Delhi Sultanate-

Khalji Dynasty
By – Chauhan Sir
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<Chauhan_Sir_History>
The Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320 CE)
• The Khalji or Khilji dynasty, a Muslim dynasty of
Turkish origin which ruled Delhi sultanate, covering a
large part of Indian subcontinent for nearly three
decades i.e from 1290 and 1320 CE.
• The Khiljis were subordinates of the sultan Ghiyas-
ud-din Balban, of the Mamluk Dynasty.
• The last major Turkish ruler, Balban, in his struggle
to maintain power over his subordinate Turkish
officers, destroyed the power of the Forty. This
indirectly damaged the Turkish integrity of the
nobility, which had opposed the power of the non-
Turks.
The Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320 CE)
• The destruction of the Forty left them vulnerable to
the Khilji and Indo-Muslim faction, which had been
strengthening due to the ever-growing number of
converts, to take power.
• One by one the Mamluk officers were murdered,
and the last ruler of the Turkish Mamluk dynasty,
the 17-year old Muiz-ud-din Qaiqabad - was killed in
the Kailu-gheri Palace during the illegal seizure
by Jalal-ud-din Firuz Khilji.
• The brief period of Khilji rule saw important changes
in the socio-economic and administrative structure
of the Delhi sultanate.
The Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320 CE)
• The most important consequences of the rise to
power was the broadening of the social base of the
ruling class.
• During the reign of Iltutmish, apart from the Turks,
his nobility also consisted of large group of Persian
speaking Tajiks.
• Tajisks were Iranians and held important posts
during the rule of Iltutmish.
• However they were largely eliminated after
the death of Iltutmish. The presence of
Abyssinian, Yaqut or Indian muslim, Raihan and the
Khiljis in the important position on the frontier was
an exception.
Jalal-ud-din Khilji (1290-1296 CE)
• Jalal-ud-din Fizur Khilji was the founder of Khilji
Sultanate and ruled the Delhi sultanate from 1290 to
1296.
• Jalaluddin succeeded in overcoming the opposition of
the Turkish nobles and ascended the throne of Delhi in
January 1290.
• During his six-year reign (1290–96), Balban's nephew
revolted due to his assumption of power and the
subsequent sidelining of nobility and commanders
serving the Mamluk dynasty.
• Jalal-ud-din repelled a Mongol force on the banks of
the Sind River in central India with the help of his
nephew Juna Khan.
Jalal-ud-din Khilji (1290-1296 CE)
• Jalal-ud-din Khilji allowed Mongols to settle in India
after their conversion to Islam these Mongols came
to be known as 'New Muslims'.
• Jalal-ud-din Khilji also captured Mandawar and
Jhain from the Chahamana king Hammira although
he failed to capture the capital Ranthambore.
• During his reign, his nephew Ali Gurshasp (Alauddin
Khilji) raided Bhilsa (currently in M.P and known as
Vidisha) in 1293 and Devagiri the capital of
the Yadava kingdom in the Deccan region of India in
1296.
Jalal-ud-din Khilji (1290-1296 CE)
• He was finally assassinated by Alauddin Khilji who
subsequently ascended the throne.
Mandawar
Jhain
 Bhilsa

Jhain
Devagiri
Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316 CE)
• Alauddin Khalji was the nephew and son-in-law of Jalal-
ud-din.
• He raided the Deccan peninsula and Deogiri - then the
capital of the state of Maharashtra, looting their
treasure. He returned to Delhi in 1296, murdered Jalal-
ud-din and assumed power as Sultan.
• He ruled for about 20 years from 1296 to 1316.
• He was a very ambitious king and a war monger. He took
up the title of 'Sikander-i-Sani' which means second
Alexander
• He expanded his Kingdom to a large area and conquered
Gujarat, Ranthambore , Mewar, Malva, Jalore,
Warangal and Madurai.
Deogiri
Territory controlled by Khilji- Dark green
Tributaries- Light green
Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316 CE)
• Alauddin Khalji also defeated Mongols many times
and won against them in the battles of Jalandhar
(1298), Kili (near Delhi) (1299), Amroha (in modren
U.P) (1305) and Ravi (1306).
• Alauddin's army chief, Malik Kafur, was the main
reason behind his success. Alauddin discovered
Malik Kafur during his conquest of Gujarat.
• In 1311, Alauddin ordered a massacre of Mongols in
the Delhi Sultanate wherein between 15,000 and
30,000 Mongol settlers, who had recently converted
to Islam, after he suspected them of plotting an
uprising against him.
• Alauddin Khilji died in December 1315.
Alauddin's Agrarian reforms
Bringing land under Khalisa-
The revenue-yielding land administered directly by
the imperial Revenue Department was
known as khalisa i.e not assigned to any of the nobles
as iqta.
• His main agrarian reform was to bring the villages in
closer association with government.
• The villages in the Ganga-Yamuna doab region were
also brought under khalisa establishing direct
relations with the cultivators.
Alauddin's Agrarian reforms
• Land assigned in charitable grants were
also confiscated and brought under khalisa.
• The land revenue (Kharaj) in the area was assessed
on the basis of measurement of the fields and
fixed at half of the produce.
• The historical account given by Ziauddin Barani's in
Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi about Delhi Sultans
from Balban To Firuz shah Tughlaq, does not tell
about the method and mode of the measurement of
the fields under Alauddin Khilji.
Alauddin's Agrarian reforms
• The bringing of Doab under Khalisa does not imply
that all intermediaries were removed.
• Since long there was a hierarchy of intermediaries in
the rural areas with the Rai, Rana, Rawat standing at
the top and were called as Chiefs.
• A chief sometimes controlled a considerable tract of
land which was divided and distributed to his clan
and other supporters for collecting land revenue
• At the village level the chief was called Chaudhari or
Muqaddam.
Alauddin's Agrarian reforms
• With the consolidation of Turkish sultans in the
Doab, the power and authority of Rais and Ranas
crumbled and some of them were even displaced.
• With the displacement of the Chiefs, a new set of
intermediaries came up and operated at pargana or
the district level.
• Barani had mentioned them as Khuts while Khusaru
has referred to them as the Zamindars for the first
time.
• The word zamindar became popular and was used
widely for all types of intermediaries.
Alauddin's Agrarian reforms
• Alauddins agrarian reforms was one of the main
reason for the displacement of the Chiefs- The Rais
or Ranas.
• However those chiefs who were able to pay a lump-
sum of money to the state as land revenue were not
brought under Khalisa.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
Centralised Administration-
• Aluddin Khilji, like Balban believed in the divine
theory of kinship. He believed that the King was the
representative of God on earth, sent to rule through
his administrative practice. His word was the law
and he was the absolute despot.
• He was the head of all the important offices of his
sultanate, i.e. Commander in chief of the army, head
off the executive, head of the judiciary and the sole
authority in enforcing religious matters. All the
powers of the state were centralised in him.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
Administartion free from the Ulemas-
• Ulemas were the guardians, transmitter and
interpreters of religious knowledge, Islamic doctrine
and law.
• Aluddin Khilji opposed the interference of the
Ulemas in the matters of state day by being different
from the previous sultans of Delhi.
• According to him the law was to depend upon the
will of the monarch and had nothing to do with the
law of the Prophet.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
Role of Ministers-
• Alauddin appointed a cabinet of 10 ministers to
assist him in running of the administration.
• The Sultan was in no way bound to their advice. He
was free to make his own decision and act on his
will.
• Next to the Sultan was the 'Wazir' who was a civil as
well as military officer.
• Among the ministers the 'Amir-Kohi' was in charge
of agriculture and 'Shahana-i-Mandi' and 'Dewan-i-
Riyat' looked after markets
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
Provincial Administration-
• The entire sultanate was divided into 11
provinces, each under the control of a governor
who enjoyed his position at the pleasure of the
Sultan.
Judicial Administration-
• Alauddin was a fierce and determined
administrator. He was the fountain of justice and a
final Court of Appeal.
• Next to him was Lord Chief Justice or 'Qazi-ul-
Qazat' followed by other junior officers.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
• The accused were given severe punishments.
Mutilation of limbs and torture were very common
during his reign.
System of Espionage-
• Alauddin had a very systematic and effective
system of espionage.
• According to Zia-ud-Din Barani, " no one could stir
without his knowledge and whatever happened in
the houses of the Maliks, Amirs, Officers and great
men was communicated to the Sultan.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
The Postal system-
• Alauddin Khilji established the first recorded dak
chowki and introduced a reformed postal system for
establishing a regular contact with various parts of
the empire.
• He organised a horse and foot runner service. The
postal department was called Mahakama-i-Barid.
• Dr. H.C Verma in his book 'Medieval routes in
India' wrote that Alauddin posted several horse men
and clerks in the news posts.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
• Ibn Batutah and barani in their work also mentions
about the Postal system which was in good
condition during his reign.
Curbing the Influence of Intermediaries-
• Alauddin tried to curb the privileges of the Khuts,
Muqaddams and Chaudharis in the areas brought
under Khalisa.
• According to Barani these sections of rural
aristrocracy were rich enough to ride Arabi and
Iraqi horses, wear weapons and fine clothes,
indulge in wine drinking and holding lively parties.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms

• The wealth of Khuts, Muqaddams and

Chaudharis was based on their holdings of the best
lands in the village.
• Taking the advantage of the system where the
village was assessed as a whole (known as Group
assessment), they would often pass on the burden
of their share of land revenue onto the shoulders of
the weak.
Alauddin's Administrative reforms
• Alauddin not only forced them to pay the grazing
and house taxes like the others but also through the
system of measurement ensured that they could not
pass on their burden of land revenue onto the shoulders
of the other.
• They were also deprived of the khuti charges for
collecting land revenue.
 Chauhan_Sir_History

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