Lesson 3/45 min
From the Khaljis to the Lodis (1290–1526)
The five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate
| Dynasty | Approx. years |
|---|---|
| Slave (Mamluk) | 1206–1290 |
| Khalji | 1290–1320 |
| Tughlaq | 1320–1414 |
| Sayyid | 1414–1451 |
| Lodi | 1451–1526 |
Watch out: One book lists only four dynasties and leaves out the Sayyids. According to Britannica and standard lists there are five.
Khalji and Tughlaq sultans
| Sultan | Years | To remember |
|---|---|---|
| Jalaluddin Khalji | 1290–1296 | Founder and first sultan of the Khalji dynasty |
| Alauddin Khalji | 1296–1316 | Malik Kafur's Deccan campaigns; price control; the ‘Alai Darwaza’ |
| Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq | 1320–1325 | Founder of the Tughlaq dynasty; real name Ghazi Malik |
| Muhammad bin Tughlaq | 1325–1351 | Moved the capital from Delhi to Devagiri; introduced token copper coins |
| Firoz Shah Tughlaq | 1351–1388 | The ‘Diwan-i-Khayrat’ department; invaded Bengal in 1353 |
More to know
- Muhammad bin Tughlaq opened a separate agriculture department, the ‘Diwan-i-Kohi’, headed by the ‘Amir Kohi’
- The Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta came to India in 1333, in Muhammad bin Tughlaq's reign
- The last Tughlaq sultan was Mahmud Shah; in 1398 Timur invaded India and took Delhi
- The Sayyid dynasty was founded by Khizr Khan
- The Lodi dynasty was founded by Bahlul Lodi; the last sultan was Ibrahim Lodi (1517–1526)
Watch out: Both books call Daulat Khan Lodi the first Lodi ruler. According to Britannica the last Sayyid handed power to Bahlul Lodi, so Bahlul is the founder and first sultan.
In 1526, at the first battle of Panipat, Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi. The Delhi Sultanate fell and the Mughal empire began.
Check yourself
In which battle did the Delhi Sultanate fall?
At a glance
- 1
The five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate: Slave, Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, Lodi.
- 2
Alauddin Khalji (1296–1316): Malik Kafur's Deccan campaigns and price control.
- 3
Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–1351) moved the capital from Delhi to Devagiri and introduced token copper coins.
- 4
Timur attacked Delhi in 1398, when the Tughlaq sultan was Mahmud Shah.
- 5
The Sultanate fell in 1526, when Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the first battle of Panipat.