Delhi-sultanate / Delhi Sultanate / Slave Dynasty
Slave Dynasty
Political History:
Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1206-1210):
- Qutb-ud-din Aibak was a slave of Mohammed Ghori, and his dynasty is known as the Slave or Mamluk Dynasty.
- He focused on internal consolidation during his brief reign of four years.
- He built the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi to commemorate Islam's victory in India.
- He also constructed the Adhai Din ka Jhopra mosque in Ajmer and began the construction of the Qutub Minar dedicated to Sufi saint Khwaja Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki.
Iltutmish (1210-1236):
- Iltutmish was originally named Samshuddin Iliyas and was the son-in-law of Qutbuddin Aibak.
- His Mongol policy saved India from an attack by Genghis Khan.
- He shifted his capital from Lahore to Delhi and completed the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the Qutub Minar.
- He introduced the feudalistic system of Iqta/Iqthadari and created a pact of forty Muslim nobles.
- He established the coinage system of the Delhi Sultanate, which included the Tanka (silver coin), Biranz (bronze coin), and Jittal (copper coin).
- He nominated his daughter Raziya as his successor.
Razia Sultana (1236-40):
- Razia Sultana succeeded Iltutmish and became the first Muslim woman ruler in Indian history.
- She appointed an African (Abyssinian) slave named Yakuth as incharge of cavalry.
- Her rule created differences with the Chahalgani (40 nobles).
- She married Altuniya, the governor of Bhatinda, and both were later killed by a coup of the Chahalgani.
Nasiruddin (1246-66):
- After Razia's death, the Chahalgani became powerful.
- After six years, Balban succeeded in putting Nasiruddin Mahmud, a younger son of Iltutmish, as Sultan.
- Nasiruddin was interested in philosophy and was inefficient in ruling.
- He was dethroned by his prime minister, Balban.
Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266-1286):
- Balban was the greatest ruler of the Slave Dynasty.
- He abolished the Chahalgani and believed that the real threat to the monarchy was from the Forty.
- He introduced Persian customs and traditions and established the defense department known as Diwan-i-Ariz.
- Balban took severe action on robbers and dacoits, making the roads of Delhi safe to travel.
- He dealt with the Mongol issue using a blood and iron policy and strengthened the western frontiers.
- He sent his son, Mahamud, to fight against the Mongols on the western frontiers, where Mahamud died.
- Saddened by this tragedy, Balban fell ill and died in 1286.
- After his death, Kalimullah and Qaimus became Sultans, with Qaiqubad/Kaiqubad being the last Sultan in the Slave Dynasty.
- After a few years, Qaiqubad became paralytic and was removed from the throne by Jalaluddin Khalji.
