Delhi Sultanate: Origins, Muhammad Ghori & Slave Dynasty

• Sultan is an Arabic word meaning strength, authority, or rulership.
• Sultanate refers to the area or state where the Sultan ruled.
• The Indian subcontinent refers to a geographical location, not a political one.

Delhi Sultanate

• The Delhi Sultanate lasted for 320 years from 1206 to 1526 CE.

Muhammad Ghori (Ghurid Empire)

• He invaded India in 1191 CE.
• In the First Battle of Tarain also in 1191 CE, he lost to Prithviraj Chauhan.
• Later he defeated Prithviraj Chauhan in the Second Battle of Tarain in 1192 CE.
• This opened the doors for Turkish rule in the Indian subcontinent.
• Tarain is located in Thanesar, Haryana.

Slave Dynasty (1206 - 1210 CE)

• The Slave Dynasty got its name because Aibak was sold as a slave and was one of Muhammad Ghori's slaves.
• It was founded by Qutubuddin Aibak.
• Aibak died in 1210 CE in Lahore while playing polo, falling off his horse.
• After Muhammad's death, he was freed from slavery which resulted in chaos for power between Aibak, Yildoz, and Qabacha.
• Slave Dynasty got its name from the fact that Aibak was sold as a slave. He was one of the slaves of Muhammad Ghori.
• Aibak established a sound system of administration.
• He wrote the book Tabakat-i-Nasiri.
• Aibak was known as an open-hearted monarch.
• The Dynasty stationed garrisons in major towns and cities.
• Hasan Nizami wrote Taj-ul-Nasir, the first official history of the Delhi Sultanate.
• Fakhr-ud-Din wrote Tarikh-e-Mubarak Shahi, a history of Muslim rule in the Indo-Pak subcontinent.
• Constructed many mosques, palaces, minarets, and monuments.
• Construction of Qutub Minar, a minar for announcing Islamic class was started by Aibak.
• Construction of Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, the first building of the entire Qutub Complex was started in 1192.
• Aibak's title was 'Lakh Baksh', meaning giver of lakhs.

Aram Shah

• He was the ruler after the death of Aibak.
• Theories suggest that he was the only person available, Nobles declared him King; some believe he was Aibak's son or brother.

Iltutmish (1211-1236 CE)

• Turkic meaning, one who has owned land.
• Known as a wise and able administrator who organized Finance and Revenue departments.
• Bought by Aibak and rose amongst nobles, eventually earning the title of 'Amir'.
• Iltutmish divided his empire into small provinces or Iqtas assigned to Nobles or Iqtadars to maintain law and order, and collect revenue.
• He devalued Dehliwala, the standard coin, set up an official nobility cabinet of 40 people for administration assistance, and gave patronage to Arabic and Persian poets.
• Established a bimetallic coinage system due to a lack of silver.
• Iltutmish was a 'Man of Art and Letters'.
• Ruhani-al-Samarqandi celebrated the Ranthambore victory with poetry.
• Iltutmish accomplished the construction of Qutub Minar that he had built for himself.
• Married to Aibak's daughter, he held the title 'Yamin Amir al-Mu'minin', meaning the right-hand man of the Commander of the Faithful.
• Also, Iltutmish held the title Naib, or Lieutenant Commander of the Faithful.
• Rewarded Poet Nasiri with 53000 tankas and strengthened the power of the Delhi Sultanate.
• He died in 1236 CE and was buried in a tomb he had built.

Razia Sultan

• Able administrator and great warrior who established law and order while improving infrastructure by encouraging trade.
• Offered gave patronage to artists, painters, and artisans.
• Iltutmish's sons were incompetent so he found Razia more capable and nominated his daughter on grounds of ability.
• She strengthened her rule by brave decisions, even though many nobles were against her.
• Her reign was characterised as dynamic & spirited.
• Razia was the one and only female ruler of the Delhi Sultanate who used to don man's attire.

Bahram

• In 1240, he forcibly took over after killing Razia.
• Razia and Firuz were half-siblings.
• Bahram was killed in 1242 CE during a military campaign as he could not resist a Mongol invasion and was infamous for his incompetence.

Alauddin Masood (1242 - 1246 CE)

• Firuz's son and Bahram's nephew.
• Under his rule, Mongols invaded Northwestern frontiers and plundered its territories and Sindh & Multan became independent.
• Balban conspired against Masood and overthrew his reign.

Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (1246 - 1266 CE)

• One of Iltutmish's sons, highly indebted to Balban.
• Gave Balban immense administrative powers.

Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1266 CE - 1287 CE)

• Also a slave of Iltutmish.
• Introduced the kingship system where the king was considered a man of God and different from ordinary men.
• He faced many troubles during throne (1) the royal treasury was empty; (2) arrogance of the Turkish nobles was on the peak; and (3) the Delhi Sultanate had fallen prey to Mongol invasion.
• Introduced 'Sijda' and 'Paibos' where Nobles had to bow down, stretching out on the ground to kiss the feet in order to pay respect.
• He took the titles of 'Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Balban' and 'Zil-e-ilahi' meaning shadow of God.
• Started a special department for the military called 'Diwan-i-Ariz'.
• First Sultan to start a pension system for soldiers.
• He ordered soldiers who did not contribute to any military campaigns to return to their lands, putting an end to all conquests.
• Built a row of forts at all strategic positions in the North-Western frontier provinces focusing on protection against Mongol attacks.

Kaiqubad

• Grandson of Balban.
• Was bestowed the throne by Fakhruddin, he reorganized the military system through systematic means but his deep grieving after his elder son died in a battle entire administration was deeply affected as a consequence of his grief.
• Kaiqubad was the last capable ruler of Slave Dynasty, whose downfall was for three reasons (1) Autocratic and centralised military rule, (2) constant danger from Mongols, (3) there was no rule for succession so a powerful authority could nominate and help others to become a Sultan.
• He was killed by one of the officials of Khilji Dynasty, which ended the Slave Dynasty.

Khilji Dynasty

Jalal-ud-din Khilji

• Old age affected his attitude and decision-making skills and nobles became dissatisfied with his weak policies.
• The nobles formed a group headed by Ala-ud-din who murdered Jalal.
• Khilji was the founder of the Khilji Dynasty who ascended to the throne at the ripe age of 70, was known to be a generous and calm Sultan, and dealt leniently with his rebels.

Alauddin Khilji (Original name - Ali Gurshasp)

• In 1304 CE, he merged the Vaghela Kingdom with the Delhi Sultanate.
• Before becoming a ruler, he planned a campaign to Devgiri in 1296 CE rich kingdom in the South after which coming from Devgiri, murdered Jalal-ud-din Khilji and took over the throne.
• Claimed as King of Kara, he gifted tonnes of gold pieces to the nobles of Jalal-ud-din and acquired the throne of Delhi.
• In 1302-03 CE, he sent expedition to the South to conquer Kaktiyas of Warnagal.
• In 1315 CE, Alauddin Khilji married Jalal-ud-din's daughter and was Jalal-ud-din's nephew.
• Ambitions included wanting to establish an independent rule for himself using administrative reforms and designed centralised power that supported a large military for his ambitious campaigns.
• He then lavishly used gold to win the support of nobles before also appointing close friends as Amirs and promoting existing Amirs to the rank of 'Maliks' to gain public support.
• Used a system of Chehra and Dagh to avoid fake registration of soldiers, banning alcohol and other intoxicants in Delhi & surroundings as well as forbidding gambling and punishing violators.
• All reforms provided a platform and in 1306, when he was invaded Mongols he defeated the Mongols and Malik Kafur led an army against Mongols.
• Alauddin attacked Chittor to capture Padmini, the wife of Rana Ratan Singh and later constructed made Hauz-i-Khas which covered 70 acres.
• Also constrcuted Siri Fort and commissioned Alai Darwaza in 1311 CE which served as a gateway to Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque.
• The taxes issued Khilji (1) Kharaj with a rate of 50% tax was collected directly from cultivators with taxes that where directly proportional to owned land rich paid more tax than poor, also issuing (2) Residential tax known as Ghari, (3) Grazing tax known as Charai, (4) Khums 5% share from the soldiers on spoils of war.
• In 1298-99 CE, he sent his 1st expedition to Gujarat and another troop was sent to beseige Fort of Chittor and in 1304 he launched an invaded Gujarat again.
• Famous historian Ziauddin Barani indicated his reign "as the happiest year for the people of Delhi" and the expedition to Gujarat invaders looted many towns and plundered them which also captured many people including Malik Kafur.
• Malik Kafur became Ala-ud-din's loyal slave, before becoming a prominent slave general in the Khilji Dynasty.
• Khilji confiscated their wealth and filled royal treasuries.
• To implement the Revenue System, a large number of accountants and clerks employed were paid highly and punished severely for taking bribes in order to also maintain a muster roll to keep an of offical list of offficers and men in the military.

Mubarak Shah (1316-1320 CE)

• Before death, appointed Ghazi Malik as Commander of Punjab.
• Ruled for a very short period, before being murdered by own army commander Khusrau Khan.

Tughlaq Dynasty

Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughlaq (Ghazi Malik) (1320 - 1325 CE)

• Main objective was to improve financial condition of state and focus on increasing area of agriculture while also improving economic conditions of farmers.
• Delhi Sultanate Founder of Tughlaq Dynasty and appointed his son Muhammad- bin - Tughlaq as his heir..
• Reduced land revenue from 50% during Alauddin to 1/10th and Farmers became exempted on paying taxes during famines.
• Took written agreement from all the nobles of the state for his decision.
• To establish public utilities like canals, forts, gardens, including improved means of communication and Postal System he and repaired and improved roads.
• Built Tughlaqabad Fort to protect Delhi from Mongols before leading to Delhi and killing Khusrau Khan as Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq and difficulties he faced when he ascended to throne with weak successors of Alauddin Khilji as treasury was exhausted appeasing Nobles

Muhammad - bin - Tughlaq (1325 - 1351 CE)

• Unlike Alauddin, he had a policy of annexation of Southern Kingdoms.
• Annexed all the kingdoms defeated by him.
• Introduced gold and silver coins as currency as an experiment as medium of exchange and was inspired by Kublai Khan of China & Ghazan Khan of Persia.
• Historians like Elphinstone & V.A. Smith stated that as he was a learned man he was insane.
• People became unhappy with his hasty decisions were forced to move to new capital where many many died of hunger.
• Currency experinment caused so many forged coins as well as broke the boundaries between North & South and new cons were heavily impacted in the market.
• Most do not agree.
• Able ruler who was well versed in various languages, a good caligraphist, and was highly ambitious as well as a man of moral character with weakness and impatience and had hastiness.
• In 1327 CE, ordered to shift capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in Deccan creating a new road constructed from Delhi to Daulatabad and planted trees on both sides for shade while setting up halting stations, and provided the provision of food and water including establishing a regular postal service between Delhi and Dulatabad and in 1335, shifted his capital back to Delhi as he felt that his northern provinces were unprotected

Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351 CE)

• Succeeded in moderating situation caused during the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.
• Renovated with inscription highlighting death in Battle of Panipat when he became his 1st task.
• 1st task was to conciliate subjects who faced misery including settling immense importance to Agriculture and establishing a department called Diwan-i-Kherat and also setup up hospitals for poor people including set up hospitals for poor people
• The ruler who benefited travellers and merchants and founded cities around Delhi remitted all the debts his subjects.
• Brought trade to standstill and decided to withdraw bronze coins, where bronze coins in huge amounts gathered in heaps outside the fort in Delhi for many years.
• Revolts in Bengal, Gujarat and Warangal when he acquired the throne
• Due to failed measures he was misjudged by his subjects, though remembered as a benevolent ruler.
• Constructed longest canal - carried water from River Yamuna to city of Hisar and a100 mile canal from River Sutlej to River Ghaghara to newly established town of Firozabad as well as Western Yamuna Canal.
• He laid 1200 gardens around Delhi and Diwan-i-Kherat gave grants to parents for daughters marriage
• This lead to the Firoz's death and once again to a new war while rebellion took place and nobles establishing themselves in indepedent states.

Timur's Invasion

• Invasion led to debacle of Delhi Sultanate then ruled by Sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud Shah - one of the last members of the Tughlaq Dynasty to hold title of Sultan
• Battle broke out between Sultan Mahmud's army and Timur near Panipat, but Tirmur's invasion impact almost all the dimensions of society, culture, social, political,economic, and religion which he appointed Sayyids as Governors of Delhi.
• Many towns and villages were destroyed as well as emptied the royal treasuries during which Timur's appointed Sayyids as Governors of Delhi and captured Uchh and Multan as conqeuset lead reduction which were plundered from looted granaries
• Started expedition from Kabul in August 1398 CE, when Amir Timur lead the attack Delhi and weaked it already dur to already weak succession within the Tughlaq Dynasty.
• Timur was believed to be a great-great-great grandfather of Babur.

Sayyid Dynasty

Khizr Khan (1414-1421 CE)

• Coins not in his name though he appointed by Timur as a government appointed the title Timur as a governor to maintain and not the authority of titles and did not do the Sultan to the fear and could not perform is ability to be a ruler under all aspects under the influence of Tughlag ruler Firoz Shah Tulah

Mubarak Shah

• Was able to successfully suppress the opposition in Punjab and founded the city of Mubarakabad in 1433 and named himself Muizuddin and had an architecturual tomb in his name but also killed by his famous ministers.

LODHI DYNASTY (Last Dynasty of Delhi Sultanate) (1451 - 1526)

Bahlol Lodhi

Alam Shah