Delhi Sultanate & Its Impact on UP

Turkish Invasions & the Fall of Kannauj

The medieval history of Uttar Pradesh begins with the Turkish invasions that reshaped the political landscape of northern India. Muhammad Ghori defeated Jayachandra (Gahadavala dynasty) at the Battle of Chandawar near Firozabad in 1194. This decisive battle ended Rajput supremacy over the Gangetic plains and opened UP to Turkish-Afghan rule.

Exam Tip: Do not confuse the Battle of Chandawar (1194) with the Battle of Tarain (1191 & 1192). Chandawar specifically involved UP — fought near modern-day Firozabad district.

Kannauj, which had been one of India’s greatest imperial cities since the Gupta period, fell to the invaders and never recovered its former glory. After Ghori’s assassination in 1206, his general Qutbuddin Aibak established the Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty, beginning the Delhi Sultanate era.

---

Delhi Sultanate Dynasties & UP

Five dynasties ruled the Delhi Sultanate between 1206 and 1526. Each left a distinct mark on Uttar Pradesh.

Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty (1206-1290)

Iltutmish organized the iqta system, dividing UP into provincial administrative units. Balban (1266-1287) ruthlessly suppressed the Mewati rebels and established law and order across the Gangetic plains. He stationed garrisons in Awadh, Kara (near Allahabad), and Badaun.

Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)

Alauddin Khalji introduced market reforms that directly affected UP’s economy. His price control mechanism (diwan-i-riyasat) regulated grain markets across the Doab region. He also fortified Kara-Manikpur as a strategic base.

Tughlaq Dynasty (1320-1414)

Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s experiments, including token currency and the shifting of capital to Daulatabad, destabilized provincial governance. Firoz Shah Tughlaq invested in canals and infrastructure — some irrigation channels in the Upper Doab trace back to his reign.

Sayyid & Lodi Dynasties (1414-1526)

The weakening of central authority under the Sayyids allowed provincial governors to assert independence. Sikandar Lodi moved the capital from Delhi to Agra in 1504, recognizing UP’s strategic importance. He founded the city of Agra as an administrative centre, which would later become the Mughal imperial capital.

---

Jaunpur Sultanate — Shiraz-i-Hind

The most remarkable medieval development within UP was the rise of the Jaunpur Sultanate under the Sharqi dynasty (1394-1479). When Timur’s invasion weakened Delhi in 1398, the governor of Jaunpur, Khwaja Jahan, declared independence.

His successors — the Sharqi sultans — transformed Jaunpur into a centre of learning, art, and architecture so splendid that it earned the title “Shiraz-i-Hind” (Shiraz of India), comparing it to the great Persian cultural city.

Key Sharqi Rulers

Exam Tip: Ibrahim Shah Sharqi is considered the greatest Sharqi ruler. His court attracted scholars from across the Islamic world.

---

Architectural Legacy of Jaunpur

The Sharqi rulers developed a distinctive architectural style that blended Hindu and Islamic elements — characterized by massive propylon (screen facade) entrances and the absence of minarets.

Major Monuments

• Atala Masjid (1408) — Built by Ibrahim Shah on the site of an Atala Devi temple. Features a massive arched screen 23 metres high. Considered the finest example of Sharqi architecture.
• Jama Masjid (1470) — Built by Hussain Shah Sharqi. Largest mosque in Jaunpur, raised on a high platform.
• Lal Darwaza Masjid (1450) — Named after its red gateway. Smallest of the three great Jaunpur mosques but architecturally elegant.
• Jhanjhari Masjid — Known for its lattice screen work (jali).

---

Provincial Administration & Cultural Impact

Under the Delhi Sultanate, UP was divided into several provinces (iqtas or shiqs). Key administrative centres included Awadh (Ayodhya region), Kara-Manikpur (near Allahabad), Badaun, Kannauj, and Jaunpur.

Administrative Structure

The provincial governor (muqti or wali) collected revenue, maintained armies, and dispensed justice. The Doab region (land between Ganga and Yamuna) was the most productive agricultural belt and thus the most heavily taxed.

Cultural Transformations

The Sultanate period brought lasting changes to UP:

• Language: Persian became the court language; its interaction with local dialects planted the seeds of Urdu, which would later flourish under the Mughals.
• Architecture: The pointed arch, dome, and geometric ornamentation became permanent features of UP’s built landscape.
• Textiles: Weaving centres emerged at Varanasi and Jaunpur, producing silk and muslin.
• Sufism: Sufi saints like Makhdum Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri and others spread across UP, fostering Hindu-Muslim cultural exchange.

---

Key Takeaways

• Muhammad Ghori’s victory at Chandawar (1194) ended Gahadavala rule and brought UP under Turkish control
• Five Sultanate dynasties (1206-1526) each shaped UP’s administration, economy, and culture
• The Jaunpur Sultanate (Sharqi dynasty, 1394-1479) was UP’s own independent medieval kingdom, known as “Shiraz-i-Hind”
• Sikandar Lodi shifting the capital to Agra (1504) elevated UP’s political importance
• Sharqi architecture at Jaunpur represents a unique Indo-Islamic synthesis

---

Summary Cheat Sheet