← Indian History

Medieval India — Delhi Sultanate to Mughal Empire

2 min read medieval-history indian-history mughal delhi-sultanate

Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 CE)

Dynasties

Dynasty Period Founder
Slave (Mamluk) 1206–1290 Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Khalji 1290–1320 Jalal-ud-din Khalji
Tughlaq 1320–1414 Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq
Sayyid 1414–1451 Khizr Khan
Lodi 1451–1526 Bahlul Lodi

Key Rulers and Events

Iltutmish (1211–1236) — Real consolidator of the Sultanate

  • Introduced the silver tanka and copper jital
  • Completed the Qutb Minar
  • Received a letter of investiture from the Caliph of Baghdad

Alauddin Khalji (1296–1316)

  • Market control policy — fixed prices of commodities
  • Diwan-i-Riyasat (market control department)
  • First Sultan to maintain a standing army paid in cash
  • Conquests: Gujarat, Ranthambore, Chittor, Malwa, Deccan

Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–1351)

  • Most learned of all Sultans — knew Arabic, Persian, Sanskrit
  • Transferred capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (Devagiri)
  • Token currency experiment (bronze coins with face value of silver)
  • Ibn Battuta visited his court (1333–1341)

Administration

  • Iqta System: Land revenue assignment to nobles in lieu of salary
  • Diwan-i-Wizarat: Finance department headed by Wazir
  • Diwan-i-Arz: Military department headed by Ariz-i-Mumalik

Mughal Empire (1526–1857)

Great Mughals

Ruler Period Notable
Babur 1526–1530 Founder; defeated Ibrahim Lodi at Panipat
Humayun 1530–1540, 1555–56 Exiled to Persia; regained throne
Akbar 1556–1605 Greatest Mughal; Din-i-Ilahi
Jahangir 1605–1627 Golden Chain of Justice
Shah Jahan 1628–1658 Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Jama Masjid
Aurangzeb 1658–1707 Last great Mughal; Deccan campaigns

Akbar’s Administration

Mansabdari System:

  • Every officer assigned a mansab (rank)
  • Zat — personal rank and salary
  • Sawar — number of cavalry to maintain

Land Revenue (Zabti System):

  • Introduced by Raja Todar Mal
  • Land measured; produce estimated for 10 years
  • State share fixed at one-third of average produce

Mughal Architecture

  • Akbar: Fatehpur Sikri, Buland Darwaza, Humayun’s Tomb
  • Jahangir: Shalimar Bagh, Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah
  • Shah Jahan: Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid
  • Aurangzeb: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Badshahi Mosque

Bhakti and Sufi Movements

Bhakti Saints

  • Ramanuja (11th century) — Vishishtadvaita philosophy
  • Kabir (15th century) — Nirguna bhakti; rejected rituals
  • Guru Nanak (1469–1539) — Founder of Sikhism
  • Chaitanya (1486–1533) — Gaudiya Vaishnavism in Bengal
  • Mirabai (16th century) — Devotion to Krishna
  • Tulsidas — Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi

Sufi Orders

  • Chishti Silsila: Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi)
  • Suhrawardi: Bahauddin Zakariya (Multan)
  • Naqshbandi: Khwaja Baqi Billah, Ahmad Sirhindi

Vijayanagara Empire (1336–1646)

Founded by Harihara I and Bukka I on the banks of Tungabhadra.

Key Dynasties

  1. Sangama (1336–1485)
  2. Saluva (1485–1505)
  3. Tuluva (1505–1570) — Krishnadevaraya was the greatest ruler
  4. Aravidu (1570–1646)

Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529)

  • Greatest Vijayanagara ruler; “Kannada Rajya Rama Ramana”
  • Patron of Telugu literature (Amuktamalyada written by him)
  • Ashtadiggajas — Eight poets in his court
  • Battle of Raichur (1520) — Defeated Bijapur Sultanate
  • Foreign travellers: Domingo Paes, Fernao Nuniz