Medieval and Islamic History

Alauddin Khilji called himself as the 'Second Alexander'. Alauddin Khilji wanted to be a world conqueror. In his coins, he depicted himself as Sikaiidar-i Sam, which means Second Alexander. 

Tamerlane attacked India during the reign of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud. Tamerlane defeated four armies of the Sultanate on December 15, 1398. For eight days Delhi was plundered, its population massacred and over 100,000 war prisoners were killed as well. 

The chief organizer of the campaigns of Alauddin was Malik Kafur. Malik Kafur was a slave who became a head general in the army of Alauddin Khilji. Malik Kafur led two campaigns in south India, the first was against Warangal and other against Dwar Samudra. 

The king who did not allow anybody to laugh in his court was Balban. Ghiyas-ud-din Balban was born in a well-to-do Turk family of the Ilbari tribe and was the ninth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty. Balban imposed a rigorous discipline on himself. No valet ever saw him without a cap or socks or shoes and throughout his long period of kingship, he never laughed aloud before others, nor had anyone the courage to laugh aloud in his presence. 

Ala-ud-din Khilji was not a slave before he became a king. He was the nephew as well as the son-in-law of Jalal-ud-Din Khilji. During the reign of Jalal-ud-Din Khilji, Alauddin Khilji was appointed the Governor of Awadh and Kara. However, he wanted to consolidate his position by becoming the ruler of the Khilji dynasty. So, he killed Jalal-ud-Din Khilji, marched to Delhi and proclaimed himself as the king.  

Mohammad Muazzam succeeded Aurangzeb as the Emperor of India under the title of Bahadur Shah. He was the third son of the emperor Aurangzeb and was born in Burhanpur in 1643. In his father's lifetime, Muazzam was deputed governor of the Northwest Territories by Aurangzeb. Upon the death of Aurangzeb on 3^rdMarch, 1707, Mohammad Muazzam Shah proclaimed himself Emperor and seized the throne. 

Ain-i-Akbari was written by Abul Fazl. It is called the Constitution of Akbar and is a detailed document recording the administration of Emperor Akbar's empire, written by his vizier, Abul-Fazl Ibn Mubarak. 

“Padshahnama”, was created to commemorate the first ten years of rule by the Mughal Emperor Shah-Jahan. The Padshahnama is one of the greatest works made for the Mughal Emperor. The volume in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, documents the first ten years of the Emperor's rule. It has seldom been exhibited and the majority of pages remain unpublished.

Muhammad Ghori was the real founder of the Muslim Sultanate. Sultan Shahāb-ud-Din Muhammad Ghori also referred to by orientalists as Muhammad of Ghor, was one of the rulers of the Ghurid dynasty. During the last quarter of the twelfth century, he invaded the Indo-Gangetic plain, conquering in succession Ghazni, Multan, Sindh, Lahore and Delhi.

Alauddin Khilji was of a secular bent. He opposed the interference of Ulema in State affairs. 

Firoz Shah Tughlaq brought Ashoka’s Pillar to Delhi.  It was a pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C., one of many pillars left by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka. It was moved from Ambala, Punjab (currently in Haryana) and re-erected in its current location in 1356. 

Khurram Shihab-ud-din, after succeeding to the throne, came to be known as Emperor Shah Jahan.

Qutub-ud-din Aibak initiated the construction of the Qutub Minar in 1193. It was later completed by his successors, Iltutmish and Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq, also known as Ghazi Malik, founded the Tughlaq dynasty in 1320 after overthrowing the Khilji dynasty.