3.4 Consolidation - Rule of Iltutmish and Balban

Consolidation - Rule of Iltutmish and Balban

2020-04-27 12 :17: 42

Iqta System

  • to consolidate, rulers made rev assignments (iqta), in lieu of cash.
  • & assignees called muqti, wali who maintained troops, paid troops, sent surplus (fawazil) to centre
  • made them head of provincial administration
  • was used during the caliphate administration
  • ! did not imply the right to land nor was it hereditary
  • Fiefs of Europe were non-transferable and hereditary
  • @ for greater centralization new officers appointed called amir - was incharge of army and adm and wali-ul-kharaj in-charge of rev collection

Iltutmish(1210 -1236)

  • Made DS well knit and compact state - real establisher

Challenges

  • Aram Shah's claim on Delhi defeated at Tarain
  • Some Nobles did not accept his accension
  • $ Minhas Siraj : Hostilities b/w him, army and Turks at several occasion
  • Turkish rule divided into 4 portions - struggle b/w Qubacha in Multan, Yalduz in Lahore and Khalji's in Bengal.

Punjab, Sindh

  • $ Yalduz was ousted from Ghazni by Khwarizm shah, He defated Qubacha occupied Lahore, Qub went to Multan, Yalduz later defeated by Iltutmish.
  • 1221 J Mangbarni came had alliance w/ Khokars, Il refused alliance against Mongols, J M defeated Qub occupied Ucch.
  • 1228 Il defeated Qub captured Multan + Sindh.

Lakhnauti and Bihar

  • $ Mihanz Siraj : Bhatiar Khalji was a man of impetus, enterprising, intrepid, bold, expert in warfare
  • BK devastated Nalanda, Vikramshila univs. Minhaz's account is the source - BK decieved as horse trader defeated Laskhman Sena.
  • BK defeated in Assam killed by Ali Mardan 1205
  • Ghiyasuddin Khalji was contemporary of Il
  • Il defeated Iwaz, captured Lakh in 1230
  • Also captured Ranthambore, Bayana, Gwalior and later Ujjain

Estimate as Ruler

  • Re-established territorial integrity of DS made it truly indep
  • Showed tact, patience, farsightedness
  • Steady consolidation instead of rapid expansion
  • Made Delhi political, adm, cultural centre
  • Made Qutb Minar, Hauz Shamsi, gave honours to sufi saints ex Qutbuddin Bakhtiar Kaki
  • Estd 1st hereditary sovereignty
  • Not able to create compact state
  • More - < https://www.gktoday.in/gk/iltutmish/>

Age of Balban (1246-87 Aka Ulugh Khan)

  • One of Chihalghani, fough against Mongols, raided against rebellious Rajas Zamindars
  • Opposed by certain nobles est Qutlugh Khan Gov of Bihar
  • Killed Raihan his chief competitor, poisoned Sutan Nasiruddin Mahmud

Balban(1266-87) As Ruler/ Balban's Theory of Kingship

  • Beginning of strong, centralised govt.
  • Adopted Iranian theory of Kingship - king was divine/semi divine answerable only to God.
    • Fundamental diff b/w Nobles and King
    • Claimed descendance from Afraisyab
  • % His theory reconciled w/ Islamic theory of Kingship
  • % Sultan the Shadow of God/ Zil-I-Allah
  • % Everyone present in court perform Paibos, Sijda
  • ! Maintained splendid court under a Mir Hajib, decorated w/ Horses Elephants etc, held parties - for political purpose
  • $ Barani : People came from 100 200 kos to see his procession, if people are not impressed sovereignty and governance cannot be upheld.
  • No sharing of power, poisoned family members
  • @ Looked down upon lower born, did not give them imp posts, racial exclusivism, dismissed ignobles from lower adm.
    • $ Barani : mandate given to him by God to not appoint ignobles, body trembled w/ rage on seeing them
  • $ Barani : Great emphasis on Justice made him popular among subjects, Flogged Gov of Badaun to death, Flogged Superintendent of Arms.
  • No favour to close ones, appointed Barids.
    • Compassionate -> asked son be moderate in levying taxes, helped poor, special care to them while army passed

Blood and Iron

  • 1st 2 yrs of reign Harsh against Rebellions ex Meos around Delhi, built fort, estd tax free villages.
  • similarly in Doab disobedient iqdars entire villages was destroyed, women, children seized as slaves.
  • Roads freed from dacoits robbers -> prices good slaves dec.
  • Similarly steps for Rebels in Katihar
  • Wrong to apply for all of his policies
  • Reorganised, expanded army directly under his control w/ experienced soldiers, inc remuneration, frequent hunting expedition to keep them alert.
Critical Examination of Balban's Policy of Blood and Iron

Assessment of Balban

  • Stern enforcement of law -> basis for growth, future expansion of Sultanat
  • Revenues previously appropriated by Chihalgani now went to Gov
  • No large scale building activity, emphasis more on army
  • Kept Mongols at bay, but not able to push them beyond Lahore
  • ! Failed to control Tughril's rebellion
  • ! Resorted to policy of poison, secret assassination of nobles to break Chihalghani's power; Exaggeration of family, ancestry. Both proved counter productive
  • Built a polity not capable of sustaining itself, but had capacity of expansion.

  • More content needed
  • #todo

Problems Faced by Balban during His Rule

  • https://www.historyforexam.com/2018/12/problems-faced-by-balban.html
  • Internal dissensions from Nobles -> more serious threat, attempt by Rajputs, Rajas, Big Zamindars to expel them ex from Gwalior, Ranthambore
  • Lakhnauti rulers tried to assert their independence ex Yuzbek, Thughril were appt by Balban.
  • Mongol Threat -> Rulers of Ghuz, Ghazni ousted by M captured cis Indus region.

Assessment of Balban

  • Stern enforcement of law -> basis for growth, future expansion of Sultanat
  • Revenues previously appropriated by Chihalgani now went to Gov
  • No large scale building activity, emphasis more on army
  • Kept Mongols at bay, but not able to push them beyond Lahore
  • ! Failed to control Tughril's rebellion
  • ! Resorted to policy of poison, secret assassination of nobles to break Chihalghani's power; Exaggeration of family, ancestry. Both proved counter productive
  • Built a polity not capable of sustaining itself, but had capacity of expansion.

PYQs

  1. What were the problems Balban faced? How far did he succeed in solving them? Was he a trendsetter in his theory of kingship? [1985, 60m]
  1. Write a short note on: "Main sources of information for the history of the 13th century."
    [1987, 20m]
  1. Discuss the salient features of Indian society on the eve of the campaigns of Mahmud of Ghazni, with particular reference to the observations made by Al-Biruni. [1989, 60m]
  • [1. Discuss the salient features of Indian society on the](onenote:…. Ancient%20HistoryPart%20IIRegional%20States%20during%20Gupta%20Era. one #PYQs %20and%20Answers§ion-id={762B0AE5-2A23-4D1F-9D30-89664CBE1143}&page-id={5E93C217-B8A5-4096-BBBD-899DAAE068C7}&object-id={2809722D-6D66-485E-BF89-BC05CE47F02B}&12&base-path= https://d.docs.live.net/bbc8be5bd337910c/Documents/History%20Optional )
  1. Comment on "Balban's theory of kingship." [1995, 20m]
  1. Give an estimate of Ghiasuddin Balban. [1996, 60m]
  1. Write a short essay on: "The 'Corps of Forty' and its relations with the Sultans." [2004,
    20m]
  1. Bring out the main features of the administration system under Delhi Sultanate during Turko-Afghan Period. [2006, 60m]
  1. Write a short essay on: "The 'Corps of Forty' and its relations with the Sultan." [2008, 20m]
  1. Assess the contribution of Iltutmish for the expansion and consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate. [2011, 20m]
  1. How did the Mongol invasions affect the Delhi Sultanate and the north-western frontier policy of the Delhi Sultans? [2012, 30m]
  1. Analyze the steps taken by Razia Sultan to strengthen her position as an independent ruler despite various obstacles. [2013, 10m]
  1. What measures did Balban adopt to combat the Mongol menace? [2015, 10m]
  1. Critically examine the 'blood and iron' policy of Balban. [2017, 10 Marks]
  1. What measures were initiated by the Sultans for the consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate? Discuss. [2016, 20 Marks]
  1. To what extent was the Caliphate the source and sanction to the legal authority of the Sultans of Delhi? [2017, 15 Marks]
  1. "The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in India". Elaborate. [2018, 10 Marks]