DELHI SULTANATE — DYNASTIES, ADMINISTRATION, ECONOMY AND CULTURAL LEGACY

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         Mehnat Aapki, Guidance Humari

         Roz ki Prelims Practice — Experts ke Saath

DELHI SULTANATE — DYNASTIES, ADMINISTRATION, ECONOMY AND CULTURAL LEGACY

1. Establishment and Period

• The Delhi Sultanate broadly refers to the rule of a succession of Turkish and Afghan dynasties over Delhi and large parts of northern India from 1206 to 1526 CE.
• It began with the establishment of independent rule by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1206 and ended when Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526. (NIOS Digital)

2. Five Dynasties

• The Delhi Sultanate comprised five principal dynasties: Mamluk or Slave dynasty (1206–1290), Khalji dynasty (1290–1320), Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414), Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), and Lodi dynasty (1451–1526).
• NIOS confirms that the Mamluks were followed successively by the Khaljis, Tughlaqs, Sayyids and Lodis. (NIOS Digital)

3. Mamluk or Slave Dynasty

• Qutb-ud-din Aibak laid the foundation of the Sultanate, while Iltutmish consolidated it and strengthened Delhi as its political centre.
• Iltutmish organised the iqta system, issued the silver tanka and copper jital, and obtained formal recognition from the Abbasid Caliph.
• Razia Sultan became the first and only woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate independently.
• Balban strengthened monarchy, disciplined the nobility and emphasised a powerful central authority.

4. Khalji Dynasty

• Alauddin Khalji greatly expanded the Sultanate and sent military expeditions into Gujarat, Rajasthan and the Deccan.
• He introduced strict market-control measures, regulated prices and strengthened revenue collection to maintain a large standing army.
• He also introduced systems of dagh or branding of horses and chehra or descriptive rolls of soldiers.
• His reign marked one of the phases of maximum territorial expansion of the Sultanate.

5. Tughlaq Dynasty

• Muhammad bin Tughlaq attempted ambitious measures such as transferring the capital towards Daulatabad, introducing token currency and increasing taxation in the Doab.
• Many of these policies failed because of difficult implementation, despite their innovative intent.
• Firoz Shah Tughlaq promoted canals, gardens, towns and public works, but made several offices and iqta assignments increasingly hereditary.

6. Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties