Reasons for decline of the Delhi Sultanate.
Reasons for decline of the Delhi Sultanate.
The factors responsible for the fall of the Delhi Sultanate.
The role of Sultanate rulers for the decline of the Delhi Sultanate.
Decline of the Delhi Sultanate :
The fall of the Delhi Sultanate was not a sudden event. The reasons for the fall of the Delhi Sultanate were inherent in the nature of the monarchy and the administrative policy. In 1206 AD, Muhammad Ghori left India and handed over the responsibility of his conquered territories to Qutubuddin Aibak. The ‘slave dynasty’ began in Delhi under the leadership of Qutubuddin Aibak. Then in 1526 AD, Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by the Mughal conqueror Babur in the First Battle of Panipat. With the defeat of Ibrahim Lodi, the Delhi Sultanate fell in India and the Mughal Empire began. The reasons for the decline of the Delhi Sultanate are discussed below.
1. Responsibility of Muhammad bin Tughlaq:-
During the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the expansion of the Sultanate reached its peak. But the collapse of the Sultanate began towards the end of Muhammad bin Tughlaq's reign. Muhammad bin Tughlaq's personal character and administrative policies, unrealistic plans, etc. destroyed the unity of the Sultanate. In addition, as a result of all these plans of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the economic situation of the Sultanate was disrupted and irreparable damage was caused to the treasury.
2. Responsibility of Firoz Shah Tughlaq:-
During the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, religious fanaticism was established as the state ideology. All the power of the state was in the hands of corrupt owners, emirs and umrahs. Corrupt and greedy ulema dominated the affairs of the state. The Sultan became the plaything of the Ulema. He became completely dependent on the Ulema to govern according to the instructions of the Quran. In addition, Firuz's indifference led to extreme chaos in the administrative, political and social spheres throughout the empire.
3. Incompetence of the subsequent Sultans: -
The foundation of the Sultanate was dependent on the personal competence and skills of the Sultans. Since the period after Alauddin Khalji, the indifference, weakness, luxury, immorality of the Sultans - etc. - weakened the Sultanate. Due to the excessive influence of the Amir - Umrah and Ulema in the administration, administrative control was completely destroyed.
4. The vastness of the empire: -
Alauddin Khalji did not annex South India even after conquering it; he was content with only collecting taxes. But when Muhammad bin Tughlaq annexed South India, on the one hand, the size of the empire increased greatly and on the other hand, the administrative complexity increased. Cultural differences between North and South India destroyed the unity of the empire. Although they adopted a policy of expanding the empire, the sultans after Alauddin did not take any steps to consolidate it.
5. Moral degradation of the elite: -
The elite was the pillar of the Delhi Sultanate. The important role of the elite can be seen in the expansion and development of the empire and in consolidation. But in the period after Alauddin Khalji, the moral degradation of the elite occurred. When they were immersed in corruption, luxury, conspiracy, etc., the administration became weak and corrupt. When the sultans after Alauddin Khalji failed to control the elite, it became one of the reasons for the fall of the Sultanate.
6. The evil effects of the slave system: -
In the early stages of the Sultanate, the slave system did indeed strengthen the Sultanate; but during the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq, the Sultan's policy regarding slaves weakened the empire. The uncontrolled rights of the slaves, their large numbers, etc. weakened the foundation of the empire. The sultans after Alauddin did not take any active steps to control the slaves. As the slaves gained more power, their vested interests gave negative results in favor of the Sultanate.
7. Opposition to Hindus: -
Almost none of the Sultanate rulers adopted liberal policies for the Hindus. The Sultanate rulers were not able to permanently suppress the rebellions of the Hindus and rulers in North India. Even in South India, the Hindus never accepted the Sultanate rule. The situation became more complicated when the Sultanate rulers adopted a policy of anti-Hinduism. During the Sultanate period, many Hindu temples were destroyed, and the process of religious conversion continued indiscriminately. Due to this kind of Hindu policy of the Sultanate rulers, the Sultanate rulers could never gain the support of the Hindus.
8. Lack of public support:-
The main basis of the Delhi Sultanate was military power. The Mughal emperors, especially Akbar, tried to gain the support of everyone, regardless of Hindus or Muslims - the Sultanate rulers did not take any such steps. Therefore, it is not possible for any empire to survive for a long time by completely abandoning the policy of public support and relying only on military power and force. The Sultanate of Delhi was no exception. There was no support or loyalty of the general public towards the Sultanate rule of Delhi.
9. Weakness of the Army: -
Alauddin Khalji had built a strong army for the needs of his imperialist policy and to consolidate the vast empire. But the situation changed during the reign of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. When Firoz Tughlaq adopted the policy of appointing hereditary soldiers in the army, the army became lazy, apathetic and ineffective. Alauddin Khalji adopted a policy of strict, practical and final control in the field of the army. But his subsequent rulers failed to adopt a clear policy regarding the army and strengthen the army. As a result, the Sultanate army started to weaken from the time after Alauddin.
10. Success of anti-unification forces: -
In the rule of the Delhi Sultanate, the elite, the Amir-Umrah and the Ulama played both positive and negative roles. On the one hand, they strengthened the Sultanate, but on the other hand, when they took advantage of the ruler's weakness to fulfill their vested interests, it became dangerous for the Sultanate. Sultans like Balban, Alauddin Khalji controlled them with a strict hand and used them for the development of their empire; but the later sultans failed to control all those forces due to their weakness. When these anti-union forces continued to succeed in fulfilling their interests, it weakened the administration.
11. Timur's invasion: -
Repeated Mongol invasions of the Sultanate endangered the existence of the empire. Only Balban and Alauddin Khalji adopted an aggressive policy against the Mongols. But the sultans who followed him failed to adopt a proper anti-Mongol policy. Then Timur Long's invasion of India caused extreme damage to the Sultanate. Unlimited looting and destruction weakened the Sultanate.
12. Babur's invasion and the first battle of Panipat (1526):-
When the Delhi Sultanate was on the verge of collapse due to the above reasons, Babur's invasion in 1526 completed the collapse of the Sultanate. The Sultanate collapsed with the defeat of Ibrahim Lodi in the first battle of Panipat. The Sultanate army was so weak that Ibrahim's large army was defeated by Babur's small artillery force.
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