Taj al-Din Yildiz

Taj al-Din Yildiz (also spelled Yaldiz, Yildoz, and Yalduz, Persian: تاج‌ الدین یلدوز) was a Turkic ghulam of the Ghurid dynasty, who, after the death of Sultan Muhammad of Ghor, became the de facto ruler of Ghazni, while, however, still recognizing Ghurid authority.

Meanwhile, Yildiz seized Ghazni from the Ghurid rulers of Bamiyan, but shortly recognized the authority of Ghiyath.

Ghiyath, not glad about Tajuddin controlling Ghazni, and not daring to leave Ghur unprotected, requested help from the Khwarazmian Muhammad II.

In 1208, the semi-independent Ghurid governor of India, Qutb-ud-din Aibak, attacked and occupied Ghazni, but was defeated by Yildiz forty days later.

Yildiz was defeated and taken prisoner by Iltutmish, and after being led through the streets of Delhi was sent to Budaun, where he was put to death in the same year.