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Tughlaq Dynasty

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1

Learn the Concept

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The Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414) was the longest-lived ruling house of the Delhi Sultanate and marked both its greatest territorial extent and the beginning of its disintegration. Founded by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, it is dominated by two very different figures: the brilliant but erratic Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–51), whose ambitious experiments (the transfer of the capital to Daulatabad, token currency, the Khurasan and Qarachil projects, and the Doab tax) mostly failed; and the pious, welfare-minded Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351–88), who stabilised the state through public works but weakened it by concessions to the nobility and orthodoxy. Fix the significance: under the Tughlaqs the Sultanate briefly ruled most of the subcontinent, then rapidly contracted as provinces broke away — Bengal, the Deccan (Bahmani), Vijayanagara and others — a decline sealed by Timur's sack of Delhi (1398).

In One Line
  • Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq (1320–25): founder; strengthened administration and agriculture; died when a welcome-pavilion collapsed.
  • Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325–51): learned but ill-fated experiments — Daulatabad transfer, token currency, Khurasan & Qarachil schemes, Doab tax increase.
  • Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351–88): welfare ruler — canals, towns (Firuzabad, Hisar, Jaunpur), Diwan-i-Khairat, but made iqtas hereditary and revived jizya rigidly.
  • After Firuz: rapid breakup; Timur's invasion (1398); last Tughlaqs till 1414, then the Sayyids.
Glossary (define-on-first-use)
  • Token currency: Muhammad bin Tughlaq's bronze/copper coins meant to pass at the value of silver — forged widely, so withdrawn.
  • Daulatabad: Devagiri in the Deccan, to which Muhammad tried to shift the capital (and population) from Delhi.
  • Diwan-i-Kohi: Muhammad's department to promote agriculture with state loans (sondhar).
  • Diwan-i-Khairat: Firuz Shah's department of charity; Dar-ul-Shifa = free hospital.
  • Jizya: tax on non-Muslims, which Firuz Shah enforced rigidly (even on Brahmins).

1. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq

  • Ghazi Malik, a frontier warden against the Mongols, took the throne as Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq in 1320 after overthrowing Khusrau Khan. He restored order, improved agriculture and the revenue system (moderating Alauddin's harsh demand), built the fortress-city of Tughlaqabad, and campaigned in the Deccan and Bengal. He died in 1325 when a wooden pavilion collapsed — traditionally blamed on his son Muhammad.

2. Muhammad bin Tughlaq & his experiments

  • Transfer of capital to Daulatabad (c.1327): to govern the Deccan better, he ordered the court and much of Delhi's population to move to Daulatabad. The move caused great hardship and was reversed — a costly failure.
  • Token currency (c.1329–30): he issued bronze/copper coins to circulate at the value of silver. Easy forgery flooded the market with fakes; he withdrew it, redeeming even counterfeits — a huge loss.
  • Khurasan & Qarachil schemes: he raised a large army for a planned Khurasan (Central Asia) expedition that was abandoned, and sent a disastrous Qarachil (Himalayan) campaign that was destroyed.
  • Doab tax increase: he raised taxes in the fertile Ganga–Yamuna Doab during a famine, provoking revolt; he later tried relief and the Diwan-i-Kohi with agricultural loans, but too late.
  • Learned in philosophy and mathematics yet impatient, his reign saw many revolts; the traveller Ibn Battuta served as his qazi and left a vivid account.

3. Firuz Shah Tughlaq

  • Public works: Firuz Shah dug canals (including from the Yamuna and Sutlej), founded towns — Firuzabad, Hisar-Firuza, Jaunpur, Fatehabad — repaired monuments, and transported two Ashokan pillars to Delhi.
  • Welfare: he set up the Diwan-i-Khairat (charity, marriage grants for poor girls), an employment bureau, and a free hospital (Dar-ul-Shifa).
  • Weakening measures: he made iqtas and offices hereditary, pleased the ulema, revived jizya strictly (extending it to Brahmins), and expanded slavery — policies that sapped central authority.

4. Decline & Timur's invasion

  • After Firuz's death (1388) the empire fragmented: Bengal, Gujarat, Malwa, Jaunpur and the Deccan (Bahmani, from 1347) broke away, while Vijayanagara rose in the south. In 1398 Timur (Tamerlane) invaded, sacked Delhi with terrible slaughter, and left the Sultanate shattered. The last Tughlaqs lingered until 1414, when the Sayyids took over.
RulerReignChief feature
Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq1320–25Founder; Tughlaqabad; revenue reform
Muhammad bin Tughlaq1325–51Daulatabad, token currency, failed projects
Firuz Shah Tughlaq1351–88Canals, towns, welfare; hereditary iqtas, jizya
Later Tughlaqs1388–1414Disintegration; Timur's sack (1398)
Key Facts to Remember
  • Ghiyasuddin founded the dynasty (1320); built Tughlaqabad; died in a pavilion collapse.
  • Muhammad bin Tughlaq = Daulatabad transfer, token currency, Khurasan/Qarachil schemes, Doab tax; Ibn Battuta was his qazi; Diwan-i-Kohi for agriculture.
  • Firuz Shah = canals, towns (Firuzabad, Hisar, Jaunpur), Diwan-i-Khairat, Dar-ul-Shifa; moved two Ashokan pillars; made iqtas hereditary; revived jizya.
  • Deccan broke away as the Bahmani Sultanate (1347); Vijayanagara founded 1336.
  • Timur sacked Delhi in 1398; dynasty ended 1414 → Sayyids.
Connect the Dots
  • Khalji dynasty: the Tughlaqs succeeded the Khaljis in 1320 (previous leaf).
  • Bahmani & Vijayanagara: both arose from the Deccan breakup under the Tughlaqs.
  • Sayyid & Lodi dynasties: followed after 1414 (next leaf).
  • Foreign accounts: Ibn Battuta's Rihla on Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
2

Prepare for the Exam — Prelims

Prelims

Tested on Muhammad bin Tughlaq's four 'experiments', Firuz Shah's public works and welfare departments, and the 1320/1347/1398/1414 dates.

High-probability areas
  • MBT = Daulatabad transfer, token currency, Khurasan & Qarachil, Doab tax.
  • Ibn Battuta = qazi under MBT (Rihla).
  • Firuz = canals, Firuzabad/Hisar/Jaunpur, Diwan-i-Khairat, Dar-ul-Shifa.
  • Firuz made iqtas hereditary; revived jizya (even on Brahmins); moved Ashokan pillars.
  • Bahmani (1347), Vijayanagara (1336); Timur's sack (1398); Sayyids (1414).
Common traps
  • Token currency was bronze/copper, not paper.
  • Daulatabad = Devagiri in the Deccan.
  • Diwan-i-Kohi (agriculture) is MBT's; Diwan-i-Khairat (charity) is Firuz's.
  • Ghiyasuddin, not Muhammad, built Tughlaqabad.
Revision tip: memorise MBT's four schemes as capital, currency, campaigns, Doab.
2

Prepare for the Exam — Mains

Mains

GS Paper I (medieval polity). The examiner rewards balanced assessment of Muhammad bin Tughlaq's failures and Firuz Shah's welfare vs. decline.

Likely question types
  • 'A mixture of opposites' — assess Muhammad bin Tughlaq. (15)
  • Evaluate Firuz Shah Tughlaq's welfare measures and their political cost. (15)
  • Why did Muhammad bin Tughlaq's experiments fail? (10)
  • Discuss the causes of the decline of the Delhi Sultanate under the Tughlaqs. (15)
Dimensions to cover
  • Vision vs. execution: MBT's sound ideas, poor timing.
  • Welfare vs. weakness: Firuz's works vs. hereditary iqtas.
  • Centre vs. provinces: breakaway states.
  • External shock: Timur's invasion.
Value-additions
  • Use Ibn Battuta and Barani as sources.
  • Note Firuz's pillars & canals as administrative-cultural legacy.
  • Link decline to concessions to nobility and orthodoxy.
3

How to Write the Answer

Mains
Worked example — decoding the question

"Muhammad bin Tughlaq was 'a mixture of opposites.' Discuss. (15)
"Discuss" = weigh his brilliance against his failures and judge.

Introduction · ~20%
Introduce a learned, visionary sultan whose schemes mostly failed — hence the 'mixture of opposites'.
Body · ~60%
Merits: learning, bold ideas (Daulatabad for Deccan control, token currency, Diwan-i-Kohi). Flaws: harsh execution, poor timing (Doab tax in famine), impatience, many revolts. Cite Ibn Battuta and Barani.
Conclusion · ~20%
His ideas were often sound but his methods and timing doomed them — a tragic, able ruler.
10-mark: ~150 words · ~7 min
15-mark: ~250 words · ~12 min
Common mistakes
  • Calling the token currency paper money.
  • Only listing failures with no merits.
  • Confusing Diwan-i-Kohi and Diwan-i-Khairat.
Model opening line: "Few rulers have joined so much learning to so little luck as Muhammad bin Tughlaq."
4

Prelims Questions

Prelims

30 interactive MCQs — previous-year questions are included and tagged with their year. Select an answer for instant feedback and an explanation; your score is tracked and you can review wrong answers at the end.

Practice set
Question 1 of 30
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Score
5

Mains Questions

Mains

15 mains questions — previous-year questions are included and tagged. Write a full answer, then click Evaluate My Answer for paragraph-level feedback. Reveal the model structure after you attempt.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
'Muhammad bin Tughlaq was a mixture of opposites.' Critically discuss.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Why did Muhammad bin Tughlaq's transfer of the capital to Daulatabad fail?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Explain the causes of the failure of the token currency.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Evaluate Firuz Shah Tughlaq's welfare measures and their long-term political cost.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Discuss Firuz Shah Tughlaq's public works and canal system.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Analyse the causes of the decline of the Delhi Sultanate under the Tughlaqs.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Assess the reign and reforms of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
How useful is Ibn Battuta's Rihla as a source for the Tughlaq period?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Were Muhammad bin Tughlaq's schemes visionary or reckless? Give a reasoned view.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Examine the impact of Timur's invasion of 1398 on the Delhi Sultanate.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
How did Firuz Shah's concessions to the nobility and ulema weaken the state?
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Trace the territorial growth and contraction of the Sultanate under the Tughlaqs.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Discuss the religious policy of Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

10 marks · ~150 words · ~7 min
Describe the Diwan-i-Kohi and its objectives.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

15 marks · ~250 words · ~11 min
Compare the reigns of Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Firuz Shah Tughlaq.
Evaluate My Answer
Model answer structure

Intro: define the key term and give a one-line context hook.
Body 1: conceptual / historical basis with a named fact, date or example.
Body 2: evidence and analysis — sites, inscriptions, coins, archaeologists.
Body 3: limitations or the counter-view (balanced).
Conclusion: a specific, reasoned judgment / way forward.

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