SIRI

Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji

• The founder of the Khilji Dynasty
• The First Sultan of the Khilji ruled from1290 to 1320
• He started his career as an officer of the Mamluk Dynasty
• Later he rose to an important position under Qaiqabad
• When Qaiqabad was paralyze, some group of nobles tried to kill him
• Jalal ud Din came to know about plan and he got them killed and became the regent of
Shamsuddin Kayumar
• Later he deposed Kayumar and became the new Sultan
 Background

• When Jalaluddin became the Sultan of Delhi after deposing the Kayumar,
Alauddin was given the position of Amir-i-Tuzuk (equivalent to master of
ceremonies)
• Alauddin obtained the governorship of Kara in 1291 after suppressing a revolt
against Jalaluddin, and the governorship of Awadh in 1296
• In 1296, Alauddin raided Devnagiri, and acquired loot to stage a successful revolt
against Jalaluddin.
• After killing Jalaluddin, he consolidated his power in Delhi, and subjugated
Jalaluddin's sons in Multan
 Ala-ud-Din Khilji

• He was the second ruler and probably the most

powerful monarch of the Khilji Dynasty.
• Alauddin was a nephew and a son-in-law of Jalal Ud
Din
• He usurp the throne by killing his uncle and Sultan
Jalaluddin Firuz Khilji
• He continued his legacy of invading states and
territories to increase his empire over the Indian
subcontinent.
 Ala-ud-Din Khilji

• Formerly known as Ali Gurshasp

• He became Alauddin Khilji after his ascension in July 1296
• He was formally proclaimed as the new king at Kara
• Over the next two days, Alauddin formed a provisional government at Kara.
• He promoted the existing Amirs to the rank of Maliks, and appointed his
close friends as the new Amirs
• Meanwhile, the head of Jalaluddin was paraded on a spear in his camp
before being sent to Awadh
 Ala-ud-Din Khilji

• Alauddin made preparations for a march to Delhi, and ordered his

officers to recruit as many soldiers as possible, without fitness tests
• His objective was to cause a change in the general political opinion,
by portraying himself as someone with huge public support. 
• To portray himself as a generous king, he ordered 5 manns of gold
pieces to be shot from a manjaniq / catapult at a crowd in Kara.
 Ala-ud-Din Khilji

• Alauddin was joined by seven powerful Jalaluddin's nobles who had

earlier opposed him.
• These nobles were Tajul Mulk Kuchi, Malik Abaji, Akhur-bek, Malik
Amir Ali Diwana, Malik Usman Amir-akhur, Malik Amir Khan, Malik
Umar Surkha and Malik Hiranmar.
• Alauddin gave each of them 30 to 50 manns of gold, and each of their
soldiers 300 silver tankas (hammered coins).
Consolidation of power

• Alauddin consolidated his power by making generous grants and

endowments and appointing many people to the government positions
• He balanced the power between the officers appointed by the
Mamluks, the ones appointed by Jalaluddin and his own appointees.
• He also increased the strength of the Sultanate's army, and gifted
every soldier the salary of a year and a half in cash.
• Zia-ud-din Barani wrote that Alauddin's first year as the Sultan, was
the happiest year that the people of Delhi had ever seen.
Mongol invasions

• In 1297, the first Mongol raided took place at Punjab, advancing as far as

Kasur (Pakistan)
• Alauddin's forces, led by Ulugh Khan, defeated the Mongols on 6 February
1298.
• According to Amir Khusrou, 20,000 Mongols were killed in the battle, and
many more were killed in Delhi after being brought there as prisoners. 
• In 1298–99, another Mongol army invaded Sindh and occupied the city. This
time, Alauddin's general Zafar Khan defeated the invaders, and recaptured
the fort
 Mongol invasions

• The Mongols launched another invasion in Delhi around August 1303

• Alauddin managed to reach Delhi (@Chittor) before the invaders, but did not have enough time to
prepare for a strong defence
• The invaders ransacked Delhi and its neighborhoods, but ultimately decided to retreat after being
unable to breach Siri
• The Mongol invasion of 1303 was one of the most serious invasions of India, and prompted Alauddin to
take several steps to prevent it
• He strengthened the forts and the military presence along the Mongol routes to India. 
• He also implemented a series of economic reforms to ensure sufficient revenue inflows for maintaining
a strong army
 Mongol invasions

• In December 1305, the Mongols invaded India again

• Alauddin's 30,000-strong cavalry, led by Malik Nayak, defeated the
Mongols at the Battle of Amroha (UP)
• Many Mongols were taken captive and killed
• 16th-century historian Farishta claims that the heads (sir) of 8,000
Mongols were used to build the Siri Fort commissioned by Alauddin
 Mongol invasions

• In 1306, another Mongol army sent by Duwa advanced up to the Ravi

river, ransacking the territories along the way
• Alauddin's forces, led by Malik Kafur, decisively defeated the Mongols
• Duwa died next year, and after that the Mongols did not launch any
further expeditions to India during Alauddin's reign
• On the contrary, Alauddin’s Dipalpur (Punjab) governor Malik
Tughlaq regularly raided the Mongol territories located in present-day
Afghanistan.
 Administrative changes

• Alauddin was the most powerful ruler of his dynasty

• Unlike the previous rulers of the Delhi Sultanate, Alauddin undertook
large-scale reforms
• He implemented several reforms to be able to maintain a large army
and to weaken those capable of organizing a revolt against him
• Barani also attributes Alauddin's revenue reforms to the Sultan's desire
to subjugate the Hindus by "depriving them of that wealth and property
which fosters rebellion".
 Administrative changes
• According to historian Satish Chandra, Alauddin's reforms were based on his
conception of fear and control as the basis of good government as well as his military
ambitions
• The bulk of the measures were designed to centralize power in his hands and to
support a large military
• Some of Alauddin's land reforms were continued by his successors, and formed a
basis of the agrarian reforms introduced by the later rulers such as Sher Shah Suri
and Akbar
• His other regulations, including price control, were revoked by his son Qutbuddin
Mubarak Shah a few months after his death
 Siri Fort
• Siri Fort, in the city of New Delhi, was built during the rule of
Alauddin Khilji, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate
• It was built to defend the city from the onslaught of the Mongols
• It was the one of the many cities of medieval Delhi built around
1303 which at present is seen only in ruins with a few remnants
Siri Fort
 Architecture
• In 1296, Alauddin constructed the Hauz-i-Alai (later Hauz Khas)
water reservoir, which covered an area of 70 acres, and had a
stone Masonary wall
• Firuz Shah Tughlaq later repaired it when it became filled with mud,
in1354
• The autobiographical memoirs of Timur, who invaded Delhi in 1398,
mention that the reservoir was a source of water for the city
throughout the year
 Architecture
• Alauddin commissioned the Alai Darwaza, which was completed in 1311, and serves
as the southern gateway leading to the Quwwat-al-Islam Mosque built by Qutb Ud Din
Aibak
•  He also started the construction of the Alai Minar, which was intended to be double
the size of the Qutb Minar, but the project was abandoned, probably when he died.
• The construction of the Lal Mahal (Red Palace) sandstone building near Chausath
Khambaa (@Nizammuddin) has also been attributed to Alauddin, because its
architecture and design is similar to that of the Alai Darwaza
• In 1311, Alauddin repaired the 100-acre Hauz-i-Shamasi reservoir that had been
constructed by Shamsuddin Iltutmiah in 1229, and also built a dome at its centre.
Lashkargarh
• Lashkargarh means a military encampments initiated by Alauddin
• It was the need of the time for many reasons:
Alauddin’s Mongol Policy
Alauddin’s Insecurity
Alauddin’s Accession
Alauddin’s Ambition
 Alauddin’s Mongol Policy

• Frequent and repeated invasions of the Mongols in India

• Compelled Alauddin to initiate measures to protect his kingdom
• He increased the recruitment of the soldiers many folds to face the invader
more effectively
• More attention was given towards organization, training and decipline of
the army
• Started Roll call and branding of horses
 Alauddin Insecurity
• He was the nephew and son in law of Jalal ud Din
• As a governor of Kara he tried to win the confidence of the sultan
• After expeditions to Malwa and Bhilsa, he handed over all the booties to
Sultan
• But after expedition of Devgiri and his success over king Ram Chandra,
he dreamt of becoming a sultan himself
• He became the sultan after murdering his uncle in cold blood
 Alauddin Accession
• Since he seized the throne by a foul crime he got deeper into crime
• He murdered all the family members of Jalal ud Din
• He silenced all by distributing gold, jewels and money
• His accession proved that he was a cold blooded tyrant
• But he was an abled and efficient ruler
• He extended his empire
• Effectively checked the Mongols
 Alauddin’s Ambitions

• Dreamt of founding a new religion

• Dreamt of conquering the world
 Threats to Khalji
Two threats to Kingdom:
• External Threat from the Mongols invasion
• Internal Threat from the chiefs revolt
 Measures
• Killed all the family of Jalal ud din
• Confiscated pensions and land grands
• Espionage system
• Military reform
• Salary in cash
• Training of soldiers