Provincial Kingdoms and Resistance by Indian Chiefs Against the Sultanate
Medieval History › The Delhi Sultanate · Topic 2.4
From the start the Delhi Sultanate faced revolts by Muslim governors who wanted independence, by Rajput rajas and zamindars who wanted to expel or exploit the Turks, and by neighbours such as Orissa and Assam. Bengal and Bihar often broke away, the Rajput forts were recovered and lost, and in the fourteenth century governors set up independent kingdoms.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · The Delhi Sultanate
At a Glance
- Breakaway regions Bengal and Bihar, Multan, Gujarat
- Rajput bases Ranthambhor, Gwalior, Bayana, Jalor
- Other resisters Orissa (Jajnagar), Assam (Kamrup), Mewat
- Long-run result Regional kingdoms after 1400
- Warning Not all revolts were Hindu resistance
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: The Delhi Sultanate
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth topic of the category on the Delhi Sultanate. The previous topic covered the Tughlaqs, whose provinces broke away, and this topic traces the pattern of provincial revolt and local resistance across the whole period. The next topic covers the Sayyid dynasty. Previous topic: Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414 AD) – Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s Experiments and Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s Reforms.
Why Did Provinces and Chiefs Resist Delhi?
In short: India was a large country that was hard to rule from one centre, so governors received large autonomy, and strong local sentiment made it easy for them and for local chiefs to defy Delhi.
Rebellions during the Slave period were led by ambitious Muslim chiefs who wanted independence and by Rajput rajas and zamindars who wanted to expel the Turks or to gain at the expense of weaker neighbours. They fought each other as well, and the aims differed, so it is wrong to treat all revolts as one Hindu resistance. Regional sentiments, which had grown stronger between the seventh and twelfth centuries, helped local rulers rally opposition.
How Did Bengal and Bihar Break Away?
| Ruler or event | What happened |
|---|---|
| Bakhtiyar Khalji | Expelled Lakshmana Sena from Lakhnauti; his Assam expedition failed |
| Iwaz (Ghiyasuddin) | Ruled independently, extended his rule over Bihar and exacted tribute from Orissa, Tirhut, east Bengal and Kamrup; defeated and killed in 1226 to 1227 by a son of Iltutmish |
| Orissa, 1244 | The Orissa ruler badly defeated the Muslim forces near Lakhnauti; later efforts against Jajnagar also failed |
| Tughril | Submitted to Balban and rebelled; hunted down in 1280 in the only distant campaign Balban made |
| Bughra Khan | Balban’s son preferred to rule Bengal and founded a dynasty that ruled there for about forty years |
Bengal and Bihar stayed outside Delhi’s control for most of the thirteenth century, and Muhammad bin Tughlaq subdued Bengal only for a short time before it again became independent.
How Did the Rajputs and Local Chiefs Resist?
The Turks had held a chain of forts, including Tijara, Bayana, Gwalior and Kalinjar, and parts of eastern Rajasthan up to Ranthambhor, Nagaur, Ajmer and Nadol. Most of these areas belonged to the former Chauhan empire and were still ruled by Chauhan families. While Iltutmish was busy in the northwest, Rajput rajas recovered Kalinjar, Gwalior and Bayana, and Ranthambhor and Jalor repudiated Turkish rule. From 1226 Iltutmish took Ranthambhor, Jalor, Bayana and Gwalior again, but he could not take Malwa and Gujarat, and the Paramaras and the Chalukyas of Gujarat repulsed him.
After his death, many Rajput rulers threw off Turkish suzerainty and the Bhatti Rajputs of Mewat cut off Bayana and raided up to Delhi. Balban failed to take Ranthambhor and Gwalior but crushed Mewat so hard that Delhi was safe from it for almost a hundred years. The Katehariya Rajputs of Ahichchatra raided Badaun until Balban depopulated the district. Continued fighting among Rajput rulers helped the Turks and prevented any combination against them.
How Did Resistance Change Under Alauddin and the Tughlaqs?
Alauddin took Ranthambhor in 1301, Chittor in 1303 and Jalor, and made Rajput rulers pay tribute with garrisons at Ajmer and Nagaur. In the south, Warangal, Devagiri and Dwar Samudra yielded tribute, and they were brought under direct rule by the Tughlaqs. When Rai Ramachandra died in 1315, his sons threw off Delhi’s rule. Under Muhammad bin Tughlaq, governors of Bengal, Mabar, Awadh, Gujarat and Sindh rebelled, and the Vijayanagara and Bahmani states arose in the south. By the end of the fourteenth century, governors had become independent and the sultan was confined to a small area around Delhi.
What Does This Pattern Show?
As an analytical point, the Sultanate was strongest when it had a strong ruler, a large cavalry and a firm hold on the doab, and weakest when an expanding frontier tied down the army. The persistent forces were the relations between monarch and nobles, the conflict with local rulers and zamindars, and the pull of region and geography. These forces explain the shift to independent provincial kingdoms in the fifteenth century, which are studied in the next category.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Pattern Explains why the Sultanate never became a unified state
- Link to regional states Leads to Bengal, Jaunpur, Bahmani and Vijayanagara
- Caution on terms Avoid calling all revolts Hindu resistance
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Sayyid dynasty, the short ruling line after Timur’s invasion. Next topic: Sayyid Dynasty.
Key People and Terms
- Iwaz Bengal ruler with the title Ghiyasuddin
- Tughril Governor of Bengal hunted down by Balban
- Mewat Region of the Meos near Delhi
- Katehar Region of Rohilkhand
- Jajnagar Capital of Orissa
- Kampili Principality in south Karnataka annexed in 1328
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Iwaz was killed in 1226 to 1227.
- Orissa defeated Muslim forces in 1244.
- Balban hunted down Tughril in 1280.
- Mewat was crushed by Balban.
- Kampili annexed in 1328.
Do Not Confuse With
- Rebellion and Hindu resistance Revolts by Muslim governors versus revolts by Rajput chiefs
- Bengal governor and Bengal Sultanate Early rebel governors versus the later independent kingdom
- Mewat and Katehar Region near Delhi versus the Rohilkhand region
Memory Hook
Governors want crowns, Rajputs want forts, Orissa and Assam hold the east.
Mains Angle
Questions on provincial resistance ask about causes and pattern. These points add depth.
- Cause Distance, autonomy of governors and local sentiment
- Pattern Revolt when Delhi was busy elsewhere
- Result Independent regional kingdoms
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Why was the Delhi Sultanate unable to hold Bengal and the Rajput lands for long?”
How to Answer
- Geography Distance and autonomy.
- Bengal Iwaz, Tughril, Bughra Khan.
- Rajputs Forts won and lost.
- Result Regional states.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did governors rebel against Delhi?
India was large and hard to rule from one centre, so governors had to be given large autonomy, and strong local feeling helped them repudiate Delhi's control. Bengal and Bihar in particular tried again and again to throw off the Sultanate's yoke.
Who was Iwaz?
Iwaz took the title Ghiyasuddin Sultan and ruled Lakhnauti as an independent ruler after Bakhtiyar Khalji's expedition. He extended his rule over Bihar and collected tribute from neighbours, until he was defeated and killed in 1226 to 1227 by Iltutmish's son.
How did Balban deal with Mewat and Katehar?
Balban hunted down the Meos of Mewat, cut forests, built military posts and killed rebellious villagers, and he depopulated Katehar after Rajput raids on Badaun. The Mewat region stayed safe for about a hundred years, according to the record.
Was resistance to the Sultanate only a Hindu movement?
No. The revolts were led both by ambitious Muslim chiefs who wanted independence and by Rajput rajas and zamindars who wanted to expel or exploit the Turks. They also fought each other, so the objectives differed and should not be lumped together.
Which Rajput forts did Alauddin Khalji capture?
Alauddin captured Ranthambhor in 1301 and Chittor in 1303 and overran Jalor. He left the Rajput rulers in place but made them pay tribute and obey orders, with Muslim garrisons at Ajmer and Nagaur, so Rajasthan stayed thoroughly subdued for a time.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Balban hunted down the Bengal governor Tughril in 1280.
It was his only distant campaign.
2 The Orissa ruler defeated Muslim forces near Lakhnauti in 1244.
Efforts against Jajnagar also failed.
3 All rebellions against the Sultanate were led by Hindu rajas.
Many were led by ambitious Muslim governors.
4 Bughra Khan set up a dynasty in Bengal.
It ruled for about forty years.
Related Topics
Browse the full Medieval History index