Component-I (A) – Personal details: 1 Component-I (B) – Description of module: Subject Name Indian Culture Paper Name Outlines of Indian History Module Name/Title The khilji (khalji) dynasty (1290 – 1320) Module Id I C/ OIH/ 21 Knowledge in Medieval Indian History and Delhi Pre-requisites Sultanate To know the history of the Khilji dynasty, important Objectives rulers and their achievements Keywords Khilji / Alauddin Khilji / Jalauddin Khilji / Sultanate E-text (Quadrant-I) 1. Introduction The Khilji dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Turkish origin. The advent of the Khilji dynasty marked the zenith of Muslim imperialism in India. Jalaluddin Firoj Khilji was the founder and became second dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. Khiljis were vassals of the Slave / Mamluk dynasty and served the Sultan of Delhi, during the reign of Balban. At first Jalauddin entered the services of Balban as the head of the royal body guard. Jalaluddin served as the warden of the marches in the north-west and had fought many successful expeditions against the Mongols. Balban’s successors were murdered, and the Slave dynasty succumbed to the factional conflicts within the Slave dynasty and the Muslim nobility. As the struggle between the factions razed, Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji led a coup and murdered the 17 year old Mamluk successor Kaiqubad, the last ruler of Slave dynasty. The Khilji revolution marked the overthrow of the Slave dynasty and the establishment of the rule of Khilji dynasty in 1290. Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji was accepted as Sultan by a faction of Muslim amirs of Turkish, Persian, Arabic factions and Indian-Muslim aristocrats. It inaugurated an era of ceaseless conquests, unique experiments in the state craft and of incomparable literary activity. The brief period of Khilji rule, saw important changes in the socio-economic and administrative structure of the Delhi sultanate. 2. Jalaluddin Khilji (1290-1296) Jalaluddin was an old man of seventy when he occupied the throne. During his six years reign some of the Balban’s officers revolted due to his assumption of power and subsequent sidelining of nobility and commanders serving the Slave dynasty. He was the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate to clearly put forward the view that the state should be based on the willing support of the majority of the people. He followed the policy of peace. This resulted in many revolts that were started by the refractory nobles and nefarious Rajputs. Malik Chajju, nephew of Balban was allowed to remain the governor of kara. He challenged the claim of Jalaluddin and raised a standard revolt. He suppressed the revolt and he was pardoned. When the Thugs (robbers) looted the country, they were allowed to go after a severe warning. In 1292 when Malik Chajju revolted for the second time, he was replaced by his son-in-law Junakhan. Thus, there was no law and order in the Delhi Sultanate. He was murded by his nephew Junakhan (Alauddin Khilji) in 1296. 2 3. Alauddin Khilji (1296 – 1316) Alauddin was the nephew and son-in-law of Jalaluddin. Jalaluddin, out of compassion and affection, made Alaluddin as the governor of Kara. It was here that the seeds of ambition were sown in Alauddin’s mind. It might be said that the domestic unhappiness due to the intrigues of his mother-in-law and wife, made him inclined to establish power and influence independent of the Delhi court. Alauddin had accumulated a vast treasure by invading Devagiri in the Deccan. Jalaluddin had gone to visit his nephew at Kara in the hope of getting hold of this treasure. During the reception there Alauddin Khilji treacherously murdered his father in law. Jalaluddin, then assumed the power as Sultan. Alauddin successfully captured power, but he faced a series of problems. He faced all the difficulties with great vigor and determination and came out successful. He won over most of the nobles and soldiers to his side by a lavish use of gold. Alauddin adopted methods of utmost severity and ruthlessness to overawe his opponents. Most of the nobles who had defected to him by lure of gold were either killed or dismissed and their properties confiscated. Severe punishments were given to the rebellious members of his own family. Alauddin Khilji was a great imperialist. Within a span of 20 years, the armies of the Delhi Sultanate not only brought Gujarat and Malwa under their control and subdued most of the princes of the Rajasthan. They also overran the Deccan and South India upto Madurai. In due course, an attempt was made to bring this vast area under the direct administrative control of Delhi. In his conquests, he was greatly helped by his four trusted generals viz., Ulugh Khan, Zafar Khan, Nasrat Khan and Alap Khan. 3.1 Mongol policy Alauddin Khilji had to face more than six Mongol invasions. The first two were successful. But the third Mongol invader Khwaja came upto Delhi but they were prevented from entering the capital Delhi. The next three Mongol invasions were dealt with severely. The seriousness of the Mongol invasions forced Alauddin to follow certain effective measures. In this connection not only the old forts in the Punjab, Multan and Sindh were repaired but also new forts were built. These forts were garrisoned and adequately equipped with troops. The most capable and trusted generals were placed in charge of these forts. New workshops were established to manufacture weapons and to produce them in large quantity. A highly efficient spy system was introduced and this enabled the Sultan to get information regarding the latest activities of the Mongols in the north-western frontier. Further, he raised a very huge and centrally organized army. Thus he struck terror in the hearts of the Mongols by inflicting the most barbaric and brutal punishments. He resorted to wholesale massacre of Mongols. In this connection Ferishta states that all the Mongols women and children were taken as captives. They were sent to different parts of the kingdom and were sold in the market as slaves. It was in one of these raids, the great general Zafar Khan was killed and on one of the occasions even Alauddin took shelter in the Fort of Siri. The last Mongol invasion was severely put down in general Ghazi Malik and thereafter Mongols ceased their raids. Thus the Mongol policy of Alluddin succeeded in achieving the desired results. 3.2 Conquest of Rajput States 3.2.1 Gujarat Alauddin had strong reasons for coveting Malwa and Gujarat. Alauddin sent an army early in 1299 under the command of his leading generals Nasrat Khan and Ulagh Khan to conquer Gujarat. Alauddin’s army besieged Anhilwara, the capital of Raja Karan. The king Raja 3 Karan and his daughter escaped and took shelter at Devagiri. All his woman and treasures including beautiful chief queen Kamala Devi were captured by the Turkhs. The chief cities of Gujarat where many beautiful temples and buildings had been built over generations were sacked. The famous temple of Somanath which had been rebuilt in the twelfth century was also plundered and sacked. • The conquest of Gujarat had historical, economic and romantic importance. • Historically the power of Sultan extended towards western India. • Economically, enabled the Sultan to establish his authority over flourishing sea ports and also gained an outlet to the Arabian Sea. • Alauddin very much attracted to the classical charm and the royal dignity of Kamaladevi the queen of Karnadeva. He married her with great pomp and even made her as his chief Queen. • Kafur, Hindu turned Muslim eunuch, was also taken to Delhi as captive, later he became the commander in chief of the Sultan’s army and was the name and fame to Alauddin. 3.2.2 Ranathambhor The Rajput state of Ranathambhor became next target of attack. Hamir Deva of Chauhan family was the Rajput ruler of the state. The cause for attack was that the Rajput ruler gave shelter to some Mongol fugitives who had revolted during the Sultan’s Gujarat campaign. Alauddin sent messages to Hamir Deva to kill or expel the Mongol nobles. But Hamir Deva, with a high sense of dignity and obligation to those who had sought refuge with him, sent haughty replies. Alauddin dispatched an army in 1301 CE. commanded by Nusrat Khan and Ulugh Khan. Nusrat Khan was killed, finally, Alauddin himself had to march against Ranathambhor. The famous poet, Amir Khusrau, who went along with Alauddin, has given a graphic description of the fort and its investment. After three months of close siege, the fearful Jauhar (self immolation) ceremony took place to fight to the last. All the Mongols, too, died fighting with the Rajputs. The fort was captured through the treachery of Ranmal, the minister of Hamir Deva, who was won over by the Sultan with the promise of valuable presents and high office. Alauddin, after the conquest of Ranathambhor, ordered Ranmal and his followers to be put to death for having betrayed their own ruler and people. 3.2.3 Mewar The conquest of Ranathambhor was followed by the attack of Chittor, the capital of Mewar. Mewar was the most powerful state in Rajasthan. Its ruler was Ratan Singh. It is known from Malik Muhammed Jayasi’s work, Padmavati, that the cause for the attack of Chittor was to acquire Padmini – the peerless queen of Ratan Singh. However, many modern historians do not accept this legend because it is mentioned for the first time more than a hundred years later. Alauddin himself marched against Chittor. The Rajputs fought valiantly, but finally the ruler, Raja Ratan Singh submitted. In 1303 Alauddin stormed the Chittor fort.