Delhi Sultanate: 5 Ruling Dynasties, Rulers & Administration

The Delhi Sultanate had 5 ruling dynasties named as Mamluks, Khiljis, Tughlaqs, Sayyids, & Lodis. They ruled Delhi from the early 13th to the 16th century. The Delhi Sultanate was established by Qutb-ud-Din Aibak after the death of Muhammad Ghori in 1206. Earlier, Muhammad Ghori during the battles of Tarain (1175-1206) brought permanent control by Muslims in India & appointed his slave general Qutb ud-Din Aibak to govern the conquered areas such as Delhi and Ajmer. Later, he brought Persian administrative systems, the Iqta system, and built Indo-Islamic architecture (Qutub Minar).

The First female Monarch- Razia Sultan (1236-1240) led numerous military conquests. Later famous rulers like Allauddin Khilji defeated the mightiest Mongols. The 'Parrot of India' -Amir Khusrao was his contemporary & invented 'Sitar' & 'Qawali' style of music. Afterwards, the unwise decisions of Muhammad Bin Tuglaq brought the Token currency (brass & copper coins) & 'The great migration' wherein he directed the whole population of Delhi to move southwards for 700 miles to Daulatabad so that he could effectively control the Deccan region. But his plans went wrong and he asked everyone to turn back in a short time.

• The Delhi Sultanate was made up of 5 different dynasties which ruled portions of India for around 4 centuries from the early 13th century till the 16th century.
• The Delhi Sultanate was founded by Qutb ud din Aibak in 1206 AD as part of the Mamluk dynasty which opened the path for Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent.
• The period is renowned for its cultural achievements such as construction of many great buildings including Qutub Minar and Lodi gardens.
• The period saw influence of Turkish nobility, in particular, the Chihalgani (the Forty), a corps of powerful forty slaves who held great influence behind the throne.
• The Khaliji and Tughlaq dynasties expanded the boundaries of the Sultanate through military campaigns. While the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties encountered opposition from other rival powers as well as from external threats, including Mongol invasions especially under Balban and Alauddin Khalji.
• The period saw strong Persian influence in Indian culture evident from contributions of Amir Khusrau in music and poetry and the historical records of Ziauddin Barani in his "Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi".
• The Delhi Sultanate ended in 1526 (1st Battle of Panipat) with the rise of the Mughal Empire, which inherited and expanded upon its rich legacy.

The five ruling dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate are as follows:

Mamluk or Slave Dynasty (1206 – 1290 AD)

• The Mamluk dynasty was founded by Qutb al-Din Aibak, a former slave who rose to power.
• This dynasty marked the beginning of the Delhi Sultanate and is notable for its military conquests and the establishment of administrative frameworks.
• Qutb al-Din Aibak started the construction of the Qutub Minar, and other monuments were initiated during this period.
• His successor Iltutmish (1211-1236) introduced Silver Tanka in the currency, and organized the Iqta system in the Delhi Sultanate, a land grant system for civil and military administration.
• His reign was followed by Razia Sultana (1236-40), the 1st female ruler of Delhi Sultanate.
• Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1266-87) implemented the Theory of Kingship, asserting the Sultan as the "Shadow of God." He is also known for his policy of "blood and iron" to suppress internal revolts and external threats.

Khaljis Dynasty (1290 – 1320 AD)

• The Khalji dynasty, founded by Jalal ud-Din Khalji, is known for its expansionist policies and economic reforms.
• Succeeded by Alauddin Khalji, a prominent ruler of this dynasty, expanded the empire through military campaigns, notably into southern India.
• He also implemented various reforms (to maintain a large standing army) like
  • Market reforms for price controls like regulating wages, and trade
  • Took agrarian reforms for enhanced agricultural production and state revenue, based on measurement (Biswa).
  • He also took strict regulations of the Slave market.
• He built the Alai Darwaza and the Siri Fort.

Tughlaqs Dynasty (1320 – 1412 AD)

• Founded by Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq, this dynasty is recognized for its ambitious projects and administrative innovations.
• He built the Tughlaqabad Fort known for its features like sloping walls etc.
• The Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq remains a landmark of this era, built by his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
• He succeeded by his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq, an ambitious ruler but often controversial, known as a wise fool, for his attempts like -
  • The shifting of the capital to Daulatabad from Delhi.
  • He introduced Token currency, but failed due to poor implementation.
• Followed by Firoz Shah Tughlaq, who focused on public works, like establishing an extensive canal system to improve agriculture production.
• In 1398 Timur invasion weakened and devastated Delhi led to decline.

Sayyids Dynasty (1412 – 1451 AD)

• Founded by Khizr Khan, the Sayyid dynasty emerged after the decline of the Tughlaqs and is characterized by its weak rule and regional fragmentation after the Timur invasion which weakened the central authority.
• The Sayyids attempted to stabilize the region but faced challenges from powerful regional governors and rival factions.

Lodis Dynasty (1451 – 1526 AD)

• The Lodis were the last dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, and the first Afghan dynasty founded by Bahlul Lodi.
• The Lodis encouraged the arts and architecture, with significant contributions like the construction of the Lodi Gardens in Delhi.
• Their rule ended with the invasion of Babur, the last ruler Ibrahim Lodi faced defeat in the Battle of Panipat 1526, this defeat led to the rise of the Mughal Empire.

List of Delhi Sultanate Rulers Chronology

The administrative structure of the Delhi Sultanate was an extremely well-structured system in which the Sultan, the highest power, had military, administrative, and judicial control all at once. The government was organized in such a way that a superior power was given to its top officials and departments:

The Sultan was the supreme ruler supported by the ministry consisting of the Wazir (Prime Minister and Finance Minister, head of Diwan-i-Wizarat), Ariz-i-Mamalik (the military head), and Qazi-ul-Quzat (the chief judge having the power to interpret and apply Islamic law).

Apart from it the sultan was also supported by Barid-i-Mumalik (intelligence department), Wakil-i-Dar: Controller of the Royal Household etc.

The empire was partitioned into districts known as Iqtas or Subas ruled by the officials called Wali or Muqti. These districts were then segmented into Shiqs, headed by Shiqdars, and further into Parganas made up of villages.

The religious policies were generally based on Sharia, though many Sultans were influenced by the inclusive nature of Sufi saints.

They introduced Indo-Islamic architecture, which combined Persian structural engineering and Indian decorative arts.

The local government consisted of village leaders (Muqaddam or Chaudhri) and clerks (Patwari).

Some of the significant officials in the province were Amils (who collected the revenue), Mushrifs, Hazamdars (who held the treasury), Qazis (who were civil officials), Shiqdars (who were in charge of criminal matters), and Kotwals (who were the police heads).

The government was based on the Persian system and aimed at getting taxes smoothly, keeping the peace, and exercising control over the military.

Thus, the administration of the Delhi Sultanate was both pyramidal and bureaucratic that did not only allow the Sultan to control a vast area effectively by blending central power with local government.

Delhi Sultanate architecture was the first step of the Indo-Islamic architectural journey and showed a perfect union of Islamic and Indian styles. The usage of red sandstone and marble was done on a huge scale in combination with the elements of arches, domes, minarets. The whole style of architecture is classified into two: one being the Imperial Style which was supported by the sultans from the center and the other being the Provincial Style that shows the cultural diversity across the regions.

The key dynasties came with their own contributions:

• Slave Dynasty (1206-1290): Famous for the making over Indian temples and building the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and tomb of Iltutmish, and to a lesser extent, the imbibition of Indian and Islamic styles.
• Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320): Brought Seljuq types of architecture, actual arches, pointed horseshoe arches, domes, red sandstone and detailed calligraphy. Among other things, the gateway and the Hauz Khas Complex are some major structures.
• Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414): Their works were characterized by building very big, strong, and stable structures with sloping ("batter") walls, the use of stone rubble, the four-centered arch, pointed domes and octagonal plans for tombs. Tughlaqabad Fort is among them.
• Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451): Concentrated on simple tombs with octagonal shape, eaves, colored tiles for decoration, and plastered medallions of saints.
• Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526): The period saw a decrease in architectural work; the adoption of the double dome, the lowering of arches, and the roofing like Bangla were among the innovations. Mainly brick and mortar were used, while the decoration was done with terracotta tiles depicting motifs that included the lotus.

The Qutub Minar complex, Alai Darwaza, and Tughlaqabad Fort are excellent examples of the Indian and the Muslim world's merger of building styles as well as the starting point of the Indo-Islamic style in North India.

Who was the founder of Delhi Sultanate?

The founder of the Delhi Sultanate was Qutb al-Din Aibak.

What are the 5 dynasties of Delhi Sultanate?

The five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate are the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty, Khilji dynasty, Tughlaq dynasty, Sayyid dynasty, and Lodi dynasty.

What was the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans?

The language of administration under the Delhi Sultans was Persian.

Who was the first slave king of Delhi Sultanate?

The first slave king of the Delhi Sultanate was Qutb al-Din Aibak.

Who was the last ruler of Delhi sultanate?

The last ruler of Delhi sultanate was Ibrahim Lodhi.