ARAB & TURKISH INVASION & ESTABLISHMENT OF

DELHI SULTANETE (Early Medieval India)

❖ ARAB INVASION
• First successful Arab muslim invasion took place in Sindh region in the year 712 AD.
• Arabs were attracted by the wealth of India. However, the immediate reason for the
invasion of Sindh was to avenge the plunder of Arab Ships by pirates of Debal. King Dahir
refused to punish the pirates. Debal was the port of Sindh & Arod was the capital.
• In 712 Al-Hajjajj, the Governor of Iraq sent Muhammad-bin-Qasim to India. He was the
commander of the Umayyad kingdom.
• Battle of Rewar- Fought between Muhammad-bin-Qasim and Dahir the ruler of Sind
• Dahir was defeated. Sind and Multan were captured.
• Chachnama, (also known as the Fateh nama)a book written by Al Kufi, gave a detail
account of Arabian invasion in Sindh.
• Ali Kufi claimed his work was a translation of an 8th-century work in Arabic.
❖ TURKISH INVASION
❖ MAHMUD GHAZNI (998-1030 AD)
• Ghazni was a small kingdom in Afghanistan which was founded by a Turkish nobleman in
the tenth century.
• One of his successors Mahmud of Ghazni wanted to make Ghazni into a big and
powerful kingdom.
• So, he planned on raiding India in order to bring back wealth and thus build a large army
to conquer Central Asia.
• The first raid began in AD. 1001. In a short period of twenty-five years Mahmud made
seventeen raids.
• Between AD, 1010 and 1025, Mahmud attacked only the temple towns in northern India.
He had heard that, there was much gold and jewellery kept in the big temples in India, so
he destroyed the temples and took away the gold and jewellery.
• Destroying temples had another advantage. He could claim, as he did, that he had obtained
religious merit by destroying images.
• First invasion of Mahmud was on Hindu Shahi dynasty of Udbhandpur.
• 1008- defeated FATEH DAWOOD the ruler of Multan.
• 1008-09- in battle of WAIHIND defeated Hindushahi ruler Anandapal
• 1009- plundered the temple of NAGARKOT. First temple plundered by Mahmud of
Ghazni.
• 1019-Chandela ruler Vidyadhar successfully hold the invasion of Ghazni at kalinjar.
• In 1025 he plundered shiva temple of Somnath, Gujrat.
• His last invasion was against Jat in 1027.
• In 1030 AD Mahmud died and the people of northern India felt relieved. He was the patron
of the famous Persian poet, Firdausi, who wrote the epic poem Shah Namah.
• Mahmud also sent the Central Asian scholar Alberuni to India. Alberuni lived here
for many years and finally wrote an excellent book on India, named KITAB UL HIND
 (Arabic language) describing the country and the condition of the people. He was also
known as Abu Raihan. He was born in the territory of Khiva in Central Asia in 973 A.D.
• Utbi (His court historian) wrote Kitab-ud-yamni.
• Firdausi wrote Shahnama.

❖ Muhammad Ghori or Muhammad of Ghor ( Muhammad bin Sam)

1. Towards the middle of the twelfth century two new powers rose to prominence – the
Khwarizmi empire based in Iran and the Ghurid empire based in Ghur in north-west
Afghanistan.
2. In A.D. 1173, Shahabuddin Muhammad also known as Muizzuddin Muhammad bin
Sam (called Muhammed Ghori) ascended the throne of Ghazni.
3. Muhammad Ghori conquered Multan and Uchh from Karmatia muslim rulers in A.D. 1175.
4. In A.D. 1178, he tried to penetrate into Gujarat but was defeated and completely
routed by the Chalukya ruler of Gujarat, Mularaja II, near Mount Abu.
5. After that Muhammad Ghuri attacked Punjab. Peshawar was occupied in A.D. 1179-80. By
A.D.1182, the whole of Sind was subdued.
6. Next he captured Lahore, deposed Khusru Malik, the Ghaznavid prince, and annexed
Punjab to his dominions.
7. With Lahore as the base, he first thoroughly consolidated his position in the Punjab.
8. Muhammad Ghori’s possession of Punjab and his attempt to advance into the Gangetic
Doab brought him into direct conflict with the Rajput ruler Prithivaraja Chauhan.
9. The conflict started with claims of Bhatinda.
10. In the first battle fought at Tarain in AD 1191, Ghori’s army was routed and he
narrowly escaped death.
11. Prithviraj conquered Bhatinda but he made no efforts to garrison it effectively. This gave
Ghori an opportunity to re-assemble his forces and make preparations for another advance
into India.
12. The Second Battle of Tarain (AD 1192) is regarded as one of the turning points in
Indian History. The Indian forces were more in number but Turkish forces were well
organised with swift moving cavalry and the bulky Indian forces were no match
against the superior organisation, skill and speed of the Turkish cavalry.(Tarain is also
called Taraori. It is near the ancient town of Thanesar, Haryana. The 2nd battle of Tarain
proved to be a watershed in the history of India. It paved way for the ascendancy of the
Turks.
13. Factor responsible for Turkish victory
– The first was the horse shoe which gave their horses a long life and protected their
hooves.
– The second was, the use of iron stirrup which gave a good hold to the horse rider and
a better striking power in the battle.
-- feudalism in India
-- Lack of unity among north Indian Rajput rulers.
-- Lack of uniform military training in India because of feudalism.
 -- Lack of centralized power in North India.
-- Caste system.
14. After Tarain, Ghori returned to Ghazni, leaving the affairs of India in the hand of his
trusted slave general Qutbuddin Aibak.
15. In AD 1194 Muhammad Ghori again returned to India. and gave a crushing defeat
to Jai Chand at Chandwar near Kannauj.
16. Thus the battle of Tarain and Chandwar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in Northern
India.

17. Ghuri had two commander generals in India- Qutubud-din-Aibak & Bakhtiyar Khilji
18. Bakhtiyar Khilji had demolished Nalanda University of Bihar.
19. On his way to Ghazni, Muhammad Ghuri was killed by Khokar tribe while
encamping at Dhamyak on the Indus.
20. His general Qutubud-din Aibak declared himself Sultan at Delhi in A.D. 1206.
21. The political achievements of Muhammad Ghori in India were long lasting than those of
Mahmud of Ghazni. While Mahmud Ghazni was mainly interested in plundering
Muhammad Ghori wanted to establish his political control.
IMPORTANT FACTS
• First Islamic & Arab invasion- in 712 by Muhammad Bin Qasim. He
defeated Dahir, the ruler of Sindh
• Mahmud of Ghazni (from Afghanistan) invaded North India 17 times &
in 1025 he plundered Shiva temple of Somnath, Gujrat.
• Mahmud invasion is known as first Turkish invasion on India
• His court historian Alberuni wrote KITAB UL HIND, also known as
TAHKIKAT-I-HIND in Arabi language.
• Muhamad Ghori (fromAfghanistan)-
• In 1191- first battle of Tarain he was defeated by Prithviraj Chauhan but
in second battle of Tarain he defeated Prithviraj Chauhan.
• 1194- Ghori defeated Jay Chanda, the ruler of Kannauj in the battle of
Chandawar
• His commander general Bakhtiyar Khilji demolished Nalanda university
of Bihar
• Ghori was killed by Khokar tribe in 1206.
• His commander general & slave Qutubud-din Aibak founded Delhi
Sultanete in 1206.
• Dehliwal was a coin.
 DELHI SULTANATE
❖ DELHI SULTANATE WHICH EXISTED FROM A.D. 1206 TO 1526 HAD
FIVE DIFFERENT DYNASTIES
• Slave (Mamluk Sultans) - 1206-1290AD (84 YEARS)
• Khalji - 1290-1320AD (30 YEARS)
• Tughluq - 1320-1414AD (94 YEARS)
• Sayyids - 1414-1451AD (36 YEARS)
• Lodi - 1451-1526AD (76 YEARS)
❖ SLAVE DYNASTY
• The dynasty founded by the Ilbari Turks is generally called the ‘Slave Dynasty’ or
‘Mamluk Dynasty’ because many of the important rulers of this dynasty had originally
been slaves like Qutbud-din who was a slave of Mahmud Ghuri and Iltutmish who in
turn was slave of Qutbud-din.
❖ QUTBUDDIN AIBAK (1206 TO 1210 AD)
• He was a slave of Mohammad Ghori.
• He was the first Sultan of Delhi and founder of the Ghulam or Slave dynasty
(Mamluk Sultanate) of India.
• AIBAK MEANS LORD OF MOON.
• Lahore was his capital.
• He built the Quwat Al Islam mosque in Delhi and the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra
mosque in Ajmer.
• He started the construction of Qutab Minar in Delhi, which is dedicated to a famous
Sufi Saint of the time, QutbuddinBakhtiyar Kaki.
• He is also remembered as lakh Bakshor giver of lakhs, because of his generosity.
• He did not strike coins nor got the Khutbah read in his name.
• Aibak patronized the writer Hasan Nizami, who wrote Taj-ul-Mashir
• He died while playing polo in Lahore.
• After his death his son Aram Shah became sultan but he was defeated & killed by
Iltutmish.
❖ ILTUTMISH (1211–1236)
• He is called the real founder of Delhi Sultanate.
• He was Governor of Badauni or Badayun when he deposed Qutub-ud-din’s successor
Aram shah
• Political achievements
He defeated Yaldoz of Ghazni&Qubacha of Sindh & Multan
 Genghis Khan, the Mongolian invader appeared for the first time on the banks of river
Indus, during his reign.He prevented Chengiz khan’s attack by refusing to give refuge
to an enemy of Khan, Mangbarni.
He controlled Rajput rulers.
He founded Turkan -i-Chahalgani or group of forties or Chalisa. Turkan -i- Chahalgani
were the loyal officers of Iltutmish.
He introduced Iqtadari system: division of empire into Iqtas, which were assigned to the
nobles and officers in lieu of salary.
• He was the first to issue regular currency and declare Delhi as the capital of his empire.
• He introduced the silver coin named tanka (175 grains) and the copper Jital — the
two basic coins of the Sultanate period. These coins were based on Arabic pattern.
• He built the Hauz-i-Shamsi reservoir in Mehrauli in 1230.
• He completed the Qutub Minar (Qutub Minar is in Delhi) started by Qutbuddin
Aibak.
• Sultan Ghari which is considered the first Islamic Mausoleum in Delhi, was constructed
by him in memory of his eldest son, Prince Nasiru’d-Din Mahmud.
• He was the longest serving Slave ruler who ruled for 25 years.
• He got letter of investiture or Mansur from Khalifa. It means he was recognized as a
legitimate muslim ruler of Delhi.
• He nominated his daughter Raziya the next Sultan. But after his death Firoz became the
ruler but very soon Raziya deposed Firoz.
❖ RUKNUDDIN FIROZE (APR-NOV 1236)
• Son of Iltutmish
• After 7 months died in confinement
• Shah Turkan (mother of Ruknuddin)began to interfere with state affairs and was disliked
by people due her greed.
❖ RAZIA SULTAN (1236–1240)
• Razia was the first lady to sit on the throne of Delhi. She was the first female ruler of
India.
• She succeeded her father Shams-ud-din Iltutmish to the Sultanate of Delhi in 1236.
• She promoted Jamaluddin Yakut, an Abyssinian to the important office of
superintendent of the stables. She gave the Title of AMIR-i-AKHUR to Yakut (Master
of royal stables).
• There was a serious rebellion in Bhatinda by Malik IKHTIYARUDDIN ALTUNIA,
Governor of Bhatinda. Raziya, accompanied by Yakut marched against Altunia, on the
way, the Turkish followers of Altunia murdered Yakut and imprisoned Raziya. She had
to marry Altunia to get out of this situation.
• But she was killed, along with her husband, near Kaithal (Haryana) by bandits.
• After Raziya’s death Bahram Shah, Alauddin Masudshah & Nasir-uddin Mahmud
became the rulers.
• During Bahram Shah’s reign first Mongol invasion took place under Tair Bahadur.
• Turkish noble formed a new post named NAIB-I-MALIKAT or Deputy Sultan.
❖ NASIRUDDIN MAHMOOD (1246-65)
• After the deposition of Masood, the ‘Corps of Forty’ made Nasir-ud- din the youngest
son of Iltutmish, as the Sultan of Delhi.
• Balban one of the ‘Corps of Forty’ became so powerful that he assumed all the real
powers of the Sultan. Nasir-ud-din remained the Sultan in name only.
• Balban was one of the Patron of Nasiruddin. He married his daughter to the Sultan.
• It is said that he earned his living by copying the ‘Quran’ and selling it.
• Minhaj-us-Siraj, who was in his court, wrote Tabaqat-i-Nasari.
❖ BALBAN REIGN (1266–1287)
• He was a slave bought by Sultan Iltutmish. He was the member of Chalisa.
• His original name was Baha Ud Din
• Nasir-uddin bestowed him the title of Ulugh khan and made him Naib-i-mamlikat or the
Deputy Sultan.
• Nasir-ud-din Mahmud died in 1266 and Balban ascended the throne by assuming the title
of Ghiyasuddin Balban.
• Balban had to face a number of problems after his accession to the throne. The affairs of
the state had fallen into confusion as well as the prestige of the crown had sunk low due
the misrule of weak and incompetent successors of Iltutmish. The powers of the nobles
had increased and the majority of the members of the famous Forty had become disloyal
to the throne.
• To Restore the Crown’s Prestige Balban did the following: -
o He believed that absolute despotism alone could exact obedience from his subjects and
ensure security of the country.
o He was the first Sultan of Delhi who clearly announced his theory of Kingship.
According to this ruler is the shadow of Allah or God (Niyabat-i-khudai)
o He organised his court on the Iranian model and followed the etiquette and
Ceremonials of the Persians very strictly.
o He introduced the Persian culture of Sijda (prostration) and Paibos (feet- kissing) as
the normal form of Salutation for the king.
o He prohibited drinking, jokes, laugh and even smile among the courtiers and officers.
o He maintained a great distance from the people and denied to meet the common
people.
o His kingship theory was also based on purity of blood means he only liked Turkish
muslims as his higher officers.
• He adopted a policy of blood and iron against rebels, traitors and robbers.
• He suppressed the rebellious tribe Meo, the people of Mewat who used to plunder the
people of Delhi even in the day light. The people of Katehar also revolted against him.
This revolt was brutally suppressed.
• Tughril Khan a slave of Balban & officer of Bengal revolted against him. This was also
crushed violently by Balban.
• To checked the external aggressions of Mongols, he built forts in North West region. His
elder son Prince Muhammad died while defeating Mongols.
• He formed central military department named Diwan-i-arz.
• He started Persian festival NAUROZ in his court.
• Balban organised an efficient system of espionage as an instrument of his despotism.
• He broke up the Chahalgani, a group of the forty most important nobles in the court.He
flogged Malik Baqbaq, the governor of Badaun and a member of the Forty, publicly for
beating his servant to death.
• His son Bugra Khan refused to become the ruler.
• Balban then nominated Kai Khusrav, the son of his eldest son prince Muhammad as his
heir.
• But after the death of Balban Qaiqabad (Kaikubad)& then Kayumars became the rulers of
Slave dynasty.

KHILJI DYNASTY- 1290-1320

❖ JALAL-UDDIN-KHILJI-1290-1296
❖ He Was The Founder Of Khilji Dynasty.
• Real name- Malik Firoz.
• His coming onto the power is known as Khilji revolution.
• Jalal-ud-din tried to satisfy the Turkish nobles and mostly allowed them to enjoy their
previous posts. Fakhr-ud-din remained the Kotwal of Delhi, Malik Chhajju, who was the
nephew of Balban and the sole survivor of his dynasty, was allowed to remain the governor
of Kara and Manikpur.
• Later on Malik Chhajju revolted against him but failed.
• He also suppressed the revolt of Sidi Maula.
• In 1292, a vast horde of Mongols under Abdullah was overpowered and they withdrew.
Ulghu, a descendant of Chengiz Khan decided to stay back. He accepted Islam with 4000
of his followers. They were called “New Muslims” and were settled in the suburbs of
Delhi.
• Very soon he was killed by his nephew & son in law Ali Gursasp or Allauddin Khilji &
the Iqtedar of Kara-Manikpur.
❖ ALA-UD-DIN KHILJI(1296–1316)
• He was the second ruler of the Khilji dynasty in India and is considered the most powerful
ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
• Real name- Ali Gursasp.
• He became the Sultan after murdering his uncle&father-in-lawJalaluddin Khilji.
• He lavishly distributed wealth among his subjects so that they soon forgot his cruel deed
of murdering his uncle and benefactor, Jalal-ud-din.
• Ala-ud-din proved an ambitious and capable ruler. He formed ambitious schemes for
administration and extension of the empire.
• He was so encouraged by his successes and conquests that he assumed the title of
Sikandar-i-Sani, had it recited in the Khutbah and superscribed it on his coins. He dreamed
to conquer the world and even thought of starting a new religion. However, being advised
by his friend, Kotwal Ala-ul-Mulk, he decided to conquer only India.
• While larger part of north India was annexed to his empire, the rulers of south India were
defeated and, except the Pandyas, others were forced to accept his suzerainty and pay him
yearly tribute.
• Political Achievements
• He established an effective espionage system to curb any revolt.
• Gujrat was the first state conquered by Alauddin Khilji (1299). Gujarat was a prosperous
state with its capital Anhilwada. At that time, Kama (Rai Karan) of Baghela dynasty was
the ruler of Gujarat. In the later half of 1298 A.D., Ala-ud-din sent an expedition under
Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan to Gujarat.
• The Vaghela king Karna faced them near Ahmedabad but was defeated. His queen Kamala
Devi and his treasures fell into the hands of the invaders. However, he along with his
daughter, Deval Devi, could escape away and found shelter with Ram Chandra Deva of
Devgiri.
• Kamla Devi, wife of Raja Kama, married Ala-ud-din. At Cambay, Nusrat Khan also
purchased a handsome young Hindu slave later on, converted to Islam and named Kafur
Hazardinari who afterwards conquered the South for Ala-ud-din.
❖ Ranthambhore (1301):
❖ It was ruled by the Chauhan dynasty.
❖ The ruler then was Hamir Dev.
❖ Hamir Dev gave refuge to the ‘new Muslims’. This was not appreciated by
Alauddin, and thus he attacked Ranthambore.
❖ Hamir Dev Chauhan was defeated by Alauddin in this battle.
❖ One of his main sardars ‘Nusrat Khan’ got killed in this battle.
• Ala-ud-din attacked Chittor in January 1303 A.D. and besieged the fort. Rana Ratan Singh
defended the fort for seven months but, ultimately, in August 1303 A.D. the fort was
captured by Ala-ud-din.
• His wife Padmini performed Jauhar along with other Rajput women.
• Episode of Padmini-The basis of this story is Padmavat written by Malik Muhammad Jaisi
in 1540 A.D. Padmavat described that the main purpose of Ala-ud-din in attacking Chittor
was to get possession of Padmini, the beautiful queen of Rana Ratan Singh.
• Chittor was named as Khizrabad, appointed his eldest son, Khizr Khan as the governor of
Chittor.
• Ala-ud-din sent Ain-ul-Mulk, governor of Multan, to attack Malwa. Ain-ul- Mulk defeated
the ruler of Malwa- Mahlak Deva in 1305.
• Siwana was ruled by the Parmara Rajput ruler Shital Deva. Shital Deva was killed and the
fort was captured in 1308.
• Jalor was only fifty miles away from Siwana. It was ruled by Raja Kanera Deva. In 1311
Jalor became the part of Delhi Sultanete.
❖ VICTORY OF SOUTH INDIA
• He was the first Sultan to conquer the Deccan& parts of South India. He appointed Mallik
Kafur (also known as Hazar Dinari) to conquer south & Deccan.
❖ DEVGIRI (1306-07): YADAV DYNASTY
• The Yadav dynasty ruled it during this time under the king Ramdev
• The kingdom of Devgiri was attacked when Ramdev refused to pay the yearly tax to
Alauddin
• Ramdev was brought to Delhi, where he later surrendered.
• Ala-ud-din received Ramchandra Deva kindly and gave him the title of Rai-i-Rayan.
❖ WARANGAL/ TELANGANA (1308): KAKATIYA DYNASTY
• The Kakatiya dynasty was ruling here under the ruler Pratap Rudra Dev
• His kingdom was immensely rich, which eventually became a reason for Alauddin’s attack
• He accepted Alauddin’s rule and gifted him the Kohinoor diamond
❖ DWAR-SAMUDRA (1310): HOYSALA DYNASTY
• It was geographically located on the west coast of the state of Karnataka
• It was ruled by Hoysala dynasty under Ballal III

❖ MADURA (1311): PANDAYA DYNASTY

• The Pandya dynasty ruled it under Vir and Sundar Pandya
• Vir Pandya and Sundar Pandya were fighting with each other for throne.
• Although malik Kafur looted Pandaya kingdom but ruler did not accept the sovereignty of
Allauddin Khilji.
• The defeated rulers were allowed to keep their throne provided they paid a tribute. Malik
Kafur also conquered the city of Madurai. By the time, no north Indian ruler attempted to
penetrate so far in the south India.
❖ REFORMS
Alauddin took steps to make administration rigid and sound along with conquering of
kingdom. He banned the meddling of Ulemas and other religious leaders in the
administration. He declared that the Sultan’s will is the law.
• He banned drinking of alcohol in open in his kingdom.
• He made it compulsory to take Sultan’s permission before establishing relationship
amongst aristocrats.
• He ordered the confiscation of endowments and free grants of land made by the state.
• To help him in administration he appointed few very agile and competent staffs. He
invested powers to collect taxes, maintain law and order and to maintain army, to officers
known as Iqtadar or Makti, in remote areas. The lands thus estimated were known as `Iqta’.
❖ MILITARY REFORMS
• Alauddin Khilji introduced many economic reforms during his rule. Alauddin had to
maintain a huge army. This had become all the more imperative in view of Mongol raids
and internal revolts. He had, besides, the ambition of conquering the whole of India.
However, such an army could not be permanently maintained without straining the
resources of the State.
• Alauddin maintained a large army
• Alauddin fixed the salaries of his huge army at a very low level. Salary of cavalry was
fixed to 234 Tanka.
• To check corruption in the army he introduced dag (mark a horse) and chehra (the physical
descriptions of army men).
• Abolition of Iqtas of royal troopers and the payment of their salaries in cash.
❖ LAND REVENUE
• Ala-ud-din’s aim of revenue system was to fund the royal treasury and to save poor
villagers from the hands of middle earners.
• Abolished all the land grants( Milk, Waqf &Inam) given in Doab region & transformed as
KHALISA LAND ( Land of sultan or central government)
• Probably he was the first king to make survey of land to determine land revenue. Khut,
Muqaddam, Chowdhury, etc. were made powerless and taxes began to be collected
directly from the subjects.
• He collected land revenue after measurement of land. The rate of revenue was 50% of the
crops produced.
• Other than land revenue, he introduced tax for cattle grazing (named CHARI), taxes for
buildings (called GHARI), etc.
• Creation of new department viz Diwan-i-Mustakhraj to enquire into the revenue arears
and to collect them.
• Revised the rate of Khams or Khums (war booty)- 80% to Sultan & 20% to soldiers.

❖ MARKET REFORMS
• Market control policy: The most extraordinary economic reform of Alauddin was his
market control or price control policy. Alauddin not only fixed prices, but also ensured
their regular supply by prohibiting thin hoarding. Starting from clothing, food grains to
cattle even slaves, he imposed price control upon everything.
• To execute this reform he formed a new department called DIWAN-I-RIYASAT.
• He established three types of market- 1. Grains. 2.Slaves & cattle 3. Cloth.
• Market was called mandi & head of the market was called Shahna-i-mandi.
• He appointed dabir (spy) &Munhiyan (personal spy) to check corruption in market
reforms.
• Any businessman, if found taking higher prices or cheating the buyer by giving material
in less weight had been dealt with firmly.
❖ CULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS
• He created the third city of Delhi known as Siri.
• He constructed Alai Darwaja&ZamayatKhana mosque in Delhi.
• Famous scholar Amir Khusro was in his court.
• After his death Sihab Uddin Umar then Mubarak Khilji &Khusro Shah became the rulers.
• Mubarak Khilji called himself as Khalifa.
• Khusro Shah was a Hindu who embraced Islam.
 TUGHLUQ DYNASTY- 1320-1414
❖ GHIYAS UD-DIN TUGHLUQ (1320 —1325)
• He was the founder of Tughluq dynasty.
• His original name was Ghazi Malik.
• He was a child of Turkish father and Jat mother.
• He killed Khusrav then he became sultan.
• Before becoming sultan, he was the governor of Dipalpur.
• He conquered Bengal while his son Jauna Khan annexed Telangana, Hoysala&Pandaya
kingdom.
• He founded the city of Tughlakabad.
• He died when a pavilion built for him collapsed.
• Percival Spear, Delhi’s dogged historian, described the Tughlaq reign in his book, Delhi:
A Historical Stretch.
• The practice of measurement and survey of land which was adopted during the reign of
Ala-ud-din was abandoned. Instead, the old system of sharing of the produce, i.e., Batai
and Nasq was revived.
• He was the first sultan of Delhi who built canals.
• He improved postal system.
❖ MUHAMMAD BIN TUGHLUQ (1325– 1351)
• His original name was Jauna Khan (Fakhr Malik). He was given the title of Ulugh Khan.
• Between 1327 – 1328 the Kamplili kingdom was taken over by Muhammad Bin Tughluq.
• He was highly literate sultan but he is called mad or insane king because of various failed
reforms.
• In spite of high qualification and knowledge, Sultan Muhamad-bin- Tughlaq suffered from
certain qualities of hastiness and impatience that is why many of his experiments failed
and he has been called an ill-starred idealist.
• He was the first sultan who appointed Hindus as his officers.
• He introduced token currency using brass or copper coins backed by silver or gold in
treasury. At that there was a dearth of gold and silver coins in the country, so he introduced
this.
• A huge number of forged coins entered into market and government treasury as those were
minted secretly by private parties. The government took no steps to prevent this. As a
result each house turned to be a mint.
• Finally he decided to withdraw the token currency. He promised to exchange silver coins
for bronze coins.
• He shifted his capital from Delhi to Devgiri (Maharashtra), which he renamed as
Daulatabad, but as the plan failed, he shifted back to Delhi. Daulatabad was in the centre
of his empire & by shifting capital to Daulatabad he wanted to rule effectively.
• After a couple of years, Muhammad Tughlaq decided to abandon Daulatabad because he
realized the fact that just as he could not control the South from Delhi in the same way he
could not control North from Daulatabad.
• He issued an ordinance for the compilation of a register showing the incomes and
expenditures of the provinces.
• He introduced various agriculture reforms but all were failed.
• The increase of taxation in the Doab Region was an ill measured step on the part of the
Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq because hike in the tax came at a wrong time ( during
famine) and assessment of revenue was not based on the factual report.
• He set up a separate department for agriculture called Diwan-i- Kohi.
• Agriculture loan known as SONDHAR or TAQAVI was given to peasants for the
cultivation of cash crops.
• State herself involved in cultivation of cash crops.
• He planned to conquer the kingdom of Khurasan. He recruited one lakh soldiers for this
purpose and paid them one year’s salary in advance.
• But this project was dropped because he did not get the help of the Persian emperor who
had assured him to help in this mission.
• Qarachil expedition- He was informed that the Chinese were making incursions into the
Karajal or Qarachil region. Qarachil was a Hindu kingdom located between India and
China. Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq sent a huge army to invade Karajal. After some initial
success, the Delhi army perished in the mountainous region of Himalayas& Tibet due to
severe rain fall or winter.
• The Mongols under their leader Tarma-Shirin Khan had invaded India and plundered up
to Multan and Lahore without any opposition.
• When they advanced towards Delhi, the Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq not knowing
what to do, bribed the invader with a huge quantity of gold and silver.
• He built largest empire among Sultans of Delhi Sultanate.
• He participated in Hindu festivals.
• He died at Thatta in Sindh in 1351
• First revolt by Bhauddin Gurshasp in 1326 at Sagar(MP).
• During his reign Vijaynagar Kingdom(1336) & Bahmani Kingdom (established by Hasan
Gangu) in 1347 emerged in South & Deccan.
• Ibn Batuta, the famous Moroccan traveler, visited him during his reign. Ibn Batuta wrote
Kitab ul Rehla in Arabi Language. (Marco Polo was from Venice, Italy.)
❖ FIRUZ SHAH TUGHLAQ (1351–1388)
• Firuz was the cousin brother of Muhammad Tughluq.
• His mother was the daughter of Ran Mal, a petty Rajput chief of Abohar in the modern
district of Hissar in east Punjab.
• After the death of the Sultan, he was chosen the Sultan by the nobles.
• His reign lasted for 37 years from 1351 to 1388. He was the longest serving sultan.
• Muhammad Tughluq had lost Bengal and entire south India during his reign. Firuz did not
attempt to conquer the South on the plea that he did not desire to shed the blood of the
Muslims for the sake of his personal ambitions.
• He did not try to conquer Rajasthan while his attempt to conquer Bengal failed.
• While returning from Bengal, Firuz stayed at Jaunpur for some time. From there, he
attacked Jajnagar (Odisha) primarily with a view to destroy the famous Hindu temple of
Puri.
• Firuz attacked Nagarkot in Kangra district of Punjab. His main object was to destroy the
temple of Jwalamukhi.
• In the initial attacks by the Sultan himself, about three- fourth of his army was destroyed.
Later the Sindh ruler accepted the suzerainty of the Sultan.
• Reforms
• He calculated the total income of the state through his officer KhwazaHisamud-din.
• Abolished 23 types of taxes. As per Islamic laws he imposed only 4 taxes- Kharaj (Land
revenue), Zakat ( religious tax given by muslim. Rate was 2.5% of the property realized),
Khums or Khams ( war booty. He reversed the rate of Khums. Earlier 80 % was given to
sultan & 20 & to soldiers. Now 80% to soldiers & 20% to Sultan)&Jizya ( given by
Hindus. Females, poor, disable were exempted from jizya.)
❖ FIROZ IMPOSED JIZYA TAX ON BRAHMINS.
• Later on he also imposed irrigation tax called HAQ-I-SHARB. ( rate- 10%)
• He is best known for the construction of a network of canals. He built canals on YAMUNA
& SATLUJ river.
• Laid out 1200 gardens in & around Delhi.
• Waived off Sondhar or agriculture loan.
• Established various departments like
o For slaves- diwan -i-bandagan. Diwan-i-Khairat for welfare measures, Dar-ul-Shafa
was a royal hospital
o He established an employment exchange.
o The marriage bureau gave grants to the poor parents for the marriage of their daughters.
o He had approxamately180000 slaves.
• He founded several cities, including Jaunpur (U.P), Firozpur, Firoz Shah Kotla (Delhi) and
Hissar-Firoza. Jaunpur was named on the name of Jauna khan.
• Two pillars of Ashoka were brought to Delhi—one from Meerut and the other from Topra.
• He rebuilt the top two floors of the Qutub Minar which were damaged by lightning in 1368
AD.
• One of his hunting lodges, Shikargah, also known as Kushak Mahal, Delhi.
• He wrote his own biography entitled ‘Fatuhat-i-Firozshah. Zia-ud-Din Barani wrote
‘Fatwah-i-Jahandari’ and Afif wrote his ‘Tarikh-i-Firuzshah’.
• Introduced several types of new coins and small coins like Adha& Bikh.
❖ DARK SIDE OF FIROZ TUGHLAQ‘S REIGN:
• Firoz Tughlaq was not an able general
• Military service was made hereditary.
• The Sultan introduced the system of paying salary by grant of land.
• Iqta system became hereditary.
• Firoz Tughlaq decreed that whenever a noble died, his son should be allowed to succeed to
his position. This reduced the chances of competent persons being appointed at responsible
posts.
• Firoz encouraged the Hindus for conversion to Islam.
• Firuz was succeeded by his grandson, Tughluq Shah who assumed the title of Ghiyas-ud-
din Tughluq.
• After Tughluq Shah Muhammad succeeded & captured Delhi in August 1390 A.D. and
assumed the title of Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Shah.
• In the year 1398 Timur or Timurlang invaded Delhi.
• Timur was from Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
SAYYED DYNASTY- 1414-1450
❖ KHIZR KHAN (1414- 1421 A.D.)
• He was the founder of Sayyid Dynasty.
• He did not swear any royal title. He called himself as Riyyat-i-ala.
• He took advantage of the disordered situation in India after Timur’s invasion.
• In 1414 A.D. he occupied the throne of Delhi.
• Mubarak Shah Khizr Khan’s son succeeded him.
❖ MUBARAK SHAH (1421-1434 A.D.)
• Mubarak Shah crushed the local chiefs of the Doab region and the Khokhars.
• He is first Sultan ruler to appoint Hindu nobles in the court of Delhi.
• He constructed “Mubarakbad” City on the banks of the river Jamuna.
• Tarikh-I-Mubarakshahi-Book written byYaḥyā Ibn-AḥmadSīhrindī.
• Muhammad Shah Mubarak’s nephew succeeded him.
❖ MUHAMMAD SHAH (1434-1443 A.D.)
❖ ALA-UD-DIN SHAH (1443-1451 A.D.)
• He was not a strong ruler.
• Ala-ud-din Shah was removed from the throne by Bahlol Lodi in 1457 A.D.
❖ LODI DYNASTY- 1451-1526
• LODI DYNASTY WAS THE FIRST AFGHAN DYNASTY
• Founder-Bahlol Lodi
• The Sultan avoided showing his superior status. In social meetings he never sat on the
throne and would not allow his nobles to stand.
• Struck Bahloli coins.
❖ SIKANDAR LODHI (1489– 1517)
• Sikandar Lodi has been accepted as the greatest Lodi Sultan.
• Real name- Nizam Khan.
• Annexed Jaunpur.
❖ ALSO DEFEATED KINGS OF DHOLPUR, CHANDERI & GWALIOR.
• He asked all governors and officers to submit proper accounts of their income.
• He started sitting on the throne and compelled his nobles to show formal respect to him in
the ‘darbar’ (court) and outside.
• He was well-versed in Persian and composed poems in this language in the pen name of
GULRUKHI.
• A reputed work on music titled ‘Lahjat-i- Sikandar Shahi’ was prepared during his reign.
• He founded the modern city of Agra in 1504 & 1506 he transferred his capital from Delhi
to Agra. (Agra is in U.P on the bank of Yamuna river).
• Assessed land revenue after land measurement. Measurement unit was GAZ-I-
SIKANDARI.
• He executed a Brahmin on the ground of non-payment of Jizya tax.
• Banned the shiya festival Muharram.
❖ IBRAHIM LODHI (1517–21 APRIL 1526)
• In the battle of Ghatoli he was defeated by Rana Sangram Singh of Mewar.
• The last of Delhi Sultans, he was defeated and killed in the 1st Battle of Panipat (Haryana)
against Babur in 1526.
❖ ADMINISTRATION OF DELHI SULTANATE
• Head of the administration was Sultan. He enjoyed unlimited powers in every sphere of
state activity.
• Sultan was the not head of a religion but only head of their state. But their primary duty
was the observance of the laws of Shariat or Islamic laws in matters of state.
• With the exception of some of them, their policies were influenced by the Ulema and Islam
was accepted as the religion of the state making the Delhi Sultanate a theocratic state in
theory though it could not be possible in practice.
• Only Ala-ud-din Khalji and Mubarak Khalji refused to accept the interference of the Ulema
in matters of the state.
• Most of the sultans called themselves as deputy of deputy of NAIB of Khalifa. They
accepted Abbasid Khalifa as their overlord.
• They called themselves as Naibs of the Khalifah on their coins but for all practical purposes
they all behaved as independent rulers.
• Different ministers and other officials assisted the Sultan in administering the state.
• The Prime Minister was called the vazir. He was primarily the head of the finance
department called the dewan-i-vizarat.
• He was assisted by many officers and subordinates, most important among them being the
naib-vazir, mushrif-i-mamalik (accountant -general) and mustaufi-i-mamalik (auditor-
general).
• Ariz-i-Mumalik: He was the head of the department of diwan-i-arz and in that capacity was
the controller-general of the military department. He recruited soldiers, fixed their salaries,
arranged for their supplies and inspection and maintained the descriptive rolls of horses and
men.
• Dabir-Mumalik- He was the head of the department of diwan-i-insha or Department of
Correspondence.
• Diwan-i-Risalat: He was the minister of foreign affairs and looked after the diplomatic
relations with foreign states and welfare of foreign diplomats and ambassadors.
• Sadr-us-Sudur: He was the head of the religious department.
• Qazi-ul-Quzat: He was the highest judicial officer in the state after the Sultan. Mostly, the
offices of Sadr-us-sudur and Qazi-ul-quzat were combined in one person.
• Barid-i-Mumalik: He was the head of the intelligence and postal department.
• The Vakil-i-dar looked after the officials of the palace.
• Amir-i-hajib looked after the visitors to the Sultan.
• Amir-i-shikar-i-shahi arranged for the hunting parties of the Sultan;
• Amir-i-majlis-shahi looked after the festivals of the state.
• Sar-i-jahandar was the head of the Sultan’s bodyguards.
• Amir-i-akhur head of the royal stable department.
❖ THE ADMINISTRATION OF PROVINCES (IQTAS):
• The empire was divided into provinces for the convenience of administration. They were
called Iqtas. The head of the Iqta was called by different names, i.e., naib Sultan, nazim,
muqti or wali.
• There was no smaller administrative unit than Iqta by the end of the thirteenth century.
After that Iqtas were divided into smaller units called shiqqs which were put under
shiqqdars.
• The shiqqs were further divided into parganas. The important officials of a pargana were
the amil, the mushrif also known as amin or munsif the treasurer, the qanungo and two
karkuns (clerks).
• Shiq& Pargana were developed during Tughluq period.
• The smallest unit of administration was the village which was administered by local
hereditary officers.
• Chaudhary was hereditary officer.
• The Khut, the Muqaddam and the Chaukidar were the hereditary officers of the village who
helped the government in collection of the revenue and enjoyed certain privileges except
during the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji.
❖ FINANCE: TYPES OF TAXES
• Ushr- It was a land tax which was collected from Muslim peasants. It was 10 per cent of
the produce on the land watered by natural resources and 5 per cent on the land which
enjoyed men-made irrigation facilities.
• Kharaj- land tax charged from non-Muslims and ranged from 1/3 to 1/2 of the produce.
• Khams- war booty.
• Jizya- this tax was given by non-Muslims or zimmi on behalf of protection given by
muslim rulers. Women, poor, disable were exempted from this tax.
• Zakat- This was a religious tax which was imposed only on Muslims and consisted of 2 ½
per cent of their income.
❖ Types of land
• Inam or waqf- This type land was given to the people in gift or charity particularly to
Muslim scholars.
• Iqta land- under the control of Iqtedar.
• Khalisa land- Crown land.
❖ Art & Architecture
• During the Sultanate period, architecture made tremendous progress. This period witnessed
the growth of Indo-Islamic architecture. This style of architecture was either purely Islamic
or purely Hindu, rather it was influenced by both the styles.
• Sultan Qutb-ud-din Aibak constructed the Quwat-ul-Islam mosque of Delhi and Dhai-din-
ka-jhopara mosque at Ajmer.
• The construction of QutbMinar was started by Qutb-ud-din but was completed by Iltutmish.
It was named after the famous Muslim saint Qutb-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki.
• During the reign of Firuz Tughlaq lightning caused damage to the fourth storey of this
tower and he replaced it by two smaller ones and raised its height to 71.28 meters. The first
three storeys of the Qutub Minar are made of red sandstone and the last two are made
of marble and sandstone.
• Apart from the tower, the Qutub Minar complex comprises of the Quwwat-us-Islam
Mosque (the first mosque to be built in India), a 7-meter-high iron pillar, the tomb of
Iltutmish, Ala’i-Darwaza and the Ala’IMinar.
• Iltutmish built a tomb for his eldest son known as Sultan-Ghori, situated at a distance of
five kilometers from the Qutab Minar. This is considered as the first tomb of Delhi
Sultanete.
• Iltutmish built Atarkin-ka-Darwaza at Nagor.
• Sultan Balban built Red Palace and his own tomb at Delhi.
• Sultan Alauddin Khilji had constructed some beautiful buildings like Hazar Situn (thousand
pillars), the fort and the city of Siri, the JamaitKhana masjid, Alai Darwaza at Qutab Minar,
the Hauz-i-Alai and the Hauz-i-Khas buildings.
• The buildings of the Tughlaq period lacked splendor.
• Ghiyasuddin built the new city of Tughlaqbad, east of the QutbMinar, his own tomb and a
palace.
• Muhammad Tughlaq had built the city of Jahan Panha, the fortress of Adilabad.
• The buildings constructed by Firuz Tughlaq were the new city of Firozabad, the palace fort
known as KotlaFiruz Shah.
• The best specimen of architecture of the Lodi and Sayyid Sultans are the tombs of Mubarak
Shah Sayyid, Muhammad Shah Sayyid and Sikandar Lodi and a mosque known as Moth
ki Masjid by the prime minister (MiyanBhuwa) of Sikandar Lodi at Delhi.
❖ Literature
• The principal sources of Delhi Sultanate are primarily in Persian and Arabic languages.
They are divided in to three categories: Chronicles, Travelogues and Malfuzat (Also known
as mystic or Sufi literature).
• Hasan Nizami wrote Taj-ul-Maasir. He was in the court of Qutub-uddinAibak.
• Minhaj-ud-din Siraz, the author of Tabqat-i-Nasiri. He was in the court of Nasir-uddin-
Mahmud. It contains the history From Muhammad Ghori To Nasiruddin Mahmud.
• Zia-ud-din Barani wrote two books Tarikh-i-Firozshahi and the Fatwah-i-Jahandari.
Tarikh-i-Firozshahi gave detailed account of Balban, Alauddin& Mahmud Tughluq.Where
Minhaj Ends His History, His Further History Comes From The Book Of Barani. It starts
from The Coronation Of Balban & ends at the Sixth Year Of The Rule Of Firuz Tughluq.
• Fatawa-i-Jahandari is a book on political philosophy. It deals with king, justice, army,
intelligence etc.
• Shams-i-Siraj Afif, the author of another Tarikh-i-Firozshahi.
• Yahya-bin- Ahmad wrote Tarikh-i-Mubarakshahi.
• Khawaji Abu Malik Isami wrote Futuh-us-Salatin.
• Amir Khusro is called Parrot of India. He wrote several books like Kiran-us-Sadayan,
Khazayan-ul-futuh, Nuh Sipihar, Aashiqa, Tughluqnama, Ezaz-i-khusravi etc.
• Kiran-us-Sadayan - It Describes The Union Of Bugra Khan and his Son Kaikubad.
• Mifta-Ul-Fatuh: – It Describes The Military Operations Of Jalaluddin Khilji.
• Khazayan-ul-futuh- description of conquest of Deccan & South by Alauddin Khilji.
• Aashiqa- love story between Deval Rani &Khizra Khan.
• Amir Khusro was a poet, musician, scholar &sufi saint. He invented Tabla& Sitar.
• Amir Khusro was the disciple of famous chisti saint Nizam Uddin Auliya.
• Firoz Shah Tughluq wrote his autobiography named Fatuhat-i-Firozshahi in Persian
language.
• DulayleFirozshahi: – Translated from Sanskrit To Persian By Anjuddin Khalid Khani,
Book in The Time of Feruz Tughluq. It Is Related to Astrology.
• Tibbe or FarhangeSikandri: – Wazir MianBhua Of Sikandar Lodi Followed Sanskrit To
Persian. This Book Is Related to Medical Science.
• Miftah ul Fuzala by Muhammad Daud Shadiabadi The book contains useful sketches which
help in understanding the development of technology during the Sultanate Period.
• Malfuzat Also known as mystic or sufi literature. Fawaid ul Fuad by Amir Hassan Sijzi It
is the conversation of Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya from 1307-1322AD. It provides
information on religion, culture and literature of the period.Khair ul Majalis by Hamid
Qalandari- It contains the conversation of Shaikh Nasiruddin Chirag Dehlavi. This work
provides information besides on mysticism to the market control policy of AlauddinKhalji
and impact of Mongol invasion.
❖ Misc.
• During Delhi Sultanate paper, spinning wheel were introduced in India.
• Diwan-i-waquf- The diwan-i-waquf was an officer who looked into the papers of
expenditure. This system was put into place by Jalaluddin Khilji.
• Diwan-i-Mustakhraj- Department of arrears formed by Alauddin Khilji.
• Chachnama: A Book Written in Arabic By Ali Ahmed Which Mentions the Arab Invasion
of Sindh.
• Tarikh Sindh: – Author Mir-Muhammad Masoom. History from The Conquest of The
Arabs to the Reign of Akbar.
• Kitabul Yamini: – Utbi – This Book Describes the Reign of Subuktagin And Ghaznavi.
• Adab-ul Harbwa Shujaat by Fakhr I Mudabir Written by Ali Mansur popularly known as
Fakhr I Mudabir, it deals with the art of warfare.
• Tarikh-i-Jahankusha by Alauddin Ata Malik Juwani It primarily deals with the Mongol’s
from the time of Chengiz Khan. It gives valuable account of Chengiz Khan’s pursuit against
JalaluddinMangbarani.
• Siyasatnama by Nizamul Mulk Tusi It gives the detailed account of the institution of slave
household during the reign of early Turkish Sultans.
• Futuh us Salatin by Isami It is dedicated to Alauddin Bahman Shah of Bahman Empire and
is highly critical of Muhammad Tughaluq’s Projects.
• Zafarnama by sharaffudin Ali Yazdi The book deals with the Timur’s invasion of Delhi in
1498.
• Amir-i-dad- Public prosecutor.
• Marco Polo He was a Venetian Traveller and visited the court of Kublai Khan (Mongol
Chinese Emperor) in 1274 AD. On his return journey he moved through east and west coast
of India. He refers to commercial and cultural activities of India during the period.