UPSC Essential 2024

Medieval Indian History

- Rohan Salunke

rohan.salunke@upscprep.com
Foreign Invasions –
1. Mohammed Bin Qasim
2. Mahmud of Ghazni
3. Mohammed Ghuri

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Arab Invasion of Sindh:
Causes for Arab Conquest -
• lure of wealth
• Sindh - transition point
• Makran coast
• Spread of Islam
• Religious zeal
• Territorial expansion
Immediate cause Arab –
• Ships captured by the sea-pirates of Sind -
• It had muslim women as well
• Hajaj (Governor of Iraq) demanded the ship to get free from
Sindh
• King Dahir (Sindh) said, no control over them
• Hence, Hajaj decided to conquer Sindh
• Mohammed Bin Qasim sent to Conquer Sindh By 711 CE
• Battle of Aror 712 CE→ Dahir was killed by UPSCPREP.COM
Qasim
Mahmud of Ghazni (998-1030 CE)
1000 – 1027 CE, he attacked India 17 times

1.1000 CE- annihilation of the Hindushahis – 1st Battle of Waihind –

defeated the Hindu Shahi ruler Jayapala - 5 lakh people taken away
as slaves.

2. 1004–06 CE Subjugation of Bhatiya - mass slaughtering - Attacked

Multan- Abdul Fathe Daud.

3.1008 CE – 2nd Battle of Waihind - Hindu Shahi ruler - Anandpala -

Entered till Nagarkot (Kangra), looted temples - 7 lakh gold coins.

4. 1014 CE - Attacked Thanesar & Mathura Looting and destroying

of temples.
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5. 1018 CE - Attacked over Kannauj - defeated Rajyapal -
Destroyed the Chandella dynasty – Also killed the
remaining Hindushahi rulers Trilochanapala & Bhimpala.

6. 1025 CE - Attack over Somnath - Went back after a

week because of imminent conflict with King Bhimdev-I
(Solankis).

7. 1026 CE - Punished the Jats in North India 1030

Sources:
1. Al Biruni - Kitab- ul- Hind
2. Firdausi - Shahnama

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The contemporary Somnath temple's reconstruction was
started under the orders of the first Deputy Prime Minister of
India Vallabhbhai Patel after receiving approval for
reconstruction from Mahatma Gandhi. The reconstruction was
completed in May 1951 after his death.

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Gujarat's Somnath Temple:
• This Shiva temple was desecrated six times.
• Mahmud of Ghazni raided this temple in 1024 and broke the jyotirlinga of the
temple while plundering it. He took a valuable booty worth 20 million dinars.
• The second time, Somnath temple was razed by Ulugh Khan, governor of Delhi
Sultan Alauddin Khilji in 1299.
• The third destruction was done by Zafar Khan in 1395. He founded Gujarat
Sultanate after demolishing the Somnath temple.
• In 1451, the Sultan of Gujarat Mahmud Begada destroyed it.
• The Somnath was attacked by the Portuguese in 1546. Aurangzeb did the sixth
and final destruction of the temple in 1665.
• According to the Sufi schola of Alauddin Khilji's reign, Amir Khusrau, the statue of
Somnath (Shiva) was taken to Delhi, where it was thrown to be trampled under
the feet of Muslims.
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Series of destruction and reconstruction started:
• The first Mughal calamity came in A.D. 1025 when Mahmud of Gazni invaded Saurashtra and
destroyed the temple of Somnath.
• King Bhoj was the ruler at that time. The temple was reconstructed somewhere around A. D.
1050. An inscription mentions Siyaka II coming to Prabhasa and performing a Swarna Tula
ceremony in A.D. 1045.
• The fifth reconstruction of the temple was done in around A.D. 1150 under the rule
of Kumarapala, the then emperor of Gurjaradesha. It was not a mere reconstruction of the
temple but of the whole town. It was extended by adding a strong fort-wall to the north and
south of the temple.
• Bhava Brihaspati placed gold pinnacles on the temple. A courtroom for kings, a reservoir for pure
water and buildings for priests to live in were constructed along with the temple.
• In 1297, Alaf Khan, a general of the Khilji rulers of Delhi marched to Kathiyawar and destroyed the
ancient fame of the temple. The reconstruction was undertaken by the Chudasama ruler,
Mahipaldeva.

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Why these Invasions & its Impact
• Intention of establishing an empire
• Lahore captured very late (1022)
• Treasure
• Greed played important role
• Took title of Ghazi- champion of Islam
• Ghazni - finest cities of the day
• Campaign directed against the Hindus and other infidels
• Also against the Muslim kings as well - eg. Multan
• Political situation in Northern India around 1000 AD was very favourable to a
determined invader
• Made favourable conditions for further invasions - Mohammed Ghori (Vassals of
Ghazni)
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Mohammad Ghori
• 1191 CE- 1st Battle of Tarain
• Prithviraj Chauhan - ruled over Delhi - Ajmer
• Wanted to expand over the western areas. The issue
was regarding the area of Tarabhind (Bhatinda).
• Ghori - wanted to enter in the eastern side
• Both sides confronted each other at Tarain (near
Karnal)
• Ghori’s army was routed - narrowly escaped death,
Prithviraj conquered Bhatinda.
• Already having issue with Jaychand
• Ghori decided to move back - Reassembled and
made preparations for futher attack - Resulted into
2nd Battle of Tarain - Prithiviraj lost – Prisoner of war
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Why Ghori won ? Why Rajputs lost?
• use of iron stirrups • Political
• Method of warfare • Economic
• speed of the Turkish cavalry • Military
• use of horse shoes • Technology
• Treachery by Jaichand • Religious Zeal

Ghori returned to Ghazni to carry out his conquests in the

western frontiers.
Gave control to his slave-governors:
1. Qutubuddin Aibak
2. Bakhtiyar Khilji

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Rajputs-
• Referred to certain specific lineage-based clans
• Descendants of various groups of foreign invaders such as the Shakas, the
Kushanas, the Hunas - Kshatriya varna
• Expansion of the agrarian economy
• Distribution of land grants by the king
• Expansion of local kings
• Set up an independent kingdom
• Started establishing matrimonial relations
• Construction of fort
• Ancestory linked to gods –
• Lord Rama→ Suryavanshi
• Lord Krishna→ Chandravanshi
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Chauhans:
• Prithviraj III (c.1177−1192 CE)
• Title→ Rai Pithora
• Ascended the throne at the young age of 11, after death of his father
Someshvara
• Took administration at the age of 16 years
• Suppress the revolt of his cousin, Nagarjuna
• Hostitlity with Jayachandra - Gahadvala of Kannauj - organised a svayamvara
ceremony for the marriage of his beautiful daughter
• Samyukta carrying off the Gahadvala princess by force
• 1190→ fort of Tabarhindah (Bathinda) conqured by the Ghurid forces
• 1191→ 1 st Battle of Tarian , Ghori lost
• 1192→ 2 nd Battle of Tarain , Prithiviraj lost
• Books→
• Prithviraja Raso- Chand Bardai
• Prithviraja Vijaya- Jayanaka
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Qutubuddin Aibak
• captured Aligarh and Ranthambore
• Later on fought against the Solanki
• Bhimadev-II defeated Aibak once again
• Once again Aibak attacked Gujarat, this time he was able to win
• Conquered Bundelkhand- end of the Chandela
• Qutubuddin Aibak, strained the relationship with Ghazni,
resulting into formation of Independent kingdom Establishment
of slave dynasty

Bakhtiyar Khilji
• conquest of Bihar 1205
• Conquest of Bengal
• Destroyed the universities of Nalanda and Vikramshila
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THE DELHI SULTANATE (1206-1526AD)
During this period of 300 years, five dynasties ruled in Delhi:
1. Slave (1206-1290 CE)
2. Khilji (1290-1320 CE)
3. Tughlaq (1320-1413 CE)
4. Sayyad/Sayyids (1414-1451 CE)
5. Lodhis (1451-1526 CE)

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1. SLAVE DYNASTY (1206-1290 AD)
• Qutub-ud-din Aibak Founded Slave
dynasty - Mamluk Dynasty - real
founder of Muslim rule in India.

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Qutub-ud-din Aibak (1206-1210):
• Slave of M. Ghori.
• Lahore - Capital.
• ‘Lakh Baksh’ or giver of lakhs as he gave a
lot of liberal donations.
• Aibak issued coins in gold, silver, billon
and copper.

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ART & ARCHITECTURE
• 2 Mosques:
1. Quwwat-ul-Islam (Delhi).
2. Arhai din ka Jhonpara (Ajmer)
• Qutub Minar dedicated to Sufi Saint
Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakthiyar Kaki - later
completed by Iltutmish.

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Shamsuddin Iltutmish (1210-1236):
• Real consolidator of Turkish rule in India and also Delhi.
• Shifted capital from Lahore to Delhi.
• Introduced Arabic coinage into India.
• He Started Iqktadari system (Iqtas) – Iqtadar → law and order and
collect revenue.
• Completed the construction of Qutub Minar which was started by
Aibak.
• Turkan-i-chahalgani - A new class of ruling elite of 40 powerful military
leaders, “The Forty”.
• 1220 - diplomatic move against Chengiz Khan (Mongols). Didn’t gave
shelter to Jalaluddin Mangbarani, the son of the Shah of Khwarizm
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Razia Sultan (1236-40):
• 1st and only female Muslim ruler of
medieval India.
• Discarded female apparel and purdah,
adopted male attire, went for hunting.

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Balban (1266-1287):
• Ulugh khan - main architects of the Delhi
Sultanate.
• Sultan was God’s shadow on earth (Zil-i-Ilahi) and
recipient of divine grace (Nibyabati-Khudai).
• He broke the power of the Forty.
• Introduced Persian festival Nawrouz.
• Called himself Nasir-amir-ul-momin (Caliph’s right-
hand man).
• 1285 - Final blow by Mongols - son Mahmud was
killed in the Mongol invasion.

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Administration
• Separated Diwan-i-wizarat (Finance
Department) from the Diwan-i-Arz (Military
Department).
• He followed policy of blood & iron.
• Indian Muslims-> not given important posts.
• Appointed spies to monitor nobles.
• Introduced sijada (prostration) and paibos
(kissing the Sultan’s feet).

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2. KHILJI DYNASTY (1290-1320 AD)
• Khilji nobles headed by Jalaludduin, overthrew the incompetent
successors of Balban in 1290 & Established Khilji dynasty.
• This event is called ‘Dynastic Revolution’ of 1290

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Jalaluddin Khalji (1290-1296 CE):
• Started as a soldier under Iltutmish/Balban
• Later on made Iqtadar
• Generous and benevolent sultan
• Even robbers were given warning first time
• Malik Chhajju - nephew of Balban, allowed to remain
governor of Kara - Initially revolted, but allowed to
continue after a warning
• 1291- Second revolt by Chhhaju, he was replaced by his
son-inlaw- Alauddin Khilji

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Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316 CE):
• Original name - Ali Gurshap
• Awarded harsh punishment who opposed him.
• “Kingship knows no kinship”
• Refuted Suzerainty of Caliph

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• Malik Kafur was his slave – general. He led a series of expeditions in the
southern part of India, against the Yadavas (1308), Kakatiyas (1310), Hoysalas
(1311) etc.
• In 1303, Allauddin defeated Raja Ratan Singh of Chittor, including Rani Padmini
other Rajput women performed Jauhar (self-immolation) which is written in the
book 'Padmavath' by Malik Md. Jayasi.

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Control on Nobles:
Passed ordinances-
• confiscated the properties of the nobles
• intelligence system was reorganized - Barids
• use of liquor and intoxicants banned
• social gatherings and festivities – only after permission
• No senior officials were allowed to arrange marriages
• Reign was free from rebellions

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Invasion of Mongols
• Khilji’s army fought six times against the Mongols
• First 2 invasions - mongols sent back
• 3rd invasion- mongols were able to penetrate→ but sent
back
• Last 2 invasions - taught them a lesson - Fortification of
North-west Frontier - Ghazi Malik (Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq)
was appointed to as the Warden of Marches.
• Hence, it created impact and the mongol invasion was
stopped during his period.

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3. TUGHLAQ DYNASTY (1320-1414 AD)
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320-1325):
• Founder of Tughlaq dynasty.
• Took title: Ghazi
• 1st Sultan to start Irrigation – canals – postal service
• Sharia based legal system - Recovering money from Sufi Saint
Nizamuddin Auliya - 5 lakh tankas Conflict occurred due this
issue.
• Tughlaqabad near Delhi.
• Amir Khusrau famous work “Tughlaq Nama” deals with the
rise of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

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Mohammad Bin Tughlaq (1325-1351):
• Jauna khan – Kakatiyas – (Warangal to Sultanpur)
• Zenith of the Delhi Sultanate but also saw the beginning of
disintegration.
• He defeated Mongols.
• Official on the basis of merit.
• Advanced secular policies.
• Ibn-Batuta (native of Morocco) was his contemporary of
Muhammad Tughlaq and was his envoy to China.
• He Built fort of Adilabad and the city of Jahanpanah.
• Vijayanagara emerged

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• Follower of Nizamuddin Auliya
• Decided to have a grand reception for
the welcome of the monarch at
Afghanpur (outside Delhi) - Wooden
entrance gate and pavilion was set up
• Entry of Ghaisuddin and the gate went
down - Sultan passed away

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Muhammad Tughlaq’s Failed Experiments:
• Transferred capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad). Shifted back
after 2 years because of lack of water supply.
• Token Currency - Issued bronze coins at par with the value of the
silver tanka coins. He had also introduced the copper currency system.
• He launched Khorasan project - offensive against the Mongols,
captured region till Peshawar - drainage of wealth.
• Quarachi expedition – launched in Kumaon hills to counter the threat
of Chinese incursions - few returned alive.
• Diwan-i-kohi a separated department to extend cultivation by giving
loans to cultivators (takkavi loans) – corrupt officials

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Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388):
• Heredity to the army & nobility.
• Iqta system revived - was made hereditary.
• To appease theologians, Firoz took following
decisions:
• Prohibited practice of Muslim women going out to
worship.
• Gave concessions to theologians
• Made jizya a separate tax. Earlier it was part of
land revenue. Only children, women, disabled
exempted.
• Erased wall paintings in his palace

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• He constructed and improved several
canals.
• Hospitals for poor called – Dar-ul-shifa.
• Set up new departments:
• Diwan -i- Khairat - to make provisions for
marriages of poor girls.
• Diwan -i- Bandagan – Department for slaves
• Imposed Jizya (religious tax on the Hindus)
• He was first Sultan to impose Sharb
(irrigation tax).
• Barani (famous historian who wrote
Tarikh-i-Firoz Shah and Futwa-i-Jahandari).

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4. SAIYYAD DYNASTY (1414-1450 AD)
Khizr Khan (1414-1421):
• He captured Delhi and founded the Sayyid
dynasty in 1414.
• Saiyyad’s ruled Delhi for the shortest period
(only 37 years) among the Delhi Sultans.

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5. LODHI DYNASTY (1451-1526 AD)
• The Lodi dynasty was an Afghan dynasty
• It was the fifth and final dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate, and was
founded by Bahlul Khan Lodi. Sikandar Lodi succeeded him.

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Bahlol Lodhi
• Suppressed the revolts in Mewat and
Doab the ruler of Multan,
• Invasion of Malwa failed
• Introduced Bahlol copper coins

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Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517):
• He founded city Agra and transferred capital from
Delhi to Agra.
• Sikandar was orthodox and a bigot king. He
reimposed the Jizya on Hindus. Destroyed Temples.
• He was a poet of repute, composed under the pen-
name of Gulruk.
• Sikandar Lodi was succeeded by his son Ibrahim
Lodi.
• Development of agriculture - gaz-i-Sikandari
(Sikandar’s yard)
• 32 digits for measuring cultivated fields -confined
to the khalisa lands

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Ibrahim Lodi (1517-1526):
• Arrogant and aggressive ruler defeated by
Rana Sanga of Mewar.
• Humiliated Daulat Khan Lodi (the
governor of the Punjab) - invited Babar to
invade Delhi – 1st Battle of Panipat.
• This marked the end of the Lodi Dynasty
and the rise of the Mughal Empire in India
India Under Delhi Sultanate.

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OVERVIEW OF DELHI SULTANATES
ADMINISTRATION :
• highly centralized state, for some time it was extended till Madurai
covering almost all India.
• The Sultans - representatives of the Caliph at Baghdad (lieutenant of
the faithful).
• He was also the commander in chief of the military forces.
• He was also responsible for the maintenance of law & justice.
• There was no clear law of succession during this period.

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CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
• The military department -> Diwani Ariz - Headed by -> Ariz-i-mumalik.
Responsibility was to recruit the soldiers and administering the military
department.
• Diwani Rasalat -> department of religious affairs - Headed by chief
Sadr. Grants were made by this department for the construction and
maintenance of mosques, tombs and madrasas.
• The head of the judicial department was the chief Qazi.

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• The Hindus were governed by their own personal law and their cases
were dispensed by the village panchayats.
• The department of correspondence -> called Diwani Insha. All the
correspondence between the ruler and the officials was deal with by
this department.
• Wakil-i-Dar – officer responsible for maintenance of proper decorum
at the court.

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LOCAL ADMINISTRATION
• The provinces were called iqtas under the control of muqtis or walis.
• Their duty was to maintain law and order and collect the land
revenue.
• The provinces were divided into shiqs and pargana.
• The shiq was under the control of shiqdar.
• The pargana comprising number of villages was headed by amil.
• The village headman was known as muqaddam or chaudhri. The
village accountant was called patwari.

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ECONOMY
• The land was classified into three categories:
1. Iqta land – lands assigned to officials as iqtas instead of payment for their
services.
2. Khalisa land – land under the direct control of the Sultan and the revenues
collected were spent for the maintenance of royal court and royal household.
3. Inam land – land assigned or granted to religious leaders or religious
institutions.
• Sarais or rest houses on the highways were maintained for the
convenience of the travelers.

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• Indian textiles were exported to China.
• Gold coins or dinars became popular during the reign of Alauddin
Khalji after his South Indian conquests.
• Growth of metallurgical industry.
• They also introduced spinning wheels.
• Postal system based on relays of horses or fast-runners was
developed.

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Art:
• Amir Khusrau - classical music – khayal
musical instruments, such as the rabab
and sarangi table.
• Sufi saints - musical gatherings - sama
• Raja Man Singh of Gwalior - Man
Kautuhal Ragadarpan was translated
into Persian

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