Medieval and Islamic History

The state of Hyderabad was founded by Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah in 1724 A.D., during the reign of Muhammad Shah Rangila, the 12th Mughal emperor (1719 A.D.-1748 A.D.). But after the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah in 1748, Hyderabad fell prey to the disruptive forces.

Prithviraj Chauhan was the last ruler of Chauhan dynasty to sit on the throne of Delhi. During his reign, Muhammad Ghori invaded India in 1191. In the first battle of Tarain, Prithviraj defeated his army. The battle was fought near the town of Tarain near Thanesar in present-day Haryana.

Firdausi was the court poet of Mahmud of Ghazni and the author of the epic Shahnama, which chronicles the history of Persian kings.

Nizam-ul-mulk, also known as Chin Qulich Khan, founded the Asaf Jahi dynasty in the Deccan, which ruled the Hyderabad state.

Murshid Quli Khan was the first Nawab of Bengal and established the independent state of Bengal in the early 18th century.

Chhattrapati Shahu, a grandson of Shivaji, was released by the Mughals after the death of Emperor Aurangzeb. Following a brief struggle with his aunt Tarabai, Shahu became ruler and appointed Balaji Vishwanath, and later, his descendants, as the peshwas or prime ministers of the empire.

Tipu Sultan, born on 20 November 1750 at Devanahalli was the son of Hyder Ali. He was his father's right arm in the wars from which Hyder emerged as the most powerful ruler of southern India. 

Alauddin Khilji was the most powerful ruler of the Khilji dynasty. He was the first Sultan of Delhi who conquered Southern India. Malik Kafur was the commander of Alauddin Khilji, who invaded South India. 

Alberuni is the author of Kitab-ul-Hind. It contains comments on Indian sciences, Hindu religious beliefs, customs, and social organization. Al Beruni was an Iranian scholar and polymath from Khwarezm, modern day Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. Most of his works including Kitab-ul-Hind are in Arabic.

Razia Sultan belonged to slave dynasty and was the first Muslim woman to rule India and the only woman to occupy the throne of Delhi. She was the daughter of Iltutmish. She was talented, wise, brave, excellent administrator, and a great warrior which resulted in her becoming the next sultan of Slave dynasty. 

Alauddin Khilji brought many reforms which included introduction of the system of branding of horses which made administration more efficient. The corruption was checked by the dagh or branding system. Every soldier had his face recorded and his horse branded with imperial sign.

Alauddin Khilji belonged to the Khalji dynasty and was the most powerful ruler of his dynasty and one of the Sultans of Delhi Sultanate. He wanted to control the conspiring nobles for which an efficient spy network was set up that reached into the private households of nobles. Apart from this, he reduced the economic wherewithal of nobles to launch rebellions by confiscating their wealth and removing them from their bases of power.

The Mughal emperor Farukhsea appointed Nizam-Ul-Mulk the Subhedar of Deccan. After this he tried to establish his separate existence at Hyderabad. He also captured some part of the Pune Pargana.

Saadat Khan (also known as Burhan-ul-Mulk) was appointed the governor of Awadh by the Mughal Emperor in 1722 and subsequently established it as an independent state.