Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty (Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultan, Balban)
Medieval History › The Delhi Sultanate · Topic 2.1
The Slave or Mamluk dynasty ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the thirteenth century. Qutbuddin Aibak founded it in 1206, Iltutmish consolidated it, Razia was the only woman to rule from Delhi, and Balban built a strong centralised monarchy, until the Khaljis overthrew his weak successors in 1290.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · The Delhi Sultanate
At a Glance
- Founded 1206, by Qutbuddin Aibak
- Consolidator Iltutmish (1210 to 1236)
- Woman ruler Razia (1236 to 1239)
- Strong monarch Balban (naib from 1246, sultan from 1265, died 1286)
- End Khalji revolution of 1290
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Medieval History: The Delhi Sultanate
Where Does It Fit?
This is the first topic of the category on the Delhi Sultanate. The previous macro category ended with the conquest of north India by Muhammad Ghori, whose slave Aibak became the first sultan. The next topic covers the Khalji dynasty. Previous topic: Muhammad Ghori’s Conquest of North India.
How Did Qutbuddin Aibak Found the Sultanate?
In short: the Slave dynasty was the first line of the Delhi Sultanate, founded in 1206 by Qutbuddin Aibak, a Turkish slave of Muhammad Ghori who had helped expand Turkish rule after the battle of Tarain.
Aibak succeeded Muizzuddin in 1206, and Yalduz, another slave, succeeded at Ghazni. Yalduz claimed to rule Delhi too, but Aibak, ruling from Lahore, rejected this. From that time the Sultanate cut its links with Ghazni, which kept India out of Central Asian politics and let the Sultanate grow on its own. Aibak died in 1210 from a fall from his horse while playing chaugan, or polo. The dynasty is called the Slave or Mamluk dynasty, and the term Mamluk, an Arabic word meaning owned, was used for imported Turkish slaves trained for military service, to separate them from humble slaves used in households and farms.
What Did Iltutmish Achieve?
Iltutmish was Aibak’s son-in-law and succeeded in 1210 after defeating Aibak’s son, so heredity was checked at the start. He is regarded as the real consolidator of Turkish conquests in north India. On his accession Ali Mardan Khan had declared himself king of Bengal and Bihar, and Qubacha, another slave of Aibak, ruled independently from Multan and held Lahore and parts of Punjab. The Rajputs also seized their chance: Kalinjar, Gwalior and eastern Rajasthan, including Ajmer and Bayana, threw off Turkish rule.
The conquest of Ghazni by Khwarizm Shah brought a Khwarizmi frontier to the Indus, so Iltutmish occupied Lahore. After the Mongols destroyed the Khwarizmi empire in 1218, he removed Qubacha from Multan and Uchch and again took the frontier to the Indus. In the east, Iwaz, who took the title Ghiyasuddin, was defeated and killed in 1226 to 1227 by Iltutmish’s son near Lakhnauti. Iltutmish also recovered Gwalior and Bayana, and sent expeditions against Ranthambhor and Jalor. He failed against Mewar and the Chalukyas of Gujarat.
Who Was Razia and Why Did She Fall?
Iltutmish found none of his surviving sons worthy, so he nominated his daughter Razia and got the nobles and the ulama to agree. It was a novel step. She ruled for only three years, from 1236 to 1239, and fought both her brothers and powerful Turkish nobles. Her reign began the struggle between the monarchy and the Turkish chiefs, called the forty or the chahalgani. She gave up female dress, held court with her face unveiled, hunted and led armies. She defeated a rebellion backed by the wazir Nizam-ul-Mulk Junaidi and sent an expedition against Ranthambhor.
Her attempt to build a party loyal to her and to raise a non-Turk to high office roused the nobles, who accused her of closeness to the Abyssinian Yaqut Khan, the Superintendent of the Royal Stable. Contemporary writers do not accuse her of any personal intimacy with him. Rebellions broke out at Lahore and Sirhind, and at Sirhind Yaqut Khan was killed and Razia was imprisoned at Tabarhinda. She won over her captor Altunia, married him and tried for Delhi again, but she was defeated and killed in a forest by bandits.
How Did Balban Strengthen the Monarchy?
| Policy | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rise | Held the post of naib to Nasiruddin Mahmud from 1246; ousted in 1253 and returned; became sultan in 1265 |
| Theory of kingship | Claimed descent from the legendary Iranian king Afrasiyab; excluded those not of noble birth, which shut out Indian Muslims |
| Court ceremony | Sijada and paibos, prostration and kissing the monarch’s feet, of Iranian origin |
| Justice and spies | Impartial punishment, even of highly placed officials’ fathers; spies in every department |
| Army | Reorganised the military department, diwan-i-arz, and pensioned off unfit soldiers |
| Law and order | Blood and iron: cleared forests, set up thanas, crushed the Meos and Katehar Rajputs, settled Afghan soldiers |
| Mongols | Repaired frontier forts, stayed at Delhi, made diplomatic contact with the Il-Khan Halaku |
Balban broke the power of the Turkish nobles, the chahalgani, and did not hesitate to poison his cousin Sher Khan. He died in 1286. By restricting power to a narrow group of Turkish nobles, he left many people dissatisfied, which led to fresh troubles after his death.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Foundation The first dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate
- Kingship theory Balban’s ideas shaped later Sultanate rule
- Razia A standard Prelims and Mains question on women rulers
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Khalji dynasty, which ended the Turkish monopoly of power. Next topic: Khalji Dynasty (1290–1320 AD) – Jalal-ud-din Khalji and Alauddin Khalji’s Conquests and Market Control Reforms.
Key People and Terms
- Aibak First sultan, 1206
- Iltutmish Consolidator, 1210 to 1236
- Chahalgani The forty Turkish chiefs
- Sijada and paibos Prostration and foot-kissing
- Diwan-i-arz Military department
- Naib Deputy of the sultan
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Dynasty founded 1206; Aibak died 1210 playing polo.
- Razia: 1236 to 1239.
- Chahalgani: the forty Turkish nobles.
- Balban became sultan in 1265; died 1286.
- Sijada and paibos were introduced by Balban.
Do Not Confuse With
- Slave dynasty and Mamluks of Egypt Delhi dynasty of Turkish slaves versus a separate Egyptian line
- Aibak and Iltutmish Founder versus consolidator
- Chahalgani and Balban’s nobles The forty challenged Razia; Balban broke them
Memory Hook
Aibak founds, Iltutmish holds, Razia dares, Balban rules by fear.
Mains Angle
Questions on the Slave dynasty ask about consolidation or kingship. These points add depth.
- Consolidation Iltutmish ended divisions and met the Mongol danger
- Monarchy v nobles Razia against the forty; Balban against the forty
- Weakness Narrow base of Turkish nobles
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the contribution of Iltutmish and Balban to the consolidation of the Delhi Sultanate.”
How to Answer
- Aibak Founder and the break from Ghazni.
- Iltutmish Frontiers, rivals and Mongols.
- Balban Kingship, army and order.
- Limit Narrow Turkish base.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded the Slave dynasty of Delhi?
Qutbuddin Aibak, a Turkish slave of Muhammad Ghori, founded the Slave or Mamluk dynasty in 1206. He ruled from Lahore, cut the Sultanate's links with Ghazni, and died in 1210 after a fall from his horse while playing polo.
Why is Iltutmish called the consolidator of the Sultanate?
Iltutmish defeated rival slaves such as Qubacha and Yalduz's claims, took Lahore, Multan and Uchch, brought Bengal and Bihar back under Delhi and recovered Rajput forts such as Gwalior and Bayana. He also appeased the Mongols so that they did not enter India.
Who was Razia Sultan?
Razia was the daughter of Iltutmish, nominated by him to succeed. She ruled from 1236 to 1239, dropped female dress, held open court and led armies, but her promotion of non-Turks such as Yaqut Khan angered the Turkish nobles, and she was killed by bandits after her defeat.
What were Balban's main policies?
Balban built a strong centralised monarchy. He claimed Iranian royal descent, introduced sijada and paibos, kept spies, reorganised the army, crushed rebels in the doab and Mewat by blood and iron, and broke the power of the forty Turkish nobles.
How did the Slave dynasty end?
After Balban's death in 1286, his narrow Turkish-only policy had left many non-Turks, such as the Khaljis, and Indian Muslims dissatisfied. His weak successors were overthrown in 1290 by a group of Khalji nobles led by Jalaluddin Khalji.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Qutbuddin Aibak died while playing chaugan (polo).
He died in 1210 from a fall from his horse.
2 Razia was the first woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate.
She ruled from 1236 to 1239.
3 Balban introduced the practice of sijada and paibos at court.
It was of Iranian origin.
4 Iltutmish was succeeded by Balban directly.
Razia and others came in between; Balban became sultan in 1265.
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