Alauddin Khalji

2020-04-27 12 :18: 16

AK’s theory of Kingship

#todo

https://www.historydiscussion.net/history-of-india/ala-ud-dinss-theory-of-kingship/2682

AK’s Administrative features and reforms :

#todo http://magadhmahilacollege.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Administrative-reforms-of-Allauddin-Khilji.pdf

AK as a despotic Ruler

Barani criticises for his policy of excessive bloodshed, harsh and tyrannical behaviour, puts hardships on others to obey his orders
#todo

Conquests and Territorial Expansions

2020-04-27 12:18:30

J Khalji not have resources nor will to undertake large scale expansionist program.
AK 1st expedition after attaining throne against Guj 1299 attracted by wealth Ulugh Khan, Nusrat Khan led
Malwa captured in 1305 defeating **Rai Mahalak Dev **of Mandu, given to Ainul Mulk who further conquered Ujjain, Dhar and Chanderi
followed by Simana and Jalor in 1309
Multan captured as policy of consolidation to eliminate any future usurpers
Ranthambore was captured in 1300 by defeating Hamir Dev, Chittor was captured in 1303 and given to Maldeo
Alauddins first campaign in Devagiri 1296, attacked again in 1306 it was ruled by Rai Ram Chandra Dev
Malik Kafur was given the command to capture Deccan
Prime motive of deccan expedition not conquest but wealth, details given by Amir Khusrau in Khazain ul Fatah
Warangal was cap in 1310 by defeating Rai Rudra dev it was made a protectorate
Kafur further captured Dwarasamudra in 1311 reaching as far as Madurai
Obj of Deccan campaign was wealth and formal recognition of the authority of Delhi Sultan.

Expansion in phases 1st phase Gujarat, Rajasthan, Malwa; 2nd Phase Deccan; 3rd started by AK climaxed in G Tughlaq was control over central Deccan, Bengal
Gujarat -
- Fertile, centre of handicraft ex textile, Khambat trade w/ West Asia, SE Asia, CN; accumulated gold, silver, etc; to ensure supply of Arabi Iraqi Tuki horses
- Ulugh Khan and Nusral K under AK sent, Rai Karan fled monasteries, Somnath temple plundered, Malik Kafur captured here
Rajasthan
- Hamir Dev of Ranthambore defeated Ulugh and Nusrat K, AK attacked Amir Khusrau accompanied him
- Chittor surrendered 30000 peasants slaughtered
- Later AK adopted befriending Rajput rulers
Malwa

Amir K - so large that geographers could not delimit its fronteir
- Annexed under Ainul Mulk
Maharashtra and South India
- Land of treasures and gold, handicraft
- AK attacked Deogir 2wice in lifetime, Kafur led defated Ram Chandra escorted to Delhi treated like a guest. Marriage alliance w/ his daughter and other Rajput princess was followed
- 1309 - Warangal was next, Rai surrendered followed by Hoysala empire capital at Dvar Samudra
- Kafur reached Masulipatnam desecrated Chidambram temple at Madras and sacked Madurai from Pandyas
- Annual payments from subdued rulers could not be ensured
- 2nd Phase - Annexation of these states
  - Ram Deo’s son repudiated allegiance, AK’s non annexation policy abandoned by GT and MBT
  - MBT asked by GT to invade Warangal, entire Telangana annexed
  - Mabar w/ capital at Madurai was next in 1323, 1328 Karnataka annexed under MBT
  - Area was vast, far from capital, strained resource, socio cultural traditions were diff - disintegration

Agrarian and Economic Measures

2020-04-27 12:18:42

Alauddin Khalji’s Agrarian Reforms

Source

Barani is source
- 3 groups of rural aristocracy khut (replaced ranas/rais at district/pargana level) , muqaddam, and chaudhuri who collected land revenue called Kharaj
- were given perquisites (haqq-i khoti) remuneration by state also took some share from peasants (qismat-i-khoti)
- Every cultivator pay house tax called Ghari, grazing tax - charai

Alaudding Introduced Stern Measures against Collectors of Revenue because of

Did not pay revenue on their land, shifted burden to peasants
Not pay grazing tax
Excess wealth made them arrogant, flouted orders

To Strike Fear Took the Measures

State demand half/50% of produce of land, Land measured (masahat) and revenue fixed on yield (wafa-i-biswa) per unit of are
Intermediaries, peasants to pay same standard of demand (50%)
Perks of intermediaries removed esp in land brought under Khalisa, khuti charges for collecting rev removed
Grazing, house tax from intermediaries too
Barani - AK brought Doab into Khalisa
- land revenue highest ever - Rich peasants turned rebels, Peasant made prostrate
- devastated entire Doab, people fled to jungles leaving fields
- Intermediaries
- maintain law order in country side - this function continued
- caught for embezellment by comparing the Bahi of village patwari to revenue receits
collection done in grain for contingencies also use them as lever for price fixation
Revolt by Akat Khan made him think of reasons, one of it was the accumulation of wealth so he took steps to curb such revolts
Abolished Iqta and Zamindari in crown lands, stopped issue of land grants in lieu of state services but not inaam lands, confiscated jagirs, estates
Barani mentions that sultan had to leave the hereditary rights of Hindu dignitaries, the khots, Muqaddams, Chaudhuries, and the Balahars
Biswa declared as standard unit of measurement
1st ruler to intro measurement of land as basis of assessment of state demand
Barani - same rule for collection of tax applied to all, state revenue officer would string 20 khuts, muqaddams, Chau together by neck and enforce payment by blows
Barani - no change of single tanka being taken dishonestly, or as bribery
- Men looked upon rev officers as worse than fever, clerkship was great crime no man would give his daughter in marriage to a clerk
To Bring Villages in closer association w/ Gov, land rev calculated in kind but demanded in cash - farmers selling first to Banjaras/ local market
Systematic application of measurement of land was significant during AK’s reign
Barani - K/M reduced to level of lowest in village society, could not ride horses, their women had to work

Impact of Agrarian Reforms

Adversely affected Cultivators, barely enough for carrying cultivation and food, would sell even wives and cattle to pay land rev
Bribe taking reduced, Barani - non of amils/ mutsarrifs could take one, no one would marry their daughters to them
System of audits, measurement became basis for future rulers vis Akbar, Sher Shah
Furthered the growth of market economy in villages, integrated them w/ towns - improved internal restructuring of DS

Alauddin Khaljis Market Control Reforms

fixed prices of all commodieties ex grains, cloth, slaves, cattle etc; e, Royal stores set up to check hoarding, cultivators could keep only 10mans
Controller of market called shahna-i mandi was appointed, barids and munhiyan (secret spies) were appointed
- Zawabits/ detailed regulation were framed
Grain merchants were placed under the charge of shahna-i-mandi(head of corporation) and depostis were taken from them - allowed to charge moderate profit and cost of transport
- Barani - heads of caravans brought in chains before Shahna I mandi kept until they conformed
Sultan was to receive daily reports from the above mentioned sources
- Barani - as long as sultan lived scales of prices were maintained irrespective of whether rains were abundant or scanty
- One of the wonders of the time
- Junior Shahna received blows for inc in price
- Firishta -
Regrating aka ihtikar ie the practice of buying grains at low rate and selling at high was banned
- No corn dealer farmer, anyone else could hold back secretly a maund of half of grain
Only the grain merchants were to bring supplies to the market and the peasants had to sell to the Kharvanian (grain merchant) near the fields; asked to form a corporate body to ensure proper distribution
estd granaries in Delhi and in Chhain in Rajasthan where the the collected Khalisa went.
Baranii - Market reforms to counter Mongol menace and to impoverish Hindus, recruit permanent army, counter vicious cycle of inflation and price rise caused due to influx of gold, silver from mil exploits
Salary structure fixed 78 Tankas for foot soldier, horseman got 156, 78 extra if maintained his own horse
Fixed price of goods based on principle of Bar award 7.5 jitals for wheat, 4 for Barley
Rev of Khalisa in kind but in practice taken both in cash and kind
8th regulation provided for rationing of grain in times of drought or famine - every day allocation done
Securing low prices of cloth and groceries sold in area called Sarai Adal, cloth under officer called Rais Parwana/ permit officer
Markets under diwan I riyasat Malik Yaqub was 1st to be appointed, nazir was superintendent of weights
Barani on barbaric punishment given - kept the traders hones, they gave good weights and restrained them from giving short weights
Oriented More towards adm/ military necessity than internal restructuring
Looked at price control in as systematic manner
Set up 3 markets 1 for food grains, 2 - cloth + expensive items called Sarai I Adl, 3rd - horses, slaves, cattle
System of rationing during scarcity, each gorcer given a fixed share on basis on pop of area
- Barani - price did not increase even by a dam/dirham
- Isami - so many people gathered to collect that 2 3 crushed to death
Cloth merchants be registered, rich Multani merhcants given advance to avoid them selling to intermediaries, power for enforcement given to body of merchants themselves
Permit for buying costly commodities
Horse trade monopolised by Multanis, Afghanis sold by middle men; prices fixed per quality; merchants to sell directly to Diwan I Arz/ Mil Dept; similarly price of slaves fixed

Ghiyasuddin Introduced 2 Changes to it

intermediaries got back their haqq-i khoti (but not qismat-i khoti), also exempted from the house and cattle tax.
procedure of measurement (masahat) was to continue along with observation or “actual yield”

It Did not Survive beyond Khalji because/ Impact of AK’s Market Reforms :

Lack of sufficiently competent administration.
more spent on controlling the prices around Delhi instead of dispersing it widely - lower revenues
K/M etc were too powerful, Mubarak Shah restored them their rights, released prisoners, took back laws
Tried to control prices of all goods - often violated invited punishment - resentment