The Tughlaq Dynasty: The Delhi Sultanate | History for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Origin of the Tughlaq Dynasty

Key Rulers of the Tughlaq Dynasty

• Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, the dynasty's founder, was born to a Turk father and a Punjabi Jat mother.
• He fortified the north-western frontier against Mongol invasions and established the city of Tughlaqabad.
• His son, Fakhr-ud-din Muhammad Jauna Khan, defeated the Kakatiya ruler Prataparudra-Deva II of Warangal.
• Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq died in 1325 under mysterious circumstances, possibly orchestrated by his son.

Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq (1325-1361 AD)

• Succeeding his father in 1325, Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq was a renowned scholar, fluent in Arabic and Persian, and knowledgeable in various sciences.
• He maintained amicable relations with foreign powers, including the Chinese ruler.
• He sent the Moroccan traveler Ibn Batutah as an envoy to China.
• Despite his intellectual prowess, many of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq's ambitious projects failed due to poor execution and lack of support.

Firoz Tughlaq (1351-1388 AD)

• Firoz Tughlaq, succeeding his cousin Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq, ruled from 1351 to 1388 AD.
• Known for paying his army in land rather than cash, he was dubbed the "Father of the Irrigation Department" by the British due to his extensive canal-building projects.
• He implemented taxes such as Kharaj, Zakat, Kham, and Jaziya.
• His reign was marked by relative stability and infrastructural development.

Later Tughlaqs

• Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq Shah II succeeded Firoz Tughlaq in 1388 but was beheaded within a year due to court intrigues.
• The next five years saw rapid succession with three sultans: Abu Bakr, Muhammad Shah, and Humayun (Alauddin Sikander Shah).

Abu Bakr Shah (1389-90 AD)

• Abu Bakr Shah, ruling briefly from 1389 to 1390, faced opposition from his uncle Muhammad Shah, who eventually defeated him and took the throne.
• Abu Bakr was imprisoned and died shortly after his defeat.

Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Tughlaq (1390-94 AD)

• Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Tughlaq ruled from 1390 to 1394, focusing on suppressing revolts and internal dissent.
• He crushed Hindu uprisings in Etawah and established the Sharqi dynasty in Jaunpur through his general Malik Sarvar.
• His reign ended amid continued internal strife.

Decline and Fall of the Tughlaq Dynasty

• Muhammad Bin Tughlaq's 26-year reign was marked by innovative but often unsuccessful projects.
• His successor, Feroz Shah Tughlaq, managed to stabilize the kingdom, but the dynasty faltered after his death in 1388 due to incompetent rulers and internal conflicts.
• The dynasty's decline was exacerbated by Timur's invasion in 1398 and culminated in 1413 when Khizar Khan inaugurated the Sayyid Dynasty, marking the end of Tughlaq rule.

Conclusion

• By the end of the Tughlaq dynasty in 1412, the Sultanate was reduced to a small territory in north India.
• Numerous regions gained independence, including East Bengal, Orissa, and the Sharqi kingdom in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
• The Vijaynagar empire and the Bahmani kingdom rose in the Deccan and South India, while Gujarat, Malwa, and parts of Punjab also declared autonomy.
• Rajasthan's Rajput states ceased to recognize the authority of the Delhi Sultans.