Medieval Indian rulers

The period from the establishment of Delhi Sultanate to the fall of the Mughal Empire is generally regarded as the medieval period in Indian history. During this period India was ruled by Delhi Sultans and Mughal emperors. Some of them are mentioned below.

A) Qutb-ud din Aibak: Quit –ud- din Aibak was the founder of Delhi sultanate in India. He started the construction of Qutb Minar. He was called lakh Baksh.

B) Balban: Balban was the greatest of all the sultans of the slave dynasty that ruled the Delhi sultanate. He restored the fallen prestige of the Delhi crown. He introduced Naoroz, the Paris New Year in the country.

C) Ala –udn Khilji: Ala-ud – din Khilji was the greatest of all the Delhi Sultans. He introduced military reforms and market regulations in the country. He built the Alai Darwaza and Siri fort in Delhi.

D) Muhammad bin Tughluq: Muhammad bin Tughluq was the most unfortunate Sultan of Delhi. He introduced the reforms like taxation of doab and interdiction of taken currency. He transferred his capital from Delhi to Devagiri or Daulatabad. All this reforms failed and so he came to be regarded as a mad man in history.

E) Babur: Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire in India. In 1526 A.D. he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the last Sultan of Delhi, in the first battle of Panipat and established the Mughal Empire in India. He waged other battles like the battle of Kanwa, the battle of Chanderi and the battle of Gogra.

F) Akbar: Akbar was the greatest of all the Mahal emperors. He was famous for his Rajput and religious policies. He founded a new religion called Din-I Illahi in 1582 A.D. he built the city of Fatherpur Sikri near Agra to be his new capital.

G) Jahangir: Jahangir was the son and successor of Akbar. Immediately after his accession to the throne he issued 12 edicts which were beneficial to his subjects. During his reign his wife Nurjahan played a great role in administration.

H) Shah Jahan: The age of Shah Jahan is regarded as the Golden Age in the history of medieval period. He was called the prince of builders. He constructed the red fort and the Jama Masjid in Delhi. But the greatest structure of his time was the Taj Mahal built in Agra on the banks of the river Yamuna in memory of his beloved queen Mumtaz Mahal.

I) Aurangzeb: Aurangzeb was the last great ruler of the Mughal. He is considered as a religious fanatic. By his policies he mode enmity with many of the local rulers and his subjects. That is why, soon after his death, the Mughal Empire began to decline.