Qutbuddin Aibak and Aram Shah
Muhammad Ghori left no male heirs to succeed him, and his provincial viceroys soon established their own authority in their respective jurisdictions. Tajuddin Yildiz, Governor of Kirman, ascended the throne of Ghazni, while Qutbuddin Aibak assumed the title of Sultan and was acknowledged as the ruler of the Indian territories by the Muslim officers in India. Quthbuddin Aibak’s rise excited the jealousy of Yildiz, who entered into a contest with him for the mastery over the Punjab. Qutbuddin defeated Yildiz, drove him out of Ghazni and occupied it for forty days. But the people of Ghazni, disgusted with his excesses, secretly invited Yildiz to come to their rescue. Yildiz did not fail to avail himself of this opportunity, and on his sudden and unexpected return to Ghazni, Qutbuddin fled away precipitately. This destroyed the chance of a political union between Afghanistan and India, which was not achieved till Babur’s occupation of Delhi, and Qutbuddin became a purely Indian Sultan. He died at Lahore, early in November, A.D. 1210, in consequence of a fall from his horse while playing Chaugan or polo, after a short reign of a little more than four years.
On the sudden death of Qutbuddin at Lahore, the Amirs and Maliks of Lahore set up Aram Bakhsh as his successor with the title of Sultan Aram Shah. Aram was illqualified to govern a kingdom. The nobles of Delhi soon conspired against him and invited Malik Shamsuddin Iltutmish, then Governor of Badaun, to replace Aram. Iltutmush responded to their call, and, advancing with all his army, defeated Aram near Delhi.
Iltutmish
Iltutmish was remarkably hand- some in appearance, and showed signs of intelligence and sagacity from his early days. His accomplishments attracted the notice of Qutbuddin, then Viceroy of Delhi, who purchased him at a high price. By dint of his merits, Iltutmish raised his status step by step till he was made the governor of Badaun and was married to a daughter of Qutbuddin.
Thus the choice of the Delhi nobles fell on a worthy man. But on his accession in the year A.D.1210 or 1211, Iltutmish found himself confronted with an embarrassing situation. To add to Iltutmish’s troubles, some of the Amirs of Delhi expressed resentment against his rule.
The new Sultan, however, faced the situation boldly. He first effectively suppressed a rebellion of the Amirs near Delhi, and then brought under his control the different parts of the kingdom of Delhi. Oudh, Benares and Sivalik. The ambitious designs of his rivals were also frustrated. In A.D. 1214 Yildiz, fled to Lahore, conquered the Punjab up to Thanesar and tried to establish his independent power and even to assert his authority over Iltutmish. This was what Iltutmish could hardly tolerate. He promptly marched against his rival, and defeated him in a battle near Tarain in January, A.D. 1216. Yildiz was taken prisoner and sent to Badaun. This added a new element of strength to Iltutmish’s authority and gave him a status in the Muslim world.
Returning from an expedition on his way Iltutmish was attacked with such a severe illness that he had to be carried back to Delhi in a litter. This disease proved fatal and he expired on the 29th April, 1236, after a reign of twenty-six years.
It was during the reign of Iltutmish, in the year A.D. 1221, that the Mongols appeared for the first time on the banks of the Indus, under their celebrated leader Chengiz Khan. He was not merely a conqueror. He overran the countries of Central and Western Asia with lightning rapidity.
Iltutmish may justly be regarded as the greatest ruler of the early Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, which lasted till A.D. 1290. An intrepid warrior and a stern chastiser of foes, he was busy till the last year of his life in military conquests. The completion of the structure of the famous Qutb Minar at Delhi by the Sultan in A.D. 1231-1232 stands as an imperishable testimony to his greatness.
Raziya
Nasiruddin Mahmud, the eldest son of Iltutmish, died in April, A.D. 1229. The surviving sons of the Sultan were incapable of the task of administration. Iltutmish, therefore, nominated on his death-bed his daughter Raziya as his heiress. But the nobles of his court were too proud to bow their heads before a woman, and disregarding the deceased Sultan’s wishes, raised to the throne his eldest surviving son, Ruknuddin Firoz. Ruknuddin was unfit to rule. He indulged in low tastes, neglected the affairs of state. Matters were made worse by the activities of his mother, Shah Turkhan, who seized all power while her son remained immersed in enjoyment. The whole kingdom was plunged into disorder. The nobles of Delhi, who had been seething with discontent about the undue influence of the queen-mother, made her a prisoner and placed Raziya on the throne of Delhi.
The task before the young queen was not an easy one. But Raziya was not devoid of the virtues necessary in a ruler, and she soon overpowered her enemies. Her authority was established over Hindustan and the Punjab, and the governors of the distant provinces of Bengal and Sind also acknowledged her sway.
The queen was not, however, destined to enjoy a peaceful reign. The undue favour shown by her to the Abyssinian slave Jalaluddin Yaqut, offended the Turkish nobles. The first to revolt openly was Altuniya, the governor of Sirhind, who was secretly instigated by some nobles of the court. The queen marched with a large army to suppress the revolt, but in the conflict that ensued the rebel nobles slew Yaqut, and imprisoned her. She was placed in charge of Altuniya. Raziya tried to extricate herself from the critical situation by marrying Altuniya, but to no effect. She marched with her husband towards Delhi, but on arriving near Kaithal she was deserted by the followers of Altuniya and defeated on the 13th October, 1240, by Bahram Shah. She was put to death with her husband the next day. Thus the life of the queen Raziya ended miserably after a reign of three years and a few royal months.
Nasiruddin Mahmud
Nasiruddin was a man of amiable and pious disposition. He was an expert calligraphist and spent his leisure moments in copying the Quran. He was also a patron of the learned.
As a ruler, Nasiruddin’s abilities fell far short of what the prevailing complicated situation demanded. Ghiyasuddin Balban, his minister, and later on his deputy, was the real power behind the throne. Balban proved himself worthy of the confidence thus reposed in him. He did his best to save the State from the perils of internal rebellions and external invasions. The attacks of the Mongols were repelled. Nasiruddin Mahmud died on the 18th February, 1266, leaving no male heir behind him. Balban, a man of proved ability, whom the deceased Sultan is said to have designated as his successor, then ascended the throne with the acquiescence of the nobles and the officials.
Ghiyasudddin Balban
In his early youth, he was taken as a captive to Baghdad by the Mongols, from whom he was purchased by Khwaja Jamaluddin, a man of piety and learning. Khwaja Jamaluddin brought him to Delhi in A.D. 1232 along with his other salves, all of whom were purchased by Sultan Iltutmish.
An experienced administrator, Balban eagerly applied himself to the task of eradicating the evils from which the state had been suffering for a long time. He justly realised that a strong and efficient army was an essential requisite for the stability of his government. He built strong forts and also repaired the old ones. Thus order and security were restored, and the roads have ever since been free from robbers.
Balban did his best to raise the prestige and majesty of the Delhi Sultanate. After his accession to the throne, he adopted a dignified mode of living. The famous poet Amir Khusro, was a contemporary of Balban. The Sultan had a lofty sense of kingly dignity. He always appeared in full dress even before his private attendants. Balban breathed his last towards the chose of the year A.D. 1287 after a reign of about twenty-two years.
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