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(Sample Material) IAS Mains History (Optional) Study Kit "Delhi Sultanate"

Sample Material of Our IAS Mains History Study Kit

Subject: History (Optional)

Topic: Delhi Sultanate

In the thirteenth century, a new kind of dynastic realm emerged in Delhi. The Delhi Sultanate had its origins in victories by Muhammad Ghuri, who marched into the 2Indus basin to uproot the Ghaznavids in 1186. In 1190, he occupied Bhatinda, in Rajasthan, which triggered battles with Prithviraja Chauhan, whom he finally defeated in 1192. When Muhammad died in 1206, his trusted Mamluk (ex-slave) general, Qutbuddin Aibak declared an independent dynasty in Delhi. His dynasty was the first in a series that became collectively known as the Delhi Sultanate. India had come to be viewed by Central Asian warriors as a rich place to raid in order to finance their Central Asian wars. But the Delhi Sultanate’s defeat of the Mongols changed the political environment, because it marked a domestication of Central Asian sultans inside India, where they had rich territory to defend and where they became part of a changing political culture. The Delhi Sultanate attained fame by repelling Mongols who were unstoppable elsewhere in Asia. Genghis Khan (1150s or 1160s to 1227) unified Mongol tribes to establish the largest ever empire in history till then. Turkish warriors related by marriage to Mongols did, however, succeed in India. Timur, also known as Tamerlane, was born at Kish, near Samarkand, in a short-lived Mongol successor state, the Chaghatai Khanate of Trans-Oxiana. He conquered the Ganga basin and put the governor of Multan on the Delhi throne on his way back to Afghanistan. Mohammadbin-Qasim (a deputy of the Arab governor of Iraq) invaded and occupied Sind in 711-712 AD. Henceforth Sind continued to be under Muslim occupation. Inability of the Arabs to penetrate further into India.

Mahmud of Ghazni invaded India totally 17 times, first raid was in 1001; 17th raid was in 1025 to plunder the Somnath Temple in Gujarat; main purpose of his raids to plunder India. Main purpose of invasions of Muhammad of Gaur was to acquire territories in India, His first invasion occupation of Multan (1175); Failure of his attempt to conquer Gujarat (1178) and his defeat by its Solanki ruler (Bhima II was the first Indian ruler to defeat Muhammad of Ghur); First Battle of Tarain (1191) -his defeat by Prithviraj Chauhan (ruler of Ajmer); Second Battle of Tarain (1192) - his defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan; Battle of Chandwar (1194) -defeat of Jai Chandra (the Ghadvala ruler of Kanauj): His last campaign in India (1206) to suppress a rebellion of the Khokhars in Punjab, and his murder by an Afghan Muslim fanatic.

Slave Dynasty (1206 – 90)

Qutb-uddin aibak (1206 – 10)

The sudden death of Muhammad Ghuri and his failure to specify succession procedures pitted his three leading slaves, Tajuddin Yalduz, Nasiruddin Qubacha and Qutbuddin Aibak against each other. Qutb-ud-din Aibak was the founder of first independent Turkish kingdom in northern India. For his generosity, he was given the title of Lakh Baksh (giver of lakhs). He constructed two mosques - Quwal-ul-lslam at Delhi and . Adhai din ka Jhopra at Ajmer. lie also began the construction of Qutub Minar, in the honour of famous Still saint Khawaja Qutub-ud-din Bakhtiyar Kaki.

Aibak was great patron of learning and patronized writers like Hasan- un-Nizami. author of Taj-ul- Massir and Fnkhr-ud-Din. author of Tarikh- i-Mubarak Shahi. Faced with indigenous hostility and pressure from fellow Turkish slaves, Aibak stationed himself at Lahore to better monitor- the activities of his rivals and maintain a firmer grip over the Indian territories. However, in A.D. 1210, within four years of assumption, of power, he died after a fall from his horse while playing chaugan (a form of polo).

Aram Baksh Shah (1210 – 11)

After Aibak’s death, the leading Turkish amirs enthroned a nebulous figure named Aram Shah.

Iltutmish (1211 – 36)

Iltutmsh’s reign of twenty-six years has been divided by scholars into three broad phases - the first from A.D. 1210-1220 when he was preoccupied with disposing off rival contenders to his authority; the second from A.D. 1221-1227 during which he dealt with the Mongol menace; and the third from A.D. 1228-1236 when he devoted himself to consolidating his dynasty. Soon after Iltutmsh’s accession, Yalduz moved out of Ghazni, occupied Lahore and established his authority in Punjab up to Thanesar. Iltutmish was left with no option but to join battle with him; Yalduz was defeated in the encounter and killed shortly thereafter.

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Iltutmish was the real founder of Delhi Sultanate. He made Delhi the capital in place of Lahore.He saved Delhi Sultanate from the wrath of Chengiz Khan - the Mongol leader by refusing shelter to Khwarizm Shah, whom Chengiz was chasing. In 1226, Iltutmsh captured the great fort of Ranthambor and in the, following year, that, of Mandsor in the Shivalik region. He followed this by wresting Jalor from the Chauhans and recovering Bayana and Thangir. Iltutmish also established his authority over Bhatinda (then called Tabarhind), Sursuti and Lahore.
In 1228, he planned a simultaneous attack on Uchch and Multan, which ended in Qubacha’s defeat. Qubacha chose death by drowning himself in the Indus rather than surrender. In 1234-35, Iltutmsh marched against Malwa, plundered Bhilsa and Ujjain, where he destroyed the temple of Mahakala Deva. In the Doab, he reconquered Badaun, Kanauj, Banaras, Kateher, Bahraich and Awadh.

To effect greater control over the conquered areas, Iltutmsh granted iqtas (land assignments in lieu of cash salaries) to his Turkish officers on a significant scale. He contributed to the currency system of the Sultanate by introducing the silver tanka and the copper jital, the two basic coins in circulation in the period. He died in 1236 of an illness contracted during a campaign to the northwest. He issued the silver lanka for the first time. He organized the Iqta system and introduced reforms in civil administration and army, which was now centrally paid and recruited. He set up an official nobility of slaves known as Chahalgani (group of forty). He patronized Minaj-us-siraj, author of Tabaqat-i-nasiri. He was a patron of the arts and completed the construction of the Qutab Minar.

Ruknuddin Firoz (1236)

Iltutmsh is said to have nominated his daughter, Raziya, as his heir, but this was disregarded by his nobles who raised his son, Ruknuddin Firuz, to the throne. Ruknuddin’s brief and inglorious reign was dominated by his mother, Shah Turkan, originally a Turkish handmaiden.

Razia Sultan (1236 – 40)

Tired of her undue influence, the Turkish amirs deposed Ruknuddin and made way for Raziya. The Turkish officers revolted under the leadership of Ikhtiyaruddin Aitigin (the amir-i-hajib, lord chamberlain) and Malik Altunia (the governor of Bhatinda), arrested Raziya and placed Bahram Shah, Iltutmish’s third son, on the throne. However, Razia got rid of Rukn-ud-din and ascended the throne. Razia was popular among the people but she was not acceptable to the nobles and theologians. She further offended the nobles by her preference for an Abyssinian slave - Yakut.

Raziya seized the opportunity to marry Altunia. Together, they marched to Delhi and tried to regain the throne, but failed. While retreating, they fell into the hands of bandits and were killed. According to another account, however, Raziya was defeated in battle and put to death along with her husband. On ascending the throne, she gave up her female attire and appeared in public with a cloak (qaba) and hat (kulah). She rode on the back of an elephant and conducted state affairs as any other ruler. During Raziya’s brief but eventful reign of three and a half years two expeditions were undertaken. The first against Ranthambor which had been recaptured by the Chauhans after the death’ of Iltutmish, and the second against Gwalior, which had also broken free. Both ended in failure.

Bahram Shah (1240-42)

In 1242, after a two-year reign, Bahram Shah wag imprisoned and put to death by the Turkish amirs. In his stead, they placed Masud Shah, son of Ruknuddin Firuz Shah, on the throne of Delhi.