Class 7 Social Science Notes Chapter 3 (The Delhi Sultans) – Out Pasts - II Book

Alright class, let's focus on Chapter 3, 'The Delhi Sultans'. This is a crucial period in Indian history, marking the establishment and consolidation of Turkish rule in North India, with Delhi as its nerve centre. Understanding this chapter is important not just for your exams, but also for grasping the evolution of administration, culture, and society in medieval India.

The Delhi Sultans (c. 1206 - 1526 CE)

1. Delhi Becomes the Capital:

• Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs (early 12th century - 1165).
• They were defeated by the Chauhans (also called Chahamanas) of Ajmer in the mid-12th century (c. 1165-1192). Prithviraj Chauhan was the most famous Chauhan ruler.
• Under the Tomaras and Chauhans, Delhi became an important commercial centre, with many rich Jaina merchants living there. They also minted coins called dehliwal.
• The transformation of Delhi into a capital controlling vast areas of the subcontinent started with the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate at the beginning of the 13th century.

2. Sources of Information:

• Inscriptions, coins, and architecture provide valuable information.
• Histories (Tarikh/Tawarikh): Written in Persian (the language of administration under the Sultans).
  • Authors were learned men: secretaries, administrators, poets, courtiers.
  • They recounted events and advised rulers on governance, emphasizing the importance of 'just rule'.
  • Limitations of Tawarikh:
    • Authors lived mainly in cities (especially Delhi), rarely in villages.
    • They often wrote histories for Sultans hoping for rich rewards.
    • They advised rulers based on 'birthright' (privileges claimed on account of birth) and 'gender distinctions' (social/biological differences suggesting one gender is superior). They often criticized rulers like Raziyya Sultan for not conforming to these ideals. Minhaj-i-Siraj, a chronicler, recognized Raziyya was more able than her brothers but was uncomfortable having a queen as ruler.

3. The Rulers of Delhi (Major Dynasties and Rulers):

(a) Early Turkish Rulers / Mamluk or Slave Dynasty (1206-1290):

• Qutbuddin Aybak (1206-1210): Founder. Started the construction of the Qutb Minar and the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi. Died accidentally playing chaugan (polo).
• Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1210-1236): Aybak's son-in-law. Considered the real consolidator of the Sultanate.
  • Completed the Qutb Minar.
  • Organized the administration. Introduced silver coin (tanka) and copper coin (jital).
  • Saved the Sultanate from the Mongol threat under Genghis Khan by refusing shelter to the Khwarazm Shah.
  • Nominated his daughter Raziyya as his successor.
• Raziyya Sultan (1236-1240): The only female Muslim ruler of the Delhi Sultanate. Faced opposition from Turkish nobles (Chahalgani or The Forty) who resented being ruled by a woman. She was eventually dethroned and killed.
• Ghiyasuddin Balban (1266-1287): A powerful noble who later became Sultan.
  • Strengthened the monarchy and broke the power of the Chahalgani.
  • Enhanced the prestige of the Sultan through court discipline; introduced Persian customs like sijda (prostration) and paibos (kissing the Sultan's feet).
  • Strengthened the army and spy system. Focused on consolidation rather than expansion.

(b) Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320):

• Jalaluddin Khalji (1290-1296): Founder. Relatively mild ruler. Murdered by his nephew Alauddin.
• Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316): One of the most powerful Sultans. Known for:
  • Expansion: Conquered Gujarat, Ranthambhor, Chittor, Malwa, and extended control into South India (led by his general Malik Kafur).
  • Defence against Mongols: Successfully repelled multiple Mongol invasions. Built the garrison town of Siri and strengthened frontier defences.
  • Administration & Economic Reforms:
    • Maintained a large standing army, paid in cash. Introduced branding of horses (dagh) and descriptive rolls of soldiers (huliya/chehra).
    • Market Control Policy: Fixed prices for essential goods (grain, cloth, horses, cattle, slaves) in Delhi markets. Appointed officers (shahna-i-mandi) and spies to enforce this.
    • Revenue Reforms: Measured land and fixed the state's share of land revenue (kharaj) at 50% of the produce. Collected taxes rigorously. Also levied taxes on cattle and houses.

(c) Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414):

• Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320-1325): Founder. Built the fortified city of Tughlaqabad.
• Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1324-1351): Known for his ambitious projects and controversial decisions:
  • Transfer of Capital: Shifted the capital from Delhi to Deogiri (renamed Daulatabad) in the Deccan (1327). This failed due to practical difficulties and was reversed.
  • Token Currency: Introduced bronze/copper coins valued at par with silver tanka (1329-30). This failed due to widespread counterfeiting.
  • Khurasan Expedition: Planned a large-scale invasion of Khurasan (Persia/Central Asia) but disbanded the army after a year.
  • Qarachil Expedition: Campaign in the Kumaon hills (Himalayas) which met with disaster.
  • Increased Taxation in Doab: Raised land revenue in the Ganga-Yamuna doab during a severe famine, leading to peasant revolts.
  • Despite failures, his reign saw the Sultanate reach its maximum territorial extent. The Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta visited his court.
• Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388): Muhammad's cousin. Focused on consolidation and welfare.
  • Built canals (e.g., Western Yamuna Canal), hospitals (dar-ul-shafa), rest houses, and new towns (e.g., Firozabad, Jaunpur, Hisar-Firoza).
  • Repaired old monuments, including the Qutb Minar.
  • Imposed jizya (tax on non-Muslims) as a separate tax.
  • Patronized scholars and established educational institutions.
  • Generally avoided harsh measures but weakened the army by making military service hereditary in some cases.
  • Timur's Invasion (1398): Occurred after Firoz Shah's death, during the reign of later Tughlaqs. Timur sacked Delhi, dealing a severe blow to the Sultanate.

(d) Sayyid Dynasty (1414-1451): Founded by Khizr Khan. A period of instability.

(e) Lodi Dynasty (1451-1526): An Afghan dynasty.

• Bahlul Lodi (1451-1489): Founder. Consolidated rule over the Doab region.
• Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517): Considered the ablest Lodi ruler. Founded the city of Agra (1504) and made it his capital. Introduced the gaz-i-Sikandari (a unit of land measurement).
• Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526): Last Sultan of Delhi. Alienated his nobles. Defeated and killed by Babur at the First Battle of Panipat (1526), marking the end of the Delhi Sultanate and the beginning of the Mughal Empire.

4. Administration and Consolidation:

• Challenges: Controlling a vast territory with diverse regions and powerful local chieftains. Early Sultans focused on controlling fortified towns occupied by garrisons. Controlling the hinterland (lands adjacent to a city supplying it with goods and services) was difficult.
• Consolidation: Occurred significantly under Balban, Alauddin Khalji, and Muhammad Tughlaq. This involved bringing the hinterlands under control by clearing forests in the Ganga-Yamuna doab and promoting agriculture.
• Iqtadari System:
  • The kingdom was divided into territories called iqtas.
  • Military commanders were appointed as governors (iqtadar or muqti) of these iqtas.
  • Duties of Muqtis: Lead military campaigns, maintain law and order in their iqtas, collect revenues assigned to them, and pay their soldiers from these revenues.
  • Controls over Muqtis: Their office was not hereditary, they were assigned iqtas for short periods and frequently transferred, accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected. This ensured they did not become too powerful or independent.
• Taxation: Sultans levied three main types of taxes:
  1. Kharaj: Tax on cultivation (often around 50% under Alauddin Khalji).
  2. Tax on cattle.
  3. Tax on houses.
• Local chieftains (samantas, later called zamindars) often acted as intermediaries in collecting taxes, though Sultans sometimes forced them to pay taxes themselves.
• Dealing with Mongol Invasions: A major challenge, especially under Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughlaq. Led to military reforms, building garrison towns, and raising large armies, putting a strain on resources.

5. Architecture:

• The Sultans built magnificent mosques, tombs, and forts, blending Persian and Indian styles (Indo-Islamic architecture).
• Key Examples: Qutb Minar complex (including Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque, Alai Darwaza), Siri Fort, Tughlaqabad Fort, tombs of various Sultans (e.g., Balban's tomb, Hauz Khas complex).
• Mosques (Masjid): Congregational mosques (masjid-i-jami) were built as centres of Muslim community life, demonstrating piety and power. The imam led prayers, facing Mecca (qibla).

6. The Sultanate in the 15th and 16th Centuries:

• After the Tughlaqs, the Sultanate weakened and shrank.
• Independent kingdoms emerged in various parts of India (e.g., Jaunpur, Bengal, Malwa, Gujarat, Bahmani Sultanate, Vijayanagara Empire).
• The Sayyids and Lodis ruled primarily over Delhi and surrounding areas.
• The Lodi dynasty ended with Babur's victory in 1526.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Who was the first ruler to establish Delhi as a capital?
   a) Chauhans
   b) Khaljis
   c) Tomara Rajputs
   d) Tughlaqs

2. The histories written by learned authors during the Sultanate period, known as Tawarikh, were primarily written in which language?
   a) Arabic
   b) Persian
   c) Urdu
   d) Sanskrit

3. Which Sultan completed the construction of the Qutb Minar?
   a) Qutbuddin Aybak
   b) Raziyya Sultan
   c) Ghiyasuddin Balban
   d) Shamsuddin Iltutmish

4. The market control policy, fixing prices of essential goods, was a significant reform introduced by:
   a) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
   b) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
   c) Alauddin Khalji
   d) Ghiyasuddin Balban

5. The system of assigning territories called 'iqta' to military commanders ('muqtis') primarily involved:
   a) Granting hereditary land rights
   b) Collecting revenue to maintain soldiers and administration
   c) Establishing independent kingdoms
   d) Building mosques and madrasas

6. Which Tughlaq Sultan is known for shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and introducing token currency?
   a) Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq
   b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
   c) Firoz Shah Tughlaq
   d) Nasiruddin Mahmud Tughlaq

7. The Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of which Sultan?
   a) Alauddin Khalji
   b) Ghiyasuddin Balban
   c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
   d) Firoz Shah Tughlaq

8. What were the branding of horses (dagh) and descriptive rolls of soldiers (huliya) primarily related to?
   a) Revenue collection
   b) Judicial administration
   c) Military reforms under Alauddin Khalji
   d) Construction projects

9. The First Battle of Panipat (1526) led to the end of the Delhi Sultanate and was fought between:
   a) Ibrahim Lodi and Babur
   b) Sikandar Lodi and Babur
   c) Bahlul Lodi and Timur
   d) Alauddin Khalji and Genghis Khan

10. The term 'hinterland' in the context of the Delhi Sultanate refers to:
    a) Lands adjacent to a city that supply it with goods and services
    b) Fortified garrison towns
    c) Distant provinces difficult to control
    d) Territories conquered in South India

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. c) Tomara Rajputs
2. b) Persian
3. d) Shamsuddin Iltutmish
4. c) Alauddin Khalji
5. b) Collecting revenue to maintain soldiers and administration
6. b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
7. c) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
8. c) Military reforms under Alauddin Khalji
9. a) Ibrahim Lodi and Babur
10. a) Lands adjacent to a city that supply it with goods and services

Make sure you revise these notes thoroughly. Pay attention to the chronology of dynasties, key rulers and their specific contributions or policies, administrative terms like iqta, muqti, kharaj, and the challenges faced by the Sultans. Good luck with your preparation!