ALAUDDIN KHALJI Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji, the first Khalji ruler was not initially welcomed by the nobles of Delhi. He made Kilokhri his seat of governance. He was around seventy when he was elected to the throne. The Khalji was peaceful in disposition and could not pursue a vigorous policy of conquest. He was not successful in his expedition against Ranthambhor. He however defeated a strong army of Mongols in 1292. In his old age, he was done to death by one his nephews in 1296. Alauddin Khalji was a nephew of Jalaluddin Firuz. Later he became his son-in-law. Initially he was made a chieftain of Kara in Allahabad. He was supported by his mother-in-laimperial period of the Sultanate which lasted for over 50 years. He made a Malika Jahan and his wife. With him began the successful raid into Malwa and captured the town of Bhilsa. He was rewarded with the fiefdom of Oudh in addition to Kara. He invaded Devagirii in Deccan ruled by the Yadava king Ramachandradeva. He was opposed by Sankaradeva, the son of Ramachandradeva. After severe defeat, the Deccan ruler agreed to pay heavy compensation of gold, silver, silk, pearls nd precious stones. This invasion paved the way for the entry of Muslim invasions beyond the Vindhyas. He eliminated the old Sultan and was proclaimed Sultan by his adherents on 19 th July 1296. When Alauddin returned to Delhi, he found that Malika Jahan had placed her younger son Ruknuddin Ibrahim at the throne. Her elder son Arkali Khan remained at Multan. Alauddin chased out Ibrahim and became the ruler at Delhi on 3 rd October 1296. The friends and relatives of the old Sultan were imprisoned, blinded or put to death Alauddin had to face hostile forces from the rulers of Rajaputana, Malwa and Gujarat and plots from the nobles. The Mongol raids formed a constant source of anxiety. Zafar Khgan, minister under the Sultan repulsed the Mongol attacks successfully at Jullundur and Saldi. In the year 1299, Qutlugh
Khwaja attacked Delhi where Zafar Khan was killed. The Mongols attempted another incursion in 1304 and reached up to Amroha. There was another invasion in 1307-1308 by the Mongols. Ghazi Malik, (Ghiyasuddin Tughluq) was the Governorr of Punjab since 1305. He defendedd the empire of Khalji from the Mongols for over a quarter century. The New Mussalmans settled near Delhi were also a sourc of discontent. They were treated severely by the Khalji. Over 20,000 new Mussalmans were killed on one single day mercilessly. The Sultan wanted to become a second Alexander as a ruler. In 1297, the kingdom of Gujarat was invaded. At that time the kingdom was ruled by Rai Karnadeva II. The invaders captured the queen Kamala Devi. The king and his daughter Devala Devi took refuge in Devagiri ruled by King Ramachandradeva. While returning from the invasion, a slave by name Kafur was also brought. Kamala Devi became the favourite queen of Alauddin Khalji. Kafur rose to become an influential noble and warrior during and after the Khalji. In 1299, the Sultan sent an expedition for the conquer of Ranthambhor. His troops were beaten back by the Rajputs. Then, the Sultan himself marched towards Ranthambhor. However, his nephew Akat Khan colluded with the new mussalmans and tried to resist the Sultan s attempts. The Sultan was wounded during his raid. However, the traitors were captured and put to death and Ranthambhor was captured in July 1301. Alauddin also organised an expedition against Mewar. The Sultan wanted to take the Chitorh queen, Padmini, the queen of Rana Ratan Singh. The Rana was captured, but two brave leaders of Rajputs, Gora and Badal fought vigorously to defend their empire. However, they were killed in the warfare and the women including the king are said to have performed the Jauhar rite by which they immolated themselves in preference to being captured by the invaders. The fort of Chitorh was captured by Alauddin on 26 th August, 1303 and the city was renamed Khizrabad and was given to Kizr Khan, the eldest son of the Sultan. In 1311, the Sultan
made Maldeo as the ruler there. After several years, Chitorh was recovered by the Rajputs and again made the capital of Mewar. Then, the Sultan sent an army to Malwa. Rai Mahlak Deva was defeated and slain in December 1305. This was followed by the conquest of Ujjain, Mandu, Dhar and Chanderi. By 1305 end, the whole of northern India came under the Khalji imperialism. The southern region beyond Vindyas was then divided into four kingdoms, the Yadava kingdom of Devagiri under Ramachandradeva ( 1271 1309 ), Telingana in the east with its capital Warangal under Prataparudradeva I of the Kakatiya dynasty, the Hoysala kingdom under Vira Ballalaa II (1292 1342 )which included the region of Mysore with its capital as Dorasamudra (modern Halebid) and the far south Pandyan kingdom consisting of Madurai, Ramnad and Tinnevelli ruled by Maravarman Kulasekara (1268 1311 ). When Alauddin raided Devagiri in 1294, the king Ramachandradeva received no help from other Hindu kings. In March 1307, Alauddin sent an expedition under Kafur to Devagiri. Malik Kafur looted the entire empire and brought with him the king Ramachandradeva as prisoner to Delhi. However, the Sultan sent him back to his country after six months. Rai Karnadeva II was the fugitive ruler of Gujarat being helped by Devagiri. Rai Karna s daughter Devala Devi was captured and taken by the Governor of Gujarat, Alp Khan to Delhi where she was married to the Sultan s eldest son, Khizr Khan. An expedition by Alauddin in 1303 against Kakatiya Prataparudradeva was not successful. However, in 1309 he made a second attempt not to annex the kingdom but to mainly loot the empire of its rich wealth. In March 1310, the king surrendered to Kafur. On 18 th November, 1310, a large army of Sultan under Malik Naib (Malik Kafur) and Khwaja Haji marched from Delhi against the kingdom of Hoysalas, passing through Devagiri and reached Dorasamudra. The Hoysala king Vira Ballala II submitted to them. The empire was plundered and the army captured a Hoysala prince also. The prince was
returned to Dorasamudra on 6 th May 1313. The Hoysalas became vassals of the Delhi Sultanate. Then, Malik Naib (Malik Kafur) marched towards Malabar, extending over the entire Coramandal coast and the western coast from Quilan to Cape Comorin. There was a feud between Sundara Pandya and Vira Pandya, both the sons of the Pandya ruler, Kulasekhara. Sundara Pandya killed his father Kulasekhara in May 1310 and seized the kingdom. He was confronted by his brother, Vira Pandya and he sought the help of the Muslim invader. On 14 th April, 1311, Malik Naib reached Madurai and looted the kingdom from where the rulers had already fled. Malik Naib advanced up to Rameswaram. He returned to Delhi on 18 th October 1311. In 1312, Malik Naib again invaded Devagiri and killed the ruler Sankaradeva. Thus, the entiree south had come under the grip of the Delhi Sultanate. In any case Alauddin continued to have immense faith in the religion of Islam. The Sultan made drastic changes in administration and took control of the empire directly. He was the first Muslim ruler who assumed responsibility of direct administration independent of the priests, Maliks and Amirs. In the course of time, he became a puppet in the hands of the eunuch, Kafur. Sultan also suffered an ailment of dropsy and he expired on 2 nd January 1316. Eminent scholars flourished during his reign. They included Amir Khusrav and Hasan. The Sultan built several forts including the circular Alai Fort with seven gates. He renewed several mosques which were in shambles. In 1311, he undertook the extension of Qutb mosque and construction of a new minar in the courtyard twice the size of Qutb Minar. However, the task could not be fully accomplished during his life time. Gradually his rule became a target of discontent of the general public. After his demise, Malik Kafur took hold of the empire entirely. On the second day of the death of the Sultan, Kafur produced a will disinheriting Khizr Khan and giving the throne to Shiabuddin Umar, a child of the Sultan who was just about six years old. On behalf of the
young price, Kafur took fulll control of the Sultanate. He blinded the elder sons of Alauddin, Khizr Khan and Shadi Khan and the queen mother was imprisoned. He also kept the third son Mubarak under confinement in Hazar Sutun (thousand pillars). The prisoner however escaped later. Kafur did not last long. After 35 days of the demise of the Sultan, he was killed by some of the attendants of the late Sultan. Mubarak was brought back to be the regent of the minor prince. After 64 days of regency, Mubarak blinded the child in April 1316 and ascended the throne under the title of Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah. He wasted his time as a ruler during his reign of four years and four months. He made Khusrav Khan from Gujarat as his chief minister who waited for an opportunity to grab the power. The two rebellions which broke out during his time were effectively quelled. In Gujarat, the Sultan s father in law, Zafar Khan was appointed Governor. At Devagiri, the ruler Harapaladeva was captured and flayed alive. The Sultan made Malik Yakkaki the governor of Devagiri. A huge mosque was built there before the Sultan returned to Delhi. During his rule, he dispensed with the allegiance to the Khalifat proclaimed himself the supreme head of the religion of Islam. He also assumed the title of Wasiq billah. The Sultan ultimately fell a victim to the conspiracy of Khusrav. The Sultan (Qutbuddin Mubarak) was stabbed to death on a night in April, 1320. Khusrav then assumed the throne under the title of Nasiruddin Khusrav Shah. Soon, he squanderedd away the wealth of the State in his efforts to consolidate the nobles. Khusrav ruled only for a period of four months and a few days. Ghazi Malik marched from Dipalpur and defeated Khusrav at Delhi on the 5 th September 1320. Khusrav was beheaded and killed. The nobles persuaded Ghazi Malik to accept the throne in September 1320 since there was no male descendent of Alauddin living at that time. He assumed the throne under the title of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
Events/Personalities Dates Jalaluddin Khalji defeated a strong army of Mongols. 1292 Jalaluddin Khalji was done to death 1296 Alauddin Khalji eliminated the old Sultan and was 19 th July 1296 proclaimed Sultan by his adherents Alauddin chased out Ruknuddin Ibrahim and became the 3 rd October 1296 ruler at Delhi Conquest of Gujarat from Karnadeva II 1297 Qutlugh Khwaja attacked Delhi where Zafar Khan was 1299 killed. The Mongols attempted another incursion and reached up 1304 to Amroha. There was another invasion by the Mongols. 1307 1308 Appointment of Ghazi Malik (Ghyasuddin Tughlaq) as Governor of Punjab The kingdom of Gujarat was invaded by the Sultan. 1297 The Sultan sent an expedition for the conquer of 1299 Ranthambhor. His troops were beaten back by the Rajputs. Ranthambhor was captured later. July 1301 The fort of Chitorh was captured by Alauddin and Khizr Khan was made the ruler here. 26 th August 1303 The Sultan made Maldeo as the ruler at Chitorh 1311 Rai Mahlak Deva was defeated and slain at Malwa. The December 1305 whole of north India came under the Delhi Sultanate (Malwa, Ujjain, Mandu, Dhar, Chanderi) Devagiri under Ramachandradeva 1271 1309 Hoysala kingdom under Vira Ballala II 1292 1342
Pandyan kingdom consisting of Madurai, Ramnad and Tinnevelli ruled by Maravarman Kulasekara Alauddin sent an expedition under Kafur to Devagiri Expedition to Warangal Alauddin made a second attempt not to annex the kingdom of Devagiri but to mainly loot the empire of its rich wealth Devagiri king surrendered to Kafur A large army of Sultan under Malik Naib and Khwaja Haji marched from Delhi against the kingdom of Hoysalas, passing through Devagiri and reached Dorasamudra. The Hoysalas became vassals of the Delhi Sultanate. 1268 1311 March 1307 1308 1309 March 1310 18 th November 1310 6 th May 1313 Sundara Pandya killed his father Kulasekhara and seized May 1310 the kingdom at Madurai Malik Naib reached Madurai and looted the kingdom 14 th April, 1311 from where the rulers had already fled The Sultan undertook the extension of Qutb mosque and 1311 construction of a new minar in the courtyard twice the size of Qutb Minar. Malik Naib again invaded Devagiri and killed the ruler 1312 Sankaradeva Death of Sultan who suffered an ailment of dropsy 2 nd 2 nd January 1316 January 1316 Kafur s death. After 35 days of the demise of the Sultan, 1316 he was killed by some of the attendants of the late Sultan Qutbuddin Mubarak s ascendance to the throne 2 nd April 1316
The death of Sultan (Qutbuddin Mubarak) by stabbing. April 1320 Ascendance of Nasiruddin Khusrav Shah Defeat and death of Nasiruddin Khusrav Shah by Ghazi 5 th September 1320 Malik Ascendance of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (Ghazi Malik) September 1320 9.12.2016 N. Balaraman