Slave (Ghulam) or Mamluk Dynasty

The Mamluk Dynasty or Slave Dynasty, directed into India by Qutb-ud-din Aybak, a Turkish general of Central Asian birth,

was the first of five unrelated dynasties to rule India's Delhi Sultanate from 1206 to 1290.

Ruler Reign Notes

Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1206–1210) Founder of the Slave Dynasty.was the slave of Muhammad of Ghor. Started the

construction of Qutub Minar. Died while playing chaugan (Polo).

Aram Shah (1210–1212)

Relationship with Aibak is subject to controversy. Some consider him to be Aibak’s

son but records by Minhaj-us-Siraj, a 13th century Persian historian, says that

Aibak had only 3 daughters. Abu Fazl stated that he was Aibaks brother while

some modern day historians believe that he had no relation with Aibak.

Shams ud din

Iltutmish

(1211–1236)

Was a slave of Aibak who later became son-in-law. Deposed Aram shah and

acceded to the throne of the Delhi Sultanate in 1211. Introduced the silver tanka

and the copper jital-the two basic coins of the Sultanate period, with a standard

weight of 175 grains. He introudced Iqtadari system: division of empire into Iqtas,

which were assigned to the nobles and officers in lieu of salary. Completed the

construction of Qutub Minar.during his time the Mongols under Genghis Khan

appeared, but did not proceed beyond the banks of Indus. Was buried in the Qutub

complex in Mehrauli. Years of political instability followed in the Delhi Sultanate

after his death.

Rukn ud din Firuz (1236)

Iltutmish considered his sons incapable of governing and nominated his daughter

Razia as his successor, but the Nobles of the court put his son, Rukn ud din feroz

to the throne instead.

Raziyat ud din Sultana (1236–1240)

Daughter of Iltutmish. Ascended the throne after the assassination of her brother

Rukn ud din feroz and his mother just six months into his rule. Her relationship with

one of her advisers, Jamal Ud Din Yakut, an Abyssian slave caused discontent in

the court. Malik Altunia, the governor of Bhatinda and other provincial governors

revolted and in the battle with Altunia, Yakut was killed and Razzia taken prisoner,

as a consequence of which Razzia agreed to marry Altunia. In the meantime the

throne had been usurped by Razzia’s brother, Muizuddin Bahram Shah. Razzia

and Altunia failed in their bid to take back the Sultanate and were robbed and killed

while fleeing.

Muiz ud din Bahram (1240–1242) Son of Iltutmish. Murdered by his own discontented Nobles and army.

Ala ud din Masud (1242–1246) Son of Rukn-ud-din Firuz.

Nasir ud din Mahmud (1246–1266) Son of Iltutmish.

Ghiyas ud din Balban (1266–1286)

Son-in-law of Nasir Ud Din Mahmud. Succeeded Nasir Ud Din Mahmud since he

had no heir. Broke up the ‘Chahalgani’, the group of forty Nobles after his ascent to

the throne. Established an efficient spy system.

Muiz ud din Qaiqabad (1286–1290) Grandson (on daughter's side) of Ghiyas Ud Din Balban and Son of Bughra Khan

the Sultan of Bengal. Was murdered by a khilji chief.

Kayumars 1290 Son of Muiz-ud-din Qaiqabad. Was only three years old when he ascended the

throne.

Khilji dynasty

The Khilji (or Khalji; Persian: نت لط س لجی Sulṭanat-e Khaljī; Hindi: सलतनत ख़िलजी) was a dynasty of Turko-Afghan[1] - خ

Khalaj origin[2] who ruled large parts of South Asia from 1290 - 1320.[3] They were the second Muslim dynasty to rule the

Delhi Sultanate of India. Led by their powerful ruler, Alauddin Ghiljai, they are noted in history for repeatedly defeating the

warring Mongols[4] and thereby saving India from plundering raids and attacks.

Ruler Reign Notes

Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji 1290–1296

Son of Qaim Khan (Yulak Khan of Qunduz), and also the founder of the Khilji

Dynasty. He usurped the throne from Kayumars the last Sultan of the Mamluk

Dynasty of Delhi. He re-organized the administration of the government placing

his confidants and family members in important positions. He crushed the

rebellions of Malik Chhajū Kishli and Raja Bairam Dev. He also managed to

arrange a peace treaty with an invading Mongol army in 1292 in which a great

grandson of Genghis Khan named Alghu embraced Islam. The Sultan was

tricked into visiting his nephew with a small disarmed cortege near Karra-

Manikpur where his nephew held a banquet for him. He was assassinated

when they shook hands by men waiting for signal to attack.

Alauddin Khilji 1296–1316

Nephew of his predecessor Jalal Ud Din Khilji. Considered one of the greatest

of the Sultans of Delhi, Alauddin came to power in a bloody coup. Noted for

repeatedly defending against the Marauding Mongols. Folklores tell of his

attacking Chittor to gain Rani Padmavati, whose beauty he had heard of. He

doubled the exchequer during his reign. He was a brilliant strategist and an

outstanding military commander who was known for his ruthlessness. He

repeatedly defeated the invading Mongols. He prefixed the title of Sikandar Sani

which means the Second Alexander.

Qutb ud din Mubarak

Shah

1316–1320

Qutb-ud-din was 18 years old when he became Sultan. He mismanaged state

affairs, assassinated and replaced many nobleman and appointed one person

who would change the fate of the Khilji dynasty namely, Khusro Khan. He

invaded Deogiri in 1318 CE and flayed Harpal Dev. Gradually he indulged in

alcohol and debauchery, ignoring state affairs. Khusro Khan gradually took over

the government and appointed his Bawariya clansmen. Eventually, he hatched

a plot to assassinate the Sultan, which he did.

Tughlaq Dynasty

The Tughlaq Dynasty (Persian: لہ س ل س لق غ of north India started in 1321 in Delhi when Ghazi Tughlaq assumed the (ت

throne under the title of Ghiyas ud-Din Tughluq. The Tughluqs were a Muslim family of Turkic origin. Their rule relied on

their alliances with Turkic, Afghan, and other Muslim warriors from outside South Asia.

Ruler Reign Notes

Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq 1321–1325

Founder of the Tughluq dynasty of Delhi. He came to the throne after

defeating the usurper Khusro Khan in 1321 CE. He also founded the

Delhi neighborhood ofTughluqabad.

Muhammad bin Tughluq 1325–1351

aka Muhammad Shah II. He refused to accept the title of Emperor

though he expanded his rule to the peninsula. He doubled the

exchequer and constantly shifted the capital back and forth

from Delhi to Daulatabad. He crushed rebellions

in Multan & Sindh. TheMongols of Chagatai

Khanate under Tarmashirin, a brother of Qutlugh Khwaja invaded

India but were defeated by the Sultan at the Battle of Kalanaur in

1329 C.E. He levied heavy taxes on the Ganges and Yamuna Doab

region to the point that Delhi began to be deserted. This state of

affairs also led to a diminution of the public funds. Among other

sources of loss to the treasury was the introduction of copper coins

which were placed on an equal footing with the silver coins. However,

very few people exchanged their gold or silver coins for the new

copper ones. Moreover, the tokens were easy to forge, which led to

heavy losses, as the Sultan subsequently withdrew the forged

currency by exchanging it for bullion coins. Around 1332-33 C.E. Ibn

Battuta arrived in India & was appointed as Qadi but on some

suspicion later, was appointed as ambassador to China. By the end

of his reign, state institutions and infrastructure were falling apart. He

died during an expedition in Sindh.

Mahmud Ibn Muhammad 1351 (March)

Firuz Shah Tughlaq 1351–1388

He established Ferozabad neighborhood of Delhi with a fort known

as Feroz Shah Kotla. He brought order to his army by

removing Mughals from it. He managed state affairs well and

brought some stability to the kingdom. He invaded the newly founded

Ilyas Shahi Sultanate of Bengal in 1353 C.E. but after a protracted

war formed a peace treaty with Shamsuddin Ilyas Shah & retraced

his steps. This new friendship with Bengal would improve the

Sultanate's economy immensely. In 1358 C.E. Mongols invaded

India and reached Dipalpur but were repelled. During the Sultan's

time was written the Dalail-e-Ferozi by Izz-ud-Din Khalid Khani. After

the rebellion of his vizier Juna Khan Khan Jahan in 1387 who was

defeated by the heir apparent Muhammad Shah ibn Feroze Shah, the

Sultan appointed his son as the vizier, but after mismanaging state

affairs the nobles revolted against the heir apparent and asked the

Sultan to pick his grandson Tughluq Khan ibn Fateh Khan as vizier

and heir apparent thereby losing all powers.

Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughluq II 1388–1389

He ascended the throne in 1388 C.E. assuming the title of Ghiyath-

ud-din. But succession crisis started almost immediately

with Muhammad Shah ibn Feroze Shah staking his claim with the

support of his brother Fateh Khan’s grandson Abu Bakr Khan.

Ghiyath-ud-din dispatched troops against his uncle towards the foot of

the hills of Sirmur. Muhammad Shah after a brief battle took shelter

in the fort of Nagarkot, and Ghiyath-ud-din’s army returned

to Delhi without pursuing him any further due to the difficulties of the

venture & terrain. Eventually though some Amirs joined Abu Bakr

Khan son of Zafar Khan (brother of Ghiyath-ud-din II) and grandson

of Fateh Khan, and great grandson of Feroze Shah and plotted to

assassinate Ghiyath-ud-din. In 1389 they surrounded the Sultan and

Khan Jahan, his vizier and, put them to death and hung up their

heads over the gate of the city; the duration of the reign of Ghiyath-

ud-din, was five months and eighteen days.

Abu Bakr Shah 1389–1390

Nasir ud din Muhammad

Shah III

1390–1393

Ala-ud-Din Sikandar Shah I

1393 (March–

April)

Mahmud Nasir ud din 1393–1394 Sultan Mahmud II (real name). Ruled in Delhi.

Nusrat Shah 1394–1399 Grandson of Firuz Shah Tughlaq, controlled the west from Firozabad.

Timur lang sacks delhi.

Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah 1399–1413 Son of Mahmud Nasir-ud- din, controlled the east from Delhi.

Sayyid Dynasty

The Sayyid dynasty ruled Delhi sultanate in India from 1414 to 1451. They succeeded the Tughlaq dynasty and ruled that

sultanate until they were displaced by the Lodi dynasty.

This family claimed to be Sayyids, or descendants of Prophet Muhammad. The central authority of the Delhi Sultanate

had been fatally weakened by the successive invasion of Timur (Tamerlane) and his sack of Delhi in 1398. After a period

of chaos, when no central authority prevailed, the Sayyids gained power at Delhi. Their 37-year period of dominance

witnessed the rule of four different members of the dynasty.

Ruler Reign Notes

Khizr Khan 1414–1421

Mubarak Shah 1421–1434

Muhammad Shah 1434–1445

Alam Shah 1445–1451

Lodi Dynasty

Lodi Dynasty (Pashto: و د ان ودي ني ل م was a Ghilzai Afghan dynasty, who ruled over the Delhi Sultanate during its (واک

last phase. The dynasty founded by Bahlol Lodi ruled from 1451 to 1526. The last ruler of this dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi was

defeated and killed by Babur in the first Battle of Panipat on April 20, 1526.

Ruler Reign Notes

Bahlol Lodi

1451–

1489

Founder of the Lodi Dynasty. Came to power after Ala Ud Din Alam Shah, the Last Sayyid

regent voluntarily abdicated in his favour.

Sikander Lodi

1489–

1517

Was the second son of Bahlol Lodi. Commissioned the building of Agra in 1503. Attacked

Gwalior fort five times, but failed each time.

Ibrahim Lodi

1517–

1526

Defeated by Babur in the First battle of Panipat (in 1526) and thus ending the Delhi

Sultanate