Timeline of Delhi Sultanate

The establishment of Delhi Sultanate began with the invasion of Muhammad Ghori. He had brought a large number of
slaves and appointment them as officers. When he died in AD 1206 resulted in a scramble for supremacy among his
three generals- Qutub-ud-din Aibek (Commander of his army), Tajuddin Yalduz (ruled Karman and Sankuran between
Afghanistan and Sind) and Nasiruddin Qubacha (held). Here, we are giving a timeline of Delhi Sultanate in chronological
order and causes of decline of Delhi Sultanate.

Timeline of Delhi Sultanate

Dynasty (AD 1206-1290)

Name of Sultan Years of ruling

Qutub-Ud-din Aibek AD 1206- 1210

Shams-ud-din Iltutmish AD 1211-1236

Razia Begum AD 1236- 1240

Muizuddin Bahram Shah (1240 – 1242)

Alauddin Masud Shah (1242 – 1246)

Nasiruddin Mahmud AD 1246-1266

Ghias-ud-din Balban AD 1266-1287

Kaiqubad AD 1287-1290

 
Khilji Dynasty (AD 1290-1320)
  

Name of Sultan Years of ruling

Jalal-ud-din Khilji ( AD 1290-96

Alauddin Khilji AD1296-1316

Shiba-ud-din Omar AD 1316

Mubarak khilji AD 1316-1320

 Khusrau Khan AD 1320

Tughlaq Dynasty (AD 1320-1412)

  

Name of Sultan Years of ruling

Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq AD 1320-1325

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq AD 1325-51

Firuz Shah Tughlaq AD 1351-1388

Tughlaq Khan AD 1388-1389

Abu Bakar Shah During the next 14

years three sultans
Muhammad Shah ascended the throne.
Then followed
Alauddin Sikander Shah Nasiruddin Mahmud
the last sultan of this

Nasiruddin Mahmud dynasty.

Sayyid Tughlaq (AD 1414-1450)

Name of Sultan Years of ruling

Khizr Khan AD 1414-1421

Mubarak Shah AD 1421-1434

Muhammad Shah AD 1434-1445

Alam Shah AD 1445-1450

Lodhi Dynasty (AD 1451- 1526)

Name of Sultan Years of ruling

Bahlol Lodi AD 1451-1489

 Sikander Lodi AD 1489- 1517

Ibrahim Lodi AD 1517-1526

Reasons for the Success of Sultans of Delhi Sultanate

1. Local kings lacked unity and organization; divided by rivalries’

2. There was no central government

3. Kingdoms were small and scattered

4. Turks were better organized and took advantage of the lack of mutual cooperation among the Rajputs.

Causes of Decline of Delhi Sultanate

1. The rulers of Delhi Sultanate came in power with the help of a sword and army, so there was no definite law of
succession.

2. Military strength was the main factor in succession to the throne, which later gave birth to political instability.

2. Nobles were very powerful and act as kingmakers who controlled the weak sultans.

3. Iqtadari, Zamindari and Jagirdari system led to the disintegration of Delhi Sultanate.

4. Invasion of Timurid Babar created havoc situation and became the main cause for the downfall of the Delhi
Sultanate.

List of Mughal Emperors in India (1526-1857)

Emperor Reign Description

Babur 1526– Was a direct descendant of Genghis Khan through Timur and was the founder o
1530 of Khanwa

Humayun I- 1530– Reign interrupted by Suri Dynasty. Being young and inexperienced led him to
1540 established the Suri Dynasty.
II Restored rule was more unified and effective than the initial reign of 1530–1540
– 1555–
1556

Akbar (was one of the youngest rulers. 1556– He and Bairam Khan defeated Hemu during the Second Battle of Panipat a
Became ruler at the age of 13) 1605 Ranthambore. One of his most famous construction marvels was the Lahore For
To know more about Akbar’s successors, check the linked article.

Jahangir 1605– Opened relations with the British East India Company.
1627

Shah Jahan 1628– Born on 5th January 1592.

1658 Under him, Mughal art and architecture reached their zenith.
He constructed the Taj Mahal, Jama Masjid, Red Fort, Jahangir mausoleum, and
 Aurangzeb 1658– He ascended the throne on 31st July 1658.
1707 He reinterpreted Islamic law and presented the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri.
He captured the diamond mines of the Sultanate of Golconda and spent the m
empire to its greatest extent.

Bahadur Shah I (also known as 1707– After his reign, the empire went into steady decline due to the lack of leadersh
Muazzam/Shah Alam I) 1712 who was the elder son of Shivaji.

Jahandar Shah 1712– Was an unpopular incompetent titular figurehead.

1713

Furrukhsiyar 1713– His reign marked the ascendancy of the manipulative Syed Brothers, execution
1719 granting them duty-free trading rights for Bengal, the Firman was repudiated by

Rafi Ul-Darjat 1719 The 10th Mughal Emperor. He succeeded Furrukhsiyar, being proclaimed Badsh

Rafi Ud-Daulat 1719 Was Mughal emperor for a brief period in 1719.

Muhammad Ibrahim (Claimant to the 1720 Brother of Rafi Ul-Darjat

throne) Attempted to seize the throne at the behest of the Syed Brothers in order to de

Muhammad Shah (also called Rangeela) 1719– Got rid of the Syed Brothers. Countered the emergence of the renegade Ma
1720 invasion of Nadir-Shah of Persia in 1739.
1720–
1748

Ahmad Shah Bahadur 1748– Son of Muhammad Shah. His Minister Safdarjung was responsible for the Mugh
1754

Alamgir II 1754– He was murdered by a conspiracy of Imad-Ul-Mulk and his Maratha associate Sa
1759

Shah Jahan III 1759- He was overthrown after the Third Battle of Panipat by Prince Mirza Jawan Bakh
1760

Shah Alam II 1760– He is known to have fought against the British East India Company during the
1806 Khan and is thus known as one of the last effective Mughal Emperors.

Akbar Shah II 1806– He designated Mir Fateh Ali Khan Talpur as the new Nawab of Sindh. Althoug
1837 coinage after a brief dispute with the British East India Company.

Bahadur Shah 1837– He was the last Mughal Emperor. He was deposed by the British and exiled to B
II 1857

Mughal Emperors – Sample Questions & Answers

To understand the relevance of the topic Mughal Emperor in India it is important for aspirants to know the type of
questions asked in the examination based on it. Hence, given below are a few sample question and answers on Mughal
Emperors in India.
Q1. The most decorated work in Mughal paintings, Humza Nama and Tuti Nama were made during the rule of which
Mughal King?
Answer – Akbar
Q2. Which Mughal ruler earned the title Insan-i-Kamil (Perfect Man) for his peaceful personality and patience?
Answer – Humayun
Q3. When was Din-i-Ilahi started and by whom?
Answer – Din-I-Ilahi was started by Akbar in 1582
Q4. Who translated Tazuki – i – Baburi in the Persian language?
Answer  – Abdur Rahim Khan -e-Kahna
Q5. At which of the following battles was Humayun defeated by Sher Shar Suri?
Answer – Battle of Chausa
Q6. Who lost the First Battle of Panipat?
Answer – Ibrahim Lodi lost the First Battle of Panipat fought in 1526
Q7. In Which year did emperor Akbar abolish the Jazia Tax levied on Non-muslims?
Answer – In 1564 Akbar abolish the Jazia Tax
Q8. Who defeated Mughals and captured Agra and Delhi under the rule of Bairam Khan?
Answer – Hemu Vikramaditya
Q9. During the Mughal rule, in whose reign was the empire territorially most extensive?
Answer – Aurangzeb
Q10. During which battle did Babur declared holy war and assumed the title of Ghazi in India?
Answer – Battle of Khanwa fought in 1527 against Rana Sanga.