📘 Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) – 100 GK Questions with Answers
🔹 The Slave Dynasty (1206–1290)
Q: Who founded the Delhi Sultanate in 1206?
👉 Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Explanation: Aibak, slave of Muhammad Ghori, established the Slave (Mamluk) Dynasty after Ghori’s death.Q: Which dynasty did Qutb-ud-din Aibak establish?
👉 Slave (Mamluk) DynastyQ: What was Qutb-ud-din Aibak popularly known as?
👉 Lakhbaksh (giver of lakhs)Q: Which famous monument was started by Aibak?
👉 Qutub Minar (completed by Iltutmish)Q: Who was the real founder of the Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Iltutmish
Explanation: He consolidated the empire, introduced the Iqta system, and made Delhi the capital.Q: What coin was introduced by Iltutmish?
👉 Silver TankaQ: Which female ruler sat on the Delhi throne?
👉 Razia SultanaQ: Why did Razia Sultana face opposition?
👉 Because nobles opposed a woman rulerQ: Who was the last ruler of the Slave dynasty?
👉 Kaiqubad (1287–1290)Q: What was the group of 40 nobles during Iltutmish’s reign called?
👉 Chahalgani (The Forty)
🔹 The Khilji Dynasty (1290–1320)
Q: Who founded the Khilji dynasty?
👉 Jalal-ud-din KhiljiQ: Who succeeded Jalal-ud-din Khilji?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Which Sultan controlled market prices and hoarding?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who was Alauddin Khilji’s famous general?
👉 Malik KafurQ: Which Sultan expanded into South India?
👉 Alauddin Khilji
Explanation: Malik Kafur led raids into Devagiri, Warangal, Madurai, etc.Q: Who introduced permanent standing army in Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who constructed Alai Darwaza in Delhi?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who was the last ruler of Khilji dynasty?
👉 Qutb-ud-din Mubarak ShahQ: Which traveler gave accounts of Khilji rule?
👉 Marco Polo (indirect reports through southern India)Q: Alauddin Khilji defeated which Mongol invasions?
👉 Mongols under Qutlugh Khwaja and others
🔹 The Tughlaq Dynasty (1320–1414)
Q: Who was the founder of the Tughlaq dynasty?
👉 Ghiyasuddin TughlaqQ: Who succeeded Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq?
👉 Muhammad-bin-TughlaqQ: Which Sultan introduced token currency of brass and copper?
👉 Muhammad-bin-TughlaqQ: Why did the token currency fail?
👉 Because people started forging coinsQ: Which Sultan shifted his capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
👉 Muhammad-bin-TughlaqQ: What was Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s taxation experiment?
👉 He increased land taxes in Doab regionQ: Which Sultan is called a ‘mixture of opposites’?
👉 Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq
Explanation: He was visionary but impractical in policies.Q: Who succeeded Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Which Sultan abolished torture and encouraged agriculture?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Which ruler set up ‘Diwan-i-Khairat’ for poor relief?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Who established hospitals and canals?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Who brought Ashokan pillars (from Topra & Meerut) to Delhi?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Who was the last Tughlaq ruler?
👉 Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (ended 1414)
🔹 The Sayyid Dynasty (1414–1451)
Q: Who founded the Sayyid dynasty?
👉 Khizr Khan
Explanation: He was governor under Timur and later became Sultan.Q: Who succeeded Khizr Khan?
👉 Mubarak ShahQ: Who was the third ruler of the Sayyid dynasty?
👉 Muhammad ShahQ: Who was the last ruler of the Sayyid dynasty?
👉 Ala-ud-din Alam ShahQ: What happened to Ala-ud-din Alam Shah in 1451?
👉 He abdicated the throne in favor of Bahlul LodiQ: Which dynasty replaced the Sayyids?
👉 The Lodi DynastyQ: What was the weakness of the Sayyid dynasty?
👉 They ruled only around Delhi with limited control
🔹 The Lodi Dynasty (1451–1526)
Q: Who founded the Lodi dynasty?
👉 Bahlul LodiQ: Who succeeded Bahlul Lodi?
👉 Sikandar LodiQ: Who founded the city of Agra?
👉 Sikandar Lodi (1504)Q: Who shifted his capital to Agra?
👉 Sikandar LodiQ: Who succeeded Sikandar Lodi?
👉 Ibrahim LodiQ: Who was the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Ibrahim LodiQ: Which battle ended the Delhi Sultanate?
👉 First Battle of Panipat (1526)Q: Who defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the First Battle of Panipat?
👉 BaburQ: What weapon ensured Babur’s victory at Panipat?
👉 Use of gunpowder and artilleryQ: Who built the largest mosque in Agra before Mughals?
👉 Sikandar Lodi
🔹 Administration of Delhi Sultanate
Q: What was the central administrative post under Delhi Sultans?
👉 Wazir (Prime Minister)Q: What was the revenue department called?
👉 Diwan-i-WizaratQ: Who was in charge of military recruitment?
👉 Ariz-i-MumalikQ: What was the judicial head called?
👉 Qazi-ul-QuzatQ: What was the Sultan’s intelligence department called?
👉 BaridQ: What was the Sultan’s personal guard called?
👉 Hashm-i-QalabQ: What land revenue system was introduced under Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Iqta systemQ: What tax was imposed on non-Muslims?
👉 JizyaQ: Who reintroduced Jizya strictly?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: What tax was imposed on irrigation water?
👉 Haqq-i-sharb
🔹 Society & Economy
Q: Which language developed during the Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Urdu (Persian + Hindi + Arabic + Turkish influence)Q: What was the main source of revenue?
👉 AgricultureQ: What tax was imposed on agricultural produce?
👉 KharajQ: What was the share of Sultan in produce under Iqta?
👉 Around 1/3 of the produceQ: What type of trade flourished under Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Horse trade from Central AsiaQ: Which coins were common in Sultanate period?
👉 Silver Tanka, Copper JitalQ: What new crops were introduced?
👉 Crops like spinach, carrot, watermelonQ: What class of nobles existed in society?
👉 Turkish, Afghan, Persian noblesQ: Which new irrigation technique was introduced?
👉 Persian wheelQ: Who encouraged farming by giving loans?
👉 Firoz Shah Tughlaq
🔹 Art, Architecture & Culture
Q: Who built Qutub Minar?
👉 Started by Aibak, completed by IltutmishQ: Who built Alai Darwaza?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who built Tughlaqabad Fort?
👉 Ghiyasuddin TughlaqQ: Who built Hauz Khas reservoir?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who brought Ashokan pillars to Delhi?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Who built Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: What is the architectural style of Delhi Sultanate called?
👉 Indo-Islamic architectureQ: Who was Amir Khusrau?
👉 Court poet & musician during Alauddin Khilji’s reignQ: Who is called ‘Parrot of India’?
👉 Amir KhusrauQ: Which dance/music form was developed by Amir Khusrau?
👉 Qawwali
🔹 Decline of the Delhi Sultanate
Q: What was the main cause of decline of Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Internal rivalries and weak rulersQ: Which invasion weakened Tughlaq dynasty?
👉 Timur’s invasion (1398)Q: Who founded the Sayyid dynasty after Timur’s invasion?
👉 Khizr KhanQ: Which battle ended the Delhi Sultanate finally?
👉 First Battle of Panipat (1526)Q: Who replaced Delhi Sultanate?
👉 Mughal Empire under Babur
🔹 Quick Revision GK (MCQ-style facts)
Q: Who introduced Jizya tax for the first time?
👉 Alauddin Khilji (practiced strictly under Firoz Shah Tughlaq)Q: Who established Agra as a capital?
👉 Sikandar LodiQ: Who built Siri Fort in Delhi?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Which Sultan called himself ‘Sikandar-i-Sani’?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who was the weakest Sultan of Delhi?
👉 Kaiqubad (Slave dynasty)Q: Which Sultan transferred capital to Daulatabad?
👉 Muhammad-bin-TughlaqQ: Who constructed canals for irrigation?
👉 Firoz Shah TughlaqQ: Who faced Timur’s invasion in 1398?
👉 Nasir-ud-din Mahmud (Tughlaq ruler)Q: Which Sultan banned wine and gambling?
👉 Alauddin KhiljiQ: Who set up a new department ‘Diwan-i-Amir Kohi’ for agriculture?
👉 Muhammad-bin-TughlaqQ: Who was known for his generosity, called ‘Lakhbaksh’?
👉 Qutb-ud-din AibakQ: Who wrote Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi?
👉 Ziauddin BaraniQ: Who wrote Tughlaq Nama?
👉 Amir KhusrauQ: Who wrote Kitab-ul-Hind?
👉 Al-Biruni (earlier, Ghaznavid period, but studied India)Q: What year marks the end of the Delhi Sultanate?
👉 1526 (Battle of Panipat)
✅ Conclusion:
The Delhi Sultanate lasted from 1206 to 1526, ruled by five dynasties – Slave, Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, and Lodi. It laid the foundation of Indo-Islamic culture, architecture, and administration in India, before giving way to the Mughal Empire.