Why did Mahmūd of Ghazni attack western India? to fulfill an ancient prophesy to open a trade route to China to take advantage of the area's wealth to convert Hindus to Islam

To take advantage of the area's wealth and to convert the Hindus to Islam

Explanation:

Mahmud of Ghazni, the Turkish conqueror with a hugely successful empire in Central Asia attacked India in a time span between 1000 and 1027 AD. He was a man of great influence and power as he was made the Sultan - the first of that time.

He began his attacks on Western India when the traditional powers and influence of the Rajput in India waned.

He had an agenda to invade India for her enormous wealth and also to covert the people to Islam.

Mahmud successfully invaded India 17 times, he was not always successful in his attempts at invasion as he was resisted by King Jaipal and his son, even though they were later defeated.

Cities the Turkish conquered successfully invaded in India were Kabul, Kashmir, Delhi, and 10 other cities. His biggest conquest in India was the invasion of a temple in Gujarat where he stole all the treasures from the temple.

He lay siege to the temple for 3 days and was repelled by the Hindu defenders there before it eventually fell. The total value of treasure looted from the temple was worth about 20-million Dinars, which was more than 80 times the worth of his previous loots. Even though he was greatly hated by the Hindus, he still managed to bring Islam to parts of India as the invasion showed the Muslims were militarily stronger than the Hindus.

He died in 1030 AD.