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Delhi Sultanate Dynasties
The five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate with founders, key rulers and achievements, for CAPF Paper I revision
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RevisionHistoryMedieval IndiaDelhi SultanatePaper 1
The Delhi Sultanate (1206 to 1526) was ruled by five successive dynasties. Cover the right columns and recall founder and key rulers. See delhi sultanate.
| Dynasty (Years) |
Founder |
Key rulers and notes |
| Slave / Mamluk (1206 to 1290) |
Qutb-ud-din Aibak |
Aibak began the Qutb Minar; Iltutmish completed it and introduced the silver tanka and copper jital; Razia Sultan (first and only woman ruler of Delhi); Balban's "blood and iron" policy and the theory of divine kingship |
| Khalji (1290 to 1320) |
Jalal-ud-din Khalji |
Alauddin Khalji: market (price) control; defeated the Mongols; conquests in the Deccan led by Malik Kafur |
| Tughlaq (1320 to 1414) |
Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq |
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq: transfer of capital to Daulatabad and token (copper) currency, both failed; Firoz Shah Tughlaq: founded cities, dug canals, imposed jizya more strictly |
| Sayyid (1414 to 1451) |
Khizr Khan |
Weak dynasty; nominal control around Delhi |
| Lodi (1451 to 1526) |
Bahlul Lodi |
Sikandar Lodi founded Agra (1504); Ibrahim Lodi defeated and killed by Babur at the First Battle of Panipat (1526) |
| Ruler |
Remembered for |
| Qutb-ud-din Aibak |
First Sultan of Delhi; began the Qutb Minar; called "Lakh Baksh" (giver of lakhs) |
| Iltutmish |
Real consolidator; the Iqta system; silver tanka; completed the Qutb Minar |
| Razia Sultan |
First woman ruler of the Delhi Sultanate |
| Balban |
Strong centralised rule; sijda and paibos court etiquette |
| Alauddin Khalji |
Market reforms; revenue measures; Mongol defence; Deccan campaigns |
| Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq |
"Wisest fool"; the two famous failed experiments |
| Firoz Shah Tughlaq |
Public works; canals; the Diwan-i-Khairat |
| Ibrahim Lodi |
Last Sultan; defeated at Panipat (1526) |
| Term |
Meaning |
| Iqta |
Land or revenue assignment to officers (iqtadars or muqtis) |
| Diwan-i-Wizarat |
Finance department under the Wazir |
| Diwan-i-Arz |
Military department |
| Diwan-i-Insha |
Correspondence |
| Khalisa |
Land whose revenue went directly to the Sultan |