The Delhi Sultanate period in Indian history runs from 1206 AD to 1526 AD. During this three-hundred-year period, five dynasties ruled in Delhi: Slave (1206-1290 CE), Khaliji (1290-1320 CE), Tughlaq (1320-1413 CE), Saiyyad (1414-1451 CE), and Lodhis (1451-1526 CE). The decline began during the reign of Tughluqs and was completed during the reigns of Sayyids and Lodis due to the Sultans' weaknesses and noncooperation of the subjects and nobles. In this article, we will discuss the Decline of Delhi Sultanate which will be helpful for UPSC exam preparation.

Delhi Sultanate - Background

• The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate began with Muhammad Ghori's invasion.
• He had brought many slaves with him and appointed them as officers. When he died in 1206 AD, his three generals-Qutub-ud-din Aibek (Commander of his army), Tajuddin Yalduz (ruled Karman and Sankuran between Afghanistan and Sind), and Nasiruddin Qubacha-fought for supremacy.
• Out of the three generals, Qutb-ud-din Aibak ascended and began slave dynasty rule.
• The Muslim invasions of India resulted in the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, which lasted from AD 1206 to 1526.
• During this time, India was ruled by a number of Turkish Sultans from the Ilbari Turkish clan. These Sultans were also known as Mamluks.
• During this time, Delhi was ruled by five dynasties: the Slave dynasty, the Khilji dynasty, the Tughlaq dynasty, the Sayyid dynasty, and the Lodi dynasty.
• Except for the Lodis, all other Delhi sultans were Turkish in origin. The Lodis were of Afghan origin.

Causes of Decline

• Political Cause
  • The Sultanate of Delhi was autocratic. The Sultans of Delhi ruled as despots. They concentrated all of the Sultanate's power in their own hands, and the Amirs held the reins of the empire in their own hands.
  • The people were denied the right to participate in the affairs of the kingdom.
  • Thus, there was a wide gulf between the Sultan and the people, which widened even more during the reigns of the late unsuccessful Sultans, and thus continued to disintegrate with the passage of time.
  • The rulers of the Delhi Sultanate were neither properly educated nor possessed administrative skills. Furthermore, their rule was based on the power of the army, but the army's organisation left a lot to be desired.
  • The Sultans had no permanent army. In times of war, they had to rely on the armies of the Governors, which were incompatible with one another.
  • Only a powerful ruler could keep his hold on them, but under the reign of weak and inefficient rulers, the unorganised army posed a threat to the Sultanate and rebelled on and off.
  • The ruler of the Delhi Sultanate did not pay their employees in cash and instead awarded Jagirs, which made everyone wealthy.
  • Excess money harmed the Sultanate's interests, and people frequently resorted to conspiracies. It undermined the Sultanate's power and prestige.
  • The weak rulers of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties were unable to exert control over the country's political situation.
  • They adopted the feudal system, which increased the power of the feudal lords to such an extent that it proved fatal to the Sultanate's survival.
  • When Sikandar Lodi and his successor attempted to crush the power of these nobles, they revolted.
  • Ibrahim Lodi's rash policy irritated them even more. He imposed several restrictions on them and refused to allow them to sit in court.
  • Thus, Ibrahim Lodi's tyrannical policy forced Alam Khan and Daulat Khan Lodi to invite Babur to invade the country. His invasion was the final nail in the Sultanate's political coffin.
• Social Cause
  • The rulers of the Delhi Sultanate implemented a policy of religious intolerance, which resulted in social divisions, and Hindus and Muslims became bitter rivals.
  • The Muslim rulers' partisan policies harmed the interests of their Hindu subjects, creating jealousy and hatred between the two communities.
  • During this time, casteism, untouchability, and a sense of "class" emerged in society. The Muslims used to refer to Hindus as 'Kafirs,' while Hindus referred to Muslims as 'Mlechhas.'
  • A sense of mutual suspicion prevailed between the two communities, which proved fatal to the Sultanate's survival.
• Religious Cause
  • The Delhi Sultanate was a theocratic state with an administration based on Islamic principles.
  • The Ulema and orthodox Muslims held a privileged position in the Sultanate and influenced the Sultan's policies.
  • Because the majority of Hindus were not treated favourably by the Muslim rulers, they never cooperated with them.
  • The majority of Hindus were also irritated by the Sultans of Delhi's religious intolerance. Their act of demolishing Hindu temples and smashing idols of Hindu gods and goddesses irritated them even more.
  • The imposition of Jaziya and pilgrimage tax hurt the Hindus' tender feelings, and their conversion on the points of sword offended them so much that they rebelled against the Sultanate and contributed to its demise.
• Economic Cause
  • Economic solidarity is the backbone of the empire, but the rulers of the Delhi Sultanate did not have a solid financial position.
  • They amassed a lot of wealth during their invasions and plundered the temples, but they also spent a lot of money organising the army and repelling the Mongol invasion.
  • Furthermore, Muhammad Tughluq's ridiculous schemes depleted the royal treasury, and no government could be stable without sound finances.
  • The sultanate of Delhi spent a large sum on slave maintenance, and the nobles and Amirs embezzled a large portion of the Sultanate's revenue, so the state's income fell short of its expenditure.
  • The rulers of the Delhi Sultanate did not try to improve their finances and did not levy taxes properly.
  • Muslims were either exempted from paying taxes or granted concessions, and trade and industry were underdeveloped.
  • As a result, the Delhi Sultanate's economic weaknesses also contributed to its demise.

Effects of the Disintegration of Delhi Sultanate

• The immediate effect of the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate was the emergence of a number of kingdoms.
• For example, in 1336 AD, Harihara and Bukka established the Vijayanagar Empire; in 1347 AD, the Amirs of Daulatabad rose in revolt against Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and helped establish the Bahmani kingdom at Gulbarga under Allauddin Hasan or Hasan Gangu; and in northern India, Bengal, Jaunpur, Kashmir, Marwar, and others gained independence.
• The Hindu states of the central provinces had ceased to play any role in India's overall history.
• Northern India's newly formed states waged constant wars among themselves, either to expand their sphere of influence, settle their borders, or gain a dominant position among neighbouring states.
• In terms of the impact of the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate on Indian society, the people in general once again lacked direction and led their parochial lives.
• Sufism, Bhaktism, and the emergence of lingua franca were not helpful to India's unity and integrity.

Conclusion

The invasion of Babur proved to be the final significant reason for the decline of the Sultanate of Delhi. Ibrahim Lodi failed to measure swords with the Mughal army and fell prostrate before it. Babur's well-equipped and disciplined army completely uprooted the Delhi Sultanate.