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LURE - THRU THE AGES
Eternal India
encyclopedia
DELHI SULTANATE
THE SLAVE DYNASTY
1206-1290 A.D.
Overview
*
The I and II Battles of Tarain and the
death of Prithviraj Chouhan paved the
way for the foundation of Muslim
dominion
in India in 1206.
*
Kutb-ud-din
Aibak,
founded
the
dynasty after the death of his master
Mohammad Ghori in 1206 A.D.
*
Kutb-ud-Aibak, Iltutmish and Balban
were the famous rulers of the Slave
dynasty.
*
The famous Qutub-Minar at Delhi was
their chief contribution.
Advent
*
The slave dynasty was the founded by
Kutb-ud-din Aibak, one of the slaves of
Mohammed Ghori in 1206 A.D.
*
Chronology
Kutbuddin Aibak
(1206-1210)
*
Iltutmish
(1210-1236)
*
Rukhnuddin
(1236-1236)
*
Razia Sultana
(1236-1240)
*
Bahram
(1240-1242)
*
Masud
(1242-1246)
*
Nasiruddin Mohammad
(1246-1266)
*
Ghiasuddin Balban
(1266-1286)
*
Kaiquabad
(1286-1290)
Iltutmish
: He
was conferred the
honour of Sultan-
i-Azam
(Great
Sultan).
The
Mongols
invaded
India during his
time; his empire
extended over the
whole of northern
India.
Qutub-Minar
Kutbuddin Aibak
: Ruled between 1206-
1210 A.D. started the construction of
Qutub- Minar; died at Lahore 1210.
It was during his time the famous column
Qutub-Minar was constructed. He died in
1236. He was succeeded by his daughter
Razia Begum.
Razia Begum
: She wore male attire,
administered justice in open court, led her
armies against rebels, gave audience to all,
revised the laws and proved to be an able and
just ruler.
Nasir-ud-din Mohammad
(1246-66)
He was the son of Iltutmish. Being a pious
man he spent his leisure moments in
copying the Quran. He entrusted the
government to his minister Balban.
Balban
(1266-86) : Minister of Nasir-ud-
din Mohammad for 20 years. He became
Sultan
after
Nasir-ud-din
Mohammad's
death. He reorganised the army and
established law and order in the kingdom
which was ravaged by robber bands. He
Delhi Sultanate under Slave
Dynasty (1206-1290).
curbed the power of the nobles. He drove back
the Mongol invaders.
Balban modelled his court after the old
Persian kings by introducing Persian eti-
quette and manners. The famous poet Amir
Khusrau was a contemporary of Balban.
The
empire
of
Balban
extended
throughout North India stretching from
Punjab and Sindh in the' west to Bengal in
the east. He died in 1286.
Kaiquabad
(1286-90) : Balban was
succeeded by his grandson Kaiquabad. He
paid no attention to the affairs of the state
and indulged himself in pleasures. Disorder
and confusion prevailed throughout the
kingdom. Many nobles contested for the
throne. Kaiquabad was done to death in his
palace of mirrors by a noble.
KHILJI DYNASTY
1290 1320 A.D.
Overview
The Khilji Empire was the largest em-
pire in Indian history. The empire included
Kashmir,
Punjab,
Delhi-Agra,
Sindh,
Malwa, Oudh, Bihar, Bengal, Gondvana,
Devagiri, Warangal, Dwarasamudra and
Madurai kingdoms.
Chronology
*
Jalaluddin
*
Alauddin
*
Mubarak
*
Khusru
(1290-1296)
(1216-1316)
(1316-1320)
(1320-1320)
Jalaluddin Firuz
(1290-96) : He was
of Turkish-Afghan origin. He was too meek
and gentle which made him a victim of in-
trigues.
Ala-ud-din Khilji
(1296 - 1316) : He
was the nephew and son-in-law of Jalalud-
din Firuz. He was given the chiefdom of
Oudh and Kara by his uncle. Attracted by
the fabulous wealth of Devagiri he plun-
dered it and collected huge booty. He beat
back the Mongols; conquered Gujarat
(1299); Chittor (1303); and also Ujjain,
Mandu, Dhar and Chanden and Marwar.
In
1306-07
Alauddin
commissioned
Malik Kafur to invade South Indian King-
doms. Khilji dynasty disintegrated with his
death in 1316.
Administration
*
Alauddin confiscated all grants of tax free
land and seized Muslim religious endow-
ments. Intelligence system was reorgan-
ised.
*
He himself abandoned drinking and en-
forced strict prohibition in Delhi. He for-
bade social gatherings in noblemen's houses.
In order to keep his army satisfied the Sul-
tan introduced strict prices.