After the fall of the Slave Dynasty (1206 – 1290), the Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320)
emerged as a new ruling power in the Delhi Sultanate. Professor Habib called the Khilji
period the “period of Revolution”.
Khilji Dynasty (1290-1320)
- The Khilji dynasty was founded by Jalaluddin Khilji. At seventy years old, he took the throne. Jalaluddin’s brief reign lasted just six years.
- Jalaluddin’s aspirational nephew and son-in-law was Alauddin Khilji. Having supported his uncle in his quest for dominance, he was named Amir-i-Tuzuk (Master of Ceremonies).
- He overthrew the ruler of Ranthambore, Hamir Deva, and took control of Malwa, Chittor, Dhar, Mandu, Ujjain, Marwar, Chanderi, and Jalor.
Khilji Revolution
This phrase was used by historians to denote important changes in the Delhi Sultanate’s administrative and socioeconomic structure. This concept’s central idea is to broaden the socioeconomic base of the ruling class and end the high-born Turks’ prior monopoly.
Jalaluddin Khilji is acknowledged for his broad-minded perspective, which departs from restrictive exclusivism. His administration marked a break from authoritarian methods with its policy of tolerance and lack of punitive measures. He challenged the idea of a solely Islamic state and proposed a new method of government based on the voluntary support of its citizens.
In the context of Alauddin Khilji’s expansion and reform initiatives, this idea is regarded as revolutionary since it deviates from accepted standards in the sociopolitical environment of the Delhi Sultanate.
Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316)
Difficulties faced by Alauddin Khilji
- Limited Expansion and Resources.
- Absence of Standing Army and Administration.
- Powerful Nobility.
Approaches of Alauddin Khilji
Theory of Kingship
Amir Khusro elaborated, drawing comparisons between Alauddin Khilji’s and Balban’s reigns. He also declared his conviction that the monarch was God’s sage appointee. Historian KS. Lal compared the reign of Khilji, who embraced the idea of an absolute monarchy, to that of Louis XIV of France. He was not influenced by people or groups, and neither the ulema nor the nobility had a big say in what he did.
Khilji used declarations like “I don’t know if this is legal or not; whatever I think is good for the state, I decree” to establish his authority. This declaration demonstrated his unwavering style of leadership, in which he made choices based on what he believed to be the greater good for the state, without being bound by external influences.
Territorial Expansion and Conquest
He was ambitious and regarded himself as Alexander II. He was well known for approaching expansion in an imperial or domineering manner. His military assault against Gujarat, a strategically important province that the Turks sought, was one prominent example. Its wealth of riches, its ports’ bustling trade, and the fact that his army could obtain superior horses made it alluring. The lavishness of Gujarat’s temples added to the state’s attraction.
Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan, Khilji’s generals, marched against Gujarat and overthrew Rai Karan, the state’s king, in a decisive move. In addition to capturing Malik Kafur, Ulugh Khan wed Rai Karan’s wife, Kamladevi. He shifted his attention to the Rajputana area and focused on Ranthambore because of its strong fortifications. According to author Malik Jayasi, Khilji’s obsession with Padmavati led to the subsequent capture of Chittoor. Khizarabad was the new name for Chittoor.
After defeating Mahlak Dev, additional territorial gains were achieved with the conquest of the Malwa area, which comprised Dhar, Ujjain, Mandu, and Chanderi. The conquest of Marwar and Jhalore in Rajasthan established Khilji’s dominance over the region.
He turned his focus to the Deccan, where he defeated Ramchandra and took control of Devagiri, with Malik Kafur playing a crucial part. His power in the southern regions was demonstrated by his campaigns against Pratap Rudra Dev of Kakatiya (Warangal), Veer Balal of Hoysala (Dwarsamudra), and Veer Pandya of Pandya (Madurai). His approach was noticeably different in the South, where he chose indirect rule over outright annexation by allowing subdued kings to keep their kingdoms in return for tribute.
Approaches for Military Reforms
He gave priority to military reforms in order to create a strong and big army, as part of his quest for a formidable military force. He focused on the regular mustering of armed forces and developed a sizable, permanent standing army in order to accomplish this.
He made sure that soldiers were paid in cash and worked to preserve equality among them by introducing laws like Dagh and Chehra.
He arranged the army in accordance with Mongol policy, which resulted in early victories but ongoing raids. Even though the Khilji dynasty saw administrative and military advancements, there are also memories of brutality and authoritarianism from this time period. The complicated legacy of the Khilji Dynasty bears witness to its lasting influence on the history of the Delhi Sultanate and the Indian subcontinent as a whole.
” How did Alauddin Khilji suppress Nobility ” ?
His policies aimed to consolidate power, centralize authority, and ensure stability within
the empire. The suppression of the nobility by Alauddin Khilji is evident in several key
aspects:
- Ziauddin Berni claims that AlaUddin wanted to limit the power of nobles because he believed that nobility was essential to good government.
- Khilji was persuaded that the core causes of the nobility’s rebellions were their prosperity, marriages between nobility, and gatherings and marriage alliances between nobility.
- He fortifies the networks and espionage system, which will immediately report to him on their nefarious and covert operations.
- He enacted laws to control nobility. For instance, obtaining the ruler’s consent is necessary before getting married.
- One of his key initiatives was to take away the Nobles’ amassed fortune. All grants of tax-free land were seized by him. It had given them the free time to plan an assassination plot against sultans.
- Sultan prohibited liquors and banned the use of intoxicating drugs. Gambling was forbidden.
Economic Reforms
He carried out extensive economic changes with the goal of controlling the economy of both rural and urban areas. He implemented policies in the agricultural field that included the confiscation of different kinds of land, such as Waqt, Inam, and Milk, and their consolidation under Khalisa, or Crown land. He reduced the power of individuals such as Khut, Muqaddam, and Chaudhary in order to lessen the influence of middlemen.
He measured the land for the first time and set a fixed land fee of 50% of the produce, thus establishing innovative land management techniques. Even if land revenue was estimated in kind, cash was still required. In addition, he instituted taxes such as the Ghari (house tax) and Charai (grazing tax). He established the Diwan-i-Mustakhraj department and appointed auditors known as Munsarifs and officers known as Amils in order to effectively collect these taxes.
These reforms successfully achieved the objective of controlling the rural economy,
leading to increased prosperity for the state and effectively suppressing rebellions.
In market reforms
In the area of market reforms, he passed laws and rules that effectively regulated business operations by drawing on Ziauddin Berni’s documented evidence. He implemented policies to regulate the cost of necessities, setting fixed prices for commodities like wheat (7 Jithal per mound), barley (4 Jithal per mound), paddy, pulses, lentils, sugar, ghee, and so on.
He created other marketplaces, including as the Grains Mandi, Clothes Market, Slaves Market, and Cattle Market, to simplify market operations. Sehna, or the Supervisors of Markets, were given charge of these markets, with the assistance of Barids and Munhiayas. It was mandatory for merchants to register with the Sehna.
Strict sanctions were imposed for black selling, and a rationing system and prohibition on hoarding were put in place by the administration. To discourage middlemen, the Diwan-i-Riyasat was instituted to regulate and control these activities.
Impacts
His rule saw the implementation of changes that were successful and won praise from leaders such as Amir Khusro, who saw them as humanitarian efforts.
On the other hand, modern historian KL Lal put out a different theory, contending that these changes were essentially implemented to further political goals and the military’s interests.
Conversely, Satish Chandra contended that these initiatives had dire consequences for the peasantry and were not intended to benefit any particular population. Grain prices were fixed low in order to increase revenue, which put a heavy strain on the agricultural class.
The rulers who succeeded Ala-ud-din-Khilji were characterized by their weakness. In 1320
A.D., the Governor of Punjab, Ghazi Malik, along with a group of nobles, seized control of
Delhi and ascended the throne. Adopting the name ‘Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq’ in Delhi, he
established the Tughluq Dynasty, marking the beginning of a new line of rulers.
Practice Questions :
1. “Kingship knows no Kinship” Explain this statement in the context of the policies of
Allauddin Khilji.
2. “Agrarian reforms of AlaUddin Khilji fulfilled the political Objective of the Ruler or Not?”
Explain.
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