NCERT Notes: Medieval History-The North Indian Kingdoms-The Rajputs

NCERT Notes: Medieval History -THE NORTH INDIAN KINGDOMS – THE RAJPUTS

The North Indian Kingdoms - The Rajputs

The Ancient Indian history came to an end with the rule of Harsha and Pulakesin II. The Medieval period
lies between the 8th and the 18th century A.D.

The medieval period can be divided into two stages:

 Early medieval period: 8th – 12th century A.D.

 Later Medieval period: 12th-18th century.

About the Rajputs

 They are the descendants of Lord Rama (Surya vamsa) or Lord Krishna (Chandra vamsa) or the
Hero who sprang from the sacrificial fire (Agni Kula theory).

 Rajputs belonged to the early medieval period.

 The Rajput Period (647A.D- 1200 A.D.)

 From the death of Harsha to the 12th century, the destiny of India was mostly in the hands of
various Rajput dynasties.

 They belong to the ancient Kshatriya families.

 They are foreigners.

There were nearly 36 Rajput’ clans. The major clans were:

1. The Pratiharas of Avanti

2. The Palas of Bengal

3. The Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer

4. The Rathors of Kanauj

5. The Guhilas or Sisodiyas of Mewar

6. The Chandellas of Bundelkhand

7. The Paramaras of Malwa

8. The Senas of Bengal

9. The Solankis of Gujarat

The Pratiharas 8th-11th Century A.D

 The Pratiharas were also called as Gurjara.

 They ruled between 8th and 11th century A.D. over northern and western India.
  Pratiharas: A fortification- The Pratiharas stood as a fortification of India’s defence against the
hostility of the Muslims from the days of Junaid of Sind (725.A.D.) to Mahmud of Ghazni.

Rulers

Nagabhatta I (725-740 A.D.)

 Founder of the Pratihara dynasty with Kanauj as it’s capital.

Vatsaraja and Nagabhatta II

 Played a vital role in merging the empire.

Mihirabhoja

 The most powerful Pratihara king.

 During his period, the empire expanded from Kashmir to Narmada and from Kathiawar to Bihar.

Mahendrapala (885-908 A.D.)

 Son of Mihirabhoja, was also a powerful ruler.

 He extended his control over Magadha and North Bengal.

Decline of the Pratiharas

 Rajyapala was the last Pratihara king.

 Vast empire was reduced to Kanauj.

 The Pratihara power began to decline after Mahmud of Ghazni attacked the kingdom in 1018
A.D.

 After the decline of the Prathiharas their feudatories Palas, Tomars, Chauhans, Rathors,
Chandellas.

 Guhilas and Paramaras became independent rulers.

 There was complete anarchism in Bengal between 750-760 A.D.

Pala Dynasty

Gopala (765-769 A.D.)

 Founder of Pala Dynasty and he also restored order.

 Ruled over Northern and Eastern India.

  He expanded the Pala dynasty and extended his power over Magadha.

Dharmapala (769-815 A.D.)

 He is the son of Gopala and succeeded his father.

 He brought Bengal, Bihar, and Kanauj under his control.

 He defeated the Pratiharas and became the master of Northern India.

 He was a steadfast Buddhist and founded the famous Vikramasila University and several
monasteries.

 He also restored the Nalanda University.

Devapala (815-855 A.D.)

 Devapala is the son of Dharmapala who succeeded his father.

 He kept the Pala territories intact.

 He captured Assam and Orissa.

Mahipala (998-1038 A.D.)

 The Palas became powerful during his reign.

 The Pala dynasty declined after the death of Mahipala.

Govinda Pala

 He is the last Pala King.

Tripartite Struggle for Kanauj

The Tripartite Struggle for Kanauj was between the Pratiharas of Central India,
the Palas of Bengal and the Rashtrakutas of Deccan.
As all these three dynasties wanted to establish their supremacy over Kanauj and
the fertile Gangetic Valley.
The Tripartite Struggle lasted for 200 years and weakened all of them which enabled
the Turks to overthrow them.

The Tomars of Delhi

The Tomars were the feudatories of the Pratiharas.
They founded the city of Delhi in 736 A.D.
Mahipala Tomar captured Thaneshwar, Hansi and Nagarkot in 1043 A.D.
Chauhans captured Delhi in middle of the 12th century and the Tomars became
their feudatories.

The Chauhans of Delhi and Ajmer

 The Chauhans declared their independence in the 1101 century at Ajmer and they were the
feudatories of the Pratiharas.
  They captured Ujjain from the Paramaras of Malwa and Delhi in the early part of the 12th
century.

 They shifted their capital to Delhi.

 Prithvtraj Chauhan was the most important ruler of this dynasty.

Rathors of Kanauj (1090-1194 A.D.)

 The Rathors established themselves on the throne of Kanauj from 1090 to 1194 A.D.

 Jaichand was the last great ruler of this dynasty.

 He was killed in the battle of Chandwar in 1194A.D. by Muhammad of Ghori.

The Chandellas of Bundelkhand

 Established them in the 9th century.

 Mahoba was the capital of Chandella during the period of Chief Yasovarman

 Kalinjar was their important fort.

 The Chandellas built the most famous Kandariya Mahadeva Temple in 1050 A.D. and a number
of beautiful temples at Khajuraho.

 Paramal the last Chandella ruler was defeated by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1203A.D.

The Guhllas or Sisodiyas of Mewar

 The Rajput ruler Bapa Rawat was the founder of the Guhila or the Sisodiya dynasty and Chittor
was its capital.

 During the period of Rana Ratan Singh of Mewar.

o In 1307 A.D.Ala-ud-din khilji invaded his territory and defeated him.

 Rana Sangha and Maharana Prata the Sisodiya rulers gave a tough fight to the Mughal rulers of
India.

The Paramaras of Malwa

 The Paramaras were also the feudatories of Pratiharas. They declared their independence in the
10thcentury and Dhara was their capital.

Raja Bhoja (1018-1069)

 He was the most famous ruler of this period.

 He constructed a beautiful lake more than 250 sq. miles near Bhopal.

 He set up a college at Dhara for the study of Sanskrit Literature.

The reign of the Paramaras came to an end with the invasion of Ala-ud-din Khilji.
Nature of the Rajputs

 The Rajputs were great warriors and chivalrous by nature.

 They believed in protecting the women and the weak.

Religion

 The Rajputs were staunch followers of Hinduism.

 They also patronized Buddhism and Jainism.

 During their period the Bhakti Cult started.

Government

 The Rajput government was outdated in character.

 Each kingdom was divided into a large number of Jagirs held by the Jagirdars.

Major literary works of this period

 Kalhana’s Rajatarangin

 Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam

 Somadeva’s Kathasaritasagar

 Chand Bardai, the court poet of Prithviraj Chauhan, wrote Prithviraj Raso in which he refers to
the military exploits of Prithviraj Chauhan.

 Bhaskara Charya wrote Siddhanta Shinomani, a book on astronomy.

Rajasekhara

 The court poet of Mahendrapala and Mahipala.

 His best known works were Karpu ramanjari , Bala and Ramayana.

Art and Architecture

During this period

 Mural paintings and Miniature paintings were popular.

 Temples at Khajuraho

 Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneshwar

 The Sun Temple at Konark

 The Dilwara Temple at Mount Abu

End of the Rajput Power

  There was no strong military power during the Rajput period to keep the warring princes in
check and to co-ordinate their activities against foreign invasions.

Some popular terms

 Jauhar: Amass suicide of women in order to escape defilement at the hands of foreign victors.

 Gita Govindam: Song of the cowherd

 Rajatarangini: ‘River of Kings’

 Kathasaritasagara: ‘Ocean of tales’

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – THE KINGDOMS OF THE DECCAN

July 26, 2017

Subject: Medieval History

Topic: The Kingdoms of the Deccan

THE KINGDOMS OF THE DECCAN

 The Deccan or the Dakshinapatha regions are the part of Southern India.

 The Vindhya and Satpura mountains, the Narmada and Tapti rivers, and the dense forests
separate the Deccan from Northern India.

 The Deccan part witnessed the rise of the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas during the medieval
period.

 This period also witnessed the expansion of the Delhi Sultanate like the Khiljis and the Tughluqs
into South India.

The Chalukyas (6th -12th century A.D.)

The Chalukyas period can be broadly divided into three and they are:

1. The Early Western Chalukyas (6th-8th century A.D.)

2. The Later Western Chalukyas (10th-12th century A.D.)

3. The Eastern Chalukyas (7th-12th century A.D.)

The Early Western Chalukyas (6th-8thcentury A.D.)

 They rose into power in the 6th century A.D in Karnataka.

 Vatapi (modern Badami) in the Bijapur district was their capital.

 Jayasimha and Ramaraya, Pulakesin-I (543-566.A.D) were humble rulers of the early Western
Chalukyas.

Pulakesin II (610-642 A.D.)

 Pulakesin II is the real founder and greatest ruler of this dynasty

 He defeated Gangas, Malavas and Gurjaras.

 In 637 A.D he defeated Harsha’s attack in the north.

 He struggled constantly with the Pallavas in the south.

  Pulakesin II defeated the Pallava King Mahendravarma I after which he crossed the Cauvery.

 Made friendly alliances with the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas.

 Pulakesin II lost his life during the war.

The other important rulers of this dynasty

 Vikramaditya-I

 Vijayaditya

 Vikramaditya II

Kirtivarman II (746 AD – 753 AD)

 He is the last Chalukya King of Badami.

Later Western Chalukyas of Kalyani (10th -12th century A.D)

The founder of this dynasty brought the Rashtrakuta rule to an end.

The important rulers of this dynasty are:

 Someshwara-II

 Vikramaditya-VI

 Vikramaditya-VI

 Someswara IV was the last ruler

Eastern Chalukyas of Vengi (7th -12th century A.D)

 Vishnu Vardhana brother of Pulakesin-II was the founder of the Eastern Chalukya Empire of
Vengi.

 Kulothunga Chola (1071-1122 A.D.) is one of their descendants.

 He was crowned as a Chola ruler.

Contributions of the Chalukyas

1. They followed Hinduism.

2. Ravikirti a Jain, the court poet of Pulakesin-II composed the Aihole Inscription.

3. Great patrons of architecture

 4. 70 Vishnu temples in Aihole were built; hence Aihole has been called the ‘Cradle of Indian
Temple architecture.

5. Virupaksha temple at Pattadakal

6. Telugu literature developed during this period.

The Virupaksha temple

 Lokamahadevi built this temple and she was the queen of Vikramaditya II.

 In front of the Hall of the Priests or Antarala there is a pillared Mandapam or a meeting place for
the people.

 The Virupaksha temple is built on the model of the Kailasanatha temple at Kancheepuram.

The Rashtrakutas (8th-10th century A.D.)

The Hoysalas of Dwarasamudra (11th -14th Century A.D.)

Vinayaditya (1006 -1022 A.D.)

 Vinayaditya carved out a trivial territory of Mysore with Sosavir as capital and ruled over it.

Vishnuvardhana (1108–1152 A.D.)

 He was the first distinguished ruler of Vinayaditya’s family.

 He shifted his capital to Dwarasamudra.

 He captured Gangavadi from Kulothunga Chola and Gangavadi served as a buffer state between
the Chalukyas and the Chola Empire.

Vira Ballala – II (1173-1220 A.D.)

 Vira Ballala – II the next important ruler of the dynasty.

 He defeated Billama V of Yadava Dynasty.

 He detained the independence of the Hoysalas.

Narasimhan-II (1220-1235 A.D.)

 Narasimhan-II lost the territory between Krishna and Tungabhadra to a Yadava ruler, Singhana.

 He defeated Maravarman Sundara Pandya

 Restored Rajaraja-III to the Chola throne.

 He erected the pillar of victory at Rameshwaram.

Ballala III (1291-1342 A.D)

  Ballala III was the last great ruler of this dynasty.

 In 1310A.D. he was defeated by Malik Kafur.

 In 1342 A.D. he fell victim to the Sultans of Madurai.

Ballala IV

 His son Ballala IV continued his struggle with the Muslims.

 With his death the Hoysala Kingdom came to end.

Contributions

 The Hoysalas paved the way for the rise of Mysore into a big Kingdom.

 They were great patrons of art, architecture and literature.

 The Hoysalas encouraged Kannada literature.

The Kakatiyas of Warangal (12th -14th Century A.D.)

Prola-II (1110 -1158 A.D.)

 The Kakatiya ruler captured the territory between the Krishna and the Godavari from the
Chalukyas and ruled over it with Hanumakonda as his capital.

Prataparudra-I (1158-1196.A.D.)

 He was son of Prola II shifted the capital to Warangal.

Ganapathi (1199-1261. A.D.)

 He was the next remarkable ruler of this dynasty.

 He captured territories up to Kanchi from the Cholas.

 He invaded Kalinga and Western Andhra.

(Rudrambha) (1261 -1291 .A.D.)

 She was the daughter of Ganapati.

 She abdicated the throne in favour of her grandson Prataparudhra-II

Prataparudhra-II (1291-1326 A.D.)

 Malik Kafur invaded Warangal in 1309 A.D, during his rule.

 Prataprudra – II paid Malik Kafur an immense treasure in return.

Ulugh Khan
  Ulugh Khan, the son of Ghiasud-din Tughluq captured Warangal in 1323 A.D. and sent
Prataparudra II to Delhi

 His successors continued their struggle with the rulers of the Tughluq dynasty

Vinayakadeva

 He is the last nominal ruler of this dynasty.

 He was sentenced to death by Muhammad Shah I.

KOHINOOR (the famous diamond belonged to Kakatiyas)

 KOHINOOR unearthed in Kollur on the banks of the Krishna River belonged to the Kakatiyas.

Contributions

1. The Kakatiyas encouraged literature, art and architecture.

2. The thousand Pillar temple at Hanumakonda was built during their period and stands as an
everlasting contribution.

The Yadavas of Devagiri (850–1334 A.D.)

 The Yadavas of Devagiri claimed their descent from the epic hero Lord Krishna.

 They were known as Sevunas because they ruled over Sevuna, the region from Nasik to Devagiri
(Daulatabad).

Bhillama V (1 1 75-11 90 A.D.)

 The Yadava ruler took advantage of the declining power of the Later Western Chalukyas of
Kalyani and rose to power.

 He defeated Someswara-IV and declared his independence.

 He came into conflict with Vira Balalla-II (1173-1220A.D.), a Hoysala ruler.

 He lost his life in the battle of Lakkundi.

Jaitrapala (1191-1210 A.D.)

 He was son of Bhillama V

 He defeated Kalachuris, Gurjaras and Kakatiyas.

Singhana (1210-1247A.D.)

 He was son of Jaitrapala.

 He was the most distinguished ruler of this dynasty.

 He defeated Mahadeva, a Kakatiya ruler.

  He also defeated Vira Ballala-II, the Hoysala ruler and expanded his dominion beyond the River
Krishna.

 He invaded Gujarat many times and captured Kolhapur which belonged to Silhara dynasty.

Krishna (1247-1260 A. D)

 Krishna was grandson of Singhana and succeeded him.

Mahadeva (1260-1271 A.D)

 He was brother Krishna.

 He captured North Konkan and ended the Silhara dynasty.

Ramachandra Deva (1271-1 309 A.D.)

 He was the last great ruler of this dynasty.

 Ala-ud-din-Khilji defeated him and made him as a vassal of the Delhi Sultanate.

Sankara Deva (1309 – 1312 A.D.)

 He was the son and successor of Ramachandra Deva

 Malik Kafur defeated and killed him in 1312 A.D.

o Harapala, brother-in-law of Sankara Deva raised the flag against the Khiljis.

o Mubarak, son of Ala-ud-din Khilji defeated and killed Harapala.

Thus the Yadava dynasty came to an end.

Contribution of the Yadavas

Devagiri fort

1. Built during the reign of the Yadavas.

2. It was one of the strongest forts in India.

3. The Juma Masjid and Chand Minar was added by the Delhi Sultans later.

End of the Deccan Kingdoms

 The attacks on the Deccan Kingdoms by the Sultans of Delhi ever since the rule of Ala-uddin
Khilji led to their decline.
NCERT Notes for UPSC Exams: Rashtrakutas (755 – 975 AD)

May 31, 2017

Rashtrakuta Dynasty

Origin

 The Rashtrakutas considered themselves descendants of Satyaki.

 Historians differ on the question of their origins.

 It is evident from a few Chalukya kings’ inscriptions that they were vassals of the Chalukyas.

 Rashtrakutas were of Kannada origin and their mother tongue was Kannada.

The Rashtrakuta Empire

The Rashtrakuta Emperors

Rashtrakuta
Emperors (753-
982)

(735
Dantidurga –
756)
 (756
Krishna I –
774)

(774
Govinda II –
780)

(780
Dhruva
–
Dharavarsha
793)

(793
Govinda III –
814)

(814
Amoghavarsha –
878)

(878
Krishna II –
914)

(914
Indra III -
929)

(929
Amoghavarsha
–
II
930)

(930
Govinda IV –
936)

(936
Amoghavarsha
–
III
939)

(939
Krishna III –
967)
 (967
Khottiga
–
Amoghavarsha
972)

(972
Karka II –
973)

(973
Indra IV –
982)

Founder

Dantivarman or Dantidurga (735 - 756)

Dantivarman or Dantidurga (735 – 756) was the founder of the Rashtrakutas dynasty.

Dantidurga occupied all territories between the Godavari and Vima.

He is said to have conquered Kalinga, Kosala, Kanchi, Srisril, Malava, Lata etc. and occupied Maharashtra
by defeating Chalukya King Kirtivarma.

Rulers

Krishna I (756 - 774)

 Krishna I succeeded Dantidurga.

 He conquered the territories that were still under the Chalukyas

 He also occupied Konkan.

 Krishna I also defeated Vishnuvardhana of Vengi and the Ganga king of Mysore.

 He was a great patron of art and architecture.

 The Kailash Temple at Ellora was built by the Rashtrakuta King Krishna I.

Govinda II (774 - 780

 Govinda II son of Krishna I succeeded.

Dhruva (780 - 793)

 He defeated Gurjara-Pratihara King Vatsyaraja, the Pallavas of Kanchi and the Pala King
Dharmapala of Bengal.

Govinda III (793 - 814)

  Dhruva son of Govinda III succeeded the throne.

 He defeated the great Gurjara King Nagabhatta II.

 Pala King Dharmapala and his protégé Charayudh sought the help of Govinda III.

 His kingdom spread up to the Vindhyas and Malava in the north and the river Tungabhadra to
the south.

Amoghavarsha I (814- 878 A.D.)

 The greatest king of the Rashtrakuta dynasty was Amoghavarsha I son of Govinda III.

 Amoghavarsha I set up a new capital at Manyakheta (now Malkhed in Karnataka State) and
Broach became the best port of the kingdom during his reign

 Amoghavarsha I was a great patron of education and literature.

 Amoghavarsha was converted into Jainism by Jinasena, a Jaina monk.

 Suleman, an Arab merchant, in his account called Amoghavarsha I as one of the four greatest
kings of the world, the other three being the Caliph of Bagdad, the king of Constantinople and
the emperor of China.

 Amoghavarsha ruled for 63 years.

Krishna II (878 - 914)

 Son of Amoghavarsha, succeeded the throne.

Indra III (914 -929)

 Indra III was a powerful king.

 He defeated and deposed Mahipala

Krishna III (939 – 967)

 The last powerful and efficient king of the Rashtrakutas.

 He also succeeded in conquering Tanjore and Kanchi.

 He succeeded in defeating the Tamil kings of Chola kingdom.

Karka (972 – 973)

 The Rashtrakuta King Karka was defeated and deposed by Taila or Tailapa, the Chalukya king of
Kalyani.

Rasjtrakutas Administration

 divided rashtras (provinces) -contolled by rashtrapatis

 Rashtras divided into vishayas or districts governed by vishayapatis

  subdivision was bhukti consisting of 50 to 70 villages under the controlof bhogapatis

Village headmen carried on village administration.

Village assemblies played a significant role in the village administration.

Literature under Rashtrakutas

 Rashtrakutas widely patronized the Sanskrit literature.

 Trivikrama wrote Halayudha composed Kavirahasya during the reign of Krishna III.

 Jinasena composed Parsvabhudaya, a biography of Parsva in verses.

 Gunabhadra wrote the Adipurana, the life stories of various Jain saints.

 Sakatayana wrote Amogavritti a grammar work.

 Viracharya – a Great mathematician of this period wrote Ganitasaram.

 During the period of the Rashtrakutas the Kannada literature saw its beginning.

 Kavirajamargacomposed by Amogavarsha’s was the first poetic work in Kannada language.

 Pampa was the greatest of the Kannada poets and Vikramasenavijaya is his famous work.

 Santipurana was another great work wrote by Ponna another famous Kannada poet.

Rashtrakutas Art and Architecture

Art and Architecture

 The art and architecture of the Rashtrakutas can be found at Ellora and Elephanta.

 The most remarkable temple Kailasanatha temple at Ellora was built by Krishna.

Kailasanatha Temple

 The temple is carved out of a massive block of rock measuring 200 feet long, and 100 feet in
breadth and height.

 The central face of the plinth has imposing figures of elephants and lions which gives an
impression that the entire structure rests on their back

 It has three-tiered sikhara or tower which resembles the sikhara of the Mamallapuram rathas

 There is a pillared hall with 16 square pillars in the interior of the temple

 A sculpture of the Goddess Durga is engraved as slaying the Buffalo demon.

 In the interior of the temple there is a pillared hall which has sixteen square pillars.

 The sculpture of the Goddess Durga is shown as slaying the Buffalo demon.
  In another sculpture Ravana was making attempts to lift Mount Kailasa, the abode of Siva.

Elephanta

 Originally called as Sripuri, Elephanta is an island near Bombay.

 The Portuguese named it as Elephanta after seeing the huge figure of an elephant.

 The sculptures in Ellora and Elephanta has close similarities

 There are huge figures of dwara-palakas at the entrance to the sanctum.

 Trimurthi is the most magnificent figure of this temple. The sculpture is six metres high and said
to represent the three aspects of Shiva as Creator, Preserver and Destroyer.

Other facts of Rashtrakutas

 Vaishnavism and Saivism flourished during their period.

 Active commerce witnessed between the Deccan and the Arabs.

 They stimulated the Arab trade by maintaining friendship with them.

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Arab and Turkish Invasions

August 23, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Arab and Turkish Invasions for UPSC Exam Preparation

Arab and Turkish invasions in India are an important part of medieval Indian history for the UPSC civil
services exam. Given below is a gist of the important aspects of the Arab and Turkish invasions of India
for the IAS exam preparation.

Arab and Turkish Invasions

Prophet Muhammad (570-632 A.D)

 He is the founder of Islam.

 He grew up in the deserts of Arabia.

 His first converts were the Arabs.

 Sind and Multan were conquered by the Arabs by 712 A.D.

Arab Invasion in India

Muhammad-bin-Qasim

 Al-Hajjajj, the Governor of Iraq sent Muhammad-bin-Qasim to India

 He Conquered Sind with the permission of Caliph Walid

Battle of Rewar

 Fought between Muhammad-bin-Qasim and Dahir the ruler of Sind

 Dahir was defeated. Sind and Multan was captured.

 Muhammad-bin-Qasim called Multan as ‘The City of Gold’

Administrative System

 Sind and Multan were divided into number of Iqtas or districts by Muhammad-bin-Qasim and
Arab military officers headed the Iqtas.

 The sub-divisions of the districts were administered by the local Hindu Officers.

 Jizya was imposed on non-Muslims.

Muhammad-bin-Qasim’s Army

 25,000 troops with 6000 Camels, 6000 Syrian horses, 3000 Bactrian Camels and an artillery force
with 2000 men, advanced guards, and five catapults.

End of Muhammad-bin-Qasim

 Caliph Walid was succeeded by Caliph Sulaiman.

  He was an enemy of Al-Hajjaj, the Governor of Iraq.

 Muharrimad-bin Qasim was the son-in-law of Al-Hajjaj, so he dismissed him and sent to
Mesopotamia as a prisoner where he was tortured to death.

 For more than 150 years, Sind and Multan continued to remain as the part of the Caliph’s
Empire.

Effects of Arab Conquest

 The subjugation of Sind made way for Islam into India.

 The art of administration, astronomy, music, painting, medicine and architecture were learnt by
Arabs from our land and they spread astronomy, Indian Philosophy, and numerals to Europe.

The Turkish Invasion in India

 In the 8th and 9th centuries, the Turks dominated the Caliphs of Baghdad

 They extended their dominion beyond Sind and Multan into India and finished the work begun
by the Arabs.

Rani Bai’s heroic defence

 The wife of Dahir and the other women of Sind put up a heroic defence within the Fort of
Rewar.

Indian Impact

Brahma Siddhanta

 Brahma Siddhanta a Sanskrit work of Brahma Gupta was translated into Arabic in which the
names of Indian Scientists like Sindbad, Bhala, Manaka are mentioned.

 In a hospital at Baghdad, Dhana was appointed as a chief Medical officer.

 A serious disease of Caliph Harun-al-Rashid Manaka, a physician cured.

Mahmud of Ghazni (971 to 1030)

 In 1000 A.D. Mahmud of Ghazni invaded India

 He was the first Turkish to invade India.

 He returned to Ghazna with enormous wealth after defeating

o Jaipala, the ruler of Hindu Shahi Dynasty

o Fateh Daud of Multan

o Anandpala of Nagarkot

o the Chandelas, the rulers of Mathura

 o Kanauj, and Gwalior.

 Mahmud’s significant invasion in Hindustan was against the Somnath temple in 1025 A.D.,
located on the coast of Kathiawar and Raja Bhima Dev the ruler of Kathiawar and his followers
escaped from the place.

Mahmud of Ghazni’s Character Estimation

 Mahmud of Ghazni was one of the greatest Muslim rulers of Asia.

 He patronised art and letters and scholars like Firdausi and Alberuni.

End of Ghazni’s rule in India

 Ghazni’s rule declined by 1186 A.D. and the Mahmud of Ghori grew up.

Muhammad of Ghori (1149 – 1206)

 He was the third Muslim ruler who invaded India.

 He became the ruler of Ghori.

Muhammad of Ghori invasions

 He first invaded India in 1176 A.D.

First Battle of Tarain (1191 A.D.)

 He seized the fortress of Bhatinda in 1189 A.D. and then progressed into the kingdom of
Prithviraj Chauhan.

 Muhammad of Ghori was defeated by Prithviraj in the first Battle of Tarain in 1191 A.D. and
recovered Bhatinda.

Second Battle of Tarain (1192 A.D.)

 In the second battle of Train, the joined forces of the Rajput rulers under Prithviraj were
defeated by Muhammad of Ghori.

 Prithviraj was held as a prisoner and later put to death.

 The Turkish rule began for the first time in Indian history with end The Second Battle of Tarain.

 Qutb-ud-din Aibak was appointed as the commander by Muhammad of Ghori

Rajput Uprisings

 There were many Rajput mutinies between 1193 and 1198 A.D.

 Qutb-ud-din-Aibak defeated them and brought many regions under his control.

 Muhammad of Ghori made Delhi as the capital.

Battle of Chandwar (1194 A.D.)

 Muhammad of Ghori defeated Jaichandra, the greatest Rajput ruler of Kanauj and killed him in
the battle.

Conquest of Bengal and Bihar

 Muhammad-bin-Baktiyar Khilji, one of the commanders of Muhammad of Ghori destroyed

Vikramasila in 1202 and Nalanda Universities in 1203A.D.

Death of Muhammad of Ghori

 He was assassinated on 25th March 1206 A.D. in Central Asia by some Shia rebels and Khokhars.

 He is considered to be the real founder of the Turkish Empire in India because of his various
invasions and subjugations of the Rajput territories in North India.
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi

August 24, 2017

This article talks about the Delhi sultanate notes for IAS exam. Get to know the important dynasties, the
major rulers and their founding date, etc.

Sultanate of Delhi

The period from 1206 A.D. to 1526 A.D. came to be known as the Sultanate period. This period
witnessed many dynasties and various rulers.

Some of the major dynasties and rulers this period witnessed are listed below.

Sl. No. Dynasty Name

1 Slave (Ghulam) or Mamluk Dynasty

2 Khilji Dynasty

3 Tughluq dynasty

4 Sayyid Dynasty

5 Lodi dynasty

Slave (Ghulam) or Mamluk Dynasty

Ruler Period Events

(1206–
Qutb-ud-din Aibak Founder of Mamluk Dynast and Slave of Muhammad Ghori
1210)

(1210–
Aram Shah Eldest son of Qutb-ud-din Aibak
1211)

Shams-ud-din (1211–
Son-in-law of Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Iltutmish 1236)

Rukn ud din Firoz (1236) Son of Iltutmish

(1236–
Razia Sultana Daughter of Iltutmish and Grand Daughter of Qutb-ud-din Aibak.
1240)

(1240–
Muizuddin Bahram Son of Iltutmish
1242)

(1242–
Alauddin Masud Son of Rukn-ud-din Firoz
1246)
Nasiruddin (1246–
Razia’s Brother who had died in 1229)
Mahmud 1266)

Ghiyas-ud-din (1266– Father-in-law of Nashiruddin mahmud and the most powerful ruler of
Balban 1286) the Slave Dynasty

Muiz ud din (1287–

Grandson of Ghiyasuddin Balban
Qaiqabad 1290)

Kayumars 1290 Son of Muiz-ud-din Qaiqabad

Khilji Dynasty

Rulers Period Events

1290–
Jalal- ud- din Firoz Khilji Founder of the Khilji Dynasty and son of Qaim Khan
1296

1296– Jalal ud din Firoz Khilji’s Nephew and the most powerful ruler of
Ala-ud-din Khilji
1316 Khilji period

Qutb ud din Mubarak 1316–

Son of Alauddin Kilji
Shah 1320

Tughluq Dynasty

Rulers Period Events

Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq 1321–1325

Muhammad binTughluq 1325–1351 Also called as Muhammad Shah II

Mahmud Ibn Muhammad 1351 (March)

Firuz Shah Tughlaq 1351–1388 Cousin of Muhammad bin Tughlaq

Ghiyas-ud-Din Tughluq II 1388–1389

Abu Bakr Shah 1389–1390

Nasir ud din Muhammad Shah III 1390–1393

Ala ud-din Sikandar Shah I 1393

Mahmud Nasir ud din 1393–1394 Also called as Sultan Mahmud II

Nasir-ud-din Nusrat Shah Tughluq 1394–1399 Grandson of Firuz Shah Tughlaq

Nasir ud din Mahmud 1399–1412 Son of Mahmud Nasir-ud- din

Sayyid Dynasty

Rulers Period

Khizr Khan 1414–1421

Mubarak Shah 1421–1434

Muhammad Shah 1434–1445

Alam Shah 1445–1451

Lodi Dynasty

Rulers Period Important points

1451–
Bahlul Lodi Founder of the Lodi Dynasty
1489

Sikander 1489–
Most prominent ruler of the Lodi Dynasty, founded Agra city
Lodi 1517

1517– Defeated by Babur in the First battle of Panipat (in 1526) and thus ended the
Ibrahim Lodi
1526 Delhi Sultanate
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Mamaluk Dynasty

August 25, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanates of Delhi – Mamaluk Dynasty for UPSC IAS Exam Preparation

Delhi Sultanate – Mamluk Dynasty Timeline

Mamaluk Dynasty

Qutb-ud-din-Aibak (1206-1210A.D.)

 Muhammad of Ghori appointed Qutb-ud-din Aibak as his commander and his rule marked the
emergence of Mamaluk rule.

 In Quranic term Mamaluk means slave.

 He rose into power on 24th June 1206 A.D.

 He is the founder of the Mamaluk Dynasty.

His Achievements

 He prevented Ala-ud-din Muhammad, the Shah of Khwarizm from occupying Ghazni and Delhi.

 He prevented the Rajputs from recovering their territories.

 He defeated Ali Mardan Khan of Bengal, Qubacha and Yalduz.

 Quwat-ul-lslam mosque at Ajmer was built by Qutb-ud-din Aibak.

 He also built Dhai Dinka Jhonpara mosque at Delhi.

 He began the construction of Qutb Minar at Delhi.

 He also patronized Hassan Nizami and Fakhre Mudir.

 He was also known as Lakh Bash (Giver of Lakhs) for his generosity.

Iltutmish (1211 -1236 A.D.)

 He was born in the Illbari tribe of Central Asia.

 He was sold as slave to Qutb-ud-din-Aibak and later become son-in-law of Aibak.

 He killed Aram Shah, the son of Aibak and became king in 1211A.D.

 He built the Turkish Kingdom in North India.

Conquests of Iltutmish

 Iltutmish defeated Yalduz and put him to death.

 He captured Bhakkar and brough Bengal under his control.

 He put down the revolt of the the Khilji Maliks of Bengal in 1230 A.D.
  He declined to give shelter to Jalal-ud-din Mangabarni, the Shah of Khwarizm

 Iltutmish recaptured Ranthambore and Mandor and also Udai Singh.

 Iltutmish re-established his power over Badaun, Kanauj, Benaras and Katchar-the doab region
between the Ganga and the Yamuna

 Qutb Minar was built in honour of Sufi Saint Khwaja Qutb-ud-din Baktiyar Kaki

 Iltutmish completed the construction of Qutub Minar (which was started by Aibak)

End of Iltutmish

 He nominated his daughter Raziah as his successor before his death.

Administration

 Iltutmish set up Iqtas under Iqtadars.

 Iltutmish army was maintained by Chahalgan or ‘A Corps of Forty’.

 He was the first Turkish ruler to introduce Arabic coinage.

Coins of Iltutmish

 Tanka – silver coin, weighed 175 mgs and had an Arabic inscription on it.

 Jital – Copper coin and it was introduced by Iltutmish.

Sultana Raziah (1236-1240 A.D.)

 Raziah was the first woman ruler of Sultanate period.

 She defeated and killed Firoz Shah who ascended the throne after the death of Iltutmish.

 She successfully restored the prestige of the Turkish Kingdom in India.

 Her rule ended in 1240A.D. because of a conspiracy by the Turkish nobles.

 The successors of Raziah were weak and hence Balban rose to power in 1265A.D.

Successors of Raziah

 Bahram Shah 1240-1242A.D

 Alaud-din Masid 1242-1246A.D

 Nasir-ud-din Mahmud 1246 -1264A.D.

Balban 1265-1 287A.D.

 Balban, an llbari Turk became the ruler in 1265A.D.

 He believed in the Divine Right Theory of Kingship.

 He introduced Poibos- a form of salutation to the king by kissing his feet in the court.
  According to Lanepoole, “Balban, a slave, water carrier, huntsman, general, statesman and
Sultan-is one of the most striking figures among the notable men in the long line of Kings of
Delhi”.

Internal policies

 Balban curtailed and destroyed the ‘Corps of Forty’

 He introduced a well organized spy system.

 A separate military department called Diwan-i-arz was established.

 Many military posts were set up at Bhojapur, Patiali, Kampil and Jalali

Divine right Theory

 The ruler was considered as a representative of God on earth.

 Balban suppressed Tughril Khan, who declared his independence and recovered Bengal.

 Balban was a great patron of learning

 He patronized Amir Khusrau who is called as the ‘Parrot of India’ and Amir Hasan.

End of Balban

 He was shocked when his son Mahmud was killed during an encounter with the Mongols.

 He died in 1287A.D.

End of the Mamaluk Dynasty

 Kaiqubad, grandson of Balban succeeded him who was incompetent.

 Kayumar, the infant son of Kaiqubad was made as the ruler and Jalal-ud-din Khilji became the
regent of the infant king.

 Later he became the ruler of Delhi by killing Kaiqubad and Kayumar.

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Khilji Dynasty

August 26, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanates of Delhi – Khilji Dynasty for UPSC IAS Exam Preparation

KHILJI DYNASTY

Jalaluddin Khilji

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

 He was the founder of Khilji Dynasty.

 He was also called as “Clemency Jalal-uddin” as he followed peace and wanted to rule without
violence.

Domestic Policies of Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji

 He suppressed Malik Chhajju’s revolt at Kara

 He appointed Ala-ud-din Khilji as the Governor of Kara. Alauddin was his son-in-law and also
nephew.

Mongol Invasion

 In 1292 A.D. Jalal-ud-din defeated the Mongols who had come up to Sunam.

End of Jalal-ud-din

 Jalal-ud-din was treacherously murdered by Ala-ud-din Khilji his son-in-law.

 Jalal-ud-din’s policy of peace was not liked by many.

Alauddin Khilji

Ala-ud-din Khilji (1296-1316 A.D.)

 In 1296 A.D. Ala-ud-din Khilji succeeded Jalal-ud-din Firoz Khilji and ascended the throne.

Ala-ud-din Khilji Invasions in the North

 Ala-ud-din Khiliji’s generals namely, Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan conquered Gujarat.

 He captured Ranthambore and killed Hamir Deva its ruler.

 He also captured Malwa, Chittor, Dhar, Mandu, Ujjain, Marwar, Chanderi and Jalor.

Ala-ud-din Khilji Invasions in the South

 He was the first Sultan who attacked South India.

 He sent his confidante and general Malik Kafur against the rulers of the south.

 Prataprudra-II of Warangal, Ramachandra Deva, the Yadava king of Devagiri, and Vira Ballala-III
the Hoysala king were defeated.
  He constructed a mosque in Rameswaram.

 The kingdoms of the south acknowledged the power of Alauddin Khilji and paid his monetary
tributes.

The Mongol Invasion

 Ala-ud-din successfully resisted the Mongol invasion more than 12 times.

Domestic Policies of Alauddin Khilji

 Ala-ud-din followed the Divine Right Theory of Kingship.

 He introduced four ordinances to prevent repeated revolts.

 He impounded pious grants and free grants of lands

 He restructured the spy system.

 He banned social parties and wine.

 He introduced a permanent standing army.

 He started the system of branding of horses and descriptive roster of individual soldiers to
inhibit corruption.

 He fixed the prices of necessary commodities which were below the normal market rates.

 He strictly prohibited black marketing.

 Revenue was collected in cash and not in kind.

 He followed discriminatory policies towards the Hindus and imposed the Jizya, a grazing tax and
a house tax on the Hindu community.

Marketing System

 Officers called Diwan-i-riyasat were appointed in the offices called Shahana-i-mandi to

standardize the market.

 Merchants should have to register themselves in the office (Shahana-i-mandi) before selling
their goods at the fixed rates.

Ala-ud-din-Khilji’s Estimate

 He was the first to bring the standing army system.

 He constructed Alai Darwaza, the Palace of a thousand pillars and the Fort of Siri.

Successors after Ala-ud-din-Khilji

 Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah (1316-1320 A.D.)

 Nasir-ud-din Khusrav Shah (1320A.D.)

His successors were weak.

End of the Dynasty

 Ala-ud-din Khilji died in 1316 A.D.

 Successors of Ala-ud-din-Khilji were weak rulers.

 Eventually, in 1320 A.D. the Governor of Punjab Ghazi Malik led a group of nobles, conquered
Delhi and captured the throne.

 Ghazi Malik assumed the name ‘Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq’ at Delhi and founded the Tughluq
Dynasty, a dynasty of rulers.
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Tughluq Dynasty

August 29, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Tughluq Dynasty for UPSC IAS Exam Preparation
and CBSE.

Tughluq Dynasty

Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq or Ghazi Malik (1320 - 1325 A.D.)

 Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq or Ghazi Malik was the founder of the Tughluq dynasty.

 He is from a humble origin.

Domestic and Foreign Policies

 Ghiyas-ud-din reinstated order in his empire.

 He gave more importance to postal arrangements, judicial, irrigation, agriculture, and police.

 In 1320A.D. he ascended the throne

 He brought Bengal, Utkala or Orissa, and Warangal under his control

 The Mongol leaders who invaded North India were seized and confined by him.

End of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq rule

 In 1325 A.D. Ghiyas-ud-din was crushed to death while attending an event for his victories in
Bengal.

 Junakhan, the crown prince succeeded him.

Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq (1325-1361A.D.)

 In 1325 A.D. Junakhan, the crown prince sworn the title Muhammad-bin-Tughluq.

 Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq stood upright for administrative and political unity of India.

 In 1327 A.D. he captured Warangal.

Domestic Policies

 To fill the empty treasury, he raised taxes in the Doab region.

 Many people ran away to the forests to avoid heavy taxes due to which cultivation was
neglected and severe food shortage occurred.

 He shifted his capital from Delhi to Devagiri to protect his capital and ordered the common
people and government officials to shift to Devagiri, after many difficulties he ordered them to
return to Delhi.

 He introduced the copper currency system.

  The value of coins dropped; hence he had to withdraw the copper token currency.

 To conquer Khurasan , Iraq, and Tranoxiana he raised an army of 3, 70,000 men.

 Mohammed-bin-Tughluq’s national treasure had a great burden due to the policy of huge
presents given to Tamashirin, the Mongol leader in order to avoid Mongol Invasion.

 Mohammed-bin-Tughluq’s domestic policies were good but due to the out of action measures
they failed.

 The decline of the Delhi Sultanate is claimed due to his makings of hasty decisions and out
defective rules.

Firoz Tughluq (1 351-1 388 A.D.)

 In 1351A.D. Firoz Tughluq was the son of of Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq’s younger brother.

 He succeeded the throne.

Administrative Reforms

 He withdrew all Taquavi (agricultural) loans granted by Mohammed-bin-Tughluq.

 He raised the salary of the revenue officers.

 He brought to an end to all unlawful and unjust taxes.

 He collected four important taxes such as

1. Kharaj- 1/10 of the produce of the land

2. Khams- 1/5 of the warbooty

3. Jizya-Poll Tax

4. Zakat-Tax on Muslims for specific religious purposes

 He constructed 150 wells, 100 bridges, and 50 dams, and also dug many irrigation canals.

 He constructed towns like Firozabad Hissar, Jaunpur, and Fatehabad.

 Firoz banned all kinds of damages and torture.

 He levied Jizya on the Brahmans.

 He established hospitals (Dar-ul-shafa), Marriage Bureau, (Diwani-i-kherat) and an Employment

Bureau.

 He also extablished Diwan-i-lstibqaq to give financial aid to the poor.

Foreign Policy

 Firoz Tughluq surrounded Bengal in 1353 A.D. and 1359A.D.

 He seized Jainagar.
  He devastated the Jagannath Temple at Puri.

An Estimate

Firoz proved his prominence by

 His generous measures and contributions to the affluence of the people.

 Futuhat-i-Firoz Shahi is an autobiography of Firoz Tughluq.

 He patronized scholar Zia-ud-din Barani.

 During his reign a number of Sanskrit books on medicine, science and arts were translated into
Persian.

 Kutab- Feroz Shahi – a book which dealt with Physics

Later Tughluqs - successors of Firoz

 Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq Shah II

 Abu Bakr Shah,

 Nasir-ud-din Mohammed Tughluq

End of Tughlug Dynasty

 The successors of Firoz were not very strong and powerful.

 By the end of the 14th century, most of the territories became independent.

 Only Punjab and Delhi remained under the Tughluqs.

 Timur invasion took place during the Tughlug period.

Timur's Invasion (1398 A.D.)

 The fabulous wealth of Hindustan attracted Timur the ruler of Samarqand.

 During the period of Nasir-ud-din Mohammed Tughluq he invaded India.

 In 1398 A.D. Timur, he captured Delhi and caused annihilation by pillaging and slaughtering
people.
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties

August 30, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Sultanate of Delhi – Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties for UPSC IAS Exam
Preparation and also for CBSE students.

Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties

THE SAYYID DYNASTY (1414-1451 A.D.)

Khizr Khan (1414- 1421 A.D.)

 He was the founder of Sayyid Dynasty

 He did not swear any royal title.

 He was the Governor of Multan.

 He took advantage of the disordered situation in India after Timur’s invasion.

 In 1414 A.D. he occupied the throne of Delhi.

 He brought parts of Surat, Dilapur, and Punjab under his control.

 But he lost Bengal, Deccan, Gujarat, Jaunpur, Khandesh and Malwa.

 In 1421 he died.

 Mubarak Shah Khizr Khan’s son succeeded him.

Mubarak Shah (1421-1434A.D.)

 Mubarak Shah crushed the local chiefs of the Doab region and the Khokhars.

 He is first Sultan ruler to appoint Hindu nobles in the court of Delhi.

 He constructed “Mubarakbad” City on the banks of the river Jamuna.

 Muhammad Shah Mubarak’s nephew succeeded him.

Muhammad Shah (1434-1445 A.D.)

 He defeated the ruler of Malwa with the help of Bahlul Lodi the Governor of Lahore.

 He conferred Bahlul Lodi with the title Khan-i-Khanan for helping in defeating the ruler of
Malwa.

 Later Ala-ud-din Shah succeeded him.

Ala-ud-din Shah (1 445-1457 A.D.)

 He was a weak ruler.

  In 1457 A.D. Bahlul Lodi the Governor of Lahore captured Delhi and made Ala-ud-din Shah to
step down from the throne and sent him to Badaun.

 In 1478 A.D. Ala-ud-din Shah died in Badaun.

LODI DYNASTY (1451 to 1526)

Bahlul Lodi {1451 -1489 A, D.)

 Bahlul Lodi was the founder of Lodi Dynasty.

 The Lodi Dynasty is the last ruling dynasties of the Sultanate period.

 He was a wise statesman who knew his limits.

 He took various measures to gratify his nobles.

 He conquered Etawa, Gwalior, Mewat, Sakit, and Samthal.

 He died in 1489 A.D.

 Bahlul Lodi was a wise ruler, he never sat on the throne and he used to sit on the carpet in front
of the throne with his nobles to gain their recognition and support.

Sikandar Shahi (1489-1517 A.D.)

 Sikandar Shahi was the son of Bahlul Lodi.

 He swore the title Sikandar Shah and ascended the throne.

 He set up a well-organized spy system.

 He developed agriculture and industry.

 He was an orthodox Muslim.

 He put severe restrictions on the Hindus.

 Sikandar Shah enjoyed “Shehnai” Music.

 A work on music names “Lahjati-Sikandar Shahi” was created during his reign.

End of Lodi Dynasty (1517-1526 A.D.)

 Ibrahim Lodi succeeded Sikhandar Lodi.

 He was an intolerant and adamant ruler

 He had humiliated many nobles and killed some nobles cruelly.

 He also treated his son Dilwar Khan Lodi cruelly.

 Daulat Khan, the most powerful noble of Punjab, who was discontended with Ibrahim Lodhi,
invited Babur the ruler of Kabul to invade India.
 Babur invaded India and defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat in 1526 A. D
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Administration under the Delhi Sultanate

August 31, 2017

NCERT Notes: Medieval History – Administration under the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC IAS Exam
Preparation and also for CBSE students.

Administration of Delhi Sultanate

Administration under the Delhi Sultanate

 The Delhi Sultanate period extended from 1206 A.D. to 1526 A.D. for almost 320 years.

 The administration was based on Islamic laws (Sharia).

 A Theocratic and a Military State.

Ministers to Sultan

 Wazir – Prime Minister and Finance Minister

 Diwani-I-Risalt – Foreign Affairs Minister

 Sadr-us-Suddar – Minister of Islamic Law

 Diwan-I-lnsha – Correspondence Minister

 Diwan-I-Ariz – Defence or War Minister

 Qazi-ul-quzar – Minister of Justice

Central Administration

 The Sultan was the head of the empire.

 He possessed vast powers.

 Also other officials were appointed to take care of the administration.

Provincial Administration

 The empire was divided into a number of Iqtas.

 Iqtadars administered the Iqtas.

 Iqtas further were divided into smaller units called Parganas, Shiqqs, and the villages.

 Amil or Munsif – an important official of the Pargana.

Local Administration

 The village was the smallest unit of administration.

 The village administration was carried out by local hereditary officers and the Panchayats

 The Panchayat looked after education, sanitation, justice, revenue etc.

  The Central Government did not interfere in the village administration.

Revenue Administration under Delhi Sultanate

 Land revenue was the main source of income.

Judicial Administration

 The Sultan was the highest judicial authority.

 Qazi-ul-quzar – the Chief Judicial officer.

 A Quazi was appointed in every town.

 Criminals were punished severely.

Military Administration

 The Sultan was the Commander of the army

 The four divisions of the army were

1. The Royal army

2. Provincial or Governor’s army

3. Feudal army and

4. War Time army

Social life of the Sultanate period

The people in the society were divided based on their nationality and they are:

 Foreign Muslims

 Indian Muslims

 Hindus

Economic conditions of the people

 The people were mainly involved in agriculture and industry

 Textile industry was the primary industry.

 Paper Industry, metal work, pearl diving, ivory and sandal works, stone cutting, Sugar industry
were the other industries of this period.

Textiles

 Indian textiles were in great demand in foreign countries.

 Bengal and Gujarat were famous for their quality fabrics.

 Cotton, woollen and silk of different varieties were produced in large quantities.
  The clothes had gold, diamonds, pearls, silver and stone works.

Contributions of the Delhi Sultanate

Art and Architecture

 Delhi Sultans had a great taste for architecture.

 Architectures were a blend of Indian and Islamic styles.

The three well-developed styles were

1. Delhi or Imperial Style

2. Provincial Style

3. Hindu architectural style

Architecture during Mamaluk Period

 Qutubminar

 Quwat-ul-lslam mosque

 the tombs of Nasir-ud-din Muhammad

 Balban Siri the new town in Delhi

Architecture during Khilji Period

 Dargah of Hazrat Nizam – ud – din Aulia

 The Alai Darwaza

Architecture during Lodi Period

 The Lodi Garden

 Moti Masjid in New Delhi, and

 The tomb of Sikandar Lodi

Literature

The Sultanate of Delhi period witnessed some great scholars and some are:

 Alberuni

 Amir Khusrau

 Zia-ul-Barani
Many Sanskrit works were translated into Arabic and Urdu language originated during the Sultanate
period.

Scholars of sultanate period

Alberuni

 An Arabic and Persian Scholar patronized by Mahmud of Ghazni.

 He learnt Sanskrit and translated two Sanskrit works into Arabic.

 He was impressed by the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.

 In his work Tarikh-ul-Hind, he had mentioned the socio-economic conditions of India.

Amir Khusrau

 He was a great Persian poet.

 He is said to have written four lakh couplets.

 He was a great singer and was given the title ‘Parrot of India’.

Impact of Turkish Conquest

 The Turkish conquest of India had its impact on various fields.

 It paved way to a centralized political organization.

 It re-established relations with the rest of Asia and parts of Africa.

 A permanent army was established.

 Trade was established due to the uniform legal system, tariff regulations and currency.

 Persian became the court language and brought uniformity in the administration.

Disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate

 The disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate had begun during the Tughluq period.

 The invasion of Timur and the incompetent and intolerant nature of some of the Sayyid and Lodi
rulers led to the collapsing of the Delhi Sultanate.

 The rulers of the Vijayanagar and Bahmani Kingdom in the South were the first to break free
from Delhi.

 Other regions like Assam, Bengal, Khandesh, Gujarat, Jauripur, Kashmir, Multan, Malwa, Sind,
and Orissa also became independent.
 Babur ended the Lodi Dynasty by defeating Ibrahim Lodi in the first Battle of Panipat in 1526
A.D., which brought the downfall of the Delhi Sultanate in India.
NCERT Notes: Medieval History – The Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1 672 A.D.)

September 7, 2017

The Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1 672 A.D.)

By the end of the Sultanate Period, Multan and Bengal were the first territories to break away from the
Delhi and declared independent and many other territories in the Deccan region rose to power.

The Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1 672 A.D.)

 Harihara and Bukka is the founder the Vijayanagar City in 1336 A.D. on the southern banks of
Tungabhadra

 They made Hampi as the capital city.

 They served under Vira Ballala III, the Hoysala King

Vijayanagar Empire was ruled by four important dynasties and they are:

1. Sangama

2. Saluva

3. Tuluva

4. Aravidu

Harihara I

 In 1336 A.D. Harihara I became the ruler of Sangama Dynasty

 He captured Mysore and Madurai.

 In 1356 A.D. Bukka-I succeeded him

Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529 A.D.)

 Krishnadeva Raya of the Tuluva dynasty was the most famous king of the Vijayanagar Empire

 According to Domingo Paes a Portuguese traveller “Krishnadeva Raya was the most feared and
perfect king there could possibly be”.

Krishnadeva Raya‘s Conquests

 He conquered Sivasamudram in 1510A.D and Raichur in 1512A.D

 In 1523 A.D. he captured Orissa and Warangal

 His empire extended from the river Krishna in the north to River Cauvery in the south; Arabian
Sea in the west to Bay of Bengal in the east
His Contributions

 An able administrator.

 He built large tanks and canals for irrigation.

 He developed the naval power understanding the vital role of overseas trade.

 He maintained friendly relationship with the Portuguese and Arab traders.

 He increased the revenue of his government.

 He patronized art and architecture.

 It was during his period the Vijayanagar Empire reached its zenith of glory.

 Krishnadeva Raya was a great scholar.

 Ashtadiggajas: A group of eight scholars adorned his court and they were:

1. Allasani Peddanna – the author of Manucharitram, he was also known as Andhra

Kavitapitamaha

2. Nandi Thimmana – the author of Parijathapaharanam

3. Madayagari Mallana

4. Dhurjati

5. Ayyalaraju Ramabhadra Kavi

6. Pingali Surana

7. Ramaraja Bhushana

8. Tenali Ramakrishna

Battle of Talikota (1 565 A.D.)

 The successors of Krishnadeva Raya were weak

 The combined forces of Ahmednagar, Bijapur, Golconda and Bidar declared war on Vijayanagar
during the rule of Ramaraya

 Ramaraya was defeated. He and his people were killed mercilessly.

 Vijayanagar was pillaged and ruined.

The Glories of the Vijayanagar Empire

Administration

 Well-organized administrative system

 The king was head of all powers in the state.

  Council of Ministers – to assist the King in the work of administration.

 The Empire was divided into six Provinces.

 Naik – a Governor who administered each Province.

 The provinces were divided into districts and the districts were further divided into smaller units
namely villages.

 The village was administered by hereditary officers like accountants, watchmen, the
weightsmen, and officers in charge of forced labour.

 Mahanayakacharya: He is an officer and the contact point between the villages and the Central
administration.

The Army

 The army consisted of the infantry, cavalry and elephantry.

 The commander-in-chief was in charge of the army.

Revenue Administration

 Land revenue was the main source of income

 The land was carefully surveyed and taxes were collected based on the fertility of the soil.

 Major importance was given to agriculture and in building dams and canals.

Judicial Administration

 The king was the supreme judge.

 Severe punishments were given for the guilty.

 Those who violated the law were levied.

Position of Women

 Women occupied a high position and took an active part in political, social and literary life of the
empire.

 They were educated and trained in wrestling, in the use of various weapons of offence and
defence, in music and fine arts.

 Some women also received education of high order.

 Nuniz writes that the kings had women astrologers, clerks, accountants, guards and wrestlers.

Social life

 The society was systemized.

 Child marriage, polygamy and sati were prevalent.

  The kings allowed freedom of religion.

Economic conditions

 Controlled by their irrigational policies.

 Textiles, mining, metallurgy perfumery, and other several industries existed.

 They had commercial relations with, the islands in the Indian Ocean, Abyssinia, Arabia, Burma,
China, Persia, Portugal , South Africa, and The Malay Archipelago.

Contribution to Architecture and Literature

 The Hazara Ramasami temple and Vittalaswamy temple was built during this period

 The bronze image of Krishnadeva Raya is a masterpiece.

 Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada literature were developed.

 Sayana wrote commentaries on Vedas.

 Krishnadevaraya wrote Amuktamalyada in Telugu and Usha Parinayam and Jambavathi

Kalyanam in Sanskrit.

Decline of the Empire

 The rulers of the Aravidu dynasty were weak and incompetent.

 Many provincial governors became independent.

 The rulers of Bijapur and Golconda seized some areas of Vijayanagar.