(IGP) GS Paper 1 – History of India & Indian National Movement – “The Sultans of Delhi”

Subject –  History of India &
Indian National Movement
Chapter : The Sultans of Delhi

Qutubuddin Aibek

• Founder of the Sultanate of Delhi, & the first
  Independent Muslim ruler.

• A turk of ‘Aibak’ tribe which means ‘Lord of the moon’.

• Founder of the Slave Dynasty.

• Died whole playing Chaugan (Polo)

• Laid the foundation of Qutab Minar after the name of a
  Sufi Saint Khawaja Qutubuddin  Bakhtiyar Kaki.

• Built tow mospues “Quwan-ul-Islam mosque” at Delhi and
  “Dhai Din ka Jhonapara” at Amer.

Shamsuddin Iltutmish

• Real founder of Delhi Sultanate.

• Introducced silver “Tankk’(175 grains) & ‘Jital’ two
  principal coins.

• Completed the construction of Qutab Minar.

• Created ‘Turkan-i-Chanhalagani’ a selected body of
  Trukish nobles.

• Coming of Mongols under the leadership of Changiz Khan to
  the frontiers of India91220 AD)

• Indroduced Iqta System in administration.

• Declared Rajiya as his heir apparent.

Ghiasuddin Balban

• Consolidator of the Sultanate of Delhi.

• First Sultan to put forward his views about Kingship
  according to which the king was the shadow of God title Nvabat-i-khudui and
  inscribed –zillah on coins .

• Created a separate military department (Diwan-i-Ariz) and
  appointed Kotwal.

• Regulated court ceremonial after Persian mode, introduced
  Sijda ) prostration) Paibok 9 Kissing the monarach’s feet) and celebration
  of Persian ‘Nauroz’.(New year day)

• Destroyed the ‘group of forty’ or chahalgani.

• Belonged to the Ilbari tribe.

• Adopted the policy of ‘Blood and Iron’ in governance

Alauddin Khalji

• Like Balban. He believed that Sultan is Good’s
  representative on earth and declared himself second Alexander

• The only man who could presume to advise the king was
  Ala-ul-mulk, the kotwal of Delhi.

• During his time the army was directly recruited by the
  army minister (ariz— mamalik). It was paid in cash form the royal treasury.
  The pay of trooper was 234 tankas a year, while one with and additional
  horse was paid 78 tankas more, Ala-ud-din instituted the practice of
  recording the descriptive roll N Chehra (huliya) of individual soldiers and
  the branding of horses (dagh system).

• For regulation and control over markets he instituted now
  official machinery, Diwan-iriyasat the head of entire market control system
  Shshna-i-mandi the superintendent of market, and Rais Parwana, the permit
  officer of markets.

• Created a new department of revenue (Diwani- Mustakharaj)
  to realize arrears.

• Introduced house tax and pasture tax, ghari/ charai
  respectively.

• Built ‘Alai Darwaja’, ‘Siri fort’ Mahal-i-Hazar Situn’,
  “Zamait-e-khana mosque.”

Mohammad Bin Tughlaq

• Formulated ‘famine-code’ to provide relief to
  famine-affected people.

• Created the department of agriculture (Diwani- Amirkohi)

• Is known as “Misture of opposites” or a mad king”.

• Enhanced revenue or doab to one half of the produce.

• Shifted capital from Delhi to Devagiri (rename,
  Daulatabad) in 1326-27.

• Introduced token currency of copper and brass(1329-30)

• Known as a ‘prince of moneyers’.

• First sultan to advance loans known as sondhar to
  peasants for digging wells to extend cultivation.

Firoz Shah Tughlaq

• Was a cousin of Mohammed Bin Tughlaq and was offered the
  crown by the nobles.

• Made ‘Iqta system’ hereditary.

• Founded several cities like Firozabad, Fatehabad, Hissar,
  Jaunpur, Firozpur etc.

• Wrote the autobiography “Futuhat-i-Firogshahi”

• Diwan-i-khairat was the special creation of Firoz for
  helping the poor Muslim parents in the marriage of their daughter. It was in
  charge of Sayyid Amir Miran.

• The department Diwan-I-Bandgan was also a new creation of
  Firuz which administered the affairs of the slaves. Raised a huge force of
  slaves numbering 180000.

Sikandar Bahlul Lodi Ibrahim

• Introduced a new gaz known as gaz-i-Sikandari of 32
  digit.

• He was fond of literature and poetry and wrote verses in
  Persian under the name of Ghirlakhi.

• The main achievement of the Sultan was the conquest and
  annexation of Bihar.

• Founder of Agra city in 1506 and made it his capital

Main Departments of the Sultanate

• Diwan-I-Waziarat
  The head of the department was wazir who exercised general supervision over
  all departments & in particular the department was associated with the
  finance.

• Diwan –I-Arz
  The head of the department was Ariz-imumalik
  This was the military department.
  Overall commander of the army was the Sultan.

• Diwan –I – Insha
  The head of the department was Dabir-imumalik
  Looked after state correspondence
  Associated with issuing of farnans.

• Diwan-I- Risalat
  The head of the department was Sasr-us-Sudur

Delhi and its different names through times

• Allaudin Khalji constructed Siri Fort in 1303 AD.

• Ghaisuddin Tughlaq built Tughlaqabad in 1321.

• Md. Bin Tughlaq constructed Adilabad.

• Md . Bin Tughlaq founded other city knows as jahanpanah.

• Firoz Shah Tughlaq built Firozabad in 1354

• Humayun constructed Dinpanah in 1533

• Shershah built Purana Quilla at the site of Jahanpanah

• Shahjanah founded Shajhanabad in 1684.

Amir Khusro

• His real name was Abdul Hasan.

• He created a new literary style in Persian which came to
  be known as Sabaq -I- Hindi

• He composed verses in Hindi as well and paved the way for
  the development of Urdu

• He lived through the reigns of six sultans – patronised
  by Jalaluddin Khalji Alauddin Khalji and Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

• He was a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliya the famous Sufi
  saint of Chisti order.

• He introduced numerous perso-arabic ragas–aiman sanam
  ghura etc.

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