HIS 249   Pre Modern India Muslim Rulers in South Asia: DELHI SULTANATE 1206-1526             Outline # 6

Before the Sultanate MAP

Eight-ninth centuries: Arab rulers in western South Asia, SIND, and parts of GUJARAT. Stopped by the Gurjara-Pratiharas and Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.

Mahmud of Ghazni: Between ca. 977 and 1030 C.E. he conducted raids into northern South Asia from his kingdom in Ghazni, making temples like SOMNATH in western India a particular target for attack. No attempt at ruling the region.

Muhammad of Ghur: In 1191 and 1192 battles with a Rajput confederacy, and after victory establishes his stave Qutubuddin Aibak as governor in Delhi. 

DELHI SULTANATE   MAP
Slave Dynasty

Qutubuddin Aibak (formerly slave and governor of Mohummad of Ghur) 1206-1210.

Iltutmish, his son-in-law, "elected" by Turkish nobles, 1210-36. Managed to exercise some control over the nobility, and increase authority of the Sultan.

Razia Begum 1236-39 (daughter of Iltutmish and only woman to rule as Sultan).

Balban

Balban 1266-86. Increased authority of office of Sultan and the Sultanate. Increase ceremonies of deference at court. Ruthlessly suppress challenges to law and order.

Khalji Dynasty MAP

Jalaluddin Khalji, 1290 - 96 

Allaudin Khalji 1296-1316. Murdered uncle to get to Sultanate. Strong Sultan, resumed iqtas. Undertook market reforms, standing army, expanded southwards, especially with help of Malik Kafur, his general who reached as far south as MADURAI in 1311.

Tughlaqs MAP

Ghiasuddin Tughlaq, 1320

Mohammad bin Tughlaq, 1320-1351. Notorious for "mad" innovations, probably forced by circumstances. Moved capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in the Deccan. Token currency experiment. Both fail. IBN BATUTA, famous Arab traveller, visits his court.

Firoze Shah Tughlaq, 1351-1388. Made concessions to nobility and religious orthodoxy. Great builder: canals and irrigation works, possibly to increase cultivable land.

Sayyid Dynasty c. 1400 - 1450, Interregnum.
MAP: End of the Sultanate
Lodi Dynasty 1451-1526 Afghans

Bahlul Lodi became Sultan in 1451.

Sultanate authority revived somewhat under Sikandar Lodi.

Ibrahim Lodi opposition from nobility and from reviving Rajputs. Rana Sangha, ruler of Mewar actually invite Babur to help defeat Lodis. 

Mughals 1526 Baber, First of the Mughals, defeats Ibrahim Lodi in battle at Panipat.

New Term: IQTA SYSTEM: Parts of the country were parceled out to various important officials, nobles, or generals entrusted to collect revenue (taxes). These assignments called IQTAS and the people holding the appointments, IQTADARS. Ideally Iqtadar keeps a share of the taxes, expends part of it on keeping up an armed force for the Sultans and remits the rest to the Sultan. Worked only when Sultan was strong. Similar to the "feudatory" system in the post-Gupta period.