Qutb-ud-din Aibak was born in Turk family of Central Asia. As a child he was captured sold as a slave, but was lucky to be purchased by one of the chieftains of Nishapur, who treated him like one of his own sons. Aibak received good education and was trained in the field of archery and horsemanship. However, upon death of chief Qazi, he was sold once again by the sons of the dead chief. As the luck would have had it, the famous Muhammad Ghauri bought him and became an instant favourite of his new master because of his exceptional character and qualities. Thereafter, Aibak steadily rose through the ranks and eventually became a General.
Like Ghauri, Aibak performed his greatest deeds while still a subordinate. He was responsible for most of the conquests of Northern India and was appointed as Ghauri’s Viceroy to Delhi. When Ghauri died in 1206, the Turkish Amirs and Generals elected Aibak as the new Sultan. It was he who shifted the capital first from Ghazni to Lahore, and then from Lahore to Delhi, and thus is considered as the first Muslim ruler of South Asia.
Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was the first Muslim Emperor of the Indo-Pak Sub-Continent and was the founder of the Slave Dynasty. Originally a Turk Slave, Qutbuddin was brought to Ghazni, and was brought by Shahabuddin Ghauri. Later, he rose to the heights of Commander-in-Chief of the forces of Shahabuddin Ghauri. On the death of Shahabuddin Ghauri, Qutbuddin Aibak was crowned in Lahore in 1206 AD.
Qutbuddin Aibak had a palace at Lahore, and the area now known as ‘Anarkali’ was in those days known as ‘Mohalla Kuttab Ghauri’. He died in 1210 AD while playing the game of Polo (called ‘Chaughan’ at that time), and a fine mausoleum of the king was constructed by Shamsuddin Altumash. This great slave-king also built the ‘Qutab Minar’ at Delhi in India.