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Khalji Revolution

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Khalji Revolution

Jalaluddin enthroned asSultan of Delhi
Date1 February—13 June 1290
Location
Delhi Sultanate
Result Khalji faction victory
Belligerents
Khaljifaction Mamluk dynasty
Turkic faction
Commanders and leaders
Jalaluddin Khalji
Alauddin Khalji
Ikhtiyaruddin (WIA)		 Muiz ud din QaiqabadX
Shamsuddin KayumarsX
Aitmar Surkah†
Aitmar Kachhan†

TheKhalji Revolution,[1]alternatively spelled theKhilji Revolution,[2]marked a militarycoupand a period of political and societal transformation in theDelhi Sultanate.It unfolded following the death ofMamluk sultanBalbanand the subsequent incapacity of his successors to effectively govern theDelhi Sultanate.The upheaval commenced and concluded in 1290 whenJalaluddin Khaljiseized absolute power, toppling theMamluksand inaugurating the rule of theKhalji dynasty.

After Balban's death, his underage grandsonQaiqabadascended the throne. A poor governor, Qaiqabad later fell ill and becameparalyzed,leading to the succession of his son,Shamsuddin Kayumars.Amidst this upheaval, factions arose within the Mamluk court, with theTurkicfaction led by Aitmar Surkah facing off against the Khalji faction, led by Jalaluddin Khalji.

Conflict erupted between the factions, culminating in the Khaljis kidnapping Shamsuddin, the child sultan. A battle ensued, resulting in the defeat of the Turks. Following their defeat, a significant portion of the Turkic nobility defected to the Khalji faction. With the child sultan under his control and Qaiqabad nearing death, Jalaluddin assumed the roles ofregentandwazir,ultimately consolidating absolute power and deposing Shamsuddin in June 1290.

The success of the revolution witnessed theKhalji dynastyreplacing theMamluk dynastyas the ruling dynasty of theDelhi Sultanate.Jalaluddin's reign lasted six years until his assassination by his nephew,Alauddin Khalji.The revolution signaled the end of Turkic hegemony over the nobility of the Delhi Sultanate, and began the rise ofTurko-Afghans.

Background

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Map of the Mamluk Sultanate in 1250

The Mamluks were established in 1206 after theGhurid EmpireunderMuhammad of Ghorconductednumerous invasions into India.Founded byQutb ud-Din Aibak,a slave of Ghurid overlord Muhammad of Ghor, the Mamluks rose to power following Muhammad's death and asserted their independence. Qutb ud-Din, who expanded the Delhi Sultanate through campaigns against Indian kingdoms, was succeeded byIltutmish,a ruler who significantly expanded the Sultanate further and implemented numerous reforms.[3]Balban continued to consolidate the Delhi Sultanate after ascending the throne in 1266.[4]His death in 1286 led to his grandsonQaiqabadassuming the throne. Qaiqabad, initially raised following Islamic principles, succumbed to a hedonistic lifestyle upon ascending the throne, resulting in a decline of the administrative reforms initiated by Balban.[5]Seizing the opportunity presented by Qaiqabad's shortcomings, Malik Nizamuddin became the de factoregentof the Sultanate, consolidating power by placing loyalists to him in key positions.[6]

Bughra Khan,Qaiqabad's father, alarmed by Nizamuddin's rapid acquisition of power and Qaiqabad's elimination of rivalamirsthrough intrigue, warned his son through letters about the impending threat. Ignoring his father's advice, Qaiqabad failed to recognize the danger and, as a result, Bughra Khan decided to personally meet his son inBengal.Amir KhusrauandBaraniprovided differing accounts of their meeting. Amir Khusrau suggested that Bughra Khan aimed to seize Delhi for himself. Advancing toBihar,Qaiqabad marched out of the city to prepare for conflict. Barani, however, contended that Qaiqabad himself initiated the assembly of an army to confront his father. Nonetheless, Nizamuddin's attempts to foment discord between the father and son failed. Bughra Khan and Qaiqabad met on the banks of the Gogra river in 1288.[7]Bughra Khan advised Qaiqabad to abstain from indulging in wine and pleasure with concubines, and to remove Nizamuddin from power. After his father's departure, Qaiqabad attempted to resist indulging in debauchery, but soon returned to his previous lifestyle. Qaiqabad instructed Nizamuddin to return toMultanto oversee administrative affairs. After he delayed his departure, Nizamuddin was eventually poisoned and killed by Turkic officers, secretly permitted to do so by Qaiqabad.[8][9]

The assassination of Nizamuddin impaired the government's administrative capabilities, prompting Qaiqabad to seek assistance fromJalaluddin Khalji,the governor ofSamana.Jalaluddin, distinguished for his role in repelling Mongol invasions,[10]was given the title ofShaistaKhan by Qaiqabad, along with the positions of minister of war and governorship ofBaran.[11][12]However, other Turkic nobles opposed Jalaluddin's rise due to his low-born Afghan origin,[13]and contested his position.[14][15]Under unknown circumstances, Qaiqabad was paralyzed, initiating a power struggle in the court. This led to Aitmar Surkah and Aitmar Kachhan placing Qaiqabad's young son,Shamsuddin Kayumars,on the Delhi throne in February 1290. Shamsuddin's ascension saw the emergence of two factions within theMamlukcourt: the Turkic faction led by Aitmar Surkah and Aitmar Kachhan, and the Khalji faction led by Jalaluddin Khalji. The Turkic faction aimed to maintain Turkic dominance over the Delhi Sultanate, while the Khalji faction sought power for themselves.[16][17][18]

Revolution

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Aitmar Surkah and Aitmar Kachhan conspired against Jalaluddin's faction. They formed a list of nobles which they intended to put to death, beginning with Jalaluddin. Ahmad Chap, theHajibof the Mamluks, informed Jalaluddin of the impending plot. Believing Delhi was no longer safe, Jalaluddin departed for Baharpur, gathering men from Baran under the pretext of an imminentMongol invasion.[19][20]Subsequently, Aitmar Surkah and Aitmar Kachhan initiated intrigue, sending a letter to Jalaluddin addressing him as emperor.[21]Another account suggested it was a letter summoning him to court.[20]Regardless, as Kachhan arrived at Jalaluddin's camp, he was pulled from his horse and killed byAlauddin Khalji,officially sparking conflict between the two factions.[21][20][22]

Jalaluddin's sons swiftly rode toDelhi,accompanied by around 50 horsemen. The force entered Delhi, forcibly seizing Shamsuddin before departing for Baharpur. Aitmar Surkah pursued the force, engaging in battle in the same area. In one encounter, Ikhtiyaruddin, Jalaluddin's eldest son, was thrown from his horse and engaged in single combat with Aitmar Surkah. Despite being struck at least twice, Ikhtiyaruddin survived and managed todecapitateAitmar Surkah. Following this, a revolt erupted in Delhi. The rebels sought to march to Baharpur and restore Shamsuddin to power. However, Malikul'umra halted the rebels at the gate ofBadaon,preventing them from leaving to fight the Khaljis due to his own sons being held captive by Jalaluddin. With Aitmar Surkah dead and the rebels dispersed, many Turkic amirs switched sides to the Khaljis, significantly bolstering their strength.[23][20]

With Jalaluddin unopposed, he ordered the death of Qaiqabad, who was clinging to life due to his illness. Qaiqabad was wrapped in a carpet and thrown into theYamuna Riveron 1 February 1290. Despite holding a powerful position, Jalaluddin initially allowed Shamsuddin to continue ruling, relocating him to Baharpur while also negotiating with Malik Chajju, a nephew of Balban. Jalaluddin offered Malik Chajju the role of regent, but Malik Chajju preferred the governorship ofKara.With Jalaluddin's approval, Malik Chajju left for Kara. Jalaluddin assumed the roles ofregentandwazirof the Sultanate. Eventually, he seized complete power, crowning himself in Kilughari Palace, an Afghanenclavesuburb in Delhi,[24]in June 1290. Shamsuddin was imprisoned and died sometime afterward.[23][25]

Aftermath

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Coinage of Jalaluddin Khalji

With the ascent of theKhalji dynastyand Jalaluddin's rule, Turkic dominance over the nobility of the Sultanate was dismantled, paving the way for non-Turks to assume prominence.[26][27]The Khaljis governed theDelhi Sultanatefrom 1290 to 1320 before being succeeded by theTughlaq dynasty.[28]Jalaluddin's rule lasted only six years before his assassination by his ambitious nephew,Alauddin Khalji,who significantly expanded the Sultanate during his reign from 1296 to 1316.[13][29]

See also

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Citations

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  1. ^Asimov & Bosworth 1998,p. 272.
  2. ^Chaurasia 2002,p. 28.
  3. ^Jackson 2003,p. 26.
  4. ^Mehta 1979,pp. 44.
  5. ^Lal 1967,p. 2.
  6. ^Habib & Khaliq Ahmad 1970,pp. 304–305.
  7. ^Ali 1968,p. 70.
  8. ^Habib & Khaliq Ahmad 1970,pp. 307–308.
  9. ^Lal 1967,pp. 5–6.
  10. ^Srivastava 1966,p. 140.
  11. ^Jackson 2003,p. 82.
  12. ^Mehta 1979,p. 128.
  13. ^abMahajan 2007,p. 121.
  14. ^Fisher 2018,p. 86.
  15. ^Chandra 2007,p. 93.
  16. ^Chopra, Ravindran & Subrahmanian 1979,p. 2.
  17. ^Habib & Khaliq Ahmad 1970,pp. 308–309.
  18. ^Lal 1967,pp. 6–7.
  19. ^Lal 1967,pp. 7–8.
  20. ^abcdHabib & Khaliq Ahmad 1970,p. 309.
  21. ^abLal 1967,p. 8.
  22. ^Chopra, Ravindran & Subrahmanian 1979,pp. 2–3.
  23. ^abLal 1967,p. 9.
  24. ^Lee 2022,p. 55.
  25. ^Habib & Khaliq Ahmad 1970,pp. 309–311.
  26. ^Bowman 2000,p. 267.
  27. ^Mehta 1979,p. 127.
  28. ^Asher & Hambly 2011.
  29. ^Chaurasia 2002,pp. 27–28.

References

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