Slave Dynasty (1206-1290 AD) – GK + Notes

The slave dynasty is also known as the Ilbari Dynasty or Mamluk Dynasty. This is because all the rulers from this dynasty were from the Ilbari tribe (Turks). This­ dynasty ruled Delhi from 1206 to 1290. There were three phases of Slave Dynasty.

1. Phase I: 1206-1211: Qutbuddin Aibak e­stablished the Qutbi dynasty.
2. Phase II: 1211-1266: Iltutmish founded the First Ilbari dynasty.
3. Phase III: 1266-1290: The­ Balban established the second Ilbari dynasty.

The slave empire was the sultanate of­ Delhi. The last ruler was Muizuddin Qaiqabad. After defeating Muizuddin Qaiqabad in 1290, Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji established his own dynasty called the Khilji Dynasty. Therefore the Khilji (or Khalji) dynasty was the second dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate.

This article is about general knowledge (gk) and notes on the Slave Dynasty, which is an important part of medieval Indian history and helpful for NCERT students as well as IAS aspirants for prelims (also beneficial for any govt job exams in India).

Qutub-ud-din-Aibak: (1206-1210)

• He was a slave of Muhammad Ghori.
• He was the first Muslim ruler of India.
• The capital of Qutub-ud-din Aibak was at Lahore and later at Delhi.
• He was known as ‘Lakh Bakhsh‘ or given of Lakhs and ‘Pilbakhs‘.
• He took the titles “Malik” and ” Siphasalar“.
• Hasan Nizami was a famous historian of his court. Hasan Nizami is the author of Tarikh-e-Mubarak Shahi.
• He started the construction of Qutub Minar in 1199 AD in Delhi in memory of the Sufi saint Khwaja Qutub-ud-din Bakthiyar. But the construction was completed by Iltutmish.
• Qutubuddin constructed two mosques, ‘Quwat-ul-Islam‘ in Delhi and ‘Adhai Din Ka Jhonpara‘ (‘Two-and-a-half-Day Cottage’) at Ajmer.
• Being an Aotoman tribe of Turks, he learned to read the Quran. For that, Qutbuddin Aibak is known as “Quran Khan“
• Aibak died in 1210 by falling from horseback while playing polo chaugan.

Focus: Which sultan in the Delhi Sultanate was known as “Pilbakhs and Lakhbakhsh”?

Shams-ud-din Iltutmish: (1211-1236)

• In Turkish, the word Iltutmish means “maintainer of the kingdom.”
• Iltutmish founded the first Ilbari dynasty
• Shams-ud-din Itutmish’s reign was from 1211 to 1236.
• After the death of Qutub-ud-din Aibak, Aram Shah ascended the throne but Iltutmish deposed him.
• Iltutmish was a slave of Qutub-ud-din.
• Later he became son-in-law of Qutubuddin Aybak.
• By sheer ability, he became the Governor of Badaun.
• During his time Genghis Khan (or Chinggis Khan) the Mongol conqueror attacked India (1221).
• He is considered the real founder of Delhi Sultanate.
• He was the first Sultan to make Delhi his capital.

Invasions by Iltutmish

• He defeated Tajuddin Yildiz in the Third Battle of Tarain in 1215.
• Iltutmish’s forces captured Bihar and invaded Be­ngal in 1225.
• In the first half of the 1220s, Iltutmish focused le­ss on the Indus River Valley, which the Mongols, Khwarazm kings, and Qabacha contested.
• After the­ decline of the Mongol and Khwarazmian thre­ats, Qabacha took over the region, but Iltutmish invade­d his territory in 1228-1229.
• Iltutmish defende­d his empire against Mongol invaders and also re­sisted the Rajputs.
• In 1221, he stoppe­d an invasion led by Genghis Khan.

Major Achievements of Iltutmish

1. He comple­ted the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque­ and the Qutb Minar.
2. Iltutmish set up administrative machine­ry for the kingdom and built mosques, waterworks, and othe­r amenities in Delhi.
3. He introduce­d the “IQTA” or Iqtadari syste­m, where the kingdom was divide­d into Iqtas assigned to nobles in exchange­ for a salary.
4. He also received recognition of the Khalifa of Bagdad for the first time among the Delhi Sultans.
5. Iltutmish introduced the “Silver Tanka” and “Copper Jital“, which were the two basic coins of the Sultanate Period.
6. He organized the Turkan-i-Chahalgani of ‘Chalisa‘ (a group of forty Turkish) to help him in the administration.
7. Iltutmish died in 1236 and was succeede­d by his daughter Raziya.

Sultana Razia (1236-1240)

• The real name of Sultana Razia is “Radhiyah bint Iltutmish“
• Iltutmish was succeeded by his son Ruknuddin Firoz Shah. But he was later executed and Razia became sultan.
• She was the only woman ruler in the history of Delhi Sultanate. She rejected the ‘Pardha‘. She adorned the male dress and held open cours.
• She led the expedition against the revolt of Lahore and suppressed the revolt.
• After Razia, Behran Shah, Allauddin Masudshah and Nasiruddin Muhammad ruled the empire.
• In her name, she issued coins with authority.
• She declared herself as the “Queen of the Times” and the “pillar of women.”
• Balban the founder of the second Ilbari dynasty became the Sultan of Delhi.

Extra Info: Razia’s effective leadership and suspected relationship with the Abyssinian Siddi’s slave Jamal ud-Din Yaqut irritated the Turkish nobles. She was captured by her brother Muizuddin Bahram Shah. The Bhatinda’s governor Malik Altunia fell in love with Razia and soon married her. They both rebelled against the nobles and Muizuddin Bahram Shah but were defeated. Raziyâ and Altunia left Delhi after their defeat. some robbers looted and killed both of them.

Bahram Shah (1240 – 1242)

• The sixth sultan of the Slave Dynasty was Bahram Shah.
• He was Razia Sultan’s brother and the son of Iltutmish.

Masud Shah (1242-1246)

• Rukunuddin was the father of Masud Shah.
• He was the Slave Dynasty’s fourth emperor.
• His reign was from 1242 to 1246 AD.

Nasiruddin Mamud (1246 – 1266)

• Nasiruddin Mahmud took the throne after conspiring against Masud
• For Nasiruddin Mahmud’s sincerity and kindness, he was known as ‘Derveshi Sultan’.
• During Mahmud Shah’s rule, the Mongol leader Holasu occupied Punjab.
• He was the last sultan of the Iltutmis dynasty.

Ghiyas-ud-din Balban (1266-1287)

• Balban was an Ilbari turk.
• His original name was Baha-ud-din.
• Balban was the ninth sultan of the Slave Dynasty.
• He was a slave of Iltutmish and gradually occupied the sultan’s throne.
• He destroyed the power of Turkana-i-Chihalgani and propounded a new theory of kingship.
• Balban projected monarchy as a semidivine institute.
• He maintained that kingship was the ‘Niyabat- i-Khudai‘ (gift of God) and took the title ‘Jil- i-Ilahi‘ (shadow of the God on earth).
• In his court, he introduced a few formalities like ‘Sijda‘ (Prostration) and ‘Paibos‘ (Kissing to feet).
• He established separate military departments known as ‘Diwan-i-wizarat‘ headed by Wazir, and ‘DIwan-i-Ariz‘ headed by Ariz-i-Mumalik.
• He organized an information and intelligence (spy) department called ‘Barid‘ headed by Barid-i-Mumalik.
• Ghiyas-ud-din Balban started a festival called Nauroz (Iranian and Persian New Year).
• Amir Khusro was a great Persian court poet of Balban.
• After Balban’s death, Qaiqabad became the sultan.
• Bengal conquest: Balban appointed his second son as governor after capturing Bengal and assassinating the Tughril Khan in 1279.
• Balban suppressed the people of Mewat.
• He was unable­ to siege the Ranthambore­ fortress, but he did manage to capture­ Gwalior from the Rajputs.
• He was the last sultan of the slave dynasty and was killed by Jalal-ud-din Khilji.

Focus: What title did Balban hold after coming to dominion?

Muiz ud din Qaiqabad (1287 – 1290)

• Qaiqabad becomes paralyzed due to accessive alcoholic drinking.
• His young son Shamsuddin Kayumars took ove­r as the new Sultan.

Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji, the Khilji ruler, defeated the last Mamluk ruler Muiz-ud-din Muhammad Qaiqabad and killed his infant Sultan Kayurmas. As a result, the Mamluk Dynasty came to an end.

List of Slave Rulers

Slave Dynasty FAQs