Delhi Sultanate Class Notes by

Aman Srivastava

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Major Dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate - Tenure -
(1206-1526)

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● Mamluk dynasty (1206–1290)
● Khilji dynasty (1290–1320)
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Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414)
Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451)
Lodi dynasty (1451–1526)
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Slave dynasty
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● This dynasty was also known as the Mamluk dynasty.

● It was also called the Ilbari dynasty.
● Qutbuddin Aibak was its first ruler.
● The most number of sultans were from this dynasty.
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● The rulers of this dynasty were of Turkish origin.

Qutubuddin Aibak (1206–1210 AD)

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● He was the founder of the Slave dynasty.

● He was a slave and commander of Muhammad Ghori.
● He made Lahore his capital.
● He died in 1210 AD while playing polo.
● His mausoleum is located in Lahore, Pakistan.
● After him, Aram Shah became the ruler for about a year.
● Due to his generosity, Qutubuddin Aibak was called 'Lakhbaksh'
meaning 'giver of lakhs'.
 ● He constructed the 'Quwwat-ul-Islam' mosque in Mehrauli, Delhi and
the 'Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra' in Ajmer.
● He laid the foundation of the Qutub Minar in Delhi, which was built in
memory of the famous Sufi saint 'Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki'.
● The mausoleum of Sheikh Khawaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiar Kaki is
located in Delhi.

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Iltutmish (1211-1236 AD)
● He is considered the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate.

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● Before becoming the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, he was the
governor of Badaun.
● He made Delhi his capital.

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● Iltutmish is called the "Slave of Slaves" as he was a slave of
Qutub-ud-din Aibak, who himself was a slave of Mohammad Ghori.
● Iltutmish was the first Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate to receive the title
of "Sultan-e-Azam" from the Caliph of Baghdad in 1229.
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● He formed the Turkan-e-Chahalgani, also known as the Forty.
● Iltutmish was the first Turkish Sultan to issue pure Arabic coins. He
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also started the minting of silver and copper coins.

● Nizam-ul-Mulk Junaidi was Iltutmish's wazir or prime minister.
● The famous historian Minhaj-us-Siraj, who wrote "Tabaqat-e-Nasiri,"
lived in Iltutmish's court.
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● Iltutmish is credited with completing the construction of the Qutub

Minar.
● Iltutmish built a reservoir called "Hauz-e-Sultani" outside Delhi.
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Mongol Invasion
● During the reign of Iltutmish, there was a fear of Mongol invasion of
India.
● Introducing his foresight, Iltutmish refused to offer shelter to
Jalaluddin, the Khwarezmian emperor who had fled from Central Asia
to India, thereby dissuading him from invading India.
 ● As a result, Chengez Khan did not invade India.

Ruknuddin Firoz Shah (1236 AD)

● Before his death, Iltutmish appointed his daughter Razia Sultan as his
successor.
● After Iltutmish's death in 1236 AD, Ruknuddin Firuz Shah became the
ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.

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● During this period, his mother Shah Turkan had a significant
influence.

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Razia Sultan (1236-1240 AD)
● Razia Sultan was the first and the last female ruler of the Delhi
Sultanate.

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● She was the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish.
● Razia Sultan appointed a non-Turk named Jalaluddin Yakut as the
head of the royal stable (Amir-i-Akhur).
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● To suppress the rebellion led by Turkish nobles, Razia married
Altunia, who was the ruler of Bhakti in Punjab at that time.
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● According to historian Al-Numan, if Razia were not a woman, her

name would have been counted among the great rulers of India.

Muizuddin Bahram Shah (1240-1242 AD)

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● After Razia Sultan, he became the ruler of Delhi.

● He created the post of Naib-e-Mumalikat, who was the chief
decision-maker of all the powers of the contemporary Delhi Sultanate.
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● After the death of Bahram Shah in 1242, Masud Shah became the
ruler.
● Four years later, in 1246, Masud Shah was imprisoned and
Nasiruddin Mahmud was made the Sultan.
Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266-1287 AD)
● After the death of Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud in 1265, Ghiyasuddin
Balban became the ruler.
● During the reign of Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah, Balban had gained
real power and was appointed as his Prime Minister.
● He ended the Turkish Slave dynasty created by Iltutmish.
● Balban began to implement Iranian practices in his court.

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● He instituted the rule of Sijdah and Paibos and also started
celebrating the Iranian festival of Nowruz.
● He adopted the policy of "iron and blood" to strengthen the

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governance system.
● He conferred upon himself the title of Ilahi (Divine) district.
● Nasiruddin Mahmud gave Balban the title of Ulugh Khan.

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● The famous Persian poet Amir Khusro resided in Balban's court.
● He had the first mausoleum built in India in a pure Islamic style,
Balban's Tomb, which had a meh-rab built using scientific methods for
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the first time.

Major Department established by Balban

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● Diwan-e-Arj: This was a military department.

● Barid-e-Mumalik: This was a spy agency, its head was called "Barid".
● Diwan-e-Wajahat: This was a financial department.
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Kaiqubad
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● In 1286 CE, he became the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate after the
death of Balban.
● Shamsuddin Kamboh was the last ruler of the slave dynasty, and he
was murdered.
● After his death, Firoz Khilji became the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate
and established the Khilji dynasty.
Khilji Dynasty (1290–1320)

Jalal-ud-din Khilji (1290 – 1296 AD)

● The Khilji dynasty was the shortest reigning dynasty over the Delhi
Sultanate.
● Jalal-ud-din Khilji was the founder of the Khilji dynasty.
● He was the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate who was largely secular

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and tolerant of all religions.
● He adopted a policy of tolerance and refrained from using harsh
punishments.

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● His reign came to an end when he was murdered by his nephew and
son-in-law, Alauddin Khilji.

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Alauddin Khilji (1296 - 1316 AD)
● Alauddin Khilji is known as the Alexander (Sikandar-e-Sani) of India.
● He was the first emperor to maintain a standing army and pay his
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soldiers in cash.
● His policies were in stark contrast to the policy of tolerance of
Jalaluddin Khilji.
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● Alauddin Khilji was the nephew and son-in-law of Jalaluddin Khilji.

● He constructed the entrance gate of Qutub Minar, which is known as
Alai Darwaza, and also built the palaces of Hauz Khas and the Siri
Fort.
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Alauddin's Political Campaigns

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● Alauddin Khilji attacked Ranthambore (under Hammiradeva) in 1301

AD and Chittor (under Rana Ratan Singh) in 1303 AD.
● In 1308 AD, Alauddin attacked Marwar.
● Malik Kafur was the commander-in-chief of Alauddin Khilji's army and
was also known as 'Hazar Dinari'.
● Malik Kafur led the campaigns in southern India undertaken by
Alauddin Khilji.
 ● Information about Alauddin's southern campaigns can be found in the
'Tariq-i-Firoz Shahi' by Ziauddin Barni and 'Khazain-ul-Futuh' by Amir
Khusro.
● Alauddin Khilji was the first Muslim ruler whose empire almost
covered the entire India, up to its southern tip.
● During Alauddin's reign, the barbaric Mongols from Central Asia
attacked India seven times, but Alauddin successfully defeated them
each time.

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● Alauddin deployed his capable generals Jafar Khan and Gazi Malik
against the Mongols and in 1304 AD, he made Siri his capital and
fortified it.

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Alauddin Khilji's Administration

Military Reform

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● Alauddin was the first Sultan to establish a permanent army and
appointed a military minister called Ariz-e-Mumalik.
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● He started the practice of branding horses by using a system of hot
iron marks.
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● He introduced the concept of huliya, a descriptive list of soldiers, for

the branding of horses.

Market Reform
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● Four different markets were established in Delhi, and there were rules
in place to determine the prices of all goods.
● Cheating was not allowed.
● There was a market called ‘Sarai-e-Adl’ that received support from
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the government, where trade of clothing and other goods took place.
● An officer called 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' was appointed to manage the
market.
● Alauddin Khilji was known as the creator of the 'public distribution
system'.
land Revenue Administration
● He was the first Sultan of Delhi who ordered the measurement of
land.
● The measurement of land was called "Masahat".
● Land revenue was collected in cash.
● Alauddin Khilji imposed four types of taxes, which were mainly Jizya
tax, Kharaj or Bhumi-kar tax, Ghari (household) tax, and Charai

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(pasture) tax.

Amir Khusro

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● He was a Sufi poet, musician and scholar who lived from 1263 to
1325 CE and served in the royal courts of various kings and sultans

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(from Balban to Muhammad Tughluq).
● He was a disciple of the famous Sufi saint Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya.
● Amir Khusro is called 'Parrot of India' or 'Tuti-e-Hind'.
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● Amir Khusro is often considered the first poet of Urdu.
● Amir Khusro is called the 'Father of the Sitar'.
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Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah (1316 - 1320)

● In 1316, after the death of Alauddin Khilji, his son Qutbuddin Mubarak
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Shah ascended the throne.

● He immediately ended all the strict regulations enforced by his father.
● In 1320, Nasiruddin Khusrav Shah assassinated him and took the
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throne.
● His reign ended suddenly, just as it had begun. Governor Ghazi Malik
of Dipalpur killed Khusrav Shah.
● Ghazi Malik then assumed the title of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and
established the Tughlaq dynasty in Delhi.
Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414)
● The Tughlaq dynasty belonged to the Turkic ethnic group.
● They were the most successful dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate in
medieval India.
● Their rule lasted in Delhi from 1320 to 1414 CE, making the Tughlaq
dynasty the largest dynasty to have ruled the Delhi Sultanate.
● Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq was the first ruler of this dynasty.

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Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq - (1320-1325)
● His real name was Ghazi Malik.

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● He was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty.
● He made Tughlaqabad his capital.
● He started the postal and revenue systems.
●
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In 1321, Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq sent his son Jauna Khan on a
campaign against the ruler Prataparudra of Warangal in Telangana,
which was unsuccessful.
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● Later in 1322, Jauna Khan attacked Warangal and brought it under
the Delhi Sultanate.
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● In 1324, Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq brought Bengal under the Delhi

Sultanate.
● He died in 1325.
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Muhammad bin Tughlaq-(1325-1351)

● His real name was Jauna Khan or Ulugh Khan.
● He ascended to the throne of the Tughlaq dynasty in 1325 by taking
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the title of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

● He ruled over Delhi from 1325 to 1351.
● He was a scholar of logic, philosophy, astronomy, mathematics,
calligraphy, and physics.
● The famous traveler Ibn Battuta visited India during his reign.
● The most rebellions took place during the reign of Muhammad bin
Tughlaq in the Delhi Sultanate.
 ● Some historians have called Muhammad bin Tughlaq ruthless,
bloodthirsty, and irreligious.
● He died near Thatta (Sindh) in 1351.

Reforms of Muhammad bin Tughlaq

● Muhammad bin Tughlaq established a new department 'Diwan-i-Amir
Kohi' for the advancement of agriculture. Its main task was to bring

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more land under agriculture by giving separate assistance to the
farmers.
● The capital was transferred from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad) and

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the entire population was forcibly relocated to the new capital, which
was renamed Daulatabad.
● Tokan currency - In 1329, Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued symbolic

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currency. It introduced the circulation of copper or brass coins and
ordered that in the purchase and sale of goods, the symbolic
currency should be used at par with gold and silver currency.
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● Increase in land revenue in Doab - Due to the failure of currency
exchange in Daulatabad, the royal treasury suffered heavy losses. To
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cope with this, Muhammad bin Tughlaq increased the land revenue
levied on farmers in the Doab region between the Ganga and
Yamuna rivers. When a severe famine struck the area, the farmers
rebelled.
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Firoz Shah Tughluq (1351–1388)

● In 1351 AD, Firoz Shah Tughlaq became the ruler.
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● Firoz Shah Tughlaq was crowned twice.

● Futuhat-e-Firozshahi is an autobiography written by him.
● Contemporary historians of Firoz Shah Tughlaq have referred to him
as the "first welfare state builder and an autocratic ruler" of medieval
India.
● Historian Elphinstone called Firoz Shah Tughlaq the "Akbar of the
Sultanate era."
Administrative Reforms
● He took back all the agricultural loans given by
Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq.
● Firoz Shah Tughlaq organized the first-ever revenue system.
● He had canals built during his reign, the most famous ones being
'Rajwahi' and 'Ulugkhan'.
● He imposed the first-ever Jizya tax on Brahmins.

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● He introduced mixed copper and silver coins named 'Adha' and 'Bikh'.
● He waived off the loans of the farmers.
● He put an end to all illegal and unjust practices.

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He collected four important taxes which are:
➔ Kharaz - 1/10th of the produce of the land

➔ Jizya - Poll tax

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➔ Khams - 1/5 of war booty

➔ Zakat-tax on Muslims for specific religious purposes

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● He built cities like Firozabad, Hisar, Jaunpur and Fatehabad.
● The city of Fatehabad (in the south western part of present-day
Haryana) was founded in the 14th century by Firoz Shah Tughlaq,
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who named it after his son Fateh Khan.

Major departments started by Firoz Shah Tughlaq

● Diwan-i-Khairat- Charity Department
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● Darul Safa - Government hospital

● Diwan-i-Bandagan- Das Department
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Timur's invasion
● Timurlang invaded India during the reign of the Tughlaq dynasty.
● At this time the ruler of Delhi was Nasiruddin Mahmud Tughlaq.
● It made its journey from Samarkand and entered Punjab.
● Timur stayed in Delhi for about 15 days and looted on a large scale
and looted money from here.
Decline of Tughlaq Dynasty
● The successors of Firoz Shah Tughlaq were quite incompetent.
● Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah Tughlaq was the last ruler of the Tughlaq
dynasty.
● During his reign, Timur Lang, the ruler of Samarkand, invaded Delhi.
● During the same period, Jaunpur, Gujarat, and Malwa became
independent of the Delhi Sultanate.

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Sayyid Dynasty (1414–1451)
● The Sayyid dynasty was relatively small and quickly ruled Delhi.

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● Four rulers of this dynasty – Khizr Khan, Mubarak, Muhammad Shah
and Alam Shah ruled for 37 years between 1414 and 1451.

Khizr Khan (1414-21)

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● The Syed dynasty was founded by Khizr Khan, who was the governor
of Multan.
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● He ruled as a representative of Shah Rukh, the son and successor of
Timur.
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● Khizr Khan was referred to as "Syed '' in the Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi,

indicating that he was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.
● After becoming the ruler, he gave himself the title of "Rayyat-i-Ala."
● He died of an illness in 1421 CE.
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Mubarak Shah (1421–34)

● He was the son of Khizr Khan, who issued coins and khutba in his
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name.
● He was the most capable ruler of the Sayyid dynasty. He suppressed
rebellions in Bhatinda and Daob and quashed the uprising led by the
rebel leader Jasrat.
● He provided protection to the author of "Tarikh-i-e-Mubarak Shahi",
Wahia bin Ahmad Sarhindi.
● He founded the city of Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna
river.
 ● He did not accept the rule of any foreign power.

Muhammad Shah (1434–45)

● Muhammad Shah became the ruler in 1434 AD with the help of
Sarwar-ul-Mulk.
● He declared Bahlool Lodi as his son and conferred upon him the title
of Khan-e-Khana.

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● During his reign, the downfall of the Sayyid dynasty began.

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Alauddin Alamshah (1445–51)
● He was the last ruler of the Sayyid dynasty.
● After the death of his father Muhammad Shah, in 1445 AD, Alauddin

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assumed the title of 'Alam Shah' and became the ruler of the Sayyid
dynasty.
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Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526)
● The Lodi dynasty, which ruled India from 1451 to 1526 CE, was the
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first Afghan dynasty to rule under the Delhi Sultanate.

● This dynasty rose to power after the Sayyid dynasty.
● The prominent rulers of this dynasty were Bahlul Lodi, Sikandar Lodi,
and Ibrahim Lodi.
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Bahlol Lodi (1451-1489 AD)

● He was the founder of the Lodi dynasty.
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● During the reign of Muhammad Shah, he served as the governor of

Lahore and Sirhind.
● He had seized control of the areas around Delhi to re-establish the
Delhi Sultanate.
● His most successful battle was against the ruler of Jaunpur, Mahmud
Shah Sharqi.
● The provinces conquered by Bahlool Lodi included Mewat, Sambhal,
Suket, Bhongir, Rewari, Etawa, and Chandwar.
 ● In 1498, his son Nizam Shah became the ruler under the name
Sultan Sikandar Shah.

Sikandar Lodi (1498-1517 AD)

● He was the most suitable among the three Lodhi rulers.
● He had achieved victory over the kings of Bihar and Tirhut and had
signed a treaty with the ruler of Bengal, "Alauddin Hussain Shah".

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● He appointed "Daria Khan" as the governor of Bengal.
● He initiated the measurement of agricultural land using the
"Gaz-i-Sikandari" (Sikandar yard), which was 39 units or 32 inches

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long.
● He established an efficient spying system and a system to audit
government accounts.

him in 1504 AD.

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● He shifted his capital from Delhi to Agra, which was established by

● He was a devout Sunni Muslim, lacked religious tolerance, and

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imposed the "Jizya" tax and restrictions on Hindu pilgrimages.
● He was a liberal patron of art and culture and wrote poetry in the
Persian language under the name "Gulrukh."
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Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526 A.D.)

● After the death of Sikandar Shah, his two sons Ibrahim and Jalal both
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became rulers of Agra and Jaunpur respectively.

● Later, Ibrahim Lodi killed Jalal and became the rightful heir of his
father.
● He was the last Sultan of the Lodi dynasty.
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● During his reign, several rebellions took place. Dariya Khan Lohani
declared the independence of Bihar during his reign.
● Due to his oppressive policies towards the Lohani and Lodhi
communities, as well as his inappropriate behavior towards Lahore's
Governor Dilawar Khan, many nobles turned against him.
● The first battle of Panipat was fought between Babur and Ibrahim
Lodi in 1526 AD, after which the end of the Delhi Sultanate and the
establishment of the Mughal dynasty is considered.