• Qutubu-din Aibak was the founder of first independent Turkish kingdom in northern India which extended from North-West frontier to Bihar and Bengal in the east. This dynasty has also been classified in three groups.
• A)   The Qutbi dynasty (1206-11A.D.) founded by Qutub-uddin Aibak.
• B)   The first Illbari or Shamsi dynasty founded by Shamsuddin Iltutmish.
• C)   The second Illbari dynasty (1266-90 A.D.) founded by Ghiasuddin Balban.
• Qutub-ud-din was a Turk of the Aibek tribe which in Turkish language means “Lord of the moon”.
• Qutub-ud-din assumed reigns of Government as independent ruler of Lahore. He constructed two mosque “Quwat-ul—Islam” at Delhi and Adahai din ka Jhopara” at Ajmer. He also began the construction of Qutubminar.
• He found the first of so-called seven cities of medieval India.
• Aibak was great patron of learning and he patronized writer like Hasan-un-Nijami who was the author of “Ta-ul-Massir” and Fakhr-ud-Din the author of “Tarikh-I-mubarak shahi”.
• Aibak has been given the title of ‘LAKH BAKSHA’ or ‘giver of lakhs’.
• He died while playing “shagun” ( polo game).

Iltutmish (1210-1236)

• Qutub-ud-din was succeeded by his inexperienced son Aram Shah who rulled at Lahore for about 8 months. He was deposed by Iltutmish.
• He belonged to Ilbari tribe of Turks. Iltutmish is a Turkish word which means “Saviour of the kingdom”. Alamgir and Jhangir mean the same.
• Itlutmish was the real founder of the Delhi Sultant. He made Delhi the capital in place of Lahore.
• Chengiz Khan, the Mangol leader threatened to attack the infant empire but Iltutmish saved it by refusing to give shelter to Khwarijim Shah whom Chengiz was chasing.
• He completed the construction of famous Qutub Minar (1231-32A.D.) in honour of famous Sufi saint Khawaja Qutub-ud-din Bhaktiyar Kaki.
• He issued “tanka jittal” as a token currency. He further organized the Iqtas, the civil administration and army which was now centrally paid and recruited.
• On his coins, Iltutmish describe himself as the lieutenant of Khalifa.
• Iltutmish set up an official nobility of slaves known as “Chahalgani” or the corps of forty.
• Minaj-us-siraj the author of “Tabaqat-I-nasiri” was patronized by Iltutmish. Awfi wrote Jawami-ul-Hikayat during his reign.

Raizya sultan (1236-40)

• Iltutmish had nominated his daughter Raziya but nobles of court disregarded his wishes and placed Rukh-ud-din Firoz Shah on the throne. Through public support Raziya deposed Ruku-ud-din in 1236 A.D. and assumed the title of Sultan. She had popularity among the people but being a lady she was not acceptable to the theologians and the Shamsi nobles whose interference she did not like in State affairs. She offended the nobles by her preference for a abyssinian slave Jamal-ud-din Yakut.
• Soon after her accession the Governors of Multan, Badaun, Hansi and Lahore openly revolted agaisnt her Wazir Muhammad Junaidi and some other nobles refused to have a women as their ruler. Their was a serious rebellion in Bhatinda. Malik Ikhtiar-ud-din Altunia, governor of Bhatinda refused to accept the Suzerainity of Raziya. Rajiya accompanied by Yakut marched agaisnt Altunia. On the way Turkish followers of Altunia murdered Yakut and imprisoned Rajiya. Raziya married Altunia to prevent the difficult situation and both of them marched toward Delhi. She finally became the victim of the conspiracy in 1240 A.D. and was assassinated near Kaithal (Haryana).

Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1266-86)

• Raziya begum was followed by Muizuddin and Bahram and was succeeded by Ala-ud-din Masud Shah. They ruled for six years and were totally worthless. The struggle between the monarchy and Turkish chiefs continued till one of Turkish chief Ulugh Khan known in the history by the title of Balban gradually arrogated all powers to himself and finally ascended the throne in 1265 A.D.
• His greatest contribution to the stability of Sultunate was to ensure respect for kingly office. He broke the power of the forty i.e. ‘Chahalgani’.
• To keep himself well informed Balban appointed spies in every department. He also organized a strong centralized army both to deal with internal disturbances and to repel the Mongols who had entrenched themselves in Punjab and posed a serious danger to Delhi Sultnate. For this purose he organized the military department (Diwan-I-Arz).
• He was a stern ruler and his policy of administration was pitiless terrorism. But he had great sense of justice. When Malik Baqbuq, governor of Badaun, caused his servant to be beaten to death, Balban ordered Baqbaq to be publicly flogged. Haibat Khan, the governor of Avadh, was found guilty of killing a man while drunk. Balban ordered him to be flogged by 500 stripes and was handed over to the widow of victim. With utmost severity he put down Mewatis and revolt in Bengal by Tughril Khan.
• Balban’s conception of kingship was similar to that of the theory of divine rights of kings. He took up the title of ‘Zilli Illah’ or shahdow of god. He introduced ‘Sijda’ or prostration and ‘Paibos’ or kissing the feet of monarch in the court as the normal form of salutation for kings. He also introduced the system of ‘Nauroz’ to add to dignity of the court.
• Balban was succeeded by Kaiqubad the son of Bughra khan but he was murdered and Jalal-ud-din Khalji came to the power. Thus ended the so called Slave dynasty.
• Jarib: A system of assessment introduced by Murshid Quli Khan. The state-revenue was to be paid in kind, and was fixed per bigha on a uniform claim to one-fourth of the produce.

Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji (1290-1296 A.D.)

• He was the founder of Khalji dynasty. He believed in policy to rule without bloodshed or opperession.
• During the second year of his reign Jala-ud-din had to face the revolt of Malik Chhajju. He opposed Jalal-ud-din before he became the king but after his accession he submitted and was given the Jagir of Kara. Inspite of this Chaaju enterned into an alliance with Hatim, the governor of Awadh and revolted. Arkali Khan, son of Jalal-ud-din was, sent against Chhajju who was defeated and captured. Instead of punnishing them Sultan pardoned them and fed then from royal kitchen.
• However, there was one departure from his policy of liniency in case of Siddi Maula. The allegation was that a plot had been watched by a number of Amirs to murder the Sultan and put Siddi Maula on the throne. The plot was earthed and Siddi Maula and his followers were put to death.
• Mongols: India was attacked by Mongols during the reign of Jala-ud-din. Abdullah, grandson of Halaku attacked India in 1292. Jalal-ud-din went in person to oppose them and was successful in defeating them. The descendants of those Mongols who settled in Inda came to be known as new Musalmans.
• The most important event of his reign was the invasion of Devagiri in 1294 A.D. by his nephew and son-in-law Alauddin Khilji. By such expeditions Alauddin acquired enormous wealth and by distributing it freely turned the nobles to his side. Then he murdered Jalal-ud-din and captured the throne.

Allauddin khilji (1296-1316)

• Alauddin Khalji was the nephew of Jalal-ud-din Firoz. When Jallaluddin Khaliji became the Sultan, he gave Alauddin the fief of Kara in the district of Allahabad.
• The murder of Jala-ud-din did not put Ala ud din on the throne of Delhi. As soon as Malika Jahan learnt about the murder of her husband she put her younger son Qadir Khan Rukum ud din on the throne and called for her elder son Arkali Khan from Multan. Without wasting much time Alauddin marched toward Delhi and on 3rd October 1296 A.D. he was proclaimed the Sultan of Delhi.
• He took stern steps against ex-Jalali nobles who had betrayed their masters. He took their wealth back and got most of them beheaded. He established absolute control over all and revised Balban’s theory of kingship. He believed on theory that “Kingship knows no kinship and the word of king is law[1]”.
• He never applied for investitute nor regarded them as his political superior. Ulma’s were never allowed to interfere in state politics. But he successfully exploited Muslim fanaticism against Hindus. Anyway Alauddin was first among the Turkish Sultan of Delhi who separated religion from state politics.

Aims of Alauddin

• a)   Two found a new religion like Muhammad.
• b)   To go on world conquest like Alexander. He wanted to be called Sikander-I-Sani.
• It was Maik Ala-ul-mulk uncle of Ziaud-din barani who brought the Sultan to his sense by pointing out the impracticability of his wild aims.

Alauddin’s imperialism

• After successful repulsion of first Mongol attack on his dominion in 1297 A.D. he planned to conqueor Gujrat.
• Expedition to Gujrat (1298A.D.) – He sent army under Ulugh Khan (Almas Beg) from Sindh and Nusrat Khan from Delhi to Gujrat. The temple of Somnath that was rebuilt by Kamarpala after Ghaznis attack was again plundered. The king of Gujrat Karan Deva II fled to South. This victory is important for two reasons.
• (a)  He married Kamla Devi the wife of Karan Deva.
• (b)  He got Malik Kafur who rose to be a brilliant military general of Alauddin.
• Ranthambhor (1301) – At the time of Alaudin it was being ruled by Hamir Dev a Rajput chief. Two reasons have been given for invasions of Ranthambor. The first reason was that Hamir Deva had given shelter to some new Muslims and this offended Alauddin. another reason was that he considered it as his pious duty to recover a fortress that had once formed a part of the Sultanate of Delhi. He conquered Ranthambor after facing a strong resistance form Rajputs that lasted one year.
• Conquest of Mewar (1303 A.D.) Ratan Singh was the ruler with his capital at Chittor. The story of Padmani is associated with this conquest. Malwa was conquered in 1305 A.D. the last important expedition to Jalor, Alauddin sent an army against Raja Kama Dev under Gull-bihisht Begum a female servant of his palace.
• Conquest of Deccan (1307-14A.D.) – Four powerful kingdoms prevailed at the time of Alauddin campaigns.
• (a) Yadava kingdom ruled by Ramchandra Dev with capital at Devgiri.
• (b) Kakatiya kingdom with capital at Warrangal ruled by Pratap Rudra Dev II.
• (c) Hoysala ruled by Vir Ballalla III with capital at Dwarsamudrai
• (d) Pandya with capital at madurai ruled by Mara Varman Kulashkra.
• Malik Kafur led these campaigns in South India. The pretext for this invasion was that Ramchandra Deva the ruler of Devgiri had given shelter to Karan Dev the enemy of Alauddin.
• In 1309 A.D. Warrrangal was invaded and King Rai Pratap Rudra was defeated. Kohinoor was brought to Delhi from here.
• In 1311, Hoysala was invaded and plundered, Marching through Madurai, Malik Kafur went up to Rameshwaram and built one mosque there. Bihar, Bengal and Orissa did not constitute a part of his empire.

Encounter with Mongols

• Alauddin dealt with Mongols with iron hands. he personally marched against the Mongol leader Qutlugh Khawaja and defeated him. Even after this Mongols continued their raids but were held in check by Ghazi Malik, the governor of Punjab.

Administrative reforms

• He introduced the system of Dagh and chehra or the branding of horses and Huliah system or preparation of the descriptive role.
• Alauddin ordered that all land was to be measured and then the share of state was to be fixed. The post of special officer called Diwan –E - Mustakhraj was created for the purpose of collection of revenue.
• He ordered heavy taxation. The peasants had to pay half the produce as land revenue.
• All goods for sale were brought to an open market called the Sarai-Adl.
• Alauddin was fond of architecture. Many forts were built by himand the most important of them was Alai Fort or Koshak-I-Siri. He also constructed the Alai Darwaja the entrace gate to Qutub Minar. He also built the palace of thousand Pillars’ called ‘Hazar Situn’. The Jama Masjid was also built by him.
• Alauddin was great patron of learning. Amir Khusro was patronized by him. Amir Khsuro wrote Tarikh-I-Alai or Khazain-ul-Futuh. In this book he gave an account of conquest of Alauddin. He wrote another book called ‘Ashiqa’ which contains the love story of Deval Devi and Khizr Khan in his NUH-SPIH or nine skies, he gave the story of Sultan Mubarak Shah. He also lived in the court of Ghias-ud-din Tughluq and wrote Tughluqunama. Khusro is also known as Tuti-I-Hind or parrot of India. He also patronized Amir Hasan who is known as Sadi of India.
• Successor of Alauddin – he died in 1316. His death laid to usual scramble for power Malik Kafur seized the government. But he was soon murdered. He was followed by Mubarak. He left the conduct of Government under Hindu covert Khusrau Khan who murdered Mubarak and seized the throne. But he was overthrown by the governor of Punjab, Ghazi Khan Tughluk[2]. He was elected by the nobles to occupy the vacant throne and thus the Tughlak dynasty was established.
• Diwan-i-Riyasat and Shahana-i-Mandi: Were the controllers of Market, appointed by Ala-ud-din Khalji.