IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to 15th Century - Formation of the Sultanate Rulling Class

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to 15th Century

Formation of the Sultanate Rulling Class

Structure

17.0 Objectives
17.1 Introduction ,
17.2 The Ruling Class at the Time of the Ghorian Invasion . 17.3 Composition of the Ruling Class
17.3.1 The llbaritcs
17.3.2 The KUjh
17.3.2 'Ibe Tughluqr
17.4 Iqta and the Dispersal of Resources Among the Ruling Class
17.5 Ulema
17.6 Let Us Sum Up. - -.
17.7 Key Words
17.8 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

17.0 OBJECTIVES

In Unit 16, ye have discussed the administrative structure of the Delhi Sultanate. In
this Unit we will analyse the nature of the Sultanate ruling class taking into
consideration the following :

its role as an appqopiiator of surplus,
the composition of the ruling class,
changes in the ruling class, and
the interests that bound it together.

17.1 INTRODUCTION

The most important ptoblem of the Sultanate in its early stages, and even later, was
to consolidate the conquered territories. To this end, the ruling class served as an
important pivot who shared the resources of the country. The Turks brought with
them the institution of the iqtas (see Sec. 16.6), which helped in the centralization of
authority to a great extent. As greater.ceotralization was sought to be effected,
changes could be seen in the institution of the 'iqta'as well as in the composition of
the ruling class.