Delhi Sultanate [1206–1526]: A Comprehensive Overview for UPSC

History of the Delhi Sultanate

• Establishment and Foundation of the Delhi Sultanate:
  • The Delhi Sultanate was a medieval period empire based primarily in Delhi.
  • Mohammad Ghori laid the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate in India after defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the battle of Tarain in 1192 AD.
  • After Muhammad Ghori’s death, his Turkic slave generals, such as Qutb ud-Din Aibak and Nasir ad-Din Qabacha, divided the Ghurid territories among themselves.
  • It ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly 320 years (1206–1526).
• Dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate:
  • The Sultanate’s history is divided into five major dynasties:
    • Mamluk Dynasty (1206-1290)
    • Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)
    • Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414)
    • Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451)
    • Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526)
• Territorial Expansion:
  • The Sultanate covered vast territories in present-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and parts of southern Nepal.
  • Under Khalji and Tughlaq rulers, the Sultanate expanded rapidly, including conquests deep into South India.
  • The empire reached its zenith under Muhammad bin Tughluq, covering most of the Indian subcontinent.
• Impact of Timur’s Invasion:
  • In 1398, Timur invaded Delhi, causing great destruction and weakening the Sultanate.
  • After this, many regions broke away from the Sultanate’s control, with powerful kingdoms like Vijayanagara and Mewar, and new sultanates like Bengal Sultanate and Bahmani in the Deccan.
• Decline and Fall of the Delhi Sultanate: In 1526, the Timurid ruler Babur invaded India and defeated Ibrahim Lodi (the last ruler of the Lodi Dynasty) in the First Battle of Panipat and established the Mughal Empire.
• Cultural and Religious Influence:
  • It played a crucial role in developing the Hindustani language and Indo-Islamic architecture.
  • Many artists, scholars, and mystics migrated to India from the Islamic world and enriched the region’s Islamic culture.
• Notable Incidences:
  • The Sultanate was one of the few powers in the world that successfully repelled Mongol invasions, particularly from the Chagatai Khanate.
  • The reign of Razia Sultana (1236–1240) marked one of the few instances of female rulers in Islamic history.

Administration of Delhi Sultanate

Department
Diwan-i-Risalat	Department of appeals (foreign affairs and diplomatic)
Diwan-i-arz	Department of Military (Royal Army) This department was introduced by Balban.
Diwan-i-Ishtiaq	Department of pensions
Diwan-i-Mustakhraj	Department of Revenue
Diwan-i-kohi	Department of Agriculture This department was created by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq.
Diwan-i-insha
Diwan-i-Bandagan	Department of slaves
Diwan-i-Qaza	Department of Justice
Diwan-i-Khairat	Department of charity

Revenue Administration

Land Classification and Revenue System

• The land in the Delhi Sultanate was divided into three categories:
  • Iqta land – Land assigned to nobles and officials in return for their services.
  • Khalisa land – Land under the direct control of the state, used to generate revenue for the Sultan’s treasury.
  • Inam land – Tax-free land granted to religious scholars or institutions.

Land Type	Description
Iqta land	Given to nobles, officials, soldiers for service
Khalisa land	Under direct control of the state
Inam land	Tax-free land granted to scholars/religious leaders

Iqta System:

• Iltutmish introduced the Iqta system, where land was distributed among officials (Iqta holders) for administration and revenue collection.
• In this system, the Sultan granted land, known as Iqta, to nobles, military officers, and government officials (called Iqtadars or Muqtis) in exchange for their services, particularly for maintaining troops.
• Larger Iqta was controlled by provincial rulers, while smaller ones were assigned to nobles and soldiers.
• Nobles and soldiers collected revenue from their Iqta, but this meant the state did not directly control a large part of the land’s revenue.
• Alauddin Khalji later turned many Iqta lands into Khalisa land, increasing the income of the central treasury.

Village Administration and Revenue Collection:

• Historian Barani mentions two types of village headmen:
• Khuts and Mukaddams – Village leaders responsible for tax collection.
• The term Chowdhury was also used for village heads.
• Village headmen were often appointed by inheritance and enjoyed certain benefits like tax-free land and access to pasture lands.
• Above these headmen were higher-ranking Hindu Nayakas, referred to as Rai, Rana, and Rawat.

Village Leadership	Role
Khuts and Mukaddams	Collected land revenue
Chowdhury	Village head (another title for headmen)
Hindu Nayakas (Rai, Rana, Rawat)	High-ranking leaders overseeing villages

Revenue Policies of Different Sultans:

• Under Alauddin Khalji, land revenue was set at half of the agricultural production, which was significantly higher than in the previous periods.
• Firoz Shah Tughlaq introduced Takavi loans, which helped farmers invest in agriculture and increase production.
• Muhammad bin Tughlaq established the Diwan-i-Kohi, a separate department to oversee agricultural improvements and administration.

Literature

Author	Book
Alberuni	Tahqiq-i-Hind (also known as Kitab al-Hind). It is an account of India’s religion, philosophy, literature, geography, astronomy, astrology, laws, and customs.
Zia-ud-din Barani	Fatawa-i-Jahandari Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi (The book covers the period from the reign of Ghiyas-Ud-Din Tughluq to the first six years of the reign of Firoz Shah Tughluq)
Minhaj-us-Siraj	Tabaqat-i-Nasiri
Amir Khusrau	Khaza’in ul-Futuh or Tarikh-i-Alai (Alauddin Khalji’s construction works, wars, and administrative services) Tughlaqnama
Yahya bin Ahmad Sihrindi	Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi The book covers the period from the reign of Muhammad Ghori to Mubarak Shah (1421-1434 AD).
Shams-i-shiraj Afif	Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi
Ibn-Battuta	Kitab-ul-Rehla
Isami	Futuh-us-Salatin
Firdausi	Shahnamah

The architecture of Delhi Sultanate

• The development of Indo-Islamic architecture began after the establishment of Delhi as the capital of the Ghurid dynasty in 1193.
• The Delhi Sultanate and its successors introduced Islamic architecture from West Asia into the Indian subcontinent.

Structure	Location	Details
Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque (Qutub Mosque)	Delhi	1. It was commissioned by Qutb-ud-din Aibak. 2. It was built using spolia from 27 temples. 3. It was built over the site of a large temple.
Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra	Ajmer	1. It was commissioned by Qutb-ud-Din-Aibak in 1192 CE. 2. The structure was completed in 1199 CE and was further enhanced by Iltutmish in 1213 CE.
Qutb Minar	Delhi	1. The Qutb Minar, is a minaret and “victory tower“. 2. It was built in the Qutb complex, which lies at the site of Delhi’s oldest fortified city, Lal Kot(Qila Rai Pithora).
Tomb of Balban	Mehrauli, New Delhi	1. It is the first Islamic arch in India.
Alai Darwaza	Qutub complex, Delhi	It was built by Alauddin Khalji in 1311.
Tomb of Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughluq	Tughluqabad, Delhi
Tomb of Feroze Shah Tughlaq	Hauz Khas Complex, Delhi
Tughlaqabad Fort	Delhi	It was built by Ghiyasuddin Tughluq in 1321.
Firoz Shah palace complex (Hisar-e-Firoza)	Hissar, Haryana
Tomb of Sikandar Lodi	Lodhi Gardens, Delhi	It was built in 1517-1518 by Ibrahim Lodi

Delhi Sultanate UPSC PSC MCQs

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