Medieval India begins with the Turkish invasions (Mahmud of Ghazni, then Muhammad Ghori), runs through the Delhi Sultanate — its five dynasties, Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi — and the southern kingdom of Vijayanagar, and ends with the Mughal empire from Babur to Aurangzeb, the Bhakti and Sufi movements, and the rise of the Marathas. The exam asks for founders, famous kings, battles, buildings and the saints — learn those and the period is easy marks.
1206
Delhi Sultanate begins
Slave (Mamluk) dynasty, first
5
Dynasties of the Sultanate
Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, Lodi
1526
Mughal empire begins
Babur wins 1st Battle of Panipat
Invasions and the Delhi Sultanate
From Tarain to the five dynasties of Delhi.
| Dynasty | Key rulers | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Slave / Mamluk (1206) | Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia, Balban | First dynasty; Razia = first woman ruler |
| Khilji (1290) | Alauddin Khilji | Market reforms; built Siri, Alai Darwaza |
| Tughlaq (1320) | Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firoz Shah | Capital shift to Daulatabad |
| Sayyid (1414) | Khizr Khan | Short dynasty |
| Lodi (1451) | Bahlul, Sikandar, Ibrahim Lodi | Ibrahim lost Panipat 1526 to Babur |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The First Battle of Tarain was fought in which year?
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Answer: D — 1191
The First Battle of Tarain (1191) was won by Prithviraj Chauhan; Muhammad Ghori won the second (1192).
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Which was the first Muslim dynasty that ruled India (the Delhi Sultanate)?
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Answer: A — Slave dynasty
The Slave (Mamluk) dynasty, founded by Qutb-ud-din Aibak in 1206, was the first.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Who was the first woman ruler in Indian history?
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Answer: A — Razia Sultana
Razia Sultana of the Slave dynasty was the first (and only) woman to rule the Delhi Sultanate.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — 'Siri', the second city of Delhi, was built by:
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Answer: A — Alauddin Khilji
Siri was built by Alauddin Khilji, who also built the Alai Darwaza.
Vijayanagar and the south
The great Hindu empire of the south, capital at Hampi.
The Mughal Empire (1526–1857)
Babur to Aurangzeb — the six great Mughals.
The Mughals
Akbar (r. 1556–1605) — the greatest Mughal; the Navratnas and the faith Din-i-Ilahi are from his reign.
Mughal school · Public domain
The Taj Mahal was built by Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal; Shah Jahan also built the Red Fort of Delhi.
Dhirad · CC BY-SA 3.0
| Mughal | Remember |
|---|---|
| Babur (1526) | Won 1st Battle of Panipat vs Ibrahim Lodi; founder |
| Humayun | Lost to & regained throne from Sher Shah Suri |
| Akbar | Navratnas, Din-i-Ilahi, Buland Darwaza, Fatehpur Sikri |
| Jahangir | Nur Jahan; English envoy Thomas Roe |
| Shah Jahan | Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Jama Masjid |
| Aurangzeb | Empire at its largest; last of the great Mughals |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Who defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat?
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Answer: C — Babur
Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at the First Battle of Panipat (1526), founding the Mughal empire.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Under which ruler did the Mughal Empire reach its peak in area?
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Answer: B — Aurangzeb
The empire was largest under Aurangzeb (by 1707), stretching deep into the south.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Buland Darwaza, built by Akbar, is in which city?
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Answer: C — Fatehpur Sikri
The Buland Darwaza is the grand gateway at Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's capital city.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The Red Fort (Delhi) was built by:
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Answer: C — Shah Jahan
Shah Jahan built the Red Fort when he moved the capital to Shahjahanabad (Delhi).
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The Mughal court chronicles were written in which language?
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Answer: B — Persian
Persian was the Mughal court language; chronicles like the Akbarnama were written in it.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Who was the trusted general of the Mughal emperor Akbar?
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Answer: B — Man Singh I
Raja Man Singh I of Amber was Akbar's trusted general (Todar Mal was the revenue minister).
Bhakti and Sufi movements, and the Marathas
Saints who taught devotion, and the rise of Shivaji.
| Movement / figure | Remember |
|---|---|
| Bhakti saints | Kabir, Guru Nanak, Mirabai, Tulsidas, Ramanuja |
| Sufi (Chishti) order | Moinuddin Chishti (Ajmer), Nizamuddin Auliya (Delhi) |
| Marathas | Shivaji (crowned 1674, Raigad); son Sambhaji; later Peshwas |
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — The Urs festival at Ajmer marks the death anniversary of which Sufi saint?
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Answer: A — Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti
The Ajmer Sharif Dargah and its Urs honour Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Who was the fifth of the ten Sikh Gurus?
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Answer: C — Guru Arjan Dev
Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Guru; he compiled the Adi Granth and built the Harmandir Sahib.
QUICK CHECK
PYQ · SSC — Shivaji's son from Saibai was named:
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Answer: A — Sambhaji
Shivaji's son and successor from Saibai was Sambhaji.
COMMON TRAPS
- Delhi Sultanate order: Slave → Khilji → Tughlaq → Sayyid → Lodi (1206–1526).
- Tarain: 1st (1191) won by Prithviraj Chauhan; 2nd (1192) won by Muhammad Ghori.
- Akbar = greatest Mughal; Shah Jahan = Taj/Red Fort; Aurangzeb = largest empire.
- Man Singh = Akbar's general; Todar Mal = revenue; Birbal/Tansen = Navratnas.
- Ajmer Dargah = Moinuddin Chishti; Mughal court language = Persian.
FLASHCARDS
Quick revision
- First Delhi Sultanate dynasty
- Slave (Mamluk), 1206
- First woman ruler of India
- Razia Sultana
- Founder of the Mughal empire
- Babur (Panipat, 1526)
- Builder of the Taj Mahal
- Shah Jahan
- Vijayanagar capital
- Hampi
- Maratha founder
- Shivaji
CHECK YOURSELF
Who built the Taj Mahal, and for whom? (a) Akbar, for Jodha (b) Shah Jahan, for Mumtaz Mahal (c) Aurangzeb, for Dilras (d) Jahangir, for Nur Jahan
Show answer
(b) Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal at Agra in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal.