NCERT Summary: Delhi 12th To 15th Century

Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Rulers of Delhi
3. Finding Out about the Delhi Sultans
4. The Expansion of the Delhi Sultanate
5. Consolidation under the Khaljis and Tughluqs
6. The Sultanate in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries
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Introduction

• Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs, who were defeated by Chauhan (also called Chahamanas) of Ajmer.
• The transformation of Delhi into a capital that controlled a vast area of the subcontinent started with the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate at the beginning of the 13th century.
• Under the Tomaras and Chauhans Delhi became an important commercial centre.

Delhi Sultanate 

• In the beginning of the thirteenth century, the transformation of Delhi into a capital started with the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate.
• The Delhi Sultans built many cities in the area that we now know as Delhi.

The Rulers of Delhi

Rajput Dynasties

• Tomaras: Significant ruler - Ananga Pala
• Chauhans: Notable ruler - Prithviraj Chauhan

Early Turkish Rulers

• Qutbuddin Aybak (1206-1210)
• Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1210-1236)
• Raziyya (1236-1240)
• Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266-1287)

Khalji Dynasty

• Jalaluddin Khalji (1290-1296)
• Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316)

Tughluq Dynasty

• Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (1320-1324)
• Muhammad Tughluq (1324-1351)
• Firuz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388)

Sayyid Dynasty

• Khizr Khan (1414-1421)

Lodi Dynasty

• Bahlul Lodi (1451-1489)

Timeline of Important Periods

• Early 12th century - 1165: Tomaras
• 1130-1145: Reign of significant Rajput rulers
• 1165-1192: Rise of Prithviraj Chauhan
• 1175-1192: Expansion of Rajput influence
• 1206-1290: Early Turkish rulers (Mamluk dynasty)
• 1290-1320: Khalji dynasty
• 1320-1414: Tughluq dynasty
• 1414-1451: Sayyid dynasty
• 1451-1526: Lodi dynasty

Finding Out about the Delhi Sultans

• Inscriptions, coins and architecture are the sources of information on the Sultans of Delhi.

• Tawarikh was written in Persian, the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans.
• In 1236 Sultan Iltutmish's daughter, Raziyya became Sultan.
  She was removed from the throne in 1240.

The Expansion of the Delhi Sultanate

• Delhi's authority was also challenged by Mongol invasions from Afghanistan.
• The Sultanate consolidation occurred during the reign of Ghiyasuddin Balban and further expansion under Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq.
• The first set of campaigns along the "internal frontier" of the Sultanate aimed at consolidating the hinterlands of the garrison towns.
• The second expansion occurred along the "external frontier" of the Sultanate.

Consolidation under the Khaljis and Tughluqs

• The Khalji and Tughluq monarchs appointed military commanders as governors of territories of varying sizes which were called iqta and their holder was called iqtadar or muqti.

Consolidation Under Khaljis and Tughluqs

• Large parts of the subcontinent remained outside the control of the Delhi Sultans.
  It was difficult to control distant provinces like Bengal from Delhi.
• Local chieftains established their rule in these regions.
• Sometimes rulers like Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq could force their control in these areas but only for a short duration.
• The Mongols under Genghis Khan invaded Transoxiana in north-east Iran in 1219.
• Mongol attacks on the Delhi Sultanate increased during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and in the early years of Muhammad Tughluq's rule.

The Sultanate in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries

• After the Tughluqs, the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties ruled from Delhi and Agra until 1526.
• By then, Jaunpur, Bengal, Malwa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and the entire south India had independent rulers who established flourishing states and prosperous capitals.
• This was also the period which saw the emergence of new ruling groups like the Afghans and the Rajputs.
• Sher Shah Sur (1540-1545) started his career as the manager of a small territory for his uncle in Bihar and eventually challenged and defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun (1530-1540, 1555-1556).