Iltutmish

Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, or Altamash, ( _ur. شمس الدین التتمش) was the third Muslim of the Sultanate of Delhi and the third ruler of the Mamluk dynasty (or Slave dynasty) (d. 1236)>cite book | title = Muslim Rule in India & Pakistan, 711-1858 A.C. | author = Sheikh Mohamad Ikram | publisher = Star Book Depot | year = 1966 | page = p.52 ] .

Rise To Power

Shams-ud-din belonged to the tribe of Ilbari in Turkestan. He was remarkably handsome in appearance and showed signs of intelligence and sagacity from his early days, which excited the jealousy of his brothers, who managed to deprive him of his paternal home and care. But adversities did not mar his qualities, which soon opened a career for him. His accomplishments attracted the notice of Qutub-ud-din-Aybak then Viceroy of Delhi, who purchased him at a high price. By dint of his merits, Shams-ud-din raised his status step by step until he was made Governor of Badaun and was married to a daughter of Qutub-ud-din. In recognition of his services during the campaign of Muhammad of Ghur against the Khokhars, he was, by the Sultan's order, manumitted and elevated as Amir-ul-Umara.

ultan of Delhi

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thumb|300px|Coin of Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish , circa 1210 AD - 1235 AD.">
Obv: Crude figure of Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse facing right. Devnagari Legends : Sri /hamirah'. Star above horse. Rev: Arabic Legends : ' shams al-dunya wa'l din iltutmish al-sultan'.
thumb|300px|Coin of Shams-Ud-Din Iltutmish , circa 1210 AD - 1235 AD.">
Obv:Rider bearing lance on caparisoned horse facing right. Devnagari Legends: Sri/hamirah'. Rev:Arabic Legends: 'Shams al-dunya wa'l din Abu'l Muzaffar Iltutmish al-Sultan'.

In A.D. 1210 Qutb-ud-din Aibak died. The Chihalgani decided on Aram Shah as the new Sultan. He however turned out to be an incapable ruler and was soon replaced within the time span of one year with Shams-ud-din. Shams-ud-din was given the title "Altmush or Iltmash [and aslo Iltutmish] " when he was throned. Altmush (altmış pronounced ahlt-MUSH) in the Turkish language translates into 60, which was the age of Shams-ud-din at the time he was made king. On his accession, Iltutmish was faced with an embarrassing situation. Narsir-ud-din Qabacha had asserted his independence in Sind and seemed desirous of extending his authority over the Punjab. Ali Mardan, a Khalji noble, who had been appointed Governor of Bengal by Qutb-ud-din in 1206, had thrown off his allegiance to Delhi after his death and styled himself Sultan Ala-ud-din. Further, the Hindu princes and chiefs were seething with discontent at their loss of independence; Gwalior and Ranthambore had been recovered by their rulers during the weak rule of Aram Shah. To add to Iltutmish's troubles, some of the Amirs of Delhi expressed resentment against his rule>cite book | title = The History of India | author = John McLeod | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 2002 | page = p.35 ] .

The new Sultan faced the situation boldly. He first effectively suppressed a rebellion of the Amirs in the plain of Jud near Delhi, and then brought under his control the different parts of the kingdom of Delhi with its dependencies like Badaun, Benares and Siwalik. The ambitious designs of his rivals were also frustrated. Qabacha, who had meanwhile advanced to Lahore, was expelled from that city by Iltutmish in 1217. He was completely subdued in 1228 and was accidentally drowned in the Indus. Sindh was annexed to the Delhi Sultanate. The Khalji Maliks of Bengal were reduced to complete submission in the winter of circa 1231 and Ala-ud-din Jani was appointed Governor of Lakhnauti>cite book | title = The History of India | author = John McLeod | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 2002 | page = p.35 ] .

Mongol threat

It was during the reign of Iltutmish, in the year A.D. 1221, that the Mongols appeared for the first time on the banks of the Indus, under their celebrated leader Genghis Khan. He overran the countries of Central and Western Asia with lightning rapidity, and when he attacked Jalal-ud-din Mangabarni, the last Shah of Khwazarazm or Khiva, the latter fled to the Punjab and sought asylum in the dominions of Iltutmish. The Sultan of Delhi refused to comply with the request of his unwelcome guest. Mangabarni entered into an alliance with the Khokhars, and after defeating Qabacha of Multan, plundered Sind and northern Gujarat and went away to Persia. The Mongols also retired. India was thus saved from a terrible calamity, but the menace of the Mongol raids disturbed the Sultans of Delhi in subsequent times>cite book | title = The History of India | author = John McLeod | publisher = Greenwood Press | year = 2002 | page = p.35 ] .

Death

In A.D. 1236 Iltumish died. Iltutmish's eldest son, Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, had died in 1229 while governing Bengal as his father's deputy. The surviving sons of the Sultan were incapable of the task of administration. In A.D. 1236 Iltutmish, on his death-bed, nominated his daughter Raziya as his heiress. But the nobles of the court were too proud to bow their heads before a woman, and disregarding the deceased Sultan's wishes, raised to the throne his eldest surviving son, Rukn-ud-din Firuz.The death of Iltutmish was followed by years of political instability at Delhi. During this period, four descendents of Iltutmish were put on the throne and murdered. Order was re-established only after Balban became the Naib or Deputy Sultan and later on Sultan in A.D. 1265.

ee also

*Mamluk dynasty of Delhi
*Delhi Sultanate

References

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