- The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) was ruled by five successive dynasties; the Mughal Empire began with Babur's victory at Panipat in 1526.
- In the south, the Vijayanagara (founded 1336) and Bahmani (founded 1347) kingdoms rivalled each other for two centuries.
- The period also produced the Bhakti and Sufi movements, which shaped India's religious and literary culture.
The Five Dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate
| Dynasty | Years | Key rulers and what to remember |
|---|---|---|
| Mamluk (Slave) | 1206–1290 | Qutb-ud-din Aibak began the Qutub Minar; Iltutmish completed it, introduced the iqta system and the silver tanka and copper jital; Razia was the first woman ruler; Balban enforced sijda and paibos and called himself "zil-i-ilahi" (shadow of God) |
| Khalji | 1290–1320 | Alauddin Khalji: market price controls, dagh (branding of horses) and huliya (descriptive rolls of soldiers), repelled Mongol raids; Malik Kafur led southern campaigns; built the Alai Darwaza |
| Tughlaq | 1320–1414 | Muhammad bin Tughlaq: moved the capital to Daulatabad (1327), issued token currency; Ibn Battuta served as his qazi. Firoz Shah: canals, moved two Ashokan pillars to Delhi. Timur sacked Delhi in 1398 |
| Sayyid | 1414–1451 | Founded by Khizr Khan, Timur's nominee; a weak, short-lived dynasty |
| Lodi | 1451–1526 | First Afghan dynasty; Sikandar Lodi founded Agra (1504); Ibrahim Lodi lost to Babur at Panipat |
Southern Kingdoms
- Vijayanagara was founded in 1336 by Harihara and Bukka (Sangama dynasty). Krishnadevaraya (Tuluva dynasty) wrote Amuktamalyada in Telugu; his court had the "Ashtadiggajas" poets. The empire was defeated at the Battle of Talikota (1565) by an alliance of Deccan sultanates.
- The Bahmani kingdom was founded in 1347 by Alauddin Hasan Bahman Shah; its minister Mahmud Gawan built a famous madrasa at Bidar. It later broke into five Deccan sultanates.
Sultanate begins1206
Panipat I1526
Panipat II1556
Panipat III1761
Vijayanagara founded1336
Shivaji crowned1674
The Mughal Emperors
| Ruler | Reign | Remember for |
|---|---|---|
| Babur | 1526–1530 | Panipat I (1526), Khanwa (1527) against Rana Sanga, memoir Baburnama in Turki |
| Humayun | 1530–1540, 1555–1556 | Lost to Sher Shah at Chausa (1539) and Kannauj (1540); regained Delhi in 1555 |
| Sher Shah Suri (interregnum) | 1540–1545 | Silver rupiya, rebuilt the Grand Trunk Road (Sadak-e-Azam), land records with patta and qabuliyat |
| Akbar | 1556–1605 | Panipat II (1556), abolished jizya (1564), Ibadat Khana at Fatehpur Sikri (1575), Haldighati (1576), Din-i-Ilahi (1582), mansabdari, Todar Mal's revenue system |
| Jahangir | 1605–1627 | "Chain of justice"; English envoy Sir Thomas Roe (1615); Nur Jahan's influence |
| Shah Jahan | 1628–1658 | Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Jama Masjid in Delhi, Peacock Throne, new capital Shahjahanabad |
| Aurangzeb | 1658–1707 | Executed Guru Tegh Bahadur (1675), reimposed jizya (1679), long Deccan wars; empire declined after his death |
The Marathas
Shivaji was crowned at Raigad in 1674. He governed with a council of eight ministers, the Ashtapradhan, and collected chauth (one-fourth) and sardeshmukhi (an extra tenth) from neighbouring territories. Under the Peshwas the Marathas became the strongest Indian power until the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), where Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated them.
Bhakti and Sufi Movements
- Kabir (dohas against ritualism), Guru Nanak (1469–1539, founder of Sikhism), Chaitanya (Krishna bhakti in Bengal), Mirabai and Tulsidas (Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi).
- The Chishti order was brought to India by Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer); Nizamuddin Auliya lived in Delhi, and his disciple Amir Khusrau is credited with developing qawwali.
- Battle chronology: Tarain (1191, 1192), Panipat (1526, 1556, 1761), Khanwa (1527), Talikota (1565), Haldighati (1576) — often asked as "arrange chronologically".
- Reform ↔ ruler: market control → Alauddin; token currency → Muhammad bin Tughlaq; iqta → Iltutmish; mansabdari → Akbar; rupiya → Sher Shah.
- Traveller ↔ ruler: Ibn Battuta → Muhammad bin Tughlaq; Thomas Roe → Jahangir.
Q1. Who introduced token currency in the Delhi Sultanate?
✅ Answer: (b) Muhammad bin Tughlaq
💡 Explanation: Muhammad bin Tughlaq issued bronze and copper tokens at the value of silver coins; the experiment failed due to forgery.
Q2. The Second Battle of Panipat (1556) was fought between:
✅ Answer: (c) Akbar's forces under Bairam Khan and Hemu
💡 Explanation: Bairam Khan led Akbar's army to victory over Hemu.
Q3. Din-i-Ilahi was founded by Akbar in:
✅ Answer: (d) 1582
💡 Explanation: Din-i-Ilahi, a spiritual order drawing on several faiths, dates to 1582.
Q4. The Battle of Talikota (1565) led to the decline of:
✅ Answer: (a) The Vijayanagara Empire
💡 Explanation: An alliance of Deccan sultanates defeated Vijayanagara at Talikota.
Q5. Which ruler introduced the silver rupiya?
✅ Answer: (c) Sher Shah Suri
💡 Explanation: Sher Shah Suri issued the silver rupiya, the ancestor of the modern rupee.
🔁 Revise in 60 Seconds
- Sultanate dynasties in order: Mamluk → Khalji → Tughlaq → Sayyid → Lodi (1206–1526).
- Panipat: 1526 (Babur), 1556 (Akbar vs Hemu), 1761 (Abdali vs Marathas).
- Akbar: jizya abolished 1564, Ibadat Khana 1575, Din-i-Ilahi 1582.
- Vijayanagara 1336 (Harihara & Bukka) → Talikota 1565.
📌 Prelims Traps to Avoid
- ✘ The Qutub Minar was begun by Aibak but completed by Iltutmish.
- ✘ Agra was founded by Sikandar Lodi, not a Mughal.
- ✘ Jizya was abolished by Akbar and reimposed by Aurangzeb (1679).
What were the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate?
Mamluk or Slave (1206–1290), Khalji (1290–1320), Tughlaq (1320–1414), Sayyid (1414–1451) and Lodi (1451–1526).
What was the mansabdari system?
Akbar's system for ranking officials. Each mansabdar held a rank (zat) and was required to maintain a set number of horsemen (sawar); pay was linked to rank, often through land assignments called jagirs.