Eternal India Encyclopedia

E t e r n a l I n d i a encyclopedia

LURE - THRU THE AGES

MALWA 1401-1531 A.D. he invaded Delhi but Ahmad Shah of Gujarat's invasion of Malwa forced him to make peace and return to Mandu. Thrice he attacked Bah- mani territory but failed because the ruler received timely assistance from Sultan of Gujarat. He promoted development of agri- culture and trade, established centres of Is- lamic learning and encouraged scholars from other parts of India to move to Mandu. The hospital he founded there was a large estab- lishment with provision for free medicare. 1469-1501: Reign of Ghiyas Shah, period of peace and prosperity. He collected about 16,000 slave girls in his palace. 1511-31: Reign of Mahmud D, he appointed Medini Rai, a Rajput chief of Chanderi, as his vizier. Friction between Mahmud II and Medini forced Medini to flee to Gujarat. He returned with Sultan Muzaffar Shah of Gujarat and captured Mandu. Medini seized Gugraon.

1390-

91:

Sultan Nasiru' d din

Moham- mad, son of Firoz Shah Tughlaq appointed Dilawar governor of Malwa. Dilawar pro- claimed himself independent with capital at Dhar. 1391- 1406: Reign of Dilawar. 1406-35: Reign of Hushang Shah, son of Dilawar. Invasion of Sultan Muzaffar Shah of Gujarat. Hushang was defeated and taken captive. Later throne was restored to Hushang. He transferred his capital to Mandu. Hushang invaded Rai Narsingh Kherla’s kingdom. In Hushang's absence Ahmed I of Gujarat besieged Mandu. Hushang returned forcing Ahmed to retreat. Hushang Shah followed a policy of toler- ance with Hindus. Before his death, he founded a new town Hoshangabad. 1436-69: Reign of Mahmud Khalji (a nobleman who ascended the throne). In 1442 In Delhi, Khizr Khan, who later became the first Sayyid Sultan, appointed another Afghan, Malik Sultan Shah Lodi, governor of Sirhind, giving him the title Islam Khan. He declared his nephew Bahlul as his successor. In 1451 Bahlul Khan captured Delhi and ascended to the throne. Although he encouraged the Afghan tribesmen to migrate to India he was cautious about awarding them positions and promotions. The senior offices were reserved for his loyal Afghan supporters. Before his death at the age of eighty, the Lodi Sultanate was firmly established from the Punjab to the borders of Bihar. His son by a Hindu wife, Nizam Khan, adopted the title Sultan Sikander (1489-1517) when he ascended to the throne. The new Sultan crushed Husayn Shah Sharqi of Jaunpur, liquidated the Rajput uprisings in neighbouring areas and forced the Raja of Tirhit to agree to pay tribute. Bihar was also seized and the Sultan of Bengal signed a treaty with Sikander. From 1506 to 1517 he spent all his energies in capturing Gwalior, but his gains were not worth the energy he spent. When he died in 1517 Gwalior and Malwa The Lodis were originally Afghans. Ex- pert horse breeders, they often served in the army of Turkic rulers. During Moham- mad Bin Tughlak's reign, Malik Shah Lodi, the governor of Multan, rebelled against him but was unsuccessful.

Mahmud besieged him but was defeated by Rana Sanga who rushed to relieve Mandu. Rana Sanga captured Sultan and took him to Chittor. The Rana later sent him back to Mandu and restored throne to him.

LODI DYNASTY 1451-1506 A.D.

The Battle of Panipat 1526 A.D. After elaborate preparation Babur left Kabul to conquer India in 1525 A.D. After defeat- ing Daulat Khan, he advanced towards Delhi through Sirhind and met Ibrahim Lodi on the historic field of Panipat on 21 st April, 1526. Babur had a large park of artillery and 12,000 men, as against 1,00,000 of Ibrahim. Babur had the strength of character and experience of a veteran general while Lodi, ‘was an inexperienced man, careless in his movements, marched without order, halted or retired without method and engaged without foresight’ (Babur). Thus Babur won a decisive victory over Lodi and quickly occupied Delhi and Agra. ‘The battle of Panipat placed the empire of Delhi in Babur's hands. The power of the Lodi dynasty was shattered... and the sovereignty of Hindustan passed to.the Chaghtai Turks. ’ This battle was followed by some greater brilliant victories like those of Kanwah. Where he defeated the Rajputs under Rana Sanga. Babur's victory in the first battle of Panipat has a great significance in the establishment of Mughal kingdom in India.

remained unconquered. Sikander tightened the espionage system. He took a keen interest in the development of agriculture.

Sultan Ibrahim Lodi 1517-26 A.D.

Son of Sikander Lodi. During the early years of his reign a bitter conflict broke out with his younger brother Jalal who wanted to become independent ruler of Jaunpur. Jalal was imprisoned and later beheaded. He fought a battle with Rana Sanga of Mewar. The Rana captured Chanderi. The Sultan summoned Daulat Khan Lodi to help him suppress a rebellion in Bihar. Daulat Khan sent his son Dilawar Khan. Dilwar Khan was alarmed at the persecution of dismissed Afghan leaders and reported it to his father. Daulat Khan wrote to Babur, the ruler of Kabul, asking him to save the Afghans.