Life under delhi sultanate - class-VII

Muhammad bin Tughlaq's token currency failed because the government could not prevent the public from minting their own coins at home. This led to a massive influx of counterfeit currency, devaluing the official token coins.

Ibn Battuta's accounts say that the soil was so fertile that it could produce two crops every year, rice being sown three times a year. Sesame, sugarcane, and cotton were also grown. They formed the basis of many village industries, such as oil pressing, the making of jaggery, weaving, etc. A variety of crops were grown, including food crops such as wheat, rice, and barley, and non-food cash crops such as cotton, indigo, and opium. Potato and maize were introduced from the Americas, much later with the colonization by the British. Hence, Option A is correct. The rest of the options include potato(B, D) or maize(C), hence, incorrect. 

C.  Plunder the wealth of India

Mohammad Ghazni’s court had a famous scholar called Alberuni. He was a philosopher, mathematician, geographer and writer. He wrote a book called ‘Tariq-ul-Hind’ dealing with Indian social, economic and religious topics. 

Kharaj was a land tax imposed on the non-Muslims, Ushra was an agricultural tax imposed on Muslims, zakhat was a property tax on Muslim subjects,  whereas jizya was a religious tax on Hindus. 

It is an important historical work on medieval India. It was written by Ziauddin Barani, a historical and a political thinker who lived in India during the reign of Mohammad bin Tughluq and Firuz Shah. 

The Hauz Khas, a royal tank was constructed by Alauddin Khilji for supplying of water to the Siri Fort area. The word Hauz Khas in the Urdu language is derived from the words 'Hauz' means 'water tank' and 'Khas' means 'royal'.

Amir Khusro is often considered the first Urdu poet. He lived from 1263 to 1325 CE and was a Sufi poet, musician, and scholar and worked in the royals courts of various kings and sultans. He is also credited with inventing the sitar and transforming the Indian drum mridangam into the tabla as well as creating the North Indian style of music.

Indo-Islamic architecture is an important form of architecture where we can observe a blend of different styles, decorations and structures from the Islamic architecture emerged including the Indian feature of architecture. This unique form started becoming dominant from the 13th century when we can observe the Delhi Sultanate period in Medieval India History. 

The construction of the Qutub Minar was started by Qitub-ud-Din Aibak, but he only constructed the basement. The construction of the tower was later taken over by his successor Iltutmish who constructed three more stories. The last two storeys were completed Firoz Shah Tuglak.

Minhaj-i-Siraj said that the Queen's rule went against the ideal social order created by god, in which women were supposed to be subordinate to men. He said these words when Razia Sultana, daughter of Iltutmish was, made the Queen of Delhi Sultanate. Though he thought that the queen was most eligible of all those at the time, he was not comfortable with the idea of queen being made the ruler of Delhi.

Five dynasties ruled over Delhi Sultanate sequentially, the first four of which were of Turkic origin: the Mamluk dynasty (1206–90), the Khilji dynasty (1290–1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414), the Sayyid dynasty (1414–51), and the Afghan Lodi dynasty (1451–1526).

Tanka, the silver coin and Jital, the copper coins were used during the Delhi Sultanate rule. They were introduced by Iltutmish. The Silver Tanka issued by Iltutmish was weighing 175 grains. The new system served as the basis for coinage for much of the Sultanate period and even beyond.

When Akbar's father Humayun was out of the country, it was Sher Shah Suri who played an important role in establishing the Suri dynasty. Sher Shah is considered a brilliant administrator who worked on creating a strong political province in the North of India. Hence, this laid the foundation for Akbar and with him the coming back of the Mughal rule. 

Nobles (aristocrats) included Sultan and his relatives, courtiers and holders of Iqta, Hindu and Muslim chieftains, merchants, bankers etc. Almost all the wealth and power was concentrated in this group. They lived in luxury and style.

The rulers of Delhi were great patons of art and architecture. New musical instruments such as sarangi and rabab were introduced during this period. Amir Khusrau, a musician patronized by Sultan Alauddin Khalji invented the sitar and tabla.

 During the Delhi Sultanate period, some of the evil social practices like Sati, Child marriage and Purdah became prevalent. In Sati, widow burns herself on her husband's pyre or takes her own life in another fashion shortly after her husband's death. No measures were taken by the Sultans for abolishing these practices, it was the Mughal emperor Akbar who came forward to stop these evil practices.

The lowest stratum of the society of Delhi Sultanate was peasants. They lived in villages, paid taxes to state as land revenue. Peasants life was in severe poverty.

During the Sultanate period, Islam was opposite to the Hinduism of the day as it talked of equality, brotherhood, and monotheism. Hence many lower class people attracted to Islamic principles and converted to Islam.

 Kathak is one the eight classical dance forms in India. Kathak is found in three distinct forms, named after the cities where the Kathak dance tradition evolved – Jaipur, Banaras and Lucknow. It developed during Delhi Sultanate period, combines Hindu themes and Persian costumes. The main focus of the dance are the eyes and the foot movements.

Qawwali is a chorus of hand-clapping qawwals who sing with an aim to lead the listeners to spiritual union with Allah. It is a form of music practiced by Sufis to inspire religious devotion and instruction. The Indian composer and Persian-language poet Amīr Khusrow is the popularly acknowledged creator of qawwali.

Maharana Kumbha was one of the famous rulers of Mewar. He was born in1417. He ascended the throne of Mewar in 1433. There are different sources that tell us about his life and achievement. We can get information about him through Prashasthis which were composed by his court poet. Famous Prashastis - Kumbhalgarh Prashasti, Rankapur Prashasti, Kirti Stambh etc. We can also get information about him "Eklinga Mahtamaya". Eklinga Mahatamaya tells us that he was well versed in Vedas, Smritis, and Upanishads.

Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khalji who was one of the salves of Muhammad Ghori attacked Bengal in 1202. In around 1202-04 he defeated Lakshmana Sena, the ruler of Sena dynasty of Bengal. Later Khalji became the viceroy of Bengal.

The Battle of Haldighati was a battle fought on 18 June 1576 between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber.

Durgadas Rathore, a prominent Rathore Rajput general, spent his final years in Ujjain, where he also passed away. A cenotaph dedicated to him is located on the banks of the Shipra River in Ujjain.

During the Sultanate period, Indo -Islamic style of art and architecture developed as a result of the mingling of the Indian and Turkish styles. Indian decoration and techniques were used in the Islamic buildings, with domes and arches of their own style. The forts were simple but strong. they built arches above the doorways and windows instead of beams which were used by Indians before coming of Muslim. Thus they used arch opening but with pointed arch style.

Shamsuddin Iltutmish was one of the powerful rulers of slave dynasty. The rulers of this dynasty were also called "Mamluk Sultans". The term "Mamluk" in Arabic means "Owned". Iltutmish organised the Iqta system. He granted land to his army. These granted lands were known as Iqta. The iqta holders were known as Iqtadar or Muqti. In return of Iqta, Iqtadar had to give military help to the Sultan at the time of war.

Tughluq architecture is characterized by the use of sloping walls (batter) to provide strength and stability. They also attempted to combine the arch and the lintel, though placing tombs on high platforms is more characteristic of later Mughal architecture.

The battle of Haldighati was fought on June 18, 1576. This was the first battle of  Mansingh in which he became the commander. Haldighati was a narrow mountain pass between the hills of Gogunda and Khamnaur. Due to the yellow colour of the soil, this place is known as Haldighati. Mughal forces became victorious in this battle.

Maharaja Suraj Mal (February 1707 – 25 December 1763) or Sujan Singh was the ruler of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He is known as "the Plato of the Jat people" 

Malik Muhammad Jayasi was an Indian Sufi poet. His best-known work is the epic poem Padmavat which is the story of king Ratan Singh, his queen Padmini of Mewar and  Alauddin Khalji desire for Padmini.

After the fall of Chittor to Akbar in 1568, Maharana Udai Singh II established a new capital at Udaipur, which he had founded earlier to provide a more secure base for the Mewar kingdom.

The 'Tower of Victory' also called as  'Vijaya Stambha' is a victory monument located in Chittorgarh Fort. The tower was constructed by the Mewar king, Rana Kumbha, in 1448 to commemorate his victory over the combined armies of Malwa and Gujarat led by Mahmud Khilji. 

The Battle of Haldighati was a battle fought on 18 June 1576 between Rana of Mewar, Maharana Pratap, and the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber.

Al-Biruni was born in 973, in Khwarizm in present-day Uzbekistan. Khwarizm was an important center of learning, and Al-Biruni received the best education available at the time. Al-Beruni came to India during the period of Sultan of Muhammad of Ghazni.

Alauddin Khalji was the powerful ruler. He extended the boundaries of Delhi sultanate beyond Vindhyas up to the Deccan. He was a great administrator. To maintain his army, Alauddin Khalji gave the order to measure all land which was under cultivation. The land was divided and land revenue fixed according to its fertility. He also began the audit of the accounts of his officers.

In 1398, Timur invaded northern India, attacking the Delhi Sultanate ruled by Sultan Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah Tughluq of the Tughlaq Dynasty. 

Iltutmish was the first Sultan of Delhi to issue regular currency and declare Delhi as the capital of his empire. He was the second ruler of the Delhi Sultanate (1211 – 1236), belonging to the Mamluk dynasty.

Kitab al-Hind is is the result of long years of hard work and  perseverance of Al-Biruni’s who was an Iranian scholar. He had written about the religious, political and intellectual aspects of  india. The book is divided into 80 chapters each with a sub-heading indicating the topics which it relates. 

The first Mongol invasion of India took place in the reign of Sultan lltutmish. In 1221, the Mongols, under Genghis Khan, appeared for the first time on the banks of the river Indus.

Minhaj al-Siraj, was a 13th-century Persian historian born in the Ghurid capital city of Firuzkuh, which was located in Ghor Province. 

The nobles were a powerful force in the Sultanate period. Most of the nobles were Turkish in origin. Most of the provincial governors, military commanders and high ranking officials in the government came from this noble class.

Alauddin Khalji implemented strict agrarian reforms, including the collection of land revenue at the rate of 50 percent of the produce, to maintain a large standing army and control inflation.

Answer - (B) - 2,4,3,1

Answer- (D) - Iltutmish

Sijdah means bowing down and touching the head to the Sultan's feet to show salutations. It was introduced by Balban.

Answer - (B) - Firdausi

Amir Khusrau is regarded as 'Father of Qawwali.' He was an Indian musician, Scholar & poet. He was an iconic figure in the cultural history of Indian Subcontinent. He is said to have witnessed the reign of eight Delhi Sultans from Balban to Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

Nauroz is the Iranian and Persian New Year; it is the first day of spring, this festival was introduced by Ghiyas ud din Balban. Later on, Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb abolished the celebration of Nauroz.

Amir Khusrau, was a Persian musician, poet, and scholar associated with the rulers of Delhi Sultanate. Besides being the first writer to use Urdu as a medium of poetic expression, He also wrote poetry primarily in Persian, Hindi, and Urdu.

The famous Sufi poet, Amir Khusrau wrote a historic masnavi (or poem) “Tughlaq Nama (Book of the Tughlaqs)” about the reign of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and other Tughlaq rulers.

In the Delhi Sultanate an administrative unit called paragana was headed by an official known as Amil.

The Atala Masjid is located in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Sultan Ibrahim, Sharqi Sultan of Jaunpur on the foundations laid during the reign of  Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq III. Construction started in 1377 and was completed in 1408. The style of Atala Masjid's architecture is known as Sharqi Style.

Answer - (A) - Alauddin Khilji

Tanka was a silver coin. Tanka was equal to 48 Jitals. Shashgani was a silver coin which was equal to 6 Jitals. Jital was a copper coin.

Nauroj is a New year celebration on March 21 every year for Parsis.

Slave dynasty (1206-1290)- It was founded by Qutabuddin Aibak.

The Delhi sultanate society was broadly divided into four major groups viz. nobles (Aristocrats), Priests, Townspeople, and Peasants.

The Delhi Sultanate was essentially a military state where the Sultan's authority was backed by the strength of the army. Power was concentrated in the hands of the Sultan and the military nobility, rather than through democratic or republican processes.

During the Delhi Sultanate Period there was a very rigid caste system practiced in India. Inter Caste marriage and dining got totally prohibited. 

During the Delhi Sultanate period, the group of priests included Brahmins and Ulemas. Brahmins, as well as Ulemas, were given tax-free land grants so they were also rich and powerful. During most of Sultanate era (except under Alauddin Khilji}, the influence of Ulema was so much that it often influenced the policies and administration of the Sultan.

Indo-Islamic architecture emerged in India under the Delhi Sultanate during the 13th to 16th centuries. The introduction of Islamic architectural like true domes and arches, Beams and balconies and Extensive use of bricks were characteristic features of Delhi Sultanate architecture which can be seen in the monuments like Qutub Minar, Alauddin Khilji’s tomb and madarsa which were built during the Delhi Sultanate.

The Battle of Haldighati was a battle fought on 18 June 1576 between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal emperor Akbar's forces, led by Man Singh I of Amber.

The veena is among the oldest of Indian musical instruments. It comes from Sanskrit and originally means every stringed instruments. Amir Khusrau served as courtier, royal poet and court musician under Turkish Sultans. He felt the need to modify the ancient veena for a more compact and easily portable alternative.

Durgadas was the son of Askaran Rathore, a Rajput minister of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, the ruler of Mewar.

Maharaja Surajmal or Sujan Singh was a ruler of Bharatpur in Rajasthan. A contemporary historian has described him as "the Plato of the Jat people".

The Delhi Sultanate was predominantly spread in and around Delhi in North India and it gradually spread its rule across various parts of the Indian subcontinent for over three centuries. The architecture of Delhi Sultanate and Mughals shows extensive use of red sandstone. There are three monuments in Delhi which are regarded as world heritage sites — Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayun’s Tomb. All are made up of red sandstone. 

Sanskrit was the language of literature during ancient time. This language continued its hold during the medieval period. With the coming of Turko- Afghans, two new languages developed in India- Persian, and Arabic. Though Arabic was the religious language of the Muslim, Persian was adopted as the court language. So in the medieval period, Persian become the language of literature.

Durgadas Rathore (13 August 1638 – 22 November 1718) is credited with having preserved the rule of the Rathore dynasty over Marwar, following the death of Maharaja Jaswant Singh in the 17th century. 

Kanhad dev was an Indian king belonging to the Chahamana dynasty, who ruled the area around Javalipura (present-day Jalore in Rajasthan). 

Maharaja Suraj Mal was the ruler of Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. He is named as "the Plato of the Jat people" because of his political sagacity, steady intellect, and clear vision. He played a key role in setting up the city of Bharatpur.

Ghiyasuddin Balban became the ruler of slave dynasty in 1266 after the death of Nasiruddin Mahmud. He believed in the divinity of kingship. He believed that his power as the king was absolute. He claimed himself to be the representative of God. None could challenge his power. He made his court both dignified and majestic. The nobles had to perform "Sizdah" before him. He proved himself to be the greatest king of the slave dynasty.

In 1398, Timur invaded northern India during that time the Delhi Sultanate was ruled by Sultan Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq of the Tughlaq Dynasty.  Delhi was sacked and left in ruins by him Capture of Delhi was one of his greatest achievement.

Timur was a Mongol. He was the ruler of Samarkand in Central Asia. Timur came to Delhi and devastated it. After that, he appointed Khizr Khan to look after his conquered territory. Khizr Khan was the first ruler of Saiyad dynasty. 

Zain-ul-Abidin was the eighth Sultan of Kashmir. He abolished Jaziya and banned the slaughter of cows also he had reconstructed and rehabilitated many temples. He was popularly known as 'Akbar of Kashmir'  because of his policy of religious toleration and public welfare activities.

• Adhai din ka Jhopra was built by Qutubuddin Aibak. 
• Although the construction of Qutub Minar was initiated by Qutuuddin Aibak but it was completed by Iltutmish. 
•  Hauz Khas in Farsi is derived from the words ‘Hauz’: "water tank" (or lake) and ‘Khas’: "royal"- the "Royal tank". Hauz-i-Kas structure was constructed during the reign of Alauddin.
• Tughlaqabad was established by Ghyasuddin Tughlaq.
  

Muhammad- bin - Tughluq was a brilliant scholar. He was a knowledgeable person and well versed in astronomy, poetry, philosophy, logic, medicine, physical science, and mathematics. He had a high sense of justice. He was a great poet and a good orator. But all his qualities failed in his practical life. He died in 1351.

Iqta was an assignment of revenues of a defined area of land in return of services rendered.Iqtadar was the holder of the assignment. He performed the duties of controlling the areas, establishing peace, collecting revenues etc.

Iltutmish who was the third ruler of the Slave dynasty of Delhi constituted a corp of 40 loyal slaves Amirs Known as Turkana-i-Chihalgani. It was the selected body of Turkish nobility which was destroyed by Balban later. 

From the time of Balban the iqtadars were expected to send the excess of the income to the center after meeting his and the army’s expenses this was known as Fawazil. It was done to maintain a balance between the income and expenditure of Iqta-holders.

Answer - (D) Firuz Shah Tughlaq

Following were the taxes during the Sultanate period:

• Kharaj is a tax imposed on agriculture. 
• Jaziya was taken from non-muslims. 
• Zakat is a religious obligation for all Muslims whereas Khums was a tax taken on plunder. 
  

Adhai din Jhonpra was a Masjid built by Qutub-ud-Din-Aibak, first Sultan of Delhi, in AD 1199 .

Mohammed bin Tughlaq, constructed the city of  Jahanpanah and Adilabad Fort. Adilabad Fort is referred to by historians as the fourth fort of Delhi, in the footsteps of famous contemporaries like Red Fort, Old Fort and the adjacent Tughlaqabad.

 Historians have described the Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq as the mixture of opposites because he was extremely humble but at the same time extremely arrogant. At many times, he was extremely generous and at other times, an extremely narrow-minded. 

Balban considered King as the shadow of God on the Earth, therefore, he called himself Naib-i-Khudai. He considered kingship next to prophethood and believes that his actions could not be judged by nobles or other people.

Ghiyasuddin Balban adopted the policy of stern man which is known as the policy of Blood and Iron. He believed that his power as the king was absolute. He claimed himself to be the representative of the Go. He believed in the divinity of Kingship. He introduced the Persian customs of Sijadah and Paibos.

Alauddin Khalji was very ambitious and to fulfil his ambition he was in need of a strong army. To manage the expenditure of army, he introduced the market controlling policy. He fixed the prices of goods. He set up a special department Shahna -i-Mandi. This department was responsible to look after royal granary,  This department supervised the market and kept an eye on weight and measures. Nobody was allowed to buy more than half a mound of corn at a time.

Jalaluddin Khalji is historically noted for initiating diplomatic relations with the Mongol Empire and other regions, including China, to secure trade and political stability.

In 1303, the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji captured the Chittor Fort from the Rana Ratan Singh's forces after an eight-month-long siege. After his victory, Alauddin ordered a massacre of Chittor's population.

Hammer Raso is the biography of Hammiradeva, who was the last Chauhan king of Ranthambore. The great poet and scholar Jodharaja wrote it. This book describes the character of Hammirdeva, and various conquests did by him during his reign.