ASKiIMAN™ MEDIEVAL / HISTORY
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Khalji Dynasty

Realm 29: Alauddin's Iron Grip, Market Reforms, and the Deccan Plunder

WORLD E — DELHI SULTANATE

MICRO-REALM 01

Jalaluddin & Rise

  • Overthrew the last Mamluk rulers (1290).
  • Non-Turkic Afghan origin (Khaljis).
  • Jalaluddin was elderly and notoriously lenient.
  • Pardoned rebels, favoring peace over bloodshed.
MICRO-REALM 02

Alauddin's Usurpation

  • Nephew and son-in-law of Jalaluddin.
  • Raided Devagiri independently for vast wealth.
  • Treacherously murdered his uncle at Kara (1296).
  • Bought the loyalty of nobles with Deccan gold.
MICRO-REALM 03

Crushing the Mongols

  • Chagatai Mongols invaded Delhi repeatedly.
  • Alauddin built Siri Fort as an impregnable defense.
  • Maintained a massive, paid standing army.
  • Decisively defeated Mongols at Amroha and Ravi.
MICRO-REALM 04

Northern Conquests

  • Ruthless expansion into Rajputana and Gujarat.
  • Conquered wealthy Gujarat (1299).
  • Sacked Ranthambore (1301).
  • Ended the Vaghela and Chauhan dynasties.
MICRO-REALM 05

Siege of Chittor

  • Fierce siege of the Guhila capital (1303).
  • Legend of Queen Padmini (Padmavat).
  • First recorded mass Jauhar at Chittor.
  • Fort renamed Khizrabad after his son.
MICRO-REALM 06

Deccan Campaigns

  • Led by his brilliant slave-general Malik Kafur.
  • Subdued Yadavas (Devagiri), Kakatiyas (Warangal).
  • Sacked Hoysalas (Dwarasamudra) & Pandyas (Madurai).
  • Brought back unprecedented plunder (Koh-i-Noor).
MICRO-REALM 07

Radical Market Reforms

  • Fixed prices for all commodities (grain to horses).
  • Established Diwan-i-Riyasat & Shahna-i-Mandi.
  • Draconian punishments for short-weighing (flesh cut).
  • Allowed him to maintain a massive army on low pay.
MICRO-REALM 08

Agrarian & Revenue Control

  • First Sultan to measure land standardly (Biswa).
  • Taxed at 50% of the produce.
  • Abolished privileges of Hindu intermediaries (Khuts, Muqaddams).
  • Brought entire Doab under Khalisa (crown land).
MICRO-REALM 09

Military Centralization

  • Abolished the Iqta system for central troops.
  • Paid soldiers directly in cash from the treasury.
  • Introduced Dagh (branding of horses to prevent fraud).
  • Introduced Chehra (descriptive rolls for soldiers).
MICRO-REALM 10

Downfall & Transition

  • Alauddin died in 1316; Malik Kafur dominated briefly.
  • Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah's erratic rule ended in murder.
  • Khusrau Khan usurped power temporarily.
  • Ghazi Malik (Ghiyasuddin) overthrew him to found the Tughlaqs (1320).