Class 7 Social Science (CTET Paper 2)Critical (2–3 MCQs guaranteed)9 min read
Chapter 3: The Delhi Sultans (1206–1526)
दिल्ली के सुल्तान (रज़िया सुल्तान, तवारीख़ के लेखक, बन्दगां एवं गैरिसन शहर)
CTET Theme: Medieval History & Statecraft
CTET Medium / परीक्षा माध्यम:Toggle authentic CBSE terminology
CTET On-the-Go Audio NotesHands-Free Revision
Listen to high-yield NCERT facts & CBSE traps without staring at the screen
OVERVIEW1 of 10
Introduction: The Delhi Sultans (1206–1526)
Welcome to Mentora CTET Audio Masterclass for Class 7 Social Science (CTET Paper 2), Chapter 3: The Delhi Sultans (1206–1526). Here are the high-yield facts tested in CBSE examinations.
Aspirant Revision Toolkit:Offline cheatsheet, OMR practice & peer sharing
Offline Pen-and-Paper Exam Readiness
Don't Let a 20-Minute Bubbling Delay Cost You CTET Qualification
In offline CTET exams, bubbling 150 bubbles takes 18 to 22 minutes of mechanical time. A single misaligned row can trigger an 8-question domino error. Practice bubble-filling this chapter's solved MCQs inside Mentora's official OMR simulator.
150-Question CBSE Specimen Grid
Real-time Row-Shift Detection
Printable Official A4 Specimen
High-Weightage NCERT Facts & Key Terms (द्विभाषी)
6 Core Points- The Five Dynasties of Delhi Sultanate: Early Turkish / Mamluk (1206-1290), Khalji (1290-1320), Tughluq (1320-1414), Sayyid (1414-1451), Lodi (1451-1526).
- Raziyya Sultan (1236–1240): Daughter of Sultan Iltutmish; chronicler Minhaj-i Siraj acknowledged she was far more talented and worthy than her brothers, but courtiers and conservative nobility opposed a woman reigning independently without a veil.
- Tawarikh / Tarikh: Histories written in Persian (the administrative court language) by learned secretaries, administrators, poets, and courtiers who lived in cities (mainly Delhi) hoping for lavish royal rewards. They advocated the 'Circle of Justice' (Adl) and conservative social order based on gender distinctions and birthright.
- Expansion from Garrison Town (Thana) to Empire: Early Sultans controlled only fortified military settlements (garrison towns); Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad Tughluq expanded through internal frontiers (clearing forests in Ganga-Yamuna Doab for settled agriculture) and external frontiers (southern military campaigns led by Malik Kafur).
- Bandagan: Special military slaves purchased by Sultans (notably Iltutmish) and trained for key administrative and military posts; completely loyal to the Sultan, provoking resentment among traditional hereditary nobility.
- Muhammad bin Tughluq's controversial administrative measures: Shifting capital from Delhi to Daulatabad; Token currency of bronze/copper coins pegged to silver tanka (widely counterfeited); taxation of the Doab during a severe famine.
CBSE Distractor Traps (Avoid Negative Marking)
- Trap: Who recorded Raziyya's capability? Chronicler MINHAJ-I SIRAJ (not Al-Biruni, not Ibn Battuta).
- Trap: Language of Tawarikh under Delhi Sultans. Correct: PERSIAN (not Arabic, not Urdu).
- Trap: Bandagan were aristocratic nobles. Correct: Bandagan were SPECIAL SLAVES trained for military service and state governance.
NCERT Core Facts: Delhi Sultanate Statecraft, Gender & Urbanization
In CTET Paper 2 Social Studies, questions frequently focus on Raziyya Sultan, court chroniclers (Tawarikh), military slaves (Bandagan), and administrative policies.
1. Chronology of Delhi Sultanate Dynasties
- 1.Early Turkish / Mamluk Rulers (1206–1290): Qutbuddin Aibak, Shamsuddin Iltutmish, Raziyya, Ghiyasuddin Balban.
- 2.Khalji Dynasty (1290–1320): Jalaluddin Khalji, Alauddin Khalji (market control, southern campaigns).
- 3.Tughluq Dynasty (1320–1414): Ghiyasuddin Tughluq, Muhammad bin Tughluq, Firuz Shah Tughluq.
- 4.Sayyid Dynasty (1414–1451): Khizr Khan.
- 5.Lodi Dynasty (1451–1526): Bahlul Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi (defeated at First Battle of Panipat 1526 by Babur).
2. Raziyya Sultan & Contemporary Gender Ideology
Essential CTET Chronicler Record: Raziyya Sultan
* Reign: 1236 to 1240 CE
* Parentage: Daughter of Sultan Shamsuddin Iltutmish.
* Minhaj-i Siraj's Assessment: The 13th-century Persian chronicler Minhaj-i Siraj recorded in his work Tabaqat-i Nasiri that Raziyya was more able and qualified than all her brothers.
* The Feudal Barrier: However, Minhaj questioned: "Why should a woman rule when in God's ideal order, women were created to be subordinate to men?" The Turkish nobles resented her independent sovereign rule and removed her from the throne in 1240.
* Contrast: Queen Rudramadevi of the Kakatiya dynasty (Warangal, Telangana) changed her name on inscriptions to appear as a man; Queen Didda of Kashmir took her title affectionately from "didi" (elder sister).
3. The Authors of Tawarikh (Histories)
- Language: Written in Persian (फ़ारसी), the official administrative language of the Delhi Sultanate.
- Profile of Authors: Learned scribes, courtiers, poets, and administrators who:
- a.Lived almost exclusively in large cities (principally Delhi), rarely visiting rural villages.
- b.Wrote eulogies for Sultans in anticipation of rich rewards, estates, and pensions.
- c.Preached preservation of the Circle of Justice (*Adl*) and social hierarchy based on birthright and gender.
- The Circle of Justice:
\text{King} → \text{Soldiers} → \text{Salaries} → \text{Peasant Revenue} → \text{Prosperity & Justice}
4. Expansion from Garrison Town to Vast Empire
- Garrison Town (गैरिसन शहर): A fortified settlement with soldiers and storehouses.
- Internal Frontier: Clearing dense forests in the Ganga-Yamuna Doab, expelling forest tribes/pastoralists, granting land to peasants to expand settled cultivation, and building regional fortresses.
- External Frontier: Military campaigns into Southern India initiated under Alauddin Khalji (led by general Malik Kafur) and culminating under Muhammad bin Tughluq, capturing elephants, horses, and treasure.
5. Bandagan (Military Slaves) & Administrative Experiments
- Bandagan: Iltutmish purchased special slaves (bandagan in Persian) for military service. They were trusted more than aristocratic nobles because they were completely dependent on the Sultan for their livelihood.
- Muhammad bin Tughluq's Controversial Projects:
- a.Transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad to administer the Deccan.
- b.Introducing Token Currency made of cheap bronze/copper; people hoarded gold/silver and paid taxes in easily counterfeited token coins.
Official CTET Benchmark Test
Test Your Mastery: The Delhi Sultans (1206–1526)
Authentic CBSE exam questions tested directly from this NCERT chapter.
Question 1 of 3(CTET Dec 2018 / July 2019 / Jan 2022)
Which 13th-century chronicler acknowledged that Raziyya Sultan was more able and qualified than all her brothers?
13वीं शताब्दी के किस इतिहासकार ने स्वीकार किया कि रज़िया सुल्तान अपने सभी भाइयों से अधिक योग्य और सक्षम थी?
Question 2 of 3(CTET Dec 2019 / Dec 2021)
In the context of the Delhi Sultanate, the term 'Bandagan' refers to:
दिल्ली सल्तनत के संदर्भ में 'बन्दगां' (Bandagan) शब्द का क्या अर्थ है?
Question 3 of 3(CTET Jan 2021 / Aug 2023)
The historical accounts known as 'Tawarikh' during the Delhi Sultanate were written in which language?
दिल्ली सल्तनत के दौरान 'तवारीख़' (Tawarikh) नामक ऐतिहासिक ग्रंथ किस भाषा में लिखे गए थे?
Mastered this chapter? Practice under genuine 150-minute exam conditions.
Open Full OMR SimulatorFrequently Asked Questions (CTET Pedagogy)
Who was the chronicler who wrote about Raziyya Sultan?
Minhaj-i Siraj, who recorded that she was more qualified than all her brothers.
In which language were the Tawarikh written?
Persian, the administrative court language of the Delhi Sultanate.
What were Bandagan in the Delhi Sultanate?
Special military slaves purchased and trained for high military and administrative offices.