Delhi Sultanate Part-1

Study Notes for UPSC/PCS: Delhi Sultanate Part-1

The Delhi Sultanate is a noble example for the glory of Medieval India. Its culture, art and architecture that exist even today are praiseworthy.  The Sultans of Delhi ruled for quite a long period of 320 years during which there were achievements in different fields. Go through this article to read about the Delhi Sultanate.

Dynasties of Delhi Sultanate 

Dynasty	Period of Rule	Prominent rulers
Mamluk or Slave dynasty	1206 – 1290	Qutubuddin Aibek, Iltutmish, Razia Sultan, Ghiyasuddin Balban
Khilji dynasty	1290 – 1320	Alauddin Khilji
Tughlaq dynasty	1321 – 1413	Muhammad Bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah Tughlaq
Sayyid dynasty	1414 – 1450	Khizr Khan
Lodhi dynasty	1451 – 1526	Ibrahim Lodhi

Slave Dynasty (1206-1290)

Year	Ruler	Important Facts
1206 - 1210	Qutbuddin Aibak	1)      Most trusted slave of Muhammed of Ghori 2)      Died in 1210 while playing Chaughan (Polo) 3)      He was granted the title Lakh Bakhsh 4)      He constructed the Quwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi and Adhai din ka jhonpra at Ajmer 5)      He also started the construction of Qutb Minar in the honour of Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakthiyar Kaki
1210 – 1236	Illtutmish	1)      The real consolidator of Turkish conquests 2)      He saved the Delhi Sultanate from the invasion of the Mongol, Chengiz Khan 3)      He introduced the currency system of Tanka and Jittal 4)      He organized Iqta System – land grant to soldiers and nobility 5)      He set up the Chahalgani system – nobility of 40 members 6)      He completed the construction of Qutb Minar
1236 – 1240	Razia Sultana	1)      The first and the only Muslim lady who ever ruled India 2)      Though a popular ruler, she was disliked by the Chahalgani who wanted to put a puppet ruler at the throne 3)      She was defeated and killed by Bandits while in a fight
1240-1266	An era of weak rulers	After the death of Raziya, weak rulers ascended the throne, who were supported by the Nobles. Bahram Shah, Masud shah and Nasiruddin Muhammad were the successors.
1266 – 1287	An era of Balban	1)      A strong and centralized government was established 2)      He acted as a champion of Turkish Nobility 3)      He broke the strength of Chahalgani to restore the powers of the Monarchy 4)      He established Diwan-i-arz, military department towards a strong army 5)      He adopted a policy of blood and iron to restore the law and order problems 6)      He insisted on the ceremony of Sijada and Paibos 7)      He took up the title Zil-i-illahi
1218 - 1227	Changez Khan	1)      The Mongol leader who prided in being called the Scourge of God 2)      They attacked the Khwarizmi empire and sacked the flourishing cities 3)      Delhi Sultanate became the only important Islam state of this period 4)      Illtutmish, in 1221, refused an asylum request of Jallaudin, who was defeated by Changez Khan. Changez Khan did not cross River Indus, which saved the weak sultanate from loot and plunder.

The Khaljis (1290- 1320)

Year	Rulers	Important Facts
1290 – 1296	Jalaluddin Khalji	1)      He checked the monopoly of Turkish nobility and followed a policy of tolerance
1296 – 1316	Allauddin Khalji	1)      He separated religion from politics and proclaimed, ‘Kingship knows no kinship’ 2)      He followed an imperialist and annexation policy. He annexed Gujarat, Ranthambore, Malwa, Mewar etc Administrative reforms 1)      By series of 4 Ordinances, Allaudin took steps to avoid the problems caused by the nobles 2)      He introduced the Dagh – branding of horse and Chehra – a descriptive roll of soldier’s system. 3)      By setting up markets, Allauddin fixed the cost of all commodities 4)      He constructed the Alai fort and Alai Darwaza – entrance of Qutb Minar 5)      He also built the palace of thousand pillars called Hazar Sutun 6)      Amir Khusrau was the court poet of Allaudin
1316 – 1320	Mubarak Khan
1320	Khusrau Khan	Ghazi Malik deposed Khusrau Khan in a rebellion.

Image source: NCERT+Wiki+Britannica