Medieval India — The Delhi Sultanate
ICSE Class 9 · History & Civics · Chapter 13
What this chapter covers
- The Delhi Sultanate: time, place and importance
- Sources: inscriptions
- Sources: the Qutab Minar
- The dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in chronological order
- Alauddin Khilji: rise to power and measures against the nobility
- Alauddin Khilji: military reforms
- Alauddin Khilji: market regulations
- Alauddin Khilji: revenue reforms
- Alauddin Khilji: the Deccan expedition
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq: transfer of capital
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq: token currency
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq: taxation in the Doab
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq: plan of conquests
Key points
- The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) was ruled from Delhi by five dynasties: Slave (Mamluk), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi.
- Inscriptions on buildings and coins, in Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit, give the names, titles and dates of rulers and the extent of their power, but they tend to praise the ruler.
- The Qutab Minar, begun by Qutbuddin Aibak and completed by Iltutmish, is a source through its inscriptions and its design, which blends Central Asian and Indian art.
- Alauddin Khilji (1296–1316) crushed the nobles by confiscating their wealth, using spies, banning wine and gatherings, and controlling their marriages.
- He kept a large standing army paid in cash, with dagh and huliya to stop fraud, and strengthened the north-west frontier against the Mongols.
- His market regulations fixed prices in Delhi, controlled the supply of grain through royal granaries, and punished cheating traders harshly.
- His revenue reforms measured the land, fixed the land tax at half the produce, and ended the privileges of the khuts, muqaddams and chaudharis.
- Malik Kafur's Deccan expedition (1307–1311) defeated Devagiri, Warangal, Dwarasamudra and Madurai; the southern kings paid tribute but were not annexed.
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–1351) moved the capital to Daulatabad, issued a bronze token currency, raised taxes in the Doab and planned conquests in Khurasan and Qarachil.
- His plans failed through haste, harshness and poor preparation, emptying the treasury and leading to revolts that broke up the empire.
Questions answered
Who founded the Delhi Sultanate, and in which year? When and how did it end?
Qutbuddin Aibak, in 1206. It ended in 1526 when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat.
What is an inscription? Name two kinds of places where Sultanate inscriptions are found.
An inscription is writing carved or engraved on a lasting surface such as stone or metal. Sultanate inscriptions are found on buildings such as mosques, tombs and minarets, and on coins.
Who began and who completed the Qutab Minar? How does it show a blend of styles?
Qutbuddin Aibak began it and Iltutmish completed it; Firoz Shah Tughlaq later rebuilt its top. Its fluted design and Arabic calligraphy came from Central Asia and Iran, but Indian craftsmen carved it and added Indian motifs such as lotus buds, bells and garlands.
Name the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate in chronological order.
Slave (Mamluk), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi.
What four causes of the nobles' revolts did Alauddin Khilji identify?
The sultan's ignorance of the nobles' affairs, drinking parties and gatherings, marriage alliances between noble families, and the excessive wealth of the nobles.
Why did Alauddin Khilji pay his soldiers in cash instead of giving them iqtas?
Cash salaries from the treasury made the soldiers depend on, and stay loyal to, the sultan rather than a noble, and they kept land and its revenue out of the hands of possible rebels.
Explain the dagh and huliya systems.
Dagh was the branding of army horses with the royal mark, and huliya was a written description of each soldier; together they stopped soldiers from bringing poor horses, showing a horse twice or sending substitutes.
What was the main purpose of Alauddin Khilji's market regulations? Name the officer in charge of a market.
To keep prices low so that a large standing army could live on modest salaries; the officer in charge of a market was the Shahna-i-Mandi, under the Diwan-i-Riyasat.