Qutb ad-Din

The Rise And Fall Of The Delhi Sultanate

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• published: 30 May 2015
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The Delhi Sultanate was a Delhi-based Muslim kingdom that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). Five dynasties ruled over Delhi Sultanate sequentially, the first four of which were of Turkic origin and the last was the Afghan Lodi. The Lodi dynasty was replaced by the Mughal dynasty. The five dynasties were the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90); the Khilji dynasty (1290–1320); the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414); the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51); and the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526). Qutb-ud-din Aibak, a former slave of Muhammad Ghori, was the first sultan of Delhi and his dynasty conquered large areas of northern India. Afterwards the Khilji dynasty was also able to conquer most of central India, but both failed to unite the Indian subcontinent. Delhi sultanate is also noted for being one of the few states to repel an attack from the Mongol Empire. Delhi Sultanate reached its peak in terms of geographical reach, during the Tughlaq dynasty, covering most of Indian subcontinent. The Delhi Sultanate declined thereafter, with continuing Hindu-Muslim wars, and kingdoms such as Vijayanagara Empire re-asserting their independence as well as new Muslim sultanates such as Bengal Sultanate breaking off. The Sultanate caused destruction and desecration of ancient temples of South Asia, as well as led to the emergence of Indo-Islamic architecture. The Delhi Sultanate is the era that enthroned one of the few female rulers in Islamic history, Razia Sultana from 1236 to 1240. In 1526 the Delhi Sultanate fell and was replaced by the Mughal Empire. By 962 AD, Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms in South Asia were under a wave of raids from Muslim armies from Central Asia and Persia. Among them was Mahmud of Ghazni who raided and plundered kingdoms in north India, from east of the Indus river to west of Yamuna river, 17 times between 997 AD to 1030 AD. Mahmud of Ghazni raided the treasuries but retracted each time, only extending Islamic rule into western Punjab. A wave of raids on north Indian and western Indian kingdoms by Muslim warlords continued after Mahmud of Ghazni, for plunder and loot from these kingdoms. These raids did not establish or extend permanent boundaries of their Islamic kingdoms. The Ghurid Sultan Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad, from 1173 AD began a systematic war of expansion into north India. He sought to carve out a principality for himself by expanding the Islamic world, a tradition common among the warring orthodox (Sunni) and heterodox (Shia) warlords in West and Central Asia since the 9th century onwards. Mu’izz sought a Sunni Islamic kingdom of his own, that extended east of Indus river, and he thus laid the foundation for Muslim kingdom called Delhi Sultanate. Some historians chronicle Delhi Sultanate over 1192-1526 AD (334 years) because of Mu'izz al-Din's presence and geographical claims in South Asia by 1192 AD. Mu'izz al-Din was assassinated in 1206, by Ismāʿīlī Shia Muslims by some accounts or by Hindu Khokhars by other accounts. After the assassination, it was one of Mu’izz slaves (or Mamluk, Arabic: مملوك), the Turkic Qutbu l-Din Aibak, who assumed power, becoming the first Sultan of Delhi. Dynasties Mamluk Qutub-ud-din Aibak was a slave of Mu'izz al-Din, whose reign started Delhi Sultanate. He was of Cuman-Kipchak origin. On account of his lineage, his dynasty is known as the Mamluk (Slave) Dynasty (not to be confused with Mamluk dynasty of Iraq or Mamluk dynasty of Egypt). Aibak's reign as the Sultan of Delhi lasted 4 years. After his death, Aram Shah assumed power in 1210, but he was assassinated by Iltutmish (his nephew) in 1211. Iltutmish's power was precarious, and a number of Muslim amirs (nobles) challenged his authority. Some Qutbi amirs supported him. After a series of conquests and brutal executions of opposition, he consolidated his power. His rule was challenged a number of times, such as by Qubacha, and this led to a series of wars. Iltumish conquered Multan and Bengal from contesting Muslim rulers, as well as Ranathambhore and Siwalik from the Hindu rulers. He also attacked, defeated and executed Taj al-Din Yildiz, who asserted his rights as heir to Mu'izz al-Din Muhammad. Iltutmish's rule lasted till 1236. Following the death of Iltutmish, Delhi Sultanate saw a succession of weak rulers, disputing Muslim nobility, assassinations and short lived tenures. Power shifted from Rukn ud din Firuz to Razia Sultana and others, until Ghiyas ud din Balban came to power and ruled from 1266 to 1287. He was succeeded by 17-year old Muiz ud din Qaiqabad, who ordered poisoning of Nizam-ud-Din and appointed Jalal-ud-din Firoz Shah Khilji as the commander of Delhi Sultanate army. Khilji assassinated Muiz ud din Qaiqabad and assumed power, thus ending the Mamluk dynasty. Alai Gate and Qutub Minar were built during Mamluk and Khalji dynasty periods of Delhi Sultanate.