Delhi Sultanate : Miscellaneous Notes with PDF
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Rulers and Their Reigns
The Delhi Sultanate
| Ruler & Reign | Key Facts & Events |
|---|---|
| Qutbuddin Aibak (r. 1206-1210) | – Died in 1210 while playing a game of Polo (Chaugan). – Initiated the construction of the Qutb Minar. |
| Iltutmish (r. 1211-1236) | – Completed the construction of the Qutb Minar. – Refused asylum to the Khwarezm prince Jalaluddin, who was being pursued by Chengiz Khan. – Created the group of forty nobles known as Chahalghani or Turkan-i-Chahalghani. |
| Raziyya Sultan (r. 1236-1240) | – The Sultan of Delhi. – Only female rulers of the Delhi Sultanate. |
| Balban (r. 1266-1287) | – Introduced the Persian festival of Nauroz to the Delhi court. |
| Jalaluddin Khalji (Founder) | – Murdered by his nephew, Alauddin Khalji (Ali Gurshasp), in 1296. |
| Alauddin Khalji (r. 1296-1316) | – Created the ‘Diwan-i-Riyasat’, a department to regulate economic and market affairs. – Demanded half the produce as land revenue after measurement. |
| Muhammad Bin Tughluq (r. 1325-1351) | – Notorious for his failed plan to transfer the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Devgiri) in 1327 CE. – His reign saw the visit of the traveler Ibn Battuta. – Introduced a failed token currency system. |
| Firuz Shah Tughluq (r. 1351-1388) | – Constructed five canals for irrigation. – Died in 1388. |
The Mughals and Others
| Ruler & Reign | Key Facts & Events |
|---|---|
| Sher Shah Suri (r. 1540-1545) | – An Afghan ruler who established the Sur Empire, briefly interrupting Mughal rule. – Built the “Sadak-i-Azam” (Grand Trunk Road) from Sonargaon to Lahore. – His son and successor was Islam Shah Suri (r. until 1553), who reformed the military. |
| Akbar (r. 1556-1605) | – The third and one of the greatest Mughal emperors. – Implemented the Ain-i-Dahsala system for land revenue assessment. – Fought against Maharana Pratap at the Battle of Haldighati (1576). |
| Jahangir (r. 1605-1627) | – Received the British Ambassador Sir Thomas Roe at his court. |
Foreign Travelers and Their Visits
Chronology of Arrival
The correct chronological order of their arrival is:
- Al-Biruni (c. 973-1048): Came with Mahmud of Ghazni.
- Ibn Battuta (1304-1369): Visited during Muhammad Bin Tughluq’s reign.
- Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605-1689): Visited during Shah Jahan’s reign.
- Niccolo Manucci (1639-1717): Served Dara Shukoh.
Traveler Origins and Works
| Traveler | Origin | Work & Role |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Biruni | Khwarizm (Uzbekistan) | Scholar who wrote on India. |
| Ibn Battuta | Morocco | Wrote ‘Rihla’; appointed Qazi of Delhi by Muhammad Bin Tughluq. |
| Marco Polo | Venice, Italy | Visited the Pandya kingdom. |
| Abdur Razzaq | Iran | Ambassador who visited Vijayanagara under Deva Raya II. |
| Nuniz | Portugal | Traveler who visited Vijayanagara. |
| Jean-Baptiste Tavernier | France | Gem merchant; wrote ‘Travels in India’. |
| Niccolo Manucci | Italy | Wrote ‘Storia do Mogor’. |
Historical Events and Chronology
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 261 BC | Battle of Kalinga: Fought by Emperor Ashoka. |
| 1192 CE | Second Battle of Tarain (Mohammad Ghori vs. Prithviraj Chauhan). |
| 1210 CE | Death of Qutbuddin Aibak. |
| 1296 CE | Murder of Sultan Jalaluddin Khalji. |
| 1327 CE | Transfer of capital to Daulatabad by Muhammad Bin Tughluq. |
| 1388 CE | Death of Firuz Shah Tughluq. |
| 1498 CE | Arrival of the Portuguese (Vasco da Gama) on the coast of Kerala. |
| 1509-1529 CE | Reign of Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagara. |
| 1757 CE | Battle of Plassey: Robert Clive vs. Siraj-ud-Daulah; beginning of British political power in India. |
Cultural, Administrative, and Social Terms
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Polo (Chaugan) | A game introduced to India by the Turks. Qutbuddin Aibak was a keen player. |
| Dastar-Bandan | A term for highly respected Ulema (Islamic scholars/judges) during the Sultanate period. |
| Nauroz | A Persian new year festival introduced to the Delhi court by Sultan Balban. |
| Jauhar | A medieval practice of mass self-immolation by Rajput women to avoid capture. Distinct from Sati. |
| Naimittika | The designation for a state astrologer in the pre-medieval kingdoms of Rajasthan. |
| Village Headmen Titles | Pattakila or Gramakuta (Maharashtra); Mahattara or Mahattaka (U.P., could also be head of artisans). |
Regional Kingdoms and Rulers
Vijayanagara Empire
| Ruler | Reign | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Krishnadeva Raya | 1509-1529 | One of its greatest emperors; authored ‘Amuktamalyada’ in Telugu. |
| Deva Raya II | 1424-1446 | Ruler when the Iranian ambassador Abdur Razzaq visited. |
Other Kingdoms and Rulers
| Kingdom / Event | Ruler at the Time of Conflict |
|---|---|
| Ranthambore (conquered by Alauddin Khalji) | Hamirdeva |
| Chittoor (besieged by Alauddin Khalji) | Rana Ratan Singh |
| Devgiri (attacked by Alauddin Khalji) | Raja Ramchandra (Yadava dynasty) |
| Gujarat (raided by Alauddin Khalji) | Karandeva (Vaghela dynasty) |
| Ahmednagar & Bijapur | Chand Bibi (Brave female regent, not of Oudh) |
| Gujarat Sultanate | Bahadur Shah |
| Malwa Sultanate | Baz Bahadur |
Architecture & Monuments
| Monument | Location | Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Qutb Minar | Delhi | Initiated by Qutbuddin Aibak; completed by Iltutmish. |
| Adina Masjid | Pandua, West Bengal | Constructed by the Bengal Sultan Sikandar Shah (c. 1360). |
| Jahaz Mahal | Mandu, Madhya Pradesh | A famous palace built during the reign of Sultan Ghiyasuddin Khalji. |
Literature & Authors
| Author | Work |
|---|---|
| Sadruddin Muhammad ‘Aufi’ | Lubab-ul-Albab, Jawamiul-Hikayat (First to mention the magnetic compass in Indian seas) |
| Abdul Wahid Bilgrami | Haqaiq-i-Hindi |
| Ibn Miskawayh | Tahdhibul Akhlaq |
| Bailaq al-Qabayaki | Kunzal Tijar |
| Mahendravarman I (Pallava King) | Mattavilasaprahasana (Sanskrit play) |
| Krishnadeva Raya | Amuktamalyada (Telugu) |
Economy & Agriculture
- Crops (13th-14th Centuries): Indian peasants cultivated wheat, barley, rice, sugarcane, and cotton.
- Maize was not cultivated as it was introduced later by the Portuguese.
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