Khalji Dynasty
- The Khalji dynasty was named after an Afghan hamlet, but they were truly of Turkish descent. The Khalji Dynasty’s kings were infamous for their cruelty and faithlessness.
Jalal-ud-din Khalji (1290-96 CE)
- The first sultan of the Delhi Sultanate to have a positive attitude towards Hindus.
- Adopted a policy of tolerance and attempted to gain the goodwill of the nobles.
- He appointed Alauddin Khalji, his son-in-law, as Amir-i-Tuzuk (Master of Ceremonies) and Ariz-i-Mumalik (Minister of Law).
- In 1296, Alauddin Khalji assassinated him and claimed the kingdom.
Alauddin Khalji (1296-1316 CE)
- Alauddin Khalji revoked Jalauddin’s policy of tolerance, and those who opposed him were punished severely.
- To maintain control over nobles, he outlawed festivals and marriages without his approval, banned wines and intoxicants to prevent social gatherings, and reorganized spy agencies (Barids).
- He was the first sultan of the Delhi Sultanate to separate religion and politics.
- He declared that “Kingship knows no kinship”.
- Barani wrote the book Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi during his period.
- Patronized poets include Amir Khusrau and Mir Hasan Dehlv.
- He took the title of Sikander-i-Azam and named Amir Khusrau as Tuti-i-Hind (India’s Parrot).
- He defeated the Mongols at the battles of Jalandhar (1298), Kili (1299), Amroha (1305), and Ravi (1306).
- Malik Kafur was his slave and general who carried out a series of expeditions in southern India against the Yadavas (1308), Kakatiyas (1310), and Hoysalas (1311).
- Amir Khusrau’s Khazain-ul-Futuh describes Alauddin’s victories.
- Military
- The first sultan to command a large permanent standing army paid in cash from the royal treasury.
- The Chehra and Dagh systems were innovated.
- Chehra provides descriptions of each soldier.
- Dagh is the process of branding horses.
- Land Revenue
- Revenue was calculated as half of the yield and was determined by the amount of land under cultivation.
- The first ruler to establish land revenue in cash. It allowed him to pay his army in cash.
- Biswa was a standardised unit of measurement. One-fifth of the produce was taxed, as well as dwelling and pasture taxes (Grahi and Chari).
- Kismat-i-Khuti (the headman’s cess) was abolished. Confiscated religious endowments and free land (Inam and Wakt).
- He established the post of Mustakraj for revenue collection.
- He incorporated the territory surrounding Delhi immediately into the state for revenue considerations (the Iqta system was not used there).
- Architecture
- Alauddin built the Hauz-i-Alai in 1296.
- During the Mongol invasion in 1303, Alauddin built the Siri Fort and stayed there.
- He built the Qasr-i-Hazar Situn palace at Siri Fort.
- He also built the Alai Darwaza, the entry gate to Qutub Minar.
- Market Reforms
- The cost of all commodities were fixed.
- He established three markets for this purpose: one for food grains, another for cost, and a third for horses, slaves, and other goods.
- He assigned Shahna-i-Mandi, Naib-i-Riyasat, and Diwan-i-Riyasat to monitor these markets.
- He also received daily market reports from Barids (intelligence officials) and Munhiyans (secret spies).
- It is unclear whether these reforms were limited to Delhi or included other towns.
- Market reforms were brought to get the support of the citizens and for sustaining a large army with low salary.
- Market regulations of Allauddin came to an end after his death.