3.4 Consolidation - Rule of Iltutmish and Balban

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

Embedded from 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

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]

• Problems faced by Balban during his rule

1. Write a short note on: "Main sources of information for the history of the 13th century." [1987, 20m]

• Sources for the Study of 13th Century History :

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

1. Comment on "Balban's theory of kingship." [1995, 20m]

• Balban (1266-87) as Ruler/ Balban's theory of Kingship

1. Give an estimate of Ghiasuddin Balban. [1996, 60m]

• Problems faced by Balban during his rule onwards

1. Write a short essay on: "The 'Corps of Forty' and its relations with the Sultans." [2004, 20m]

• Chihalghani

1. Bring out the main features of the administration system under Delhi Sultanate during Turko-Afghan Period. [2006, 60m]

• Central Administration of the Sultanate :

1. Write a short essay on: "The 'Corps of Forty' and its relations with the Sultan." [2008, 20m]

• Chihalghani

1. Assess the contribution of Iltutmish for the expansion and consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate. [2011, 20m]

• Iltutmish and his rule

1. How did the Mongol invasions affect the Delhi Sultanate and the north-western frontier policy of the Delhi Sultans? [2012, 30m]

• The Mongol Problem :

1. Analyze the steps taken by Razia Sultan to strengthen her position as an independent ruler despite various obstacles. [2013, 10m]

• Razia Sultan's issues as ruler

1. What measures did Balban adopt to combat the Mongol menace? [2015, 10m]

• Resitance from Balbans reign used both force and diplomacy more content required

1. Critically examine the 'blood and iron' policy of Balban. [2017, 10 Marks]

• Critical Examination of Balban's policy of Blood and Iron

1. What measures were initiated by the Sultans for the consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate? Discuss. [2016, 20 Marks]

• Iqta system :
• More content required on this

1. To what extent was the Caliphate the source and sanction to the legal authority of the Sultans of Delhi? [2017, 15 Marks]

• Caliphate Sanction to Turkish Rule in India :

1. "The battles of Tarain and Chandawar laid the foundations of Turkish rule in India". Elaborate. [2018, 10 Marks]

• Ghurian Invasions :