The Tughlaqs
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320-25):
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq established the Thuglaq dynasty in 1320 and built Tughlaqabad city in Delhi. He reformed the courier system by replacing men with horses and establishing Dawk chowkies. His son, Prince Jaunakhan, conquered the kingdom of Kakatiyas in 1323. However, Ghiyasuddin died in an accident in 1325, and Jaunakhan ascended the throne as Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-51):
Muhammad bin Tughlaq was a controversial figure in medieval Indian history. He was a learned and talented prince but gained a reputation for being merciless, cruel, and unjust. However, he was tolerant in religious matters. His innovative reforms were poorly executed and brought him a bad name. During his rule, Vijaynagar (1336) and Bahamani (1347) emerged. Ibn Batuta, a Moroccan traveler, visited Tughlaq and recorded his observations in his book Qitab-ul-Rihla. Muhammad bin Tughlaq added the Jahanpanah city to Delhi and introduced token currency, copper coins that had the same value as silver tanka. However, minting the copper coin was not retained as a monopoly of the government, leading to widespread forgery. He also tried to shift the capital from Delhi to Devagiri, causing many deaths during the rigorous journey. He raised taxes steeply, which was impractical during a time of no rainfall. He also launched agricultural reforms by providing takkavi loans and establishing a separate department for agriculture. He died in 1351 AD due to sunstroke.
Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-89):
Firoz Shah Tughlaq ascended the throne after Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq's death. He imposed Jaziy and destroyed the Jwalamukhi temple but protected Sanskrit scriptures and translated them into Persian. He linked rivers and provided irrigation with the help of four canals and imposed water cess haq-i-shrib. He built many gardens and canals and established the Diwan-i-Khairat, the office for charity, and the Diwan-i-Bundagan, the department of slaves. He also established Sarais for the benefit of travelers and merchants, adopted the Iqtadari framework, established four new towns, and built hospitals known as Darul-Shifa, Bimaristan, or Shifa Khana. Due to all these, he was known as the Sultan of constructions. Firoz Shah died in 1388, and Muhammad Shah ascended the throne. During his rule, Timur invaded and ruined Delhi in 1398, and the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties ruled the declining empire from Delhi until 1526.
