THE

S U LTA N AT E
STYLE

LECTURE-II HOA-I,AP-213
EVOLUTION O F SULTANATE A R C H I T E C T U R E
Historical Background

Mohammad Ghori conquered Delhi after

defeating Prithviraj Chauhan in the second
battle of Tarain in1192.
Qutubuddin Aibak was his general and
viceroy of the Delhi province.
After his death, Qutubuddin Aibak came
out victorious in the war fought among his
generals.
He established the Delhi Sultanate in 1206
AD.
THUS STARTED THE PHASE OF SULTANATE
ARCHITECTURE.
SLAVE DYNASTY (A.D. 1191-1246)
KHILJI DYNASTY (1290-1320)
TUGHLAQ DYNASTY (1320-1413)
SAYYID DYNASTY (1414-1444)
LODHI DYNASTY (1451-1557)

All together 5 dynasties from 1206-1526 A.D. formed Delhi

sultanate.
S L A V E DYNASTY (A.D. 1191-1246)
Slave Dynasty , name given to the earliest Muslim
rulers in India , as its members were not of royal
blood, but belonged to a system of slavery.
Such was one of Mohammed Ghuri's slaves, Qutb-
ud-Aibak, whom that eastern Persian prince
appointed as governor of his possessions in India in
A.D. 1191.
Of this dynasty, Qutb-ud-din himself, and his son-in-
law Shams-ud-din Iltutmish (Altumish), who ruled
from A.D. 1211 to 1236, were the most active
patrons of the building art, and their productions
were of the utmost significance.
He consolidate his power by proceeding to erect
buildings of stone on the site of Qila Rai Pithora
(captured Hindu dominated place), which he
converted into the Muslim capital of Delhi.
He built the first Islamic building in India of dressed
stone, mainly a patch work of older materials,
beautiful in detail, as its arcaded aisles were
composed of pillars carved in the most perfect Hindu
style.
S L A V E DYNASTY (A.D. 1191-1246)
In 1206AD, Delhi was established by
Qutub-ud-din-Aibak and he declared
himself as a Sultan of Hindustan after
the death of Mohammed Ghori.
Qutub-ud-din-Aibak ruled for 4 yrs.
After Qutub-ud-din-Aibak, Altamish
came into power and later he was also
succeed by his daughter Razia Begum
and she was killed in a battle in 1240
A.D.
Springer:The lowest stone in an arch where the curve begins
The Hindu fortress of Qal'a-i-Rai
Pithaura, although recorded as the first
of the seven historical cities of Delhi
when captured and occupied by Qutub-
ud-din-Aibak.
Masons in all countries under Muslim
rule had employed the true arch,
inherited from the Romans. with its
radiating voussoirs, but Qutub-ud-din-
Aibak had used here the basic system of
corbelling out the arch.
S L A V E DYNASTY (A.D. 1191-1246)
Major developments of Slave
Dynasty:
Quwat-ul-islam Mosque
Qutub Minar
Tomb of Iltutmish
Tomb of Balban
 Qutubuddin Aibak

Illtutmish

Balban

Dhai din ka Jhonpra

Quwwat-ul-Islam
Qutub Minar

Quwwat-ul-Islam (Extension)
Qutub Minar (Extension)
Sultan Ghari’s Tomb
Illtutmish’s Tomb
Lal Mahal
Balban’s Tomb
QUWWATUL ISLAM MOSQUE
This mosque consisted of a courtyard 141 ft X 105 ft
surrounded by pillared cloisters, three aisles deep, the
short pillars from the temples being placed one above
the other in order to secure the necessary height.
On the west or Mecca side of the courtyard, the
arrangement of pillars was made more spacious and
elaborated into a series of bays with Shallow domed
ceilings, to form the sanctuary. And in front of the centre
of the sanctuary was erected the famous Iron Pillar.

•1st: By Qutub-ud-din Aibak

•2nd : By iltutmish
•3rd : By Alauddin Khilji
QUWWATUL ISLAM MOSQUE
QUWWATUL ISLAM MOSQUE
Later on a maqsura or screen was built of
brick, separating the sanctuary from the
courtyard, and through the openings of
which the congregation could view the
imam or leading priest for conducting
prayers.
And in this manner the design of the
screen of arches came into existence.
When complete this screen as a whole
formed a great wall of masonry over 50 ft
in height at the centre its width 108 ft, and
with a thickness of 81 ft.
It was pierced by five openings, consisting
of a large, central archway measuring 45 ogee curves
feet high with a span of 22 feet, while on
each side were two lesser archways, each
25 feet in height.
Made of sandstone, its fine pointed arches
with their ogee curves produce that effect
of lightness necessary in such a
massive volume.
QUTUB MINAR Accordingly in the last year of the twelfth century,
Qutb-ud-din laid the foundations of Qutub Minar, the
most remarkable architectural monuments ever
produced.
An immense (extremely large or great) and an impressive tower.
The Qutub Minar is of 238 ft height, its primary object
is to proclaim the whole world the prestige and
authority of Islam.
The word Qutub signifies a pole, an axis, and thus the
pivot of justice, Sovereignty and of the faith, shown
by the inscriptions carved beautifully and boldly on
its surface, which announces that it was erected in
order to cast "the shadow of god over the east and
over the west.“
Supplementary purpose should be recorded as it
formed the Minar of the mosque, and from its
balconies the muezzin made his call to prayer,
following an ancient Arabian tradition.
It was situated as the original mosque enclosure, i.e.,
to the left of the main entrance, it occupies the same
position as the Minars in some of the most venerated
mosques of an earlier time.
QUTUB MINAR
Built in Red Sandstone with 14m in diameter at base which
gradually diminishes to 3m at top, with a projecting balcony
dividing each stage.
The three lower stories have remained untouched, but the
fourth, or uppermost storey, composed of a circular kiosk
with window openings and a domical roof crowning the
entire structure was renovated and later on added, not to its
improvement, but nonetheless increasing the height and
changing its appearance and proportions.
• It consist of four storeys with different shapes of plans:
▫ First storey- Alternate wedge shaped and round
projections
▫ Second storey- Circular projections
▫ Third storey- Star shaped
▫ Fourth storey- Round

Graceful is a border of spiral form, having a floral device within

each coil of its convolutions (overlapping coils or folds), a Hindu
conception, and contrasting with upright lines of decorative
inscriptions, emphatically Islamic.
QUTUB MINAR Balconies
 Each storey has a balcony around
it.
 The balustrade around the
balcony originally showed
merlons called kanjuras, act as an
ornamentation over the doorway.
 The balconies are supported by
stalactite vaulting, represented by
clusters of miniature arches with
brackets in between, influenced
by the tracery of temple ceilings.
System of stalactite bracketing under
the balconies support the projections
and their weight are transmitted to
the body of the structure.
Stalactite Vaults
To obtain the stalactite semblance the
alcoves (a recess in the wall) are
patterned with a honey-combing
network, suggesting that it was
prepared from models.

Tracery in temple ceilings

TOMB O F ILTUTMISH
Tomb of iltutmish
North-west of the Qutb, built before A.D.
1235.
A square 42 ft in side and with a height of
almost 30 ft.
Its interior is covered from top to bottom on
all four sides by rich carvings on the
sandstone-clad walls.
The dome was raised with the help of
corbelled coursed arches.
It was supported on squinches built at the
corners of the square chamber.
The particular form employed in iltutmish's
tomb was that known as a "squinch.“
The squinch system consists of projecting a
small arch, a type of construction filling in
the upper angles of a square room so as to
form a base to receive an octagonal or
spherical dome.
TOMB O F ILTUTMISH
 It reveals the first attempt in india to solve the dome on a
square problem - a squinch was employed - a half-
arch/dome spanning across the corners of the square base
and making the square an octagon.
TOMB O F BALBAN
In this building for the first
time in India we meet with
the true arch produced by
means of radiating voussoirs
(a wedge-shaped or tapered
stone used to construct an
arch)
The building is of the
masonry coarse, which is a
rubble foundation covered
with cement.
Consisting of a square domed
chamber with an archway
on each of its sides.
It is in ruins now but
occupies an important place
in the development of Indo-
islamic Architecture.
K H I L J I DYNASTY (1290-1320)
At this stage of the building art in India, little progress was made.
Firoz Jallal –ud – din Khalji (1290) – ascended the throne of Delhi in 1296 at the age of 70.
Ala-ud-din Khalji – murdered Jallal-ud-din – crowned himself the king.
He added Gujarat, Ranthambor and Chittoor in his period of power.

 Architectural projects – marks the evolution

of another innovative feature in the Indo-
islamic Architecture.
 Alai Darwaza at Qutb Complex
(darwaza near the qutub minar which
served as an entrance gateway to the
mosque at the qutub complex )
 Alai Hauz At Hauz Khas (reservoir at
Hauz Khas around 1311AD)
 New City of Siri Fort (Second City of
Delhi )
 Alai minar
 Jamat Khana Masjid near Nizamuddin •1st: By Qutub-ud-din Aibak
•2nd : By iltutmish
in Delhi
•3rd : By Alauddin Khilji
 Ukha Masjid in Bharatpur in Rajasthan
were also built during this period.
Alauddin Khalji

Alai Minar
Alai Darwaza
City of Siri & the Fort
Hauz Khas
ALAI DARWAZA Or Gateway Of Alauddin 1305
The domination of the Saljuqs (Ancient kingdoms in
Anatolia, most of modern Turkey),can be seen in
Khilji Dynastywhich however. extended over the
greater part of Western Asia, which also spread
throughout the whole of this region.
Erected to serve as one of four entrances to the
Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque.
Quwat-ul-Islam mosque – Iltumish enlarged the size
by three times- while Ala-ud-din by six times by
adding another cloister around the existing one.
Northern side - added Alai Minar – 21.3 m high
rubble bottom-part exists today – he considered the
minar to be higher than Qutb Minar.
In design the three outer faces are much alike, each
containing a tall archway over a flight of steps
leading to the higher floor of the interior.
Above the plinth, the vertical sides carved in varied
bands, while the surface of the wall above is divided
into two stories into upright rectangular panels. The
lower being arched recesses.
ALAI DARWAZA Or Gateway Of Alauddin 1305
 The carved Quranic inscriptional Alai Darwaza bands
are drawn from the pilaster works, derived from
Renaissance Period (14th to 17th century).
 Horse shoe shaped arch, system of its construction is
that of radiating voussoirs.

Pilasters: used to give the

appearance of a
supporting column, especially one
projecting from a wall, with only an
ornamental function.

 Around its outlines is a band of inscription

carved in white marble.
 Intrados, is a "Fringe" of Spear-heads (sharp
pointed head with decorative edges or borders),
and in the Spandrels are sockets for carved
keystones like structures.
ALAI DARWAZA
 Treatment of outer façade- as two storeyed building
with blind windows in its non existent upper storey
– attractive technique
 Star and hexagon Jaalis for
illumination and ventilation.
 Blend of red sandstone and
white marble as facing materials
 56 ft (17m) square base
 Dome – 34ft (10.3m)
 Squinches constructed of true
arches
ALAI DARWAZA
 The Alai Minar is probably of those few
incomplete monuments, situated
within the famous Qutub complex.
 He wanted to build a structure that
would measure twice the height of
Qutub Minar.
 He instructed that a second tower of
victory be constructed that would
carry his name and hence the Alai
Minar took shape.
 The first floor construction of the Alai
Minar was completed and measured
24.5 metres high, but unfortunately,
the construction was abandoned after
the death of Sultan Ala-ud-din Khalji in
1316 AD.
 The structure is of rubble
masonry standing still today.
Hauz Khas