Slave Dynasty
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The Slave dynasty was also called Mamluk dynasty.
Mamlukwas the Quranic term for slave.
The Slave dynasty ruled Delhi fromA.D. 1206 to 1290. In fact, three dynasties were established during this period. They were
Qutbi dynasty (1206-1211) founded by Qutbuddin Aibak.
First Ilbari dynasty (1211- 1266) founded by Iltutmish.
Second Ilbari dynasty (1266-1290) founded by Balban.
Qutbuddin Aibak (1206-1210)
Qutbuddin Aibak was a slave ofMuhammad Ghori, who made him the Governorof his Indian possessions.
He set up his militaryheadquarters at Indraprasta, near Delhi.
After the death of Ghori in 1206, Aibak declared hisindependence.
He severed all connections with the kingdom of Ghori and thus founded the Slave dynasty as well as theDelhi Sultanate.
He assumed the title Sultan and made Lahore his capital.Muslim writers callAibak Lakh Bakshor giver of lakhs.
started the construction of after the name of a famous Sufi saint KhwajaQutbuddin Bakthiyar.
It was later completed by Iltutmish.
Aibak diedsuddenly while playing chaugan (horse polo) in 1210.
He was succeeded by his son Aram Baksh, who was replaced by Iltutmishafter eight months.
Iltutmish (1211-1236)
Iltutmish belonged to the Ilbari tribe andhence his dynasty was named as Ilbari dynasty. He shifted his capital from Lahore toDelhi.
In the meantime, Temujin popularly knownas Chengiz Khan, the leader of the Mongols,started invading Central Asia.
He defeatedJalaluddin Mangabarni, the ruler of Kwarizam.
Iltutmish marched against Bengal and Bihar and reassertedhis control over them. Iltutmish was a great statesman.
He received the mansur, theletter of recognition, from the Abbasid Caliph in 1229 by which hebecame the legal sovereign ruler ofIndia.
Later he nominated hisdaughter Raziya as his successor.
Thus the hereditary succession toDelhi Sultanate was initiated by Iltutmish.
He patronized many scholars and a number Sufi saints cameto India during his reign.
Minhaj-us-Siraj, Taj-ud-din., Nizam-ul-mulkMuhammad Janaidi, Malik Qutb-ud-din Hasan and Fakhrul-Mulk Isamiwere his contemporary scholars who added grandeur to his court.
Apartfrom completing the construction of Qutb Minar at Delhi, the talleststone tower in India (238 ft.), he built a magnificent mosque at Ajmir.
Iltutmish introduced the Arabic coinage into India and the silver tankaweighing 175 grams became a standard coin in medieval India.
Thesilver tankaremained the basis of the modern rupee.
Iltutmish had alsocreated a new class of ruling elite of forty powerful military leaders, the Forty.
Raziya (1236-1240)
Although Iltutmish nominated his daughter Raziya as hissuccessor, the Qazi of Delhi and Wazir put Ruknuddin Feroz on thethrone.
When the governor of Multan revolted, Ruknuddin marchedto suppress that revolt. Using this opportunity, Raziya with thesupport of Amirs of Delhi seized the throne of Delhi Sultanate.
Sheappointed an Abyssinian slave Yakuth as Master of the Royal Horses.
Also, Raziya discarded the female apparel and held thecourt with her face unveiled. She even went for hunting and led thearmy.
This aroused resentment among the Turkish nobles.
In 1240, Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda revolted against her.
She went inperson to suppress the revolt but Altunia killed Yakuth and tookRaziya prisoner.
In the meantime, the Turkish nobles put Bahram, another son of Iltutmish on the throne.
However, Raziya won overher captor, Altunia, and after marrying him proceeded to Delhi.
Butshe was defeated and killed.
Era of Balban (1246-1287)
Ghiyasuddin Balban, who was also known as Ulugh Khan,served as Naib or regent to Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud.
According to Balban the Sultan was God‟s shadow on earth and the recipient of divine grace.
Balban introducedrigorous court discipline and new customs such as prostration andkissing the Sultan‟s feet to prove his superiority over the nobles.
Healso introduced the Persian festival of Nauroz to impress the noblesand people with his wealth and power.
He stood forth as thechampion of Turkish nobility.
At the same time he did not sharepower with other nobles. Indian Muslims were not given importantpost in the government.
He appointed spies to monitor the activitiesof the nobles.
Balban was determined to break the power of the Forty, theTurkish nobles. He spared only the most obedient nobles andeliminated all others by fair or foul means. Malik Baqbaq, thegovernor of Badaun, was publicly flogged for his cruelty towardshis servants.
Haybat Khan, the governor of Oudh, was also punishedfor killing a man who was drunk.
Sher Khan, the governor ofBhatinda was poisoned.
Instead of expanding his kingdom, Balbanpaid more attention to the restoration of law and order.
He established a separate military department - diwan-i-arz– andreorganized the army.
The outskirts of Delhi were often plunderedby the Mewatis.
Balban took severe action against them andprevented such robberies.
Robbers were mercilessly pursued andput to death.
As a result, the roads became safe for travel.
The Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)
The advent of the Khalji dynasty marked the zenith of Muslim imperialism in India.
The founder of the Khalji dynasty was Jalaluddin Khalji.
Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316)
Alauddin Khalji made enormous gifts tothe hostile nobles and Amirs of Delhi to win over them to his side.
He introduced the system of dagh (branding of horses) and prepared huliya(descriptive list of soldiers).
In order to ensure maximum efficiency, a strict review ofarmy from time to time was carried out.
The introduction of paying salaries in cash to the soldiers ledto price regulations popularly called as Market Reforms.
AlauddinKhalji established four separate markets in Delhi, one for grain; another for cloth, sugar, dried fruits, butter and oil; a third for horses,slaves and cattle; and a fourth for miscellaneous commodities.
Eachmarket was under the control of a high officer called Shahna-iMandi.
Alauddin Khalji took importantsteps in the land revenue administration.
He was the first Sultan of Delhi who ordered for the measurement of land.
Alauddin Khalji‟s greatest achievement was the conquest ofDeccan and the far south.
This region was ruled by four importantdynasties – Yadavas of Devagiri, Kakatiyas of Warangal, Hoysalas ofDwarasamudra and the Pandyas of Madurai.
In Alauddin sent Malik Kafuragainst the ruler of Devagiri,Ramachandra Deva, who submitted andpaid rich tributes.
In 1309 Malik Kafurlaunched his campaign against Warangal.
Its ruler Pratabarudra Deva was defeatedand enormous booty was collected from him.
Malik Kafur‟s next target was theHoysala ruler Vira Ballala III.
He was defeated and a vast quantity ofbooty was seized and sent to Delhi. Kafur next marched against thePandyas.
Vira Pandya fled the capital Madurai and Kafur seizedenormous wealth from the Pandya kingdom and returned to Delhi.
Alauddin Khalji died in 1316.
Although the Sultan was illiterate,he patronized poets like Amir Khusrau and Amir Hasan.
He alsobuilt a famous gateway known as Alai Darwazaand constructed anew capital at Siri.
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