Module - II Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate

Military History of
Medieval India

5
Note
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
DELHI SULTANATE
The Medieval period dates roughly between 6th A.D and 16th A.D. During this period
many dynasties ruled India. The period was marked by several battles which some
developments of new weapons and new military strategies. The focus of this lesson
will be on the onset of the rule of Delhi Sultanates in 1206 A.D. up until the last of the
Mughal rule under Bahadur Shah Zafar and his overthrow in 1857 by the Britishers,
which subsequently paved the way for the establishment of Colonial rule in India. The
battles were many as were the methods adopted in each of them. The overall objective
was to defeat the enemy and win the war.
You will learn that the number of soldiers in battles did not matter; rather it was the
strategy and bravery that mattered when it came to victory. Hence the innovations and
methods adopted by different rulers during period contributed to an experienced military
in different regions of India. In this lesson, you will first learn the developments in
military starting with the onset of foreign invasions and then study the major battles that
led to consolidation of Muslim rule. You will also learn the major battle field techniques
employed and the reasons for their failure.

Objectives
After studying this lesson you will be able to:
 explain the factors responsible for foreign invasion of India and its impact;
 describe the developments in Military system and
 identify the reasons for the weaknesses of Delhi Sultanates.

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Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate Module - II
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5.1 Foreign invasions in Medieval India
Medieval India
Do you know when the first foreign invasion into India took place? It was during 5th
century BC that the Persian King Darius invaded the North Western part of India,
which was then divided into small regional states. The division of India into many
principal states and lack of unity among them provided the opportunity for King Darius
to invade and annex them. Thereafter invasions from abroad continued. All invaders Note
who came to India aimed at conquering and acquiring wealth.
Each such invasion not only brought destruction but new developments in various
fields such as the introduction of new language, different religious beliefs and practices,
development of art and culture and most importantly new military organizations, new
weapons and tactics as well.
Important of these many foreign invasions is the one by Sultan Shahab -ud -din -
Mohammed Ghori. The main reason for his expansion was to gain foot-hold in India
and also acquire its huge wealth. His invasion led to setting up of Muslim rule in India
for the very first time.

Do you know?
Mohammed Ghori was ruler of a small region called Ghor in today's central Afghani-
stan. He was originally from Turkey and he desired to expand his empire by turning to
neighboring countries including India.

The invasion took place through Khyber Pass, the route that connected Kabul, the
capital city of Afghanistan and the present day Peshawar in Pakistan. Geographically
speaking, the Himalaya mountain ranges act as the natural frontier of India in the
North, Northwest and the Eastern part, whereas the oceans cover the Southern part
of India. However, at Khyber Pass the mountain ranges are low and hence provided
a viable route for foreign invasions to happen. Even so, capturing India and establishing
his rule was not an easy task for Ghori since he had to fight twice with the Indian local
rulers - in 1191 A.D for the first time, followed by the second invasion the very next
year in 1192 A.D. On both occasions he faced the Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan
who was then the ruler of Ajmer and Delhi. These battles are remembered as Battles
of Tarain.

Do you know?
The Rajputs were a warrior class and in Sanskrit they were called "son of a king".
They dominated much of northern India and were divided into different clans. Loyalty
was to the individual clan rather than the king.

MILITARY HISTORY 25
Module - II Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate

Military History of
Medieval India Impact of the invasion
The impact of the invasion not only paved the way for the establishment of Muslim rule
but also that the Khyber Pass became the frequent route through which subsequent
invasions from abroad became possible. As we will see later, Babur's invasion also
came through this route, which led to the establishment of Mughal rule.
Note
Intext Questions 5.1
1. Why did foreign invasions take place?
2. What was the reason for Mohammed Ghori to invade India?
3. Where is Khyber pass?
4. Who were the Rajputs?
5. What was the impact of Ghori's invasion?

5.1.1 The Battles at Tarain and consolidation of Muslim rule

As you have learnt above, it was the battles at Tarain that was remarkable as it provided
the initial entry of Muslim rule in India. But soon after that they got involved in dealing
with regular threats from Mongol invasions, putting down frequent internal rebellions
that arose both within the dynasty as well as from the Rajput chiefs. They also tried to
expand territory by conquest of neighboring territories. It is important to note that
each of the Delhi Sultanate rulers dealt with these problems in different ways. During
the reign of Khilji and Tughlaq dynasty, for example, the empire expanded West and
South. The invasion from the Mongols was also effectively stopped by erecting strong
defenses.
The first battle of Tarain was fought between Mohammed Ghori and the Indian
Rajput King Prithviraj Chauhan in 1191 A.D. at Tarrain near the present day Thaneshwar
city in Haryana. Prithviraj Chauhan won the battle. However, it was after defeating the
Rajput King at the second battle of Tarrain in 1192 A.D that Mohammed Ghori was
able to gain foot-hold in Northern India and thereby establish the Muslim rule. After
crossing the Khyber Pass, Ghori reached North Western part of India, the present
day Punjab, and attacked and captured the fortress of Bathinda which was the outpost
of the Rajput kingdom.
This made Prithviraj counter-attack and recapture Bathinda by fiercely attacking Ghori's
forces from both sides called 'the flanks'. The attack was a success for Prithviraj as
Ghori's forces could not withstand and hence retreated. Ghori narrowly escaped death
and was saved by one of his loyal slave Qutub-ud-din Aibak, who later established
the Slave Dynasty in Delhi.

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Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate Module - II
Military History of
The mistake Prithviraj made was that he did not pursue his enemy further but was Medieval India
satisfied with recapturing the Bathinda fort. Had Prithviraj killed Ghori in the battle
then the military history would have been different. Probably, India would have seen a
different medieval period without the Delhi Sultanates or even the Mughal rulers. The
establishment of Muslim rule brought changes in military structure, military reforms,
new weapon systems, strategies and battle field tactics.
Note
In any case, what you should understand is that the success of Prithviraj during the first
battle was not capitalised upon. Hence the very next year, Ghori returned with vengeance
and attacked Prithviraj's forces in the second battle of Tarain.

Do you Know?

Prithvi Raj Chauhan was an exemplary ruler and military strategist. It is said he had
the art of hitting target only on the basis of the sound. He extended his empire by
defeating many kingdoms like Chandellas, Gahadavalas etc.. The Gahadavala ruler
Jaychandra tried to curb the ambition of Prithvi Raj Chauhan. It is said that Prithvi Raj
Chauhan abducted the daughter of Jaychandra, Sanyogita, when he was not invited
for the ‘Swayamvar’ by the latter. This incident has been immortalized by Chand
Barrdai in his epic Prithvi Raj Raso.
His major military achievement was the success in the first battle of Terrain in 1191.
He forced the army of Muhammad Ghori to retreat. It is said that he did not attack the
retreating army to protect the Rajput honour and tradition. Next year, in 1192,
Muhammad Ghori again attacked and this time Prithvi Raj Chauhan was defeated.
Many of the rulers had turned against him and did not help him in the second battle of
Terrain. The defeat of Prithvi Raj Chauhan paved the way for the establishment of the
Turkish rule in India which continued for about 300 years.

When Where Between Whom

First Battle 1191 A.D Tarain, Mohammed Ghori and Prithviraj
of Tarrain Haryana Chauhan
Prithviraj Chauhan won.
Second Battle 1192 A.D Tarain, Mohammed Ghori and Prithviraj
of Tarrain Haryana Chauhan
Mohammed Ghori won.

What positive aspects could be noted from the rule of Delhi Sultanates?
 There were changes in military structure
 Military reforms were undertaken
 New weapon system scame into being

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Module - II Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate

Military History of
The second battle at Tarain was significant because during this battle Ghori won the
Medieval India numerically strong Rajput forces. This was possible because Ghori's forces were swift
in the use of Cavalry as against that of the Rajputs which were slow, although they
were large in numbers. Ghori's forces were well organized with good line of command
and control. The horses were fitted with horse shoes that provided high speed and life.
Also, new battlefield tactics were used by Ghori by way of tactically retreating his
forces which made the Rajputs move towards the centre and thereafter encircling
Note
them with their flanks and attacking fiercely. Besides, Ghori's forces were always on
the offensive and hence had the option of choosing the place to strike. These techniques
led to the victory of Mohammed Ghori who later captured Delhi and Ajmer and
established his rule.
Besides the superior battlefield techniques employed by the Turkish forces, the
successful penetration and establishment of Muslim rule in India can be attributed to
the following:-
 India, at that time, lacked a unified central authority. It was divided among many
small Kingdoms such as the Pratiharas and Chauhans in the North, Rashtrakutas
in the Deccan or Central India and the Palas in East India.
 Small kingdoms meant less power and weak forces. It was easy for Mohammad
Ghori to defeat smaller kings.
 There was frequent infighting within the Rajput clans for supremacy.
From then on, the Muslim dynasty called the Slave dynasty was founded with Qutub-
ud-din-Aibak as its first independent ruler in 1206 A.D. He ruled for four years and
established Muslim rule by putting down revolts from the surrounding Rajput kings.
Because of his bravery and generosity he was called 'Lakh Baksh'. Consolidation of
Muslim rule took place during the reign of Iltutmish who ruled from 1210 to 1236
A.D. Further territorial expansion took place during the rule of Alauddin Khilji when
Gujarat, Rajasthan, Malwa, Ujjain and neighboring territories were captured. Attempt
was also made to expand to the South.

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Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate Module - II
Military History of
Medieval India

Note

Map 5.1 India (AD 800-1200)

Intext Questions 5.2

1. Who founded the Muslim rule in India?
2. Why was Qutub-ud-din-Aibak called Lakh Baksh?
3. Why did Prithviraj Chauhan lose the second battle of Tarain?
4. What tactics were employed by the Turks that made them victorious?

5.2 Military contributions

During the rule of Delhi Sultanate the military saw new developments. In fact, as and
when power shifted to new Kings there were changes in the way the military was
organized.Generally, it was the king or the Sultan who was the supreme commander
of the armed forces. A new war ministry was created to administer the military

MILITARY HISTORY 29
Module - II Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate

Military History of
department and was under the control of a Minister called the 'diwan-i-arz'. He was
Medieval India
responsible for recruitment of soldiers, training and maintenance of discipline in the
army. Branches of the army consisted of infantry, cavalry and elephants. Loyalty of
these branches was ensured through keeping them under the command of experienced
and trusted people. The cavalry branch was considered paramount as it had great
mobility and proved effective as well.
Note
During the rule of Ghiyas-ud-din Balban of the Slave dynasty a strong central army
was maintained to
(i) put down internal uprisings. The military was reorganized into commands. Each
command was responsible
(ii) for maintaining law and order and provide support to the Sultan during rebellions.
Borders were fortified to ensure strong rule and an efficient intelligence or spy
system was put in place.
During the days of Khilji dynasty (Map 5.2) under Alauddin Khilji (1296-1316) a
large standing permanent army was established for further expansion of the empire as
well as to protect
his empire from
Mongol invasion.
The Mongols were
using gunpowder
and hence it spread
to India as well.
However, the use of
firearms and canons
by the Delhi
Sultanates was of
limited nature and
varying degrees
during military
operations. You will
see that it was only
during the Mughal
rule that t he
effective use of
these weapons was
made.

Map 5.2.Khilji dynasty

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Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate Module - II
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Intext Questions 5.3 Medieval India

1. What was the name of the Minister under whom the new war ministry was
created?
2. How did reorganization of the military take place?
Note

5.3 Weakening of Delhi Sultanates

Weakening of Sultanate Empire took place for several reasons. It started from the
Tughlaq dynasty itself. It is important to note that unsuccessful campaigns contributed
to the weakening of the empire. For example, the invasion of Timur by the successors
of Tughlaq led to desolation and to several regions demanding autonomy from the
authority of Delhi. Gujarat, Malwa, Punjab and Rajasthan, which were once annexed
and controlled by the Sultans, no longer remained so and they started agitating for
more power and autonomous status.
The second reason was frequent internal power struggle leading to revolts from within
the Sultanate which threatened internal stability. Many times succession of rulers was
not peaceful. Deceit and treachery were common among the royal family where brothers
and descendents attempted to capture power by killing and using other treacherous
means. In fact, this was a common phenomenon in every dynasty.
The third reason was the problem of maintaining large standing army. Salary and payment
issues affected the continuation of large army in due course of time. It placed a financial
burden on the state leading to either levying more taxes on the people or collecting
taxes from neighboring chieftains who refused to pay at times. So they had to conquer
neighboring territories for wealth, which in turn drained their own wealth.
The fourth reason was the failure to control the free-floating mercenaries, who were
hired for money. These mercenaries sold their services to whoever paid more money.
The availability of such mercenaries led to more rebellions as the smaller kings used
these soldiers to rebel against the Sultan.
And finally, internal rebellions contributed to further weakening of the empire. For
example at the time of last of the Delhi Sultanate rule under Ibrahim Lodhi (1517 -
1526) rebellions by his own brother Jalal Khan and others elsewhere led to
dissatisfaction inviting foreign conquest by Babur who defeated Lodhi at the first battle
of Panipat in 1526 and establishing the Mughal rule in India.

Intext Questions 5.4

1. Who are the mercenaries?
2. Explain any three reasons for the weakening of Delhi Sultanate rule.

MILITARY HISTORY 31
Module - II Establishment of The Delhi Sultanate

Military History of
Medieval India What You Have Learnt
 Medieval India was divided among many princely states.
 Rulers lacked unity which invited many foreign invasions.
 The first such invasion was by Mohammed Ghori in 1191-1192 A.D.
Note  The victory of Mohammed Ghori in the second battle of Tarain, led to
establishment of Delhi Sultanates.
 The Rajputs were known for their valour and possessed numerically superior
military strength.
 Despite the numerical superiority of the Rajputs the foreign invaders were able
to win the battle through efficient military strategy and battlefield tactics and
established Muslim rule in India.
 Subsequently, the military underwent organizational changes with the establishment
of military commands and a permanent standing army.
 With the arrival of gun powder, new weapon systems such as artillery were
introduced.
 The Delhi Sultanates could not sustain their rule due to several reasons primarily
internal fighting for capturing the throne.
 Finally, the era of Delhi Sultanates ended with another foreign invasion this time
under the Mughal ruler Babur.

Terminal Exercises
1. Give an account of the military tactics employed by Mohammed Ghori at the
second battle of Panipat.
2. What were the military reforms undertaken by the Delhi Sultanates?
3. Highlight the military contributions of Balban.
4. Mention any four reasons for the weakening of Delhi Sultanate rule.

Answers to Intext Questions

5.1
1. Unity among the states was lacking and hence it prompted invasions from abroad
aimed at conquering and acquiring wealth from India.
2. To gain foot- hold in India and also acquire its huge wealth.
3. Khyber Pass is the route that connects Kabul in Afghanistan and Peshawar in
Pakistan.

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4. The Rajputs were a warrior class and in Sanskrit term they were called "son of
Medieval India
a king".
5. It paved the way for the establishment of Muslim rule in India and also that the
Khyber Pass became the frequent route through which subsequent invasions
from abroad became possible.
5.2 Note
1. Qutub-ud-din-Aibak in 1206 A.D.
2. He was called Lakh Baksh because of his bravery and generosity.
3. Mohammed Ghori's forces were always on the offensive and employed new
battle field tactics which Prithviraj Chauhan did not have.
4. Retreating and drawing the enemy forces to the centre and then encircling them
with the help of flanks.
5.3
1. The new war ministry was under the control of a Minister called the 'diwan-i-
arz'.
2. The military was reorganized into commands, each of which was responsible for
maintaining law and order.
5.4
1. The mercenaries were hired for money and hence they sold their services to
whoever paid more money.
2. Frequent internal power struggle; maintenance of large standing army and use of
mercenaries who sold their services to whoever paid more money and hence
not a dependenable force

MILITARY HISTORY 33