Medieval India

Medieval India

🟢 Lite — Quick Review (1h–1d)

Medieval India spans 1206 CE (establishment of the Delhi Sultanate by Qutb-ud-din Aibak) to 1757 CE (Battle of Plassey). Two major powers dominated: the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire, alongside regional kingdoms like Vijayanagara and the Marathas.

The Five Sultanate Dynasties:

Dynasty	Period	Key Ruler
Slave	1206–1290	Iltutmish
Khalji	1290–1320	Alauddin Khilji
Tughlaq	1320–1414	Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Sayyid	1414–1451	Khizr Khan
Lodi	1451–1526	Sikandar Lodi

Mughal Timeline: Babur → Humayun → Akbar (Mansabdari System) → Jahangir → Shah Jahan (Taj Mahal) → Aurangzeb.

Key Exam Points: Akbar’s Ain-i-Akbari records revenue (Zabt system); Sher Shah Suri’s Dahsala system averaged past 10 years. The Bhakti movement (Kabir, Nanak, Tulsidas) and Sufism (Chishti order) challenged ritualistic practices.

TNPSC Weightage: Focus on rulers, administrative systems, and cultural contributions (architecture, painting).

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🟡 Standard — Regular Study (2d–2mo)

Delhi Sultanate Architecture

The Sultanate period introduced Indo-Islamic architecture. Qutb Minar (239 ft) was begun under Qutb-ud-din Aibak and completed by Iltutmish. Alai Darwaza (1311 CE) by Alauddin Khilji showcased the pointed arch and lattice screens. Tughlaqabad (1321 CE) exemplified Tughlaq fortress style under Ghiyath al-Din Tughlaq.

Mansabdari System (Akbar)

Akbar graded all officials by Zat (rank) and Sawar (cavalry quota). Mansabdars ranged from 9 to 7,000. This centralized military and civil administration, eliminating hereditary appointments. Revenue collected through the Zabt system recorded by Todar Mal.

Bhakti Movement Impact

The Bhakti saints rejected caste hierarchy and temple rituals:

• Kabir (1440–1518): Advocated Nirguna Bhakti, opposed priestly authority
• Guru Nanak (1469–1539): Founded Sikhism, emphasized equality
• Tulsidas (1532–1623): Composed Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi
• Meera (1498–1547): Vaishnavite devotional poetry in Rajasthan

Vijayanagara Empire

Krishnadevaraya (1509–1529) expanded the empire; Hampi (Vidyanagar) showcased Dravidian architecture with the Hazara Rama temple and Lotus Mahal. The empire fell to the Deccan Sultanates at Talikota (1565).

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🔴 Extended — Deep Study (3mo+)

Administration: Sultanate vs Mughal

The Delhi Sultanate operated through the Iqta system — land grants in exchange for military service. No hereditary succession; power concentrated in the capital. Mughal administration refined this: Subadars governed 12 Subas; the Diwani managed revenue, the Nazim handled justice. Aurangzeb’s Dastur-ul-Amgiri recorded expenditures for each department.

Revenue Systems Compared

System	Introduced By	Method
Dahsala	Sher Shah Suri	Average yield over 10 years, classified land by quality
Zabt	Todar Mal	Land measurement, fixed cash revenue per bigha

Sher Shah’s Grand Trunk Road (1,500 miles, Peshawar to Panna) facilitated military movement and trade — later restored by Akbar as the Shahrah-e-Azam.

Sufi Orders in India

The Chishti order (founded by Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti, Ajmer) emphasized muraqaba (meditation) and service to the poor. Nizam-ud-din Auliya and Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti attracted both Hindu and Muslim disciples. Unlike the political Khaljis, Sufi saints maintained spiritual authority separate from court politics.

Mughal Art and Architecture

Mughal painting fused Persian (CP Gurjara miniatures) with Indian themes. Akbar’s studio produced Akbar-nama; Jahangir’s court captured naturalism. Architecture peaked under Shah Jahan: Taj Mahal (1653, white marble, symmetry), Red Fort (Delhi), and Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque). Aurangzeb banned music and painting, declining Mughal artistic patronage.

Common TNPSC Traps

• Confusing the slave dynasty founders (Iltutmish, Balban) with later dynasties
• Forgetting that the Mughal administrative system borrowed heavily from Sher Shah’s reforms
• Misidentifying Bhakti saints’ regional languages (Kabir — Sant Bhasha, Tulsidas — Awadhi, Surdas — Braj Bhasha)

Practice: Compare the Iqta system of the Sultanate with the Mansabdari system of the Mughals. Why did the Mansabdari system prove more durable? Practice: Trace the development of Indo-Islamic architecture from the Qutb Minar to the Taj Mahal — what engineering and aesthetic changes occurred?

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