The Sultanate

1. Delhi became an important city only in the 12th Century.

2. Delhi first became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs, who were defeated in the middle of the 12th century by the Chauhans of Ajmer.

3. Under the Tomaras and Chauhans Delhi became an important commercial centre.

4. Many rich Jaina merchants lived in the city and constructed several temples.

5. Coins minted here, called dehliwal, had a wide circulation.

6. In the beginning of the 13th century, was founded.

7. The Delhi Sultans built many cities in the area.

8. Inscriptions, coins and architecture provide a lot of information, especially valuable are histories, tarikh/ tawarikh, written in Persian, the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans.

9. The authors of tawarikh were learned men. They lived in cities mainly in Delhi, they often wrote in hope of rich rewards.

10. These authors advised rulers on the need to preserve in ‘ideal’ social order based on birthright and gender distinctions. Their ideas were not shared by everybody.

11. In 1236 Sultan Htutmish’s daughter, Raziyya, became Sultan. She was removed from the throne in 1240.

12. Minhaj-i-Siraj recognized that she was more able and qualified than all her brothers. But he was not comfortable at having a queen as ruler. Nor were the nobles happy at her attempts to rule independently.

13. Rudramadevi was queen of Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal from 1262 to 1289. Rudramadevi changed her name on her inscriptions and pretended she was a man.

14. Queen Didda, ruled in Kashmir between 980-1003. The name comes from “didi” or “elder sister”. 15. The Delhi Sultans were dependent upon trade, tribute or plunder for supplies.

16. Controlling garrison towns (army towns) in distant Bengal and Sind from Delhi was extremely difficult.

17. In the first expansion, forests were cleared (internal frontier) in the Ganga-Yamuna doab and hunter-gatherers and pastoralists expelled from their habitat. These lands were given to peasants and agriculture was encouraged. New fortresses, garrison towns and towns were established to protect trade routes and to promote regional trade.

18. The second expansion occurred along the “external frontier” of the Sultanate. Military expeditions into southern , started during the reign of AlauddinKhalji and culminated with Muhammad Tughlu Sultanate armies captured elephants, horses and slaves and carried away precious metals.

19. By the end of Muhammad Tughluq’s reign, the armies of the Delhi Sultanate had marched across a large part of the subcontinent. They had defeated rival armies and seized cities.

20. The Sultanate collected taxes from the peasantry and dispensed justice in its realm.

21. A is called a masjid in Arabic. Mosque is a place where Muslims prostrates in reverence to Allah. In a “congregational mosque” (masjid-i-jami or jama masjid) Muslims read their prayers together.

22. Members of the congregation choose the most respected, learned male as their leader (imam) for the rituals of prayer. He also delivers the sermon (lecture) which is called khutba during the Friday prayer. During prayer, Muslims stand facing Mecca. In India this to the west. This is called the ‘qibla’.

23. Quwwat al- mosque built in Delhi during the last decade of the 12th century. This was the first mosque built by the Delhi Sultans. This was enlarged by Iltutmish and .

24. Begumpuri mosque, built in the reign of Muhammad Tughluq, was the main mosque of Jahanpanah, the “Sanctuary of the World”.

25. , built in the reign of Sikandar Lodi by his minister.

26. Mosque of Jamali Kamali, was built in the late 1520. 27. The Delhi Sultans built several in cities all over the subcontinent. These demonstrated their claims to be protectors of Islam and Muslims. Mosques also helped to create the sense of a community of believers who shared a belief system and a code of conduct. It was necessary to reinforce this idea of a community because Muslims came from a variety of backgrounds.

28. The consolidation of Delhi Sultanate needed reliable governors and administrators. Iltutmish favoured their special slaves purchased for military service, called ‘bandagan’ in Persian. They were carefully trained to became most important political offices in the kingdom. They were totally dependent upon their master, the Sultan could trust and rely upon them. The Khaljis and Tughluqs continued to use ‘bandagan’.

29. Someone who is under the protection of another is called ‘Clients’. They were often raised to high political positions. They were appointed as generals and governors.

30. Sultan Muhammad Tughluq appointed a wine distiller, a barber, a cook and two gardeners to high administrative posts.

31. Ziauddin Barani (1285-1357) was a Muslim political thinker of the Delhi Sultanate during and Firuz Shah’s reign.

32. The Khalji and Tughluq monarchs appointed military commanders as governors of territories. Lands were called iqta and their holder was called ‘iqtadar’ or ‘muqti’. The duty of the muqtis was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas. The muqtis collected the revenues of their assignments as salary. They paid their soldiers from these revenues.

33. The Sultan’s administrators measured the land and kept careful accounts. Some of the old chieftains and landlords served the Sultanate as revenue collectors and assessors.

34. Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected by the muqtis. Care was taken that the muqti collected only the taxes prescribed by the state and that he kept the required number of soldiers. There were three types of taxes:

 on cultivation called ‘kharaj’ and amounting to about 50% of the peasant’s produce  on cattle and  on houses.

35. Ibn Battuta was a traveller from Morocco, Africa who visited in 14th century.

36. Mongols, Genghis Khan attacked on the Delhi Sultanate increased during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and in the early years of Muhammad Tughluq’s rule. 37. (1540-1545) started his career as the manager of small territory for his uncle in and eventually challenged and defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun. Sher Shah captured Delhi and established his own dynasty.

38. Although the Suri dynasty ruled for only 15 years (1540-1555), it introduced an administration that borrowed elements from Alauddin Khalji and made them more efficient. Sher Shah’s administration became the model followed by the great emperor when he consolidated the .

DELHI SULTANATE

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.

Rulers of Delhi

Tomars: Early 12th century 1165.

Chauhans: 1165-1192 Prithviraj Chauhan: 1175-1192 Under the Tomaras and Chauhans, Delhi became an important commercial centre.

Slave Dynasty: 1206-1290 In 1236, Razia, the daughter of Sultan Iltutmish, became the Sultan of Delhi. She was removed from the throne in 1240.

Khilji Dynasty: 1290-1320 External frontier was the next phase of expansion which started with Alauddin Khilji in southern India. Alauddin Khilji, the most important ruler of Khilji dynasty, introduced the system of market control and administrative measures in order to maintain a large standing army.

Tughlaq Dynasty: 1320-1414 External frontier culminated with Muhammad-bin-Tughluq and he introduced three projects – Shifting of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad, the introduction of token currency, raising the land tax in the Doab region to fifty per cent—all of which failed and weakened his position.

Sayyid Dynasty: 1414-1451 (It was the only Shia dynasty)

Lodi Dynasty: 1451-1526

Finding out about the Delhi Sultans

 Inscriptions, coins and architecture provide a lot of information.  Further valuable sources are ‘histories’, Tarikh (singular)/tawarikh (plural), written in Persian, the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans.  The authors of tawarikh were learned men; secretaries administrators, poets and courtiers who both recounted events and advised rulers on governance, emphasizing the importance of the just rule.

From Garrison Town to Empire

 In the early 13th century the control of the Delhi Sultans rarely went beyond heavily fortified towns occupied by garrisons.  Delhi’s authority was challenged by Mongols and by governors who rebelled at any sign of the Sultan’s weakness.  The expansion of Delhi Sultanate took place under the reign of Balban, Alauddin Khilji and Muhammad- Bin-Tughlaq.

Administration and Consolidation

 To have reliable governors the early Delhi Sultans, especially Iltutmish’ favoured their special slaves purchased for military service called ‘Bandage’ in Persian.  The Khiljis and Tughluqs continued to use Bandage and also raised people of humble birth, who were their clients, to high positions like governors and generals.  The Khiljis and Tughluqs appointed military commanders as governors of territories of varying sizes.  These lands were called iqta and their holder was called muqti or iqtadar. The duty of muqtis was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas.  In return, muqtis collected the revenues of their assignments as salary. They also paid their soldiers from this revenue.  Under Alauddin Khilji and Muhammad, Tughluq accountants were appointed to check the amount collected by the muqtis.  As Delhi Sultans brought the hinterland of the cities under their control, they forced the samants and the rich landlords to accept their authority.  The attack of Mongols under Genghis Khan forced Khiljis and Tughluqs to mobilise a large standing army in Delhi.

The Sultanate in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries

 The Tughluq, the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties ruled from Delhi and Agra until 1526.  By then Jaunpur, Bengal, Malwa, , and entire South India had Independent rulers who had established flourishing states and prosperous capitals.  New ruling dynasties like the Afghans and Rajputs also arose during the period.  In 1526, Mughals established their empire.  Sher Shah Suri challenged and defeated the Mughal emperor Humayun. He captured Delhi and established his own dynasty. Although, he ruled for only fourteen years (1540-1555) but his administration became the model followed by the great Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605), when he consolidated the Mughal Empire.

Delhi became the capital of a kingdom under the Tomara Rajputs.

It was only under the rule of the Tomars and Chauhans that Delhi flourished as an important commercial centre.

The city was inhabited by many Jaina merchants who also constructed a number of temples.

Coins, known as dehliwal, were minted here and had a wide circulation.

Delhi Sultanate played the most vital role in the transformation of Delhi into a capital which controlled vast areas of the subcontinent.

Inscriptions, coins and architecture provide a lot of information but especially significant are “histories”, Tarikh (singular)/tawarikh (plural), written in Persian, the language of administration under Delhi Sultan.

Tawarikh were written by learned men, secretaries, administrators, poets, and courtiers who lived in cities (mainly Delhi). They were written for the Sultans with anticipation of rich rewards. They also advised rulers on governance, emphasizing the importance of just rule based on birthright and gender distinctions, not shared by everyone.

Raziyya, the daughter of Sultan lltutmish, became the Sultan of Delhi in 1236 but she was dethroned only in 1240 only for being a woman and was unacceptable to the nobles. Even a.famous chronicler of the age, Minhaj-i Siraj, recognized her as more able than all her brothers but was not comfortable with her, only for her being a lady.

In the early thirteenth century, there was no significant expansion of Delhi beyond heavily fortified town occupied by garrisons, it was only during the reigns of Ghiyasuddin Balban, Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq that Delhi saw expansion for the first time.

The expansion was initiated with the internal frontier. Forests were cleared in the Ganga-Yamuna doab and hunter-gatherers and pastoralists expelled from their habitats and these lands were given to the peasants in order to promote agriculture. Regional trades were also promoted.

External frontier was the next phase of expansion which started with Alauddin Khalji in southern India and culminated with Muhammad Tughluq. The armies of Delhi Sultanate had marched across a large part of the subcontinent till the reign of Muhammad Tughluq. They defeated rivals, seized cities. The Sultanate collected taxes from the peasantry.

The early Delhi Sultans favoured the appointment of their slaves purchased for military service as governors to control the administration of the vast empire. These slaves were totally dependent upon their master and so they were more reliable and trustworthy. They were called bandagan in Persian.

The Khaljis and Tughluqs continued the use of bandagan and also raised people of humble birth, usually their clients, to high positions and appointed them as generals and governors. However, this also gave rise to political instability as there was often a conflict for succession.

This system was criticised by the elites and authors of tawarikh, because for them the new high class people were in fact ‘low and base-born’.

Khalji and Tughluq monarchs, like their predecessors, appointed military commanders as governors of territories of varying sizes. These territories were called iqta and their holders were called iqtadar or muqti.

Muqtis were responsible for leading their military campaigns and maintaining their iqtas.

Accountants were appointed by the state to check the amount of revenue collected by muqtis who were not allowed to collect revenue more than that prescribed by the state nor were they allowed to keep soldiers more than the number prescribed by the state.

Delhi Sultans had complete control over the hinterland of the cities, and so the samanta aristocrats were forced to accept their authority. During Alauddin Khalji’s regime the state brought the assessment and collection of land revenue under its control.

There were three types of taxes : (1) on cultivation called kharaj and amounting to about 50 per cent of the peasant’s produce; (2) on cattle; and (3) on houses.

As the large part of the subcontinent was outside the control of Delhi Sultan, it was difficult to control distant provinces like Bengal from Delhi. Hence, soon after annexation of southern India, the entire region became independent. The local chieftains established their rule in these regions.

The Mongols led by Genghis Khan invaded Transoxiana in north-east in 1219. Such attacks frequented during the reign of Alauddin Khalji and in the early days of Muhammad Tughluq’s rule. This forced the two rulers to mobilize a large standing army in Delhi. It posed a huge administrative challenge.

After Tughluqs the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties ruled from Delhi and Agra until 1526. By that time Jaunpur, Bengal, Malwa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and entire south India had independent rulers who established flourishing states and prosperous capitals. It was during this period that some new ruling groups like the Afghans and the Rajputs emerged.

Some small but powerful and extremely well-administered states also emerged. Sher Shah Sur (1540—1545) was the most powerful of them all. He even challenged the Mughal emperor Humayun and captured Delhi. In a very short period of fifteen years (1540-1555), he introduced many reforms and a lot of welfare works. His administration became the model followed by the great emperor Akbar (1556—1605) when he consolidated the Mughal Empire.

The Rulers of Delhi

Dhaliwal: The place where coins were minted.

Tarikh: History.

Tawarikh: Plural of Tarikh.

Birthright: It refers to the privileges claimed on account of the birth.

Gender distinctions: Social and biological differences between men and women.

Hinterland: It refers to the land adjacent to a city or port that supply it with goods and services. Garrison town: It refers to a town which is fortified with soldiers.

Mosque: It is called a masjid in Arabic, and literarily means a place where a Muslim prostrates in reverence to Allah.

Namaz: It refers to the prayer offered by a Muslim.

Imam: The spiritual leader of the Muslims.

Khutba: Sermon.

Client: Someone who is under the protection of another, a dependent or hanger-on.

Iqta: The territories under the military commanders were known as iqta.

Kharaj: The tax on cultivation was known as Kharaj.

Bandagan: The early Delhi Sultans especially lltutmish favoured their slaves purchased for military service. These slaves were known as bandagan in Persian.

Early twelfth century – 1165: Reign of Tomara Rajputs.

1175-1192: Reign of Prithviraj Chauhan.

1206-1210: Reign of Qutbuddin Aybak.

1236: Raziyya became Sultan.

1240: Raziyya was dethroned.

1296-1316: Reign of Alauddin Khalji.

1324-1351: Reign of Muhammad Tughluq.

1351-1388: Reign of Firuz Shah Tughiuq.

1414-1421: Reign of Khizr Khan belonging to Sayyid dynasty.

1451-1489: Reign of Bahlul Lodi. 1540-1555: Sher Shah ruled over Delhi.

The Delhi Sultans Class 7 MCQs Questions with Answers

Question 1. Which of the following was NOT the king of the Rajput Dynasty? (a) Tomaras (b) Ananga Pala (c) Prithviraj Chauhan (d) Bahlul Lodi

Answer Answer: (d) Bahlul Lodi

Question 2. Which ruler first established his capital at Delhi? (a) Chauhans ruler (b) Tomara Rajput ruler (c) Turkish ruler (d)

Answer

Question 3. Who was the first slave king of Delhi Sultanate? (a) Qutbuddin Aybak (b) Iltutmish (c) Raziyya Sultan (d) Alauddin Khalji

Answer Answer: (a) Qutbuddin Aybak

Question 4. Who was successor of Muhammad-bin Tughluq? (a) Ghiyasuddin Tughluq (b) Firuz Shah Tughluq (c) Ibn Battuta (d) None of these

Answer Answer: (b) Firuz Shah Tughluq

Question 5. What was the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans? (a) Urdu (b) Persian (c) (d) English

Answer Answer: (b) Persian

Question 6. The position of standing facing Mecca during namaj is known as (a) Khutba (b) Qibla (c) Sijdah (d) Kharaj

Answer Answer: (b) Qibla

Question 7. In whose reign did the Sultanate reach its i farthest extent? (a) Tomara Rajput (b) Raziyya (c) Alauddin Khalji (d) Muhammad-bin Tughluq

Answer Answer: (d) Muhammad-bin Tughluq

Question 8. Who was Ulema? (a) A slave purchased for military service (b) A ruler (c) A scholar of Islamic learning (d) An invader

Answer Answer: (c) A scholar of Islamic learning

Question 9. A fortified settlement with soldiers was (a) hinterland (b) garrison town (c) jagir (d) none of these

Answer Answer: (b) garrison town

Question 10. Which was NOT the kind of taxes during Delhi Sultanate? (a) Kharaj (b) Tax on cattles (c) Tax on houses (d) Bandagans

Answer Answer: (d) Bandagans

Question 11. Kharaj was a type of tax on (a) houses (b) cattle (c) trade (d) cultivation

Answer Answer: (d) cultivation

Question 12. Which Mughal emperor followed Sher Shah Suri’s idea of administration? (a) Humayun (b) Akbar (c) Babur (d) Aurangzeb

Answer AKBAR Question 1. Which of the following city was not developed by Delhi Sultanate (a) Jahanpanah (b) Siri (c) Delhi-i-kunha (d) Agra

Answer Answer: (d) Agra

Question 2. Delhi became an important city only in the _____ century. (a) fifteenth (b) thirteenth (c) fourteenth (d) twelfth

Answer Answer: (d) twelfth

Question 3. Which of the following is not from the Rajput dynasty (a) Tomaras (b) Ananga Pala (c) Raziyya (d) Chauhans

Answer Answer: (c) Raziyya

Question 4. The Khalji and Tughluq Monarchs appointed military commanders as governors of territories of varying sizes. These lands were called _____. (a) Doab (b) Kshetra (c) Iqta (d) Region

Answer Answer: (c) Iqta

Question 5. The transformation of Delhi into a capital that controlled vast areas of the subcontinent started with the foundation of the Delhi Sultanate in the beginning of the (a) Thirteenth century (b) Twelfth century (c) Eleventh century (d) Eighteenth century

Answer Answer: (a) Thirteenth century

Question 6. _____ changed her name on her inscriptions and pretended she was a man. (a) Rudramadevi (b) Bina Devi (c) Raziyya (d) Ali

Answer Answer: (a) Rudramadevi

Question 7. What is the time of rule of Qutbuddin Aybak? (a) 1236 to 1240 (b) 1210 to 1236 (c) 1206 to 1210 (d) 1266 to 1287

Answer Answer: (c) 1206 to 1210

Question 8. Who was the founder of slave dynasty? (a) Balban (b) Qutt-ud-din Aibak (c) Razia (d) Alla-ud-din Khilji

Answer Answer: (b) Qutt-ud-din Aibak

Question 9. The duty of ______was to lead military campaigns and maintain laws and orders in their iqtas. (a) Manager (b) Muqtis (c) Iaush (d) Mantri

Answer Answer: (b) Muqtis

Question 10. Privileges claimed on account of birth. For example, people believed that nobles inherited their rights to govern because they were born in certain families. (a) Firstright (b) Primeright (c) Birthright (d) Basicright

Answer Answer: (c) Birthright

Question 11. When did Muhammad-bin Tughlaq died? (a) 1316 (b) 1320 (c) 1325 (d) 1351

Answer Answer: (d) 1351

Question 12. What is the time of rule of Ananga Pala? (a) 1165 to 1192 (b) 1200 to 1165 (c) 1130 to 1145 (d) 1175 to 1192

Answer Answer: (c) 1130 to 1145

Question 13. What was the period of rule of Qutb-ud-din Aibak? (a) 1206 – 1210 A.D. (b) 1208 – 1212 A.D. (c) 1210 – 1214 A.D. (d) 1220 – 1225 A.D.

Answer Answer: (a) 1206 – 1210 A.D.

Question 14. Sultan Iltutmish’s daughter (a) Roza (b) Raza (c) Riayaza (d) Raziyya

Answer Answer: (d) Raziyya

Question 15. Warangal is in (a) Kerala (b) (c) (d) Bihar

Answer Answer: (b) Andhra Pradesh

Question 16. Muhammad Tughlaq built Begumpuri mosque in his capital _____. (a) Delhi (b) (c) (d) Agra

Answer Answer: (a) Delhi

Question 17. A mosque is called a masjid in Arabic, literally a place where a ______prostrates in reverence to Allah. (a) Sikh (b) Christian (c) Hindu (d) Muslim

Answer Answer: (d) Muslim

Question 18. ______, the lands adjacent to a city or port that supply it with goods and services. (a) Garrison (b) Doab (c) Hinterland (d) Delta

Answer Answer: (c) Hinterland

Match the contents of Column A with that of Column B:

Column A Column B

1. Dehliwal (a) Traveller from Morocco 2. Shamsuddin Iltutmish (b) Coins minted in Delhi

3. Sanctuary of the world (c) Mongol invader

4. Ibn Batuta (d) Jahanpanah

5. Genghis Khan (e) Early Turkish Ruler

Answer Answer:

Column A Column B

1. Dehliwal (b) Coins minted in Delhi

2. Shamsuddin Iltutmish (e) Early Turkish Ruler

3. Sanctuary of the world (d) Jahanpanah

4. Ibn Batuta (a) Traveller from Morocco

5. Genghis Khan (c) Mongol invader

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

1. …………. dynasty ruled Delhi before the Tughluqs.

Answer Answer: Khalji

2. Tarikh or Tawarikh were written in ………….

Answer Answer: Persian

3. ……….. was built by two rulers Qutbuddin Aybak and Iltutmish.

Answer Answer:

4. …………. is a sermon during Friday prayer in the Mosque.

Answer Answer: Khutba

5. Leader of the Namaz is ……………

Answer Answer: Imam

6. Raziyya Sultan ruled from ………… to 1240 AD.

Answer Answer: 1236

State whether the given statements are true or false:

1. Delhi became an important city under the rule of Tomaras and Chauhans.

Answer Answer: True

2. Minhaj-i-Siraj was in favour of Queen’s rule in Delhi.

Answer Answer: False

3. Delhi’s authority was challenged by Mongols’ invasions.

Answer Answer: True

4. The iqtadars were called Samantas.

Answer Answer: False

5. Jalaluddin established the .

Answer Answer: False

6. Dehli-i-Kuhna was oldest of four cities of Delhi and was established by Muhammad Bin Tughluq.

Answer Answer: True