400 m individual medley

text: 2012 Summer Olympics

text: London

text: FINA

text: 400 m individual medley

text: Ward Bauwens

text: 200 m individual medley

text: Andrew Ford

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre freestyle

wikipedia_title: 2008 FINA Youth World Swimming Championships

wikipedia_title: 2009 European Junior Swimming Championships

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 200 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 400 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 200 metre freestyle

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 200 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 400 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre individual medley

categories: Luxembourgian male swimmers,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics,Male freestyle swimmers,Male medley swimmers,1992 births,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics,Olympic swimmers of Luxembourg,Living people

paragraph: Raphaël Stacchiotti

paragraph: Raphaël Stacchiotti (born 9 March 1992 in Luxembourg City) is a Luxembourgish swimmer, who specialized in the freestyle and individual medley events. He is a three-time Olympian (2008, 2012 and 2016), a multiple-time Luxembourgian record holder in all freestyle and medley events, and a double European junior champion. Stacchiotti also holds numerous meet records and collects a total of 49 medals (40 golds, seven silvers, and two bronzes) from the Games of the Small States of Europe (2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019). At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Stacchiotti became the youngest athlete (aged 16) to be chosen by the Luxembourg squad, and was given the honor of carrying the nation's flag in the opening ceremony.

paragraph: Section::::Career.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:International career.

paragraph: Stacchiotti made his official debut, as Luxembourg's youngest athlete in history (aged 16) at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he was given the honour of carrying the nation's flag in the opening ceremony. He qualified for the men's 200 m freestyle by eclipsing a FINA B-cut of 1:50.30 from the FINA World Junior Championships in Monterrey, Mexico. Stacchiotti challenged seven other swimmers in heat four, including India's 16-year-old Virdhawal Khade and Czech Republic's three-time Olympian Květoslav Svoboda. He rounded out the field to last place by 0.15 of a second behind Khade in 1:52.01. Stacchiotti failed to advance into the semifinals, as he placed forty-ninth overall out of 58 swimmers in the prelims.

paragraph: In 2009, Stacchiotti earned his first ever career gold medal in the 200 m individual medley (2:02.56) at the European Junior Championships in Prague, Czech Republic. Two weeks later, at the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy, Stacchiotti placed forty-seventh in the 200 m individual medley (2:05.51), thirty-fifth in the 400 m individual medley (4:26.63), and forty-fifth in the 200 m freestyle (1:49.61, a Luxembourgish record).

paragraph: At the 2010 European Junior Swimming Championships in Helsinki, Finland, Stacchiotti stormed home on the final lap to defend his 200 m individual medley title in 2:02.52, holding off Great Britain's Ieuan Lloyd by two-tenths of a second (0.20). He also collected a silver medal in the 400 m individual medley at 4:21.28.

paragraph: At the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, Stacchiotti failed to reach the semifinals in any of his individual events, finishing twentieth each in the 200 m individual medley (2:00.87) and 400 m individual medley (4:20.64), both with a personal textile best and a new Luxembourgish record.

paragraph: Section::::Career.:2012 Summer Olympics.

paragraph: Stacchiotti competed in an individual medley double, as a 20-year-old, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He achieved Olympic invitation times (formerly a FINA B-standard) of 2:00.22 (200 m individual medley) and 4:18.98 (400 m individual medley) from the European Long Course Meet in Luxembourg City.

paragraph: On the first day of the Games, Stacchiotti placed eighteenth in the 400 m individual medley. Swimming in heat two, he blasted a new Luxembourgian record of 4:17.20, but came up short in second place by nearly half a second (0.50) behind Belgium's Ward Bauwens. Four days later, in the 200 m individual medley, Stacchiotti registered a time of 2:00.38, just a small fraction outside his own record, but missed the semifinals by a tenth of a second (0.10) behind Canada's Andrew Ford. Ending up with frustration and disbelief, Stacchiotti failed in what was to be his most surprising moment of all time: "It's my fault. I completely lost my rhythm during the breaststroke”.

paragraph: Section::::External links.

paragraph: BULLET::::- NBC Olympics Profile

description: Luxembourgish swimmer

wikidata_label: Raphaël Stacchiotti

wikipedia_title: Raphaël Stacchiotti


text: swimmer

text: 2012 Summer Olympics

text: Stuart Willmott

text: She attended Nunthorpe Academy

text: University of East London

categories: Commonwealth Games silver medallists for England,People from Middlesbrough,Alumni of the University of East London,Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2018 Commonwealth Games,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Olympic swimmers of Great Britain,Swimmers at the 2014 Commonwealth Games,Sportspeople from Middlesbrough,1993 births,British female swimmers,Living people,Female medley swimmers

paragraph: Aimee Willmott

paragraph: Aimee Willmott (born 26 February 1993) is an English competitive swimmer who has represented Great Britain at the Olympic Games, FINA world championships and European championships, and England in the Commonwealth Games. She was the 2018 Commonwealth Games champion in the 400 metres individual medley.

paragraph: Willmott competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 400 metre individual medley, but did not reach the final. She competed in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi and 2014 games in Glasgow where she won silver medals in the 400 metre individual medley and 200 metres butterfly.

paragraph: Willmott has a younger sister Chloe (born 1 October 1994) who was a competitive swimmer. Their father, Stuart Willmott is a former Olympic swimmer. UTB Aimee continues Olympic tradition. yorkshirepost.co.uk (2012-04-02) She attended Nunthorpe Academy Teesside University and is a graduate from the University of East London.

paragraph: In April 2016, she was selected to represent GB in the 2016 Olympics after finishing second behind Hannah Miley in the 400m individual medley at the British Championships.

paragraph: Section::::See also.

paragraph: BULLET::::- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (women)

description: British swimmer, Olympic athlete, Commonwealth Games silver medallist

wikidata_label: Aimee Willmott

wikipedia_title: Aimee Willmott


text:
Reykjavik
Iceland
2012 Summer Olympics

wikipedia_title:
Reykjavík
Iceland
2012 Summer Olympics

categories: Icelandic male swimmers,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics,Male medley swimmers,Olympic swimmers of Iceland,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,1993 births,Living people

paragraph: Anton Sveinn McKee

paragraph: Anton Sveinn McKee (born 18 December 1993 in Reykjavik) is an Icelandic swimmer who competes in the Men's 400m individual medley. At the 2012 Summer Olympics he finished 31st overall in the heats in the Men's 400 metre individual medley and failed to reach the final.

description: Icelandic swimmer

wikidata_label: Anton Sveinn McKee

wikipedia_title: Anton Sveinn McKee


text: swimmer

text: 2012 Summer Olympics

text: 400 metre individual medley

text: 2011 Pacific Games

text: Nouméa

text: Diane Bui Duyet

text: Netanya

text: French record

text: Limoges

text: Montpellier

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 400 metre individual medley

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2007 South Pacific Games

wikipedia_title: 2015 European Short Course Swimming Championships

categories: Mediterranean Games medalists in swimming,Competitors at the 2009 Mediterranean Games,New Caledonian female swimmers,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Female freestyle swimmers,French female swimmers,World Aquatics Championships medalists in open water swimming,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming,Female butterfly swimmers,Mediterranean Games silver medalists for France,1991 births,Female breaststroke swimmers,People from Nouméa,Olympic swimmers of France,Living people,Female medley swimmers

paragraph: Lara Grangeon

paragraph: Lara Grangeon (born 21 September 1991) is a French swimmer from the territory of New Caledonia who competes in the individual medley and butterfly events. At the 2012 Summer Olympics she finished 18th overall in the heats in the 400 metre individual medley and failed to reach the final.

paragraph: Due to the New Caledonia's status as an overseas territory of France, Grangeon competes for New Caledonia in regional (Pacific) competitions and for France in continental and global competitions. At the 2011 Pacific Games in Nouméa, New Caledonia, Grangeon entered all twenty women's events (including one open water event) and won a medal in all of them, including sixteen golds. At the 2007 and 2011 Games, Grangeon swam on several relay teams together with Diane Bui Duyet, who also represents both France and New Caledonia.

paragraph: At the 2015 European Short Course Championships in Netanya, Israel, Grangeon broke the French record in the 400 meter individual medley with a time of 4:29.14. She won the bronze medal. Earlier in 2015 at the French Championships in Limoges, she had already broken the long course French record in this event. In 2016, she again broke the long-course record, with a time of 4:36.61 at the French Championships and Olympic trials in Montpellier.

description: French swimmer

wikidata_label: Lara Grangeon

wikipedia_title: Lara Grangeon


text:
Warsaw
Polish
2012 Summer Olympics
Women's 400 metre individual medley

categories: Olympic swimmers of Poland,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Sportspeople from Warsaw,1992 births,Polish female swimmers,Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics,Living people,Female medley swimmers

paragraph: Karolina Szczepaniak

paragraph: Karolina Szczepaniak (born August 12, 1992 in Warsaw) is a Polish swimmer who competes in the Women's 400 m individual medley. At the 2012 Summer Olympics she finished 31st overall in the heats in the Women's 400 metre individual medley and failed to reach the final.

description: Polish swimmer

wikidata_label: Karolina Szczepaniak

wikipedia_title: Karolina Szczepaniak


text: swimmer

text: Budapest

text: Zoltán Szilágyi

text: women's 100 m butterfly

text: 2012 Summer Olympics

text: London

text: European Championships

text: Debrecen

text: Hannah Wilson

text: Otylia Jędrzejczak

text: Sara Oliveira

wikipedia_title: Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metre butterfly

categories: Hungarian female swimmers,Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Olympic swimmers of Hungary,Sportspeople from Budapest,1996 births,Swimmers at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Swimmers at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics,Female butterfly swimmers,Living people

paragraph: Liliána Szilágyi

paragraph: Liliána Szilágyi (born 19 November 1996) is a Hungarian swimmer, who specialized in the butterfly events.

paragraph: Section::::Career.

paragraph: She collected two medals (gold and silver) in the 100 and 200 m butterfly at the 2012 European Junior Swimming Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. Szilagyi is a member of Kőbánya Swimming Club in Budapest, and is coached and trained by Gyorgyi Turi. She is also the daughter of three-time Olympian and former freestyle swimmer Zoltán Szilágyi (1988, 1992, and 2000).

paragraph: Szilagyi qualified for the women's 100 m butterfly at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, by completing the event more quickly than the FINA B-standard entry time of 59.07 seconds from the European Championships in Debrecen. She competed with seven other swimmers on the third heat, including three-time Olympians Hannah Wilson of Hong Kong and former Olympic champion Otylia Jędrzejczak of Poland. She achieved sixth place ahead of Portugal's Sara Oliveira by a tenth of a second (0.10) in 1:00.34. Szilagyi failed to advance into the semifinals, as she placed thirty-fourth overall on the first day of preliminary heats.

paragraph: Section::::External links.

paragraph: BULLET::::- NBC Olympics Profile

description: Hungarian swimmer

wikidata_label: Liliána Szilágyi

wikipedia_title: Liliána Szilágyi


text:
Jilin City
2012 Summer Olympics
Women's team event
Khatuna Lorig
China at the 2012 Summer Olympics

wikipedia_title: Archery at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's team

categories: Medalists at the 2014 Asian Games,Asian Games medalists in archery,Archers at the 2010 Asian Games,Olympic medalists in archery,Sportspeople from Jilin City,1986 births,Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Olympic silver medalists for China,Asian Games silver medalists for China,Chinese female archers,Olympic archers of China,Archers at the 2014 Asian Games,Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games,Living people,Archers at the 2012 Summer Olympics

paragraph: Cheng Ming

paragraph: Cheng Ming (; born February 11, 1986, in Jilin City, China) is a Chinese female archer. At the 2012 Summer Olympics she competed for her country in the Women's team event, where China won the silver medal, and the individual event, reaching the third round where she was knocked out by Khatuna Lorig.

paragraph: Section::::See also.

paragraph: BULLET::::- China at the 2012 Summer Olympics

description: Chinese archer

wikidata_label: Cheng Ming

wikipedia_title: Cheng Ming


text: Olympic Games

categories: Belgian female equestrians,Equestrians at the 2016 Summer Olympics,Equestrians at the 2000 Summer Olympics,Equestrians at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Equestrians at the 1992 Summer Olympics,Equestrians at the 2004 Summer Olympics,Equestrians at the 2008 Summer Olympics,1971 births,Olympic equestrians of Belgium,Living people

paragraph: Karin Donckers

paragraph: Karin Donckers (born 28 May 1971) is a Belgian equestrian who competes in eventing. She has competed at six Olympic Games between 1992 and 2016 (only missing 1996). Her best result was fourth place in the team competition in 1992. She has also twice finished in the top ten of the individual competition, with eighth in 1992 and ninth in 2008.

description: Belgian equestrian

wikidata_label: Karin Donckers

wikipedia_title: Karin Donckers


text:
road bicycle racer
2012 Summer Olympics
Men's road race

wikipedia_title: Cycling at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's individual road race

categories: People from Pazardzhik,Olympic cyclists of Bulgaria,1986 births,Cyclists at the 2012 Summer Olympics,Bulgarian male cyclists,Living people

paragraph: Spas Gyurov

paragraph: Spas Gyurov () is a Bulgarian road bicycle racer. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the Men's road race, but failed to finish.

paragraph: Section::::Major results.

paragraph: BULLET::::- 2007

paragraph: BULLET::::- 2009

paragraph: BULLET::::- 2012

paragraph: BULLET::::- 2013

description: Bulgarian racing cyclist

wikidata_label: Spas Gyurov

wikipedia_title: Spas Gyurov


text:
C.R.S.A.
Walcourt
Oignies
lay brother
Mosan art
Meuse
Priory
priests
County of Namur
Oignies
Prince-Bishopric of Liège
patron saint
consecrate
altar
Jacques de Vitry
Saint-Jean d'Acre
Evangeliary
reliquary
chalice
canons regular
French Revolutionary Army
Prior
Falisolle
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
Nazi
World War II
Museum of Ancient Arts
Brussels
Encyclopædia Britannica
Nicholas
King Baudouin Foundation

wikipedia_title:
Canons regular
Walcourt
Oignies
Lay brother
Mosan art
Meuse
Priory
Priesthood in the Catholic Church
County of Namur
Oignies
Prince-Bishopric of Liège
Patron saint
Consecration
Altar
Jacques de Vitry
Acre, Israel
Evangeliary
Reliquary
Chalice
Canons regular
French Revolutionary Army
Prior
Falisolle
Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
Nazism
World War II
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Brussels
Encyclopædia Britannica
Nicholas of Verdun
King Baudouin Foundation

categories: 1240s deaths,Canonical Augustinian lay brothers,12th-century births,Belgian goldsmiths,Belgian metalsmiths,People of medieval Belgium,Belgian painters,Year of birth unknown,Romanesque artists,Year of death unknown

paragraph: Hugo d'Oignies

paragraph: Hugo of Oignies, C.R.S.A., (, before 1187 in Walcourt – c. 1240 in Oignies) was a lay brother of Oignies Priory. He was a metalworker and painter and is the last of the great jewelers of Mosan art. He is a representative of the school of the Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse and was considered the greatest artist of the Meuse Valley of his time.

paragraph: Section::::Life.

paragraph: In 1187 Hugo helped to found what became the Priory of St. Nicholas, along with his three brothers, all of whom were priests, when they moved from their native city in the County of Namur to live a monastic style of life by a small country chapel dedicated to St. Nicholas of Myra near Oignies in the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. Little is known of Hugo himself before 1228, when his works at the priory were first noted. Without doubt, he trained as a goldsmith. Hugo was literate, a master scribe, and a miniaturist. He signed many of his works. In circa 1230, Hugo produced a manuscript and silver book covers for the monastery. The book cover contains depictions of Hugo and St. Nicolas, the monastery's patron saint.

paragraph: During a visit to the priory in 1228 or 1229 to consecrate an altar, Jacques de Vitry, C.R.S.A., Bishop of Saint-Jean d'Acre and later cardinal, became a patron of his work. Around that time, Hugo created what are considered among his masterpieces, an Evangeliary and a reliquary. He crafted a series of pieces in silver: reliquaries, monstrances, and other objects of worship, of which three signed pieces still exist.

paragraph: In his work, the human figure merges with the technical virtuosity with which the artist treats the decor's watermarks, crimping delicate cabochons. He provided works of art for the monastery. These included liturgical objects such as crosses, chalices and other religious artifacts which are considered to be masterpieces of metalwork.

paragraph: Section::::Legacy.

paragraph: When the priory was overrun and the community of canons regular scattered by forces of the French Revolutionary Army in 1796, its treasures were hidden by the last Prior of Oignies at a farm in Falisolle. After the death of the farmer, the treasure became entrusted in 1818 to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who were being founded in that period. In 1939, when the Nazi invasion of Belgium at the start of World War II threatened the convent and its treasure, it was moved and escaped the destruction of the convent. After the reconstruction of the convent buildings, the treasure was returned to the Sisters, who placed it in a specially-equipped room in their convent, one of the smallest museums in the world.

paragraph: In early 2010 they were moved again, this time to the Museum of Ancient Arts in Brussels.

paragraph: The "Encyclopædia Britannica" says of his contribution to Gothic metalwork, "The growing naturalism of the 13th century is notable in the work of Nicholas' follower Hugo d’Oignies, whose reliquary for the rib of St. Peter in Namur (1228) foreshadows the partly crystal reliquaries in which the freestanding relic is exposed to the view of the faithful; it is decorated with Hugo’s particularly fine filigree and enriched by naturalistic cutout leaves and little cast animals."

paragraph: Section::::Bibliography.

paragraph: BULLET::::- Doumont, Danièle. "Le fabuleux trésor d'Hugo d'Oignies, l'une des sept merveilles de Belgique exposée à Namur, Mémoires", La Lettre mensuelle, 2003

paragraph: BULLET::::- Collet, Emmanuel. "Le trésor d'Oignies", King Baudouin Foundation, 2012,

description: Augustinian lay brother and artist

wikidata_label: Hugo d'Oignies

wikipedia_title: Hugo d'Oignies