Delhi Sultanates: Tughlaq Dynasty

Tughlaq Dynasty

Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq (1320-25 CE)

• The Tughlaq dynasty was founded by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, also known as Ghazi Malik. 
• He built the famous Tughlaqabad Fort in Delhi,
• During his reign, he enhanced postal service, transportation, and communication. 
• Dawk chowkies were established and men were swapped out for horses in the courier system.
• He subdued Bengal and Warangal.
• Following the accident that killed Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq inherited the kingdom.

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq (1325-51 CE)

• He defeated the Mongols.
• Appointed officer in the Delhi Sultanate based on merit.
• He was an accomplished Arabic and Persian scholar who showed religious tolerance.
• Moroccan-born Ibn-Batuta was Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s contemporary.
• Muhammad Bin Tughlaq constructed the city of Jahanpanah and the Adilabad fort.
• Three significant South Indian kingdoms- Vijayanagar, Bahamani, and Madurai- rose to power during his rule.
• Failed Reforms:
  • Capital transfer
    • Shifted his capital from Delhi to Deogir in the Deccan and renamed it Daulatabad. 
    • It was later shifted back to Delhi as a result of many hardships.
  • Token Currency
    • Introduced Bronze coins or Jittal of the same value as Silver coins (Tanka) to overcome the shortage of silver in India. 
    • But Folks started creating token money in their homes. Large quantities of counterfeit and duplicate coins entered the market. 
    • As a result, bronze coins lost a great deal of value and were rejected by the public, which further reduced trade. 
    • Finally, the government was compelled to withdraw the bronze Jittal coins and replace them with Tanka, gold, and silver pieces.
  • Khorasan Expedition
    • Muhammad Bin Tughlaq’s divisive endeavor, the Khorasan expedition, was undertaken in 1330–1331 CE.
    • A sizable force was gathered by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq for the invasion of the Khorasan region. 
    • It is believed that after amicable relations were formed between Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Tarmashirin, the Khorasan mission was canceled.
• Other Reforms:
  • Agriculture Reform
    • Provided agricultural loan ‘Takavi’ to farmers.
    • Created the “Diwan-i-Kohi” (Department of Agriculture)
    • He appointed Amir-i-kohi (the minister of agriculture)

Feroz Shah Tughlaq (1351-88 CE)

• Following Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s passing, Firoz Shah Tughlaq succeeded to the throne. 
• Religiously intolerant ruler – He destroyed many Hindu temples and Jaziya was enforced.
• However, he preserved and translated many Sanskrit texts into Persian. 
• He established water cess haq-i-shrub, connected rivers, and used four canals to create irrigation. Also introduced an irrigation tax ( Haqq-i-Sharb).
• He established the Diwan-i-Khairat, the office for charitable work, and the Diwan-i-Bundagan, the Department of Slaves, he constructed numerous parks and canals.
• He founded four new towns, hospitals known as Darul-Shifa, Bimaristan, or Shifa Khana, adopted the Iqtadari framework, and erected Sarais for the convenience of travelers and traders.
• He was called the Sultan of Structures as a result of all of these. 
• Muhammad Shah succeeded to the throne after Firoz Shah died in 1388.

Nasiruddin Muhammad (1390-1398 CE)

• The Tughlaq dynasty came to an end under his leadership.
• The Delhi Sultanate was weakened by Taimur’s invasion in 1398. Taimur faced no opposition from the Indian side. Later in 1399, he left India.
• The Delhi Sultanate collapsed at the start of the fifteenth century. 1412 marked the fall of the Tughlaq empire.

Tughlaq – Art and Architecture

• Tughlaq rulers like Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq and Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq contributed to the growth of the culture in India.

Literature

• The Persian translation of Ragadarpan, an Indian traditional text on music, was initiated by Firoz Shah. 
• They encouraged the development of calligraphy, poetry, and literature. 
• Academics and poets like Ibn Battuta and Amir Khusrau were popular at the Tughlaq courts. 
• For instance, Firoz Shah’s patronage of the following notable scholars: Tughlaq Namah (a chronicle of the Tughlaq dynasty) by Ziauddin Barani Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi – Shams-i-Siraj Afif (a chronicle of Firoz Shah).

Architecture

• Huge palace-forester complexes were constructed at Tughlaqabad by the Tughalqs.
• The buildings saw combined features from several architectural traditions, including Persian, Central Asian, and Indian.
•  Tughlaqabad Fort (Delhi)
  • Built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
  • The fort’s enormous stone walls, bastions, and entrances demonstrate the Tughlaq emperors’ mastery of military architecture.
• To spruce up the nation’s capital, two Ashokan pillars were transported to Ambala from Meerut and Topara by  Firoz Shah 
• Firoz Shah Kotla is designed by Firoz Shah Tughlaq located at Delhi.
  • The complex consists of multiple buildings, such as the Ashokan Pillar, a palace, and a mosque.
• Jahanpanah: Meaning “Refuge of the World,” this planned city was established by Muhammad bin Tughlaq and acted as the fourth city of Delhi during the Tughlaq era.
• The Tughlaq dynasty contributed to the building of the tomb architecture.