Delhi Sultanate the Slave Dynasty Qutabuddin Aibak

Class B.A 3rd Semester Subject : History & Archaeology

Title of the Paper : History of India -1206-1526 A.D.

Topic : Sources: Delhi Sultanate: The Slave Dynasty – Qutabuddin Aibak

Session: 3 & 4. ______

Introduction

Mohammad Ghori the last Turkish conqueror of north India, who defeated the Chauhan’s of Delhi & Ajmer Prithviraj III in second battle of Tarain in 1192 AD, this defeat lead the way to the conquest of India by the Turks.

Mohammad Ghori appointed Qutabuddin Aibak as the governor of Delhi & Ajmer and went back. Aibak was at Lahore where he assumed the sovereign power that is regarded as the foundation of the sultanate of Delhi.

The Delhi sultanate had five ruling dynasties :

1. The Slave/Mameluk/Ilbari dynasty -1206 -12090 2. The Khiji dynasty 1290-1320 3. The tughaluq dynasty 1320-1413 4. The Sayed dynasty 141-1451. 5. The Lodhi dynasty 1451-1526.

Among these first three were of Turkish origin and the last the Lodhi’s were Afghans or Pathans.

The Slave/Mameluk/Ilbari dynasty -1206 -1290 AD.

The first dynasty of Delhi Sultante, it has been called as the Slave/Mameluk/ Ilbari by various historians it is wrong to call the dynasty as the Slave because the early three rulers Aibak, Iltutmish and Balban had been Slaves but they too had obtained their manumission (Freedom from slavery) before the accession. Therefore most of the historians call them as Mameluk Sultan’s (Mameluk means a slave who was born to free parents) or Turk Sultans.

The ruler of Slave/Mameluk dynasty were not belonged to one dynasty there was three dynasties ruled during 1206-1290 AD.

1. Qutabuddin Aibak of Qutabi dynasty. 2. Shamsuddin Iltutmish of Shamsi dynasty. 3. Ghiyasuddin Balban of Balbani dynasty.

Each of them were Slaves before they became Sultan except Qutabuddin Aibak he had obtained manumission in 1208.

Qutabuddin Aibak 1206-1210 AD.

Muhammad Ghor who had no sons died in 1206, his nephew Ghiyasuddin succeeded him at Ghor. His governors, Tajuddin Yildiz in Afghanistan to upper Sind, Nasiruddin Qabacha in Uch & Multan and Aibak in Indian provinces. They became independent and Aibak led the foundation to Slave dynasty.

Early Life of Qutabuddin Aibak :

He was a turk of Aibak tribe, Aibak means in Turkish language “Lord of the Moon” because they were very beautiful but Qutabuddin was not, he was sold as a slave in his childhood he was take to Nishpur by a Merchant where he sold to a Qazi Fakkruddin Abdul Aziz Qufi who gave him religious & military education along with his own sons. (Well educated slave can be sold with high price) after the death of a Qazi his sons soled him to a merchant who took him to Ghazni where Muhammad Ghori purchased him.

Qutabuddin Aibak in the service of Muhammad Ghori.

Aibak by his qualities, courage, generosity and dint attracted the attention of his master, who appointed him as a commander of small troop of army and then as Amir-i- Akhur (Master of the stables). Qutabuddin Aibak rendered a valuable service to Muhammad Ghori in his Indian expeditions after the second battle of Tarain in 1192 Aibak appointed as the governor of Dehli and Ajmer.

Consolidation of Delhi Sultanate :

Qutabuddin Aibak as a governor of Indian province from 1192 to 1206 consolidated and extended the conquests of Muhammad Ghori. Aibak suppressed the revolt of the Chuahan’s at Ajmer made Indraprastha near Delhi as his head quarter in 1193 AD. He crushed the second rebellion of the Chuahan’s in Ajmer. Aibak helped Muhammad Ghori in defeating the Kanauj King Jaichadra in the battle Chandwara in 1194. In 1197 he attacked on Bhimadeva of Gujarat and plundered his capital. In 1202 he conquered the Kalinjar fort of Bundelkhand. He occupied Badaun, his commander Ikhtiyaruddin conquered Bihar and some parts of Bengal. Aibak began his reign in India with the title Malik & Sipahsalar which had been conferred by Muhammad Ghori in 1206 AD.

Qutabuddin Aibak to strengthen his position had developed matrimonial alliances with powerful governors; he himself married the daughter of Tajuddin Yildiz, gave his sister in marriage to Nasiruddin Qabacha and gave his daughter to Iltutmish. In 1206 after the death of Muhammad Ghori Aibak was invited by the people of Lahore to assume the sovereign power thus on 24th June 1206 ascended the throne but he did not struck coins and read Qutba in his name he ruled as de Facto ruler till the manumission was granted by Ghiyasuddin in 1208.

Difficulties of Aibak :

1. Qutabuddin Aibak has no legal claim over the throne of Delhi (Prof. Nizami) he has to win.

2. Rajputs who were lost their sovereignty still contesting for it.

3. Tajuddin Yildiz who occupied Ghazni was claiming authority over the Empire of Muhammad Ghori including Indian Provinces.

4. Nasiruddin Qabacha an ambitious ruler of Uch & Multan wanted to occupy the Delhi.

5. Exapnding Power of Khwarizm Shah, Allauddin Muhammad, the ruler of Persia wanted to capture Ghazni.

Achievements of Qutabuddin Aibak :

After assuming the power Qutabuddin Aibak in 1206 had faced many difficulties to give firm foundation to his rule. He strengthened his position in Delhi and Lahore.

War with Tajuddin Yildoz :

Tajuddin Yildoz who was the father-in-law of Aibak occupied Ghazni and the sultan Ghiyasuddin acknowledged his independence, but Yildoz was forced by Khwarizm Shah Allauddin Muhammad to leave Ghazni therefore he turned his attention towards Panjab.

Quatabuddin Aibak faced Yildoz and forced him to return form Panjab in Dec. 1208. Aibak followed Yildoz and occupied Ghazni lived 40 day but the citizens of Ghazni invited Yildoz in 1209. Aibak failed to protect Ghazni for the invasion of Yildoz and returned to Dehli. Thus Aibak failed to occupy Ghazni and Yildoz not occupied any part of Indian Territory.

Rajputs restoration :

Rajputs, who were lost their sovereignty of North India, still contesting in the different parts against the Turks,

1. Kalinjar was restored by the Chandela king.

2. Harishchandra the king of Gahadwara occupied Farukabad.

3. Pratiharas conquered Gwaliar.

Aibak not followed the policy of expansion; he could not pay attention towards Rajputs and not recovered the lost places.

Intervention in the affairs of Bihar & Bengal :

After the death of Ikhtiyaruddin Khiji the relation between Delhi with Bihar & Bengal was breakout. Ali Mardan Khan declared independence at Lakhnauti, but the Khilji Nobles not accepted they replaced Muhammad Sheran and prisoned Ali Mardan Khan who escaped and went to Delhi and asked Aibak to intervene into the affairs of Bengal.

Qutabuddin Aibak sent Qaiwaz Rumi Khan to Bengla who was succeeded in convincing the Khilji nobles that they should accept Ali Mardan Khan as the governor with accepting the sovereignty of Delhi and pay annual tribute.

Aibak not paid much attention in expansion of kingdom, he remained busy in defending his power and in the affairs of Bihar & Bengal, he spent most of his time at Lahore, he rule very short period of four years in November 1210 AD while Playing Chaugan (Horse Polo) he fell from his horse and died, he was buried at Lahore.

An Estimation on Aibak :

. Aibak was the real founder of the Turkish rule in India.

. He was most capable slave among the slaves of Muhammad Ghori.

. He was a diplomatic; he kept India separate from the politics of central Asia.

. He was praised for his virtues of loyalty, generosity, courage.

. Minhaj-us-Siraj praised his generosity, that Aibak earned the title Lakh Buksh (giver of Lakhs).

. Muhammad Qasim Ferista writes that when people paraised anybody for his generosity they called him “ Aibak of the time”.

. Aibak was patronized the scholars like Hasan Nizami & Fakhre Mudir in his court. . Aibak was a patron of Art, built two Masjids

1. Quwat-Ul-Islam Masjid at Delhi.

2. Dhai Din Ka Jhonapar at Ajmer.

He started the construction work of Qutub Minar in Delhi, after the name of famous Sufi saint Khawja Qutabuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki. This was completed by Iltutmish.

Aram Shah 1210-1211 AD.

After the sudden death of Qutabuddin Aibak his officers placed Aram Baksh as Aram Shah at Lahore, he was weak and worthless. There was difference of opinion in regard the relationship of Aram Shah & Aibak. Prof. K.A. Nizami said Aram Shah was not the son of Aibak, Minhaj-us-Siraj stated that Aibak had only three daughters no son.

The Delhi subjects were not accepted the rule of Aram Shah they invited Iltutmish the son-in-law of Qutabuddin Aibak to ascend the Delhi throne, the he was the governor of Badaun. Iltutmish marched to Delhi defeated and Killed Aram Shah in the battle of Jud near Delhi and become the sovereign ruler of the Delhi in 1211 AD.