Delhi Sultanate- History, Rulers with Maps, and Administration (UPSC Notes)

Capital – Lahore

• He was a slave of Mohammad Ghori and one of his loyal Generals. Soon after Ghori’s assassination, he declared independence and established the first Muslim dynasty in India.
• He took titles such as Malik and Sipahasalar and not Sultan. He didn’t even mint coins in his name.
• Ghiyasuddin Mahmud, the successor of Muhammad Ghori, gave him the title of Sultan.
• He is also known as Lakh Baksh.
• Started the construction of Qutub Minar (1199 CE), named after Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, a Sufi saint.

Capital – Delhi

• He had to fight a war of succession after the death of his father-in-law Aibak.
• Crushed rebellions include Nasir-ud-din Qabacha from Lahore, Ali Mardan Khan and Iwaz from Bengal and Bihar.
• The Mongol ruler Genghis Khan tried to Invade India during this time. He refused to help the Afghan ruler Jalal-al-Din to save his empire from Mongolian attack.
• Chalukyas of Gujarat defeated him.
• Established Iqta system.
• Established a nobility known as Turkan-i-Chahalgani or Chalisa (a group of forty)
• Minted coins – silver (Tanka) and copper (Jital).
• He completed the construction of Qutub Minar and built the Hauz Shams and a madarsa around it.

• Succeeded her father, Iltutmish, after the death of her half-brother Ruknuddin.
• He discarded the female dress and attended the court without a veil.
• Razia was a devotee of Turkman Bayabani(a famous sufi saint).
• She had to face multiple rebellions:
• Kabir Khan, Governor of Lahore.
• Altunia, Governor of Tabarhinda (Bhatinda).
• Rajputs of Ranthambhore.
•  lltutmish’s Wazir, Nizam-ul-Mulk Junaidi, supported the revolters.
• She married Altunia, the Governor of Bhatinda and her lover.
• They marched toward Delhi to reclaim it from her half-brother Muizuddin Bahram. She was killed during this march.

• After Razia’s death, Ghiasuddin Balban, a Turkish chief, ruled through puppet rulers for several decades.
• During Raziya’s reign, he was a high rank noble. He was a naib or deputy to Nasiruddin Mahmud(1246-65), a younger son of Iltutmish.
• Nasiruddin Mahmud was one of the puppet rulers who gave Balban the title of Ulugh Khan (Premier khan).

• He finally seized power in 1266 CE for himself.
• He proclaimed the Sultan to be God (Zil-i-Ilahi) and thus mandated the practice of Sizda (prostration) and Paibos (kissing the feet of a sultan).
• He tried to break the power of Chahalgani or Chalisa (a group of 40 Turkic nobles). Only Turkish noble family members were appointed to a government post.
• Blood and Iron Policy: He became ruthless against enemies. He Administered justice with extreme impartiality and appointed spies everywhere. He even banned laughing or joking in court.
• Established a new military department (Diwan-i-Arz).
• Persian Influence: He declared that he is a descendant of the legendary Iranian King Afrasiyab and introduced the celebration of the Persian new year Nauroz in India.