Identifying the Sultan and Coin Reforms

The question asks to identify the Sultan responsible for introducing the practice of marking the mint town's name on the silver coin known as the tanka.

During the early period of the Delhi Sultanate, coinage underwent significant changes to establish a standardized currency system. Different rulers introduced various reforms to consolidate their control and facilitate trade.

Let's examine the contributions of the Sultans mentioned in the options regarding coinage:

• Qutbuddin Aibek: As the founder of the Delhi Sultanate, Aibek's reign was short and focused primarily on establishing control. While coins were struck, major currency reforms like standardizing the tanka and jital and marking mint towns are not attributed to him.
• Iltutmish: Considered the real consolidator of the Delhi Sultanate, Iltutmish introduced two principal coins: the silver tanka and the copper jital. A significant innovation attributed to him was the practice of inscribing the name of the mint town on these coins. This helped in standardizing the currency, verifying its authenticity, and tracking its origin, which was crucial for administration and trade across the Sultanate.
• Alauddin Khalji: Known for his extensive market reforms and price control measures, Alauddin Khalji also issued coins. However, the specific innovation of putting the mint town's name on the tanka was already established before his time. His reign saw other monetary experiments, including an attempt at issuing token currency, which failed.
• Muhammad Tughlaq: Famous for his ambitious and sometimes controversial policies, Muhammad Tughlaq also attempted to introduce token currency made of brass or copper, which was to be accepted at the value of silver tankas. This venture was largely unsuccessful. While his coins existed, the practice of including the mint town name on silver tankas was a feature inherited from earlier rulers like Iltutmish, not originated by him.

Based on historical accounts of the Delhi Sultanate's coinage, Iltutmish is credited with standardizing the currency by introducing the silver tanka and copper jital and initiating the practice of indicating the mint town on the coins.

Therefore, the Sultan who started the practice of putting on the tanka the name of the mint town was Iltutmish.

Revision Table: Key Sultans and Coinage

Additional Information on Delhi Sultanate Coinage and Mint Towns

The introduction of the silver tanka (approximately 175 grains) and the copper jital by Iltutmish marked a significant step towards creating a unified monetary system in the Delhi Sultanate. The tanka was the primary silver coin, while the jital was a lower-value copper coin. The exact ratio between the tanka and jital varied over time.

The practice of adding the mint town's name on the coins was not just a decorative element. It served several important purposes:

• Authentication: It helped verify where the coin was struck, ensuring it was official currency from a recognized mint.
• Quality Control: It linked the coin's quality and weight to a specific mint, allowing authorities to monitor standards.
• Economic Administration: It provided records of which mints were active and the volume of coinage produced in different regions, aiding economic management.
• Political Authority: By issuing coins with their name, title, and minting location, Sultans proclaimed their sovereignty over those territories.

Various mint towns existed throughout the Sultanate period, including Delhi, Lakhnauti, Jaunpur, Daulatabad, and others, reflecting the geographical extent of the Sultanate's power.