Introduction
The Tughlaq dynasty, governed the Delhi sultanate in medieval India. It is a Muslim dynasty of Indo-Turkic descent. Its rule began in Delhi in 1320 when Ghazi Malik ascended to the throne as Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq. The Tughluq dynasty pursued an aggressive program of kingdom expansion. Ghiyassudin’s reign did not last long and in 1324, Mohammad Tughluq succeeded him as ruler. Between 1330 to 1335, the dynasty was at its height as a result of a military campaign directed by Muhammad ibn Tughluq. Most of the Indian subcontinent was under its authority. 1413 marked the end of the dynasty.
Sultan Muhammad bin Tuglaq
Muhammad was well-educated as a child in the Quran, philosophy, Muslim law, medicine, astronomy, and logic. After the passing of his father Ghiyassudin tughluq in 1324, he was appointed the sultan of Delhi. His rule and personality were discussed by Ziauddin Barni and Ibn-Battuta in their separate writings called Tarikh-i-Firozshahi and Kitab-i-Rehlan. The sultan was described as loving and constantly ready for helping others. When he assumed power, the Muslim divines, known as Ulamas, did not support him. He was unable to get Sufis and Ulamas to join his cause. As a result, to reduce the Ulmas’ authority he replaced them with regular citizens. He proclaimed himself the Califa in order to establish his dominion and empire and called himself the Shadow of God. Tughluq waged numerous battles and pillaged numerous kingdoms before ascending to the position of the sultan of Delhi. He conquered, Warangal, and Mabar, and before returning to Delhi he even looted Odissa. During his reign, the Delhi sultanate began to grow.
Officials of Sultan Muhammad bin Tuglaq
- Muhammad Tughluq was a rationalist and did not support orthodox behavior and neither followed religion blindly. As a reslut of this, the Ulamas did not support him in his cause and his campaign.
- Also, he felt that people should be appointed to posts in his administration based on their qualifications rather than their status in society.
- Hence, he appointed common, regular citizens to the administrative posts of the Ulmas.
- Some of the officials during his reign were Aziz Khummar, Firuz Hajjam, Manka Tabbakh, Ladha, and Pira and military commanders.
- Aziz Khummar was a wine distiller.
- Firuz Hajjam was a Barber
- Manka Tabbakh was a cook.
- Ladha and Pira were two gardeners
- Like various other Kings, Sultan Tughluq appointed various military commanders. These commanders were governors of specific places.
Administration
Due to the long-standing practice of making special slaves or bandagan the governor or administrator, the Tughluq Dynasty is frequently referred to as the Slave Dynasty. Aristocrats, wealthy landowners, or members of the Nobility were not chosen by Tughluq as administrators. He adhered to the long-standing custom of choosing slaves as administrators. These slaves received specialized training so they could only work for their masters. In contrast to their heirs, slaves were devoted to their masters and hence performed the tasks that their masters asked them to perform. This made them only name-sake administrators as all the orders were given by their masters themselves.
The decline of the Tuglaq dynasty
There were numerous reasons for the decline of the Tuglaq dynasty some of them are-
- Muhammad Tughluq lacked both patience and wisdom.
- Although he had a clear vision, he didn’t plan properly, which is why many of Muhammad Tughluq’s experiments were unsuccessful.
- These experiments included the transfer of capital, the use of token money, and a few agricultural changes.
- To feed his soldiers, he levied an additional tax on the Doab region.
- He attempted to conquer a large area, depleting his national resource.
- Due to his autocracy’s sluggishness and the opposition of his nobles, many of his experiments failed.
There was growing unrest against him in the mass as a result of these constant ongoing changes in rule and administration and his successors were unable to repair the harm he had caused, hence after his death in 1351, the Tughluq dynasty came to an end.
Summary
Muhammad Tughluq ruled from 1324 to 1353. He was a capable leader who had an understanding of astronomy, philosophy, and religion. He was a capable combatant and a visionary leader. He appointed various people in his administration based on qualifications and not social status. Hence his officials included common people such as Aziz Khummar, Firuz Hajjam, etc. These people supported the king and help him rule the kingdom. He was known for his religious tolerance and is credited with elevating Hindus inside his government and also including them in his administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Give some good qualities of Muhammad Tughluq.
Ans: Some of the good qualities of Muhammad Tughluq are-
- He thought that people should be appointed to posts in his administration based on their qualifications rather than their standing in the social order.
- Being a logical thinker, Mohammad bin Tughluq had a liberal approach to religion.
- He opposed orthodoxy, and he interacted with both Muslim mystics and Hindu mystics.
- He ended the Ulamas’ stranglehold on the judiciary and appointed judges on the basis of their qualifications rather than their background
- He was the first sultan to grant Hindus important positions in his government.
2. Describe bandagans.
Ans: Bandagans were specifically trained slaves who were appointed as governors or administrators and trained for challenging political tasks. Slaves only remained faithful to their masters.
3.Why did the sultan decide to move the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
Ans: In order to have stronger control over southern India, the sultan moved the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad. He reasoned that having a second capital at Daulatabad would make it simpler to govern the south, but he eventually realized he had no influence over the region and decided to return to Delhi. But this change of capital became the main reason for his decline.