Delhi Sultanate: Slave Dynasty

The Delhi Sultanate marks the beginning of organised Muslim rule in India, established on the foundations laid by the victories of Muhammad Ghori.

• It was founded by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, a former slave (Mamluk) and trusted general of Muhammad Ghori.
• The Turkish victories in the First (1191) and Second Battle of Tarain (1192) and the Battle of Chandawar (1194) laid its foundations.
• After the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Dynasty ruled until 1857.
• The rulers of Delhi carried the title of Sultan.

The Sultanate was not one continuous family but a succession of five dynasties, a very high-yield table for the exam.

• The Slave and Lodi dynasties bracket the period: Slave at the start (1206) and Lodi at the end (till 1526).
• The Lodi Dynasty was the only Afghan dynasty; the rest were Turkish/Sayyid lines.

The first dynasty of the Sultanate is called the Slave Dynasty because its founder and several of its rulers had begun their careers as slaves.

• It was founded by Qutub-ud-din Aibak, a slave-general of Muhammad Ghori.
• The four most important slaves of Muhammad Ghori were Qutub-ud-din Aibak, Tajuddin Yaldauz, Nasiruddin Qubacha and Bakhtiyar Khilji.
• Its real consolidator was Iltutmish, who is called the Real Founder of the Delhi Sultanate.
• The dynasty ended in 1290, when power passed to the Khilji Dynasty.

The succession of the Slave dynasty rulers and their key facts is the heart of this chapter.

The founder of both the Slave Dynasty and the Delhi Sultanate, Aibak rose from being a slave to the first Sultan of Delhi.

• He made Lahore his capital.
• He was famous for his generosity and was nicknamed "Lakh Baksh" (giver of lakhs); he was also called Quran Khan.
• Under Ghori he had held the titles Malik / Sipah Salar (commander) and Amir-e-Akhur.
• He was released from slavery in 1208.
• He died in 1210 while playing polo (chaugan) at Lahore — a fall from his horse.

• He built the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque at Delhi — the first mosque built in India.
• He built the Dhai-din-ka-Jhonpra at Ajmer.
• He started the construction of the Qutub Minar (in honour of Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki); it was completed by Iltutmish.

Aibak's death left a weak successor, and a stronger general soon took the throne.

• Iltutmish, Aibak's son-in-law and slave, defeated Aram Shah and became the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate.
• This transfer of power set the dynasty on a firm footing under Iltutmish.

Iltutmish is regarded as the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate because he turned a fragile new conquest into a stable kingdom.

• He was a slave of Aibak and his son-in-law, and shifted the capital from Lahore to Delhi.
• He organised the Iqta system — assigning revenue-yielding land (iqtas) to nobles in return for service.
• He introduced two famous coins — the silver tanka and the copper jital.
• He created the Chalisa (Turkan-i-Chahalgani), a "Group of Forty" loyal Turkish nobles to help him govern.
• He completed the Qutub Minar begun by Aibak.
• He received a deed of investiture (mansur) from the Abbasid Caliph of Baghdad, giving his rule legal sanction.

After Iltutmish, his daughter became the first and only woman to sit on the throne of Delhi.

• Iltutmish nominated her, judging her more capable than his sons.
• She faced strong opposition from the Chalisa (Group of Forty) Turkish nobles, who disliked being ruled by a woman.
• She discarded the veil, held court openly, and even led the army in person.
• Her favour to a non-Turkish noble, Yakut, angered the nobles; she was overthrown and killed in 1240.

The most powerful of the later Slave rulers, Balban crushed the over-mighty nobles and made the Sultan's authority supreme.

• He broke the power of the Chalisa (Group of Forty) to make the throne supreme.
• He introduced the Persian court customs of Sijda (prostration) and Paibos (kissing the Sultan's feet).
• He took the grand title "Zil-i-Ilahi" (Shadow of God) to exalt the kingship.
• He reorganised the army and set up a separate military department, the Diwan-i-Arz.
• He began as the power behind Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud before taking the throne himself in 1266.

• The Slave / Mamluk / Gulam Dynasty ruled 1206–1290 and was founded by Qutub-ud-din Aibak.
• Qutub-ud-din Aibak (1206–1210) founded the Sultanate, was called "Lakh Baksh", built the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque (1st in India) and began the Qutub Minar; capital Lahore; died playing polo (chaugan).
• Aram Shah (weak son of Aibak) was defeated by Iltutmish.
• Iltutmish (1211–1236) is the Real Founder of the Delhi Sultanate; introduced the silver tanka & copper jital, the Iqta system, the Chalisa (Group of Forty), and completed the Qutub Minar.
• Razia Sultana (1236–1240) was the first and only woman ruler of Delhi.
• Razia was opposed by the Chalisa nobles and killed in 1240.
• Balban (1266–1287) followed the "Blood and Iron" policy, introduced Sijda & Paibos, took the title "Zil-i-Ilahi", and set up the Diwan-i-Arz.
• The four famous slaves of Muhammad Ghori: Aibak, Yaldauz, Qubacha, Bakhtiyar Khilji.
• The Slave Dynasty ended in 1290, giving way to the Khilji Dynasty; after the whole Sultanate, the Mughals ruled till 1857.