MEDIEVAL HISTORY

EARLY MEDIEVAL PERIOD

650 – 1206 AD

1.North India
• This was the period of Rajput who came after
the end of the reign of Harshavardhana and
dominated the scene for 500 years in 7th
century.
IMPORTANT RAJPUT KINGDOMS
 North India
• TRIPARTITE STRUGGLE
– At the end of the 7th century, there was
emergence of PALAS at the east, Gurjara
Pratiharas at the North and Rashtrakutas at the
Deccan.
– The main reason of the struggle was the hold on
Kannauj. It was the symbol of sovereignty and it
was the central point which facilitates great trade
connectivity.
 PALAS

• 750 to 1150 AD
• Founder – Gopala
• His son Dharampala made the VikramShila
university.
• Dharampala made revived the Nalanda University.
– The Nalanda was made by Kumargupta of Gupta
dynasty in 5th century AD
Jayadeva was the court poet in the Pala dynasty who was
the writer of Gita Govinda.
 Pratihara 750 Ad to 1036 AD
• The Pratiharas are also called Gurjara-
Pratiharas probably because they originated
from Gujarat or South-West Rajasthan.
• Bhoja/Mihir Bhoja (836-882) was the greatest
ruler of this dynasty.
• He was a devotee of Vishnu and adopted the
title of'Adivarah'.
 Rashtrakuta (752 to 973 AD)
• Dantidurg (752-756), who fixed his capital at Malkhand/
Malkhed (Gulbarga distt., Karnataka), founded the
Kingdom.
• The greatest Rashtrakuta rulers were Govinda III (793-A
814) and Amoghvarsha (814-878). Amoghvarsha ruled for
64 years but by temperament he preferred pursuit of
religion and literature to war. He was himself an author
and wrote Kavirajamarga, the earliest Kannada book on
Poetics.
• The famous rock-cut temple of Kailash (Shiva) at Ellora was
built by one of the Rashtrakuta kings Krishna-I.
 OTHER IMPORTANT RULERS
1. Prithvi Raj Chauhan  1178 – 92  he ruled
over Agra and Delhi and fought the two
Battle of Tarrain in 1191 and 1192
respectively. In the prior he won over Ghori
and in the later saw the defeat.
• With this the establishment of the Muslim rule
begun.
 OTHER IMPORTANT RULERS
2. JAICHAND GADHWAL/ RATHOR (1169 – 94)
Jai Chand Gadhawal/Rathor (1169-94): He was
the last Rajputa King who was also defeated and
killed by Mohammad Ghori in the Battle of
Chandawar (1194).
 OTHER IMPORTANT RULERS
3. RANA KUMBHA
Rana Kumbha, the Sisodiya ruler of Mewar
(1433-68): Rana Kumbha was the famous ruler
of Mewar. He defeated Mohammad Khilji and
erected the Tower of victory (Vijay Stambha) in
Chittor. His successors Rana Sangram Singh
(Rana Sanga) and Rana Pratap were also great
kings of Mewar state.
 SALIENT FEATURES OF RAJPUT
• THE COUNTRY WAS FREE FROM INVASIONS BUT
LOST FOREIGN CONTACTS.
• CASTE SYSTEM WAS RIGID
• PROUD WARRIORS
• ART AND CULTURE = BUILT MANY FORTS AND
TEMPLES LIKE LINGARAJA TEMPLE AT
BHUBANESHWAR, KHAJURAO AT MP, MOUNT
ABU – DILWARA JAIN TEMPLE, PURI
JAGANATHNATH
 DECLINE OF THE RAJPUT
• LACK OF UNITY
• CASTISM
• DEFECTIVE MILITARY ORGANISATION
2. SOUTH INDIA
 CHOLA, 850 TO 1279 AD
• CAPITAL – TANJORE, GANGAIKONDACHOLAPURAM
• The founder of the Chola dynasty was Vijayalaya, who was at first a feudatory of
the Pallavas. He captured Tanjore in 850 AD. The greatest Chola rulers were
Rajaraja (985-1014AD) and his son Rajendra I (1014-1044AD). Rajaraja built
Vrihadeshwar/Rajarajeshwar temple (attributed to Shiva) at Tanjore.
• Rajendra I conquered Orissa, Bengal, Burma andAndaman and Nicobar islands. The
Chola dynasty was at its zenith during his reign. Rajendra I assumed the title of
Gangaikondachola and built a city called Gangaikondacholapuram.
• The last ruler of Chola dynasty was Rajendra III. The king was the head of central
authority helped by a council of ministers, but the administration was democratic.
• The Chola empire was divided into Mandalams (Province) and these in turn were
divided into Valanadu (Commissionary), Nadu (District) and Kurram (a group of
villages).
• the arrangement of local self-government is regarded as the basic feature of the
administration of Cholas
 CHOLA, 850 TO 1279 AD
• Land revenue and trade tax were the main sources of income.
• The style of architecture which came into vogue duringthis period is called
Dravidae.g..Kailashnath temple ofKanchipuram. Another aspect was image-
making which reached its climax in the dancing figure of Shiva called Nataraja.
• Kambana who wrote Ramavataram was one of thegreatest figures of Tamil
poetry. His Ramayana is alsoknown as Kamba Ramayana.
• Kambana, Kuttana and Pugalendi are considered as of 3 gems of Tamil poetry'.
• In the temples, the Vimana or the tall pyramidal towerdominates the whole
structure of the shrine and impartsan extraordinary dignity to it.
• Gopuram and Garbhagriha are the other two important structures.
• The best specimens are the temples of Vijayalaya, Choleshwara, the
Nageshwara temple, the Koranganath temple and the Muvarakovitha temple.
CHERA
 PANDYAS
• Pandya dynasty was an ancient Tamil state in South
India that developed during the Sangam Age.
•  Madurai
•  Pandya rulers and the kingdom faced decline and
upliftment periodically. The early obscurity of the
kingdom was during the invasion of the Kalabhra,
following which the Pandyas had revived themselves
under Kadungon. They again lost their fortune after
the rise of the Cholas but managed to revive back. 
 The Pandyas Kingdom – Origin & Sources

• Southern Tamil Nadu by the end of the sixth century CE after

Kalabhras.
•  one of the Muvendars  meaning three chiefs, used for the heads
of three ruling families, the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas
•  sources such as megalithic burials, inscriptions in Tamil Brahmi, and
the Tamil poems of the Sangam literature.
• Accounts of travellers such as Marco Polo, Wassaff and Ibn-Battuta
 are useful to know about political and socio-cultural developments
of this period
• copper plates
• Madurai Tala Varalaru, Pandik Kovai and Madurai Tiruppanimalai
provide information about the Pandyas of Madurai of later period
 RE- RISE OF PANDYAS
• Under the Chola king, Parantaka I, the Pandya King Rajasimha II was defeated and that led to
the decline of the Pandya empire. But that did not mark the end of this dynasty. Discussed
below is the timeline for the re-rise of Pandyas in the southern part of the country:
• In the wake of the vacuum in Chola state in the last quarter of the 12th century after the
demise of Adhi Rajendra, Chola viceroyalty became weak in the Pandya country. Taking
advantage of this situation, the Pandya chieftains started ruling their regions independently
• After the decline of the Cholas, the Pandya kingdom became the leading Tamil dynasty in the
thirteenth century
• The illustrious ruler of the second Pandya kingdom was Sadaiyavarman Sundarapandyan (1251-
1268), who not only brought the entire Tamil Nadu under his rule but also exercised his
authority up to Nellore in Andhra
• After Sundarapandyan, Maravarman Kulasekharan ruled successfully for a period of 40 years,
giving the country peace and prosperity
• It was Malik Kafur’s invasion that finally led to the division and downfall of the Pandya empire.
Read about the Khilji Dynasty and other important rulers of the Sultanate in the linked article. 
 PANDYAS ADMINISTRATION
• The territory of Pandyas is called Pandymandalam, Thenmandalam or Pandynadu,
which lay in the rocky, hilly regions and mountain ranges except the areas fed by
the rivers Vaigai and Tamiraparni
• Pandya kings preferred Madurai as their capital
• As for political division, Pandy Mandalam or Pandy Nadu consisted of many
valanadus, which, in turn, were divided into many nadus and kurrams (meaning
group of villages)
• Kings and local chiefs created Brahmin settlements called Mangalam or
Chaturvedimangalam with irrigation facilities. These settlements were given royal
names and names of the deities
• Royal officials were called by different names:
– The prime minister was called Uttaramantri
– The royal secretariat was known as Eluttu Mandapam
– The titles of military commanders were Palli Velan, Parantakan Pallivelan, Maran Adittan
and Tennavan Tamizhavel
PANDYA – SOCIALA AND POLITICAL
• Royal palaces were called Tirumaligai and Manaparanan Tirumaligai during the Pandya
reign and the royal couches they used were named after the local chiefs, which attested to
the legitimacy of the overlordship of the kings
• The political division of land was as follows:
– The land assigned to Brahmins was Salabogam
– The land assigned to Ironsmiths was called Tattarkani
– The land assigned to Carpenters was known as Taccu-maniyam
– The land donated to the Brahmin group for imparting education was called Bhattavriutti
• A scholar named Wassaff claims that the trade of horses was very common during this
period
• Other goods that were traded included spices, pearls, precious stones, elephants and birds
• The busiest port town under the Pandyas was Kayalpattinam (now in Thoothukudi
district)
• Literacy was also promoted during this period and the administrators used various methods
to do so. Singers were appointed to recite Bhakti hymns in temples to promote literacy,
theatre plays were done based on similar issues
 PANDYA – RELIGION
• It is believed that initially the Pandavas followed Jainism but
had later adopted Saivism
• Medieval Pandyas and later Pandyas repaired many temples
and endowed them with gold and land
• Patronage was also extended to Vedic practices
• The impartiality of rulers towards both Saivism and
Vaishnavism is also made known in the invocatory portions of
the Pandya inscriptions
• The early Pandyas had created many temples. However, no
new temples were created by the medieval and later Pandyas,
but they ensured that the existing ones were well maintained
 3. DELHI SULTANATE (1206-1526 AD)
• BACKGROUND
– First muslim invasion by Md Bin Qasim in 712AD.
– He conqured Sindh which became the province of the Ummayad Khalifat.
– First Turk invasion by Mahmud Ghaznavi in 1000 – 1027 AD. 17 times
attacked. 1025 attacked Somnath Temple. He was titled as Amin- al-
Dawla.
– Second Turk invasion, in 1175 Ad to 1205 AD. It led the foundation of the
Muslim dominion in India.
– Why Turks were successful?
• Rajput lacks the unity.
• No central government
• Turks were better organised and took advantage of the disunity of the Indian
rulers.
 SLAVE DYNASTY

1. Qutubuddin Aibak ( 1206-10)

• A Turkish slave by origin, he was purchased by AMohammad Ghori

who later made him his Governor. After the death of Ghori, Aibak
became the master of Hindustan and founded the Slave Dynasty in
1206. For his generosity, he was given the title of Lakh Bakhsh (giver
of Lakhs).
• He died in 1210 while playing Chaugan or Polo.
• He constructed two mosques-Quwat-ul-Islam at Delhi and Adhai din
ka Jhonpra at Ajmer. He also began the construction of Qutub Minar,
in the honour of famous Sufi Saint Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.
• Aibak was a great patron of learning and patronisedwriters like
Hasan-un-Nizami, author of 'Taj-ul-Massir'and Fakhruddin, author of
'Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi'.
 Shamshuddin Iltutmish (1211-36)
• He was a slave of Qutubuddin Aibak and occupied the throne of Delhi in 1211
after deposing Aram Shah.
• A He was a very capable ruler and is regarded as the 'real founder of the Delhi
Sultanate'. He made Delhi the capital in place of Lahore.
• He saved Delhi Sultanate from the wrath of Chengiz Khan, the Mongol leader,
by refusing shelter to Jalaluddin Manglbarani (Prince of Khwarizm), whom
Chengiz was chasing.
• He introduced the silver coin (tanka) and the copper coin (jital).
• He organised the Iqta System and introduced reforms in civil administration
and army, which was now centrally paid and recruited.
• He set up an official nobility of slaves known as Chahalgani/Chalisa (group of
40).
• A He completed the construction of Qutub Minar which was started by Aibak.A
He patronised Minhaj-us-Siraj, author of 'Tabaqat-i- Nasiri'.
 Ruknuddin (1236)
• Son of Iltutmish and he was crowned by his
mother Shah Turkan and he was deposed by
Razia.
 RAZIA (1236-40)
• Though Iltutmish had nominated his daughter Razia as the successor, the nobles placed
Ruknuddin Firoj on the throne. However, Razia got rid of Ruknuddin andascended the
throne.
• She was the 'first and only Muslim lady who ever ruled India'.
• She was popular among the people but was not acceptable to the nobles and the ologians.
• She further offended the nobles by her preference for an Abyssian slave Yakut.
• Soon after her accession, the governors of Multan, Badaun, Hansi and Lahore openly
revolted against her.
• There was a serious rebellion in Bhatinda.
• Altunia, governor of Bhatinda refused to accept suzerainty of Razia. Razia accompanied by
Yakut marched against Altunia.
• However, Altunia got Yakut murdered and imprisoned Razia.
• Subsequently, Razia married Altunia and both of them marched towards Delhi.I
• 1240 AD, Razia became the victim of a conspiracy and was assassinated near Kaithal
(Haryana)
 BEHRAM SHAH (1240 – 42)
• After Razia, Iltutmish's third son Bahram Shah
was put on the throne by the powerful turkish
council Chalisa
• He was considered only as de jure ruler, while
Naib-e- mamlakat (the regent) was the de facto
ruler.
• Bahram Shah lost his life after his failed attempt
to asserthis authority once on the throne.
 MASUD SHAH ( 1242 -46 )
• He was the son of Ruknuddin but was
deposed after Balban and Nasiruddin
Mahamud's Mother, Malika-e-Jahan,
conspired against him and Nasiruddin
Mahamud as the new Sultan.
 NASIR UDDIN MAHMUD ( 1246 – 66)

• He was the son of Iltutmish and was known as

the Darvesi King as he was very pious and
noble. He died in 1266.
 GHIYASUDDIN BALBAN ( 1266 – 87 )
• Balban ascended the throne in 1266.
• He broke the power of Chalisa and restored the power of the crown. That was his greatest
contribution towards the stability of the Sultanate.
• To keep himself well-informed Balban appointed spies.
• He created a strong centralised army to deal with internal disturbances and to cheek
Mongols who were posing a serious danger to Delhi Sultanate.
• He established the military department Diwan-i-Arz.
• The Persian court model influenced Balban's conception of Kingship. He took up the title of
Zil-i-llahi (Shadow of God).
• He introduced Sijda (prostration before the monarch) and Paibos (kissing the feet of
monarch) as the normal forms of salutation.
• He destroyed the Mewati Rajputa brigandage in thedoab, where forests were cut and forts
built.
• In his last days he overlooked the Sultanate affairs due to the death of his eldest and most
loving son, Muhammad, and rebellion by his closest and most loved slave, Tughril.
Muhammad died fighting the Mongol in 1285while Tughril was captured and beheaded.
 KAIQUBAD 1287 – 1320 AD
• Grandson of Balban, seated to the throne by
Fakruddin.
• Kotwal of Delhi who got high political
authority during the last days of Balban.
• But he was killed by Khilji Dynasty.
 KHILJI DYNASTY : 1290- 1320 AD

FOUNDED BY  JALALUDDIN KHILJI

 ALLAUDDIN KHILJI ( 1296 – 1316)
• Nephew and S/L of Jalaluddin. He killed Jalaluddin
and succeeded in the throne in 1296.
• Alauddin annexed Gujarat (1298), Ranthambhor
(1301), Mewar (1303), Malwa (1305), Jalor (1311).
In Deccan, Aluddin's army led by Malik Kafur
defeated Ram Chandra (Yadava ruler of Devagiri),
Pratap Rudradeva (Kakatiya ruler of Warangal), Vir
Ballal III (Hoyasala ruler of Dwarsamudra) and Vir
Pandya (Pandya ruler of Madurai).
ALLAUDDIN KHILJI Administrative Reform.
• In order to avoid the problems created by the nobles, control of a high officer called Shahna who maintained
Alauddin issued 4 ordinances. The l' ordince aimed at a register of the merchants and strictly controlled the
theconfiscation of religious endowments and free shopkeepers and the prices. The check on market was
grants of lands. By the Ind ordinance Alauddin kept by two officers-Diwan-i-Riyasat and Shahna-i-
reorganised the spy system. The II ordinance prohibited Mandi.All goods for sale were brought to an open
the use of wine. The IV ordinance issued by Alauddin market called Sara-i-Adal.
laid down that nobles should not have social gathering • Many forts were built by him and the most important of
and they should not inter-marry without his them was Alai fort. He also constructed the Alai
permission. Darwaja, the entrance gate of Qutub Minar. He also
• He introduced the system of Dagh (the branding built the Palace of thousand Pillars called Hazar Sutun .
ofhorse) and Chehra (descriptive roll of soldiers). • He was a patron of art and learning. Amir Khusrau, the
• Alauddin ordered that all land was to be measured Apoet-musician was his favourite court poet.A
andthen the share of state was to be fixed..
• The post of special officer called Mustakharaj was • In 1316, after death of Alauddin, Malik Kafur, called
created for the purpose of collection of revenue. Hajardinari seized the throne. Before Kafur died, he
• The peasants had to pay the produce as land revenue. nominated Shihabuddin (Alauddin's 6 year old prince)
• Alauddin sought to fix cost of all commodities. For the as King but imprisoned the eldest prince Mubarak
purpose he set up three markets at Delhi : one market Khan. Kafur was killed by the loyalists of the royal family
for food grains, the second for costly cloth and third for of Alauddin.
horses, slaves and cattle. Each market was under the
 MUBARAK KHAN 1316 - 20
• After the death of Kafur, Mubarak khan was free from
prison and worked as regent for Shihabuddin. He
captured the throne at the first opportunity he got, but
could rule only for a year as he sank into debauchery and
could not give up his dissipated lifestyle. He awarded his
lover Mubarak Hassan authority over army and palace
guards, who soon obtained full control over Sultan's
palace. Mabarak Hassan was given the title Khusrau Khan
by the Sultan and within months Khusrau killed Mubarak
Khan and assumed the title of Nasirudin in mid-1320.
 KHUSRAU KHAN 1320
• HE was killed by Gazi Malik, the governor of
Dipalpur when he rebel against Gazi and
Fakruddin Jauna.

• END OF KHILJI
 TUGHLAQ 1320 – 1414 AD
GIYAZUDDIN TUGHLAQ – 1320 - 25

Khusrau Khan, the last king of the Khilji dynasty was killed
by Ghazi Malik, Ghazi Malik ascended the throne
assuming the title Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.

He died in an accident and his son Jauna (Ulugh Khan)

succeeded him under the title Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq-
MOHAMMAD BIN TUGHLAQ – 1325 TO 51
• Prince Jauna, son of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq ascended thethrone in 1325.
• He tried to introduce many administrative reforms. He had 5 ambitious
projects for which he became particularly debatable.
1. Taxation in the Doab (1326): The Sultan made an ill- advised financial
experiment in the Doab between the Ganges and Yamuna. He not only
increased the rate of taxation but also revived and created some additional
Abwabs or cesses. Although the share of the state remained as in time of
Alauddin, it was fixed arbitrarily not on the basis of actual produce. Prices
were also fixed artificially for covering the produce into money. It is said
that the increase was twenty fold and to this were added Ghari or house
tax and the Charai or pasture tax. The Sultan created a new department of
Agriculture called Diwan-i-Kohi. The main object of this department was to
bring more land under cultivation by giving direct help to peasants.
• 2. Transfer of Capital (1327): The most controversial step
which Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq undertook soon after his
accession was the so-called transfer of capital from Delhi to
Devagiri. Devagiri had been a base for the expansion of
Turkish rule in South India. It appears that the Sultan wanted
to make Devagiri second capital so that he might be able to
control South India better. Devagiri was thus named
Daulatabad. After a couple of years Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq
decided to abandon Daulatabad largely became he soon
found that just as he could not control South India from
Delhi, he could not control North from Daulatabad.
• 3. Introduction of Token Currency (1329):
Mohammad- bin-Tughlaq decided to introduce
bronze coins, which were to have same value as that
of the silver coins. Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq might
have been successful if he could prevent people
from forging new coins. He was not able to do so
and soon the new coins began to be greatly
devalued in markets. Finally Mohammad- bin-
Tughlaq decided to withdraw the token currency. He
promised to exchange silver pieces for bronze coins.
• 4. KHURASAN EXPEDITION
• 5. QARACHIL EXPEDITION IN 1330
 FIROZ SHAH TUGHLAQ 1351- 88
• He was a cousin of Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq. After his death the nobles and
theologians of the court selected Firoz Shah as the next Sultan.
• After his accession Firoz Tughlaq was faced with the problem of preventing the
imminent break up of Delhi Sultanate. He adopted the policy of trying to
appease the nobility, army and theologians and of asserting his authority over
only such areas, which could be easily administered from the centre. He
therefore made no attempt to re-assert his authority over South India and
Deccan.
• He decreed that whenever a noble died his son should be allowed to succeed
to his position including his Iqta and if he had no sons, his son-in-law and in his
absence his slave was to succeed. Firoz extended the principle of heredity to
the army. Soldiers were allowed to rest in peace and to send intheir place their
sons. The soldiers were not paid in cashbut by assignments on land revenue of
villages (Vajeha).This novel technique of payment led to many abuses.
 FIROZ SHAH TUGHLAQ 1351- 88
• Firoz tried to win over the theologians
proclaiming that he was a true Muslim king and
the state under him was truly Islamic. In order
to keep the theologians satisfied a number of
them were appointed to high offices.
• He tried to ban practices which the orthodox
theologians considered non-Islamic. Thus he
prohibited the practice of Muslim women going
out to worship at the graves of saints.
 FIROZ SHAH TUGHLAQ 1351- 88
• It was during the time of Firoz that Jizya became a
separate tax. Firoz refused to exempt the Brahmanas from
payment of Jizya since this was not provided for in
Shariat.
• The new system of taxation was according to Quran. Four
kinds of taxes sanctioned by the Quran were imposed.
These taxes were Kharaj, Zakat, Jizya and Khams. Kharaj
was the land tax, which was equal to 1/10 of the produce
of the land, Zakat was 2% tax on property, Jizya was levied
on non-Muslims and Khams was 1/5 of the booty
captured during war.
 FIROZ SHAH TUGHLAQ 1351- 88
• In order to encourage agriculture, the Sultan paid a lot of attention to irrigation. Firoz
repaired a number of canals and imposed Haque-i-Sharb or Hasil-i-Sharb (water tax).
• He was a great builder. The cities of Fatehabad, Hisar,Jaunpur and Firozabad stand to
his credit. The city of Jaunpur was founded in the memory of Mohammad bin
Tughlaq and named after his nicknameJauna Khan'.
• The two pillars of Ashoka, one from Topra (Haryana) and the other from Merrut (U.P.)
were brought to Delhi.
• The Sultan established at Delhi a hospital describedas Dar-ul-Shifa.A A new
department of Diwan-i-Khairat was set up to make provisions for the marriage of
poor girls.
• Another step which Firoz took was both economic endA political in nature. He
ordered his officials that whenever they attacked a place they should select
handsome and well-born young boys and send them to Sultan as slaves.
• However, his rule was marked by peace and tranquillity, and the credit for it goes to
his Prime Minister Khan-i- Jahan Maqbul. AAHe died in 1388.
 SAYYID DYNASTY 1414 – 50 AD
• Khizr Khan (1414 – 21 ) – Timur’s nominnee
who captured Delhi and proclaimed the new
sultan.
• Mubarak Shah ( 1421 – 34) – expedition with
Mewatis , Kathehars and the Gangetic Doab
area.
• Mohammad Shah ( 1434 – 43) Put by nobles.
• Alam Shah ( 1443 – 51 ) last
 Lodhi Dynasty 1451 - 1526
• Bahlol LoDHI 1451 – 88  ONE of the Afghan
Sardars.
• Established himself in Punjab after the death
of Timur.
• He founded the Lodhi dynasty.
 Sikandar Lodhi 1498 – 1517
• Sikandar Lodi was the son of Bahlol Lodhi who conquered
Bihar and Western Bengal.
• He shifted his capital from Delhi to Agra, a city foundedby him.
• Sikandar was a fanatical Muslim and broke the sacred images
of the Jwalamukhi Temple at Nagar Kot and ordered the
temples of Mathura to be destroyed.
• He took a keen interest in the development of agriculture. He
introduced the Gaz-i-Sikandari (Sikandar's yard) of 32 digits for
measuring cultivated fields.
• He was a poet and composed poems in Persian with the pen-
name 'Gulrukhi'.
 IBRAHIM LODHI 1517-26
• He was the last king of the Lodhi dynasty and the last Sultan of Delhi.
• He was the son of Sikandar Lodhi.
• The Afghan nobility was brave and freedom-loving people but it was
because of its fissiparous and individualistic tendencies that the
Afghan monarchy was weakened. Moreover, Ibrahim Lodhi asserted
the absolute power of the Sultan. As a result, some of the nobles
turned against him.
• At last Daulat Khan Lodhi, the governor of Punjab invited Babur to
overthrow Ibrahim Lodhi. Babur accepted the offer and inflicted a
crushing defeat on Ibrahim Lodhi in the first battle of Panipat in 1526.
Ibrahim Lodhi was killed in the battle and with him ended the Delhi
Sultanate.
 DECLINE OF DELHI SULTANATE
• Despotic government and military type government.
• Degeneration of the Delhi Sultanate.
• War of succession
• Greed and incompetency of the nobles
• Vastness of the empire and poor communication
• Defective military organisation
• Increased number of slaves during Firoz’s time
putting burden over the treasury.
• Timur invasion
Mongolian invasion during delhi sultanate
ADMINISTRATION OF DELHI SULTANATE

• They include their name in Khutba

 ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF DELHI
SULTANATE
• The new features brought by the Turkish conquerors were:
• 1. the dome
• 2. the lofty towers
• 3. the true arch unsupported by beam
• 4. the vault.
• They also brought with them an expert knowledge of the use of
concrete and mortar, which had hitherto beenlittle used in India.
• Adhai Din ka Jhonpra at Ajmer has a beautiful prayer hall, an
exquisitely carved Mehrab of white marble and a decorative arch
screen.
• The first example of true or voussoired arch is said to be the tomb of
Ghiyasuddin Balban in Mehrauli (Delhi).
 ART AND ARCHITECTURE OF DELHI
SULTANATE
• In the Khilji period the usage of voussoired arch anddome was established
and for all. Famous example isthe tomb of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia at
Delhi.The Tughlaq buildings show stark simplicity and sobriety, probably
indicating less financial resources as well as puritanical tests. Slopping walls
and a dark appearance characterise the buildings. Some notable Tughlaq
monuments were the fort of Tughlaquabad, the tomb of Ghiyasuddin
Tughlaq which marked a new phase in Indo-Islamic architecture by serving
as a model for later tombs and the fort of Adilabad.
• A The Sayyid period was too short to allow construction of elaborate
buildings.
• The construction of double domes was the main featurof Lodhi Architecture.
• One building worth notingthe Moth ki Masjid erected by the prime
ministerSikandar Lodhi.
LITERATURE
 VIJAYNAGAR 1336 – 1565 AD
• Vijayanagar kingdom and the city were founded
by Harihar and Bukka (sons of Sangama) who
were feudatories of Kakatiyas and later became
minister in the court of Kampili.
• Vijayanagar kingdom lay in the Deccan, to the
south ofthe Bahmani kingdom.
• Vijayanagar period can be divided into four
distinct dynasties viz. Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva
and Aravidu.
 SANGAMA 1336 – 1485
• Harihara-I and Bukka-I (1336-56): They laid the foundation of
Vijaya-nagar. Vijayanagar-Bahamani conflict began with the
foundation of kingdoms. Clash of interests in three areas:
Raichur doab (between Krishna and Tungabhadra), Krishna-
Godavari delta and Marathwada.
• Bukka-I (1356-79): Bukka-I strengthened the city of Vidyanagar
and renamed it Vijayanagar. He restored harmony between the
warring Vaishnavas and the Jains. The Kings of Malabar, Ceylon
and other countries kept ambassadors at his court.
• Harihar II (1379-1404): Bukka-I was succeeded by hisson
Harihar-II
• Deva Raya I (1406-22): He was the third son of Harihara II. His greatest
achievement was his irrigation works where a dam was built across the
Tungabhadra, with canals leading to the city. Nicolo de conti visited
Vijayanagar during his reign.
• Deva Raya II (1423-46): He was the grandson of Deva Raya I. Ahmad Shah I
of Bahamani invaded Vijayanagar and exacted a war indemnity. Deva Raya
II began the practice of employing Muslim cavalrymen and archers in the
army on large scale (Their induction had begun during Deva Raya I). He was
called Praudh Deva Raya. In his inscriptions he has the title of Gajabetekara
(the elephant hunter). Sri Lanka paid a regular tribute to him. He was
follower of Vira Shavism, yet he respected other religions. Dindima was the
court poet, whereas Srinatha wasa given the title of Kavisarvabhauma.
• Abdur Razzak the envoy of ShaH Rukh visited the Vijaynagar during his
reign.
 Saluva 1486- 1505
• Narsimha (1486 – 91 )
• Tirumal ( 1491 )
• Imadi Narsimha (1491 – 1505) = during his
time Vasco loanded on Indian subcontinent.
 TULUVA
• Vira Narsimha in 1505
 Krishna Deva Raya ( 1509 – 27 )
• He was placed in throne by the chief minister of
Vira Narsimha.
• Relation with Alberquerque
• Built vijaymahal, hazara rama temple and vitthala
swami temple
• Titles = 1. Yavanaraja Sthapnachrya ( restorer of
the Yavana kingdom ( bidar))
• 2. abhinava bhoja
• Andhra bhoja and andhra pitamaha
 Krishna Deva Raya ( 1509 – 27 )
• Scholar or telegu and sanskrit
• Telegu work = amuktamalyada
• Sanskrit = jamabawati kalyanam
• Court – ashtadigaj
– Peddana – manucharitam
– Timmaya – parijata apharanama
– Bhatta murti
– Dhurjati
– Mallan
– Raju ramchandra
– Surona
– Tenali
 Krishna Deva Raya ( 1509 – 27 )
• Contemporary of babur
• Duarte Barbosa and D.Pious visited
• Next rulers
– Achyuta Deva Raya
– Venkata 1 and Sadashiv Raya
• Battle of talikota or rakshah tangdi
 Aravidu
• Capital shifted to Penugonda
Battle of talikota
 Administration
• Nayankar System was the special feature of provincial
administration.
• Ayangar System was the special feature of village
administration. A body of 12 functionaries, known as ayangars,
conducted village affairs.
• They were granted tax free lands Manyams‘ which theywere to
enjoy in perpetuity.
• The Vijayanagar rulers issued gold coins called Varahas or
Pagodas. The Pertawas half a Varaha.
• The Fanamwas one tenth of Perta. All were of gold mixed with
alloy. The Tar was a silver coin. The Jital was a copper coin.
Society
 Architecture

• Provida style
• Sitting dieties and ammana shrine
• Stories of ramayana and mahabharata
 BHAKTI MOVEMENT
• Relation between god and man
• Alvaras and Nayanars
• For alvars = collective songs are called
Prabandhas
• Most impoprtant acharyas = ramanja and
Ramananda
 Main features of Bhakti
• No ritual and sacrifices
• Purity of heart and mind
• Monotheism
• Sagun or nirguna
• Knowledge
• Egalitarian
• Singing bhajans
 Saints
• Ramanuja (1017-1137): The Vaishnava saint from South India. The earliest
exponent of Bhakti movement and Vishitadvaita philosophy.
• Ramananda (14-15 Century) The first great Bhakti saintof North India who
opened the doors of Bhakti withoutdistinction of birth, caste, creed or sex.
• Kabir (1440-1510): The most radical disciple of Ramananda, who was
opposed to caste, creed, image worship, unnecessary rituals and sought to
remove distinction between Hindus and Muslims and believed in social unity.
• Guru Nanak (1469-1538): A Nirguna Bhakti saint andsocial reformer. The first
Sikh Guru and founder ofSikhism.
• Chaitanya (1486-1533): One of the greatest saints of Krishna Bhakti cult and
founder of Gaudiya or Bengal Vaishnavism.
• Vidyapati (14-15th Century): Maithili saint-poet who wrote thousands of
love-ballads on Radha-Krishna("Padavali').>
 Saints
• Purandar Das (1480-1564): The foremost and the most prolific Vaishnav saint-
composer in Karnataka. Believed to have laid the foundations of the modern phase
of Karnataka music.
• Mirabai (1498-1546): The Rathor princess of Merata. and daughter-in-law of Rana
Sanga of Mewar. The most well-known woman Bhakti saint of the Krishna cult of
Vaishnavism.
• Vallabhacharya (1479-1531): A great saint of the Krishna Bhakti cult of Vaishnavism,
who propounded the philosophy of Pushti Marg.
• Surdas (1483-1563): A blind poet of Agra. He sang theglory of Krishna in his
'Sursagar
• Tulsidas (1532-1623): The greatest saint-poet of the Ram Bhakti cult of
Vaishnavism. The celebrated author of'Ramcharitamanas', 'Kavitawali' and
'Gitawali.
• Shankara Deva (1449-1568): The founder of theVaishnava devotional movement in
Assam.
• Dadu Dayal (1544-1603): A Nirguna saint
Bhakti saint belonging to the tanner caste, who
was born in Gujarat but spent his whole life in
Rajasthan. Founder of the Dadu panth
• Thyagaraja (1767-1847): A Telugu saint who
spent his life in Tamil Nadu. The greatest saint-
composer of Karnataka music. He adorned God
in the form of Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu
and Hero of Valmiki's Ramayana.
 SUFISM
• Sufism is the mystical movement in Islam. The sufis while accepting
the Shariat did not confine their religious practice to formal
adherence and stressed cultivation of religious experience aimed at
direct perception of God. The sufi doctrine was based on union with
God which can be achieved through love of God, prayers, fasts and
rituals, without reference to Hindu or Muslim.
• Main Features: 1. Organised in different Silsilas (orders) 2. Absorbed
variety of ideas and practices from Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism
and Zorastrianism. 3. Sufis aimed at service of mankind through
spiritual self development 4. Eager for Hindu-Muslim unity and
cultural synthesis 5. Opposed to orthodoxy, they preached faith and
devotion to God. 6. Discouragedmaterialistic life but not in favour of
completerenunciation.
Saints