Here are the factual details on MBT's heterogenous nobility
Barani mentions a few names but has not given any complete list of officers after MBT came to the throne, but Yahya Bin Sirhindi has given one. There were 7 parts of the ruling class during Barani's reign -
1. Officials and families who were there since the days of Alauddin Khilji
a. Examples – Wazir Khwaja-i-Jahan Ahmad Ayaz, son of Kotwal of Delhi in the era of AK, now involved in all policies of MBT; Qutlugh Khan (teacher of MBT) who became wazir of Daulatabad but disastrously failed to solve the problem of Deccan; Ain -ul-Mulk was a famous official who combined ruling skills with deep study was a leader of nobles and did a good work as ruler of Awadh.
b. Comment – With the arrival of new nobles, all these old nobles families suffered loss of power in the administration.
2. Recently converted families recently appointed to the high posts (shaikhzada)
a. Azizuddin Khammar (distiller) – Barani has adverse criticism for them as he originally belonged to lower castes. Ibn Battuta saw him as tax collector at Amroha, later he became the ruler of Malwa.
b. Kawanul Mulk –He got the highest post among all the Hindus converted to Islam. He was born in a noble family of Warangal and was extremely efficient at work despite being illiterate. Later he became naib-wazir of the entire empire.
c. Pira Mali (gardener) was given diwan-i-wazirat
d. Comment – Sultan MBT had deep faith in the people converted to Islam and provided them high posts, one of them was even made in charge of drinking water supply of the capital city of Delhi. However, Barani was extremely critical of MBT for appointing people of lower origin (jawahir-i lutrah) being appointed to high posts and given iqta positions. Old Nobility saw the state as the preserver of their high birth privileges and thus remained disgruntled.
3. Religious families or mystics appointed to the high post by MBT
a. MBT introduced a new policy of employing religious families in administrative work. Sultan justified it by saying that it was even done under the Caliph but it is difficult to accept this argument because the time and situation had by then changed a lot. Besides, all the official under the Delhi sultanate had to learn some art of war which was not possible for these families. Consequently, trouble began. (Barani even mentions how they couldn’t even ride horses)
i. Sheikh Muizuddin was sent as the administrator of Gujarat but was killed by rebels at a critical time.
ii. Sheikh Imamuddin died fighting against Bahram Aiba
iii. Sheikh Shibauddin was made chief of revenue and his duty was to collect arrears. It was impossible for a sheikh to do it.
b. Comment – this group remain inefficient and couldn’t exert any influence in the administration.
4. Foreign officials
a. MBT had pity-cum-love for the foreigners and appointed them to very high posts. He used to call them aizza. He gave an order that in the empire, they should be addressed honourably.
b. However, these people didn’t know the local language and therefore they couldn’t be employed in regular offices. They were given generally judicial posts to interpret sharia or in the department of grants to provide to ulemas and madrasas. Battuta says that MBT had appointed them mostly to confidential posts.
c. Example - even Ibn Battuta himself was a foreigner appointed as Qazi
d. Comment – They remained more or less loyal to the Sultan but from the severe criticism of Barani it may be understood that these group of nobles didn’t have much local base/power.
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@nikhilhistoryoptional
Barani mentions a few names but has not given any complete list of officers after MBT came to the throne, but Yahya Bin Sirhindi has given one. There were 7 parts of the ruling class during Barani's reign -
1. Officials and families who were there since the days of Alauddin Khilji
a. Examples – Wazir Khwaja-i-Jahan Ahmad Ayaz, son of Kotwal of Delhi in the era of AK, now involved in all policies of MBT; Qutlugh Khan (teacher of MBT) who became wazir of Daulatabad but disastrously failed to solve the problem of Deccan; Ain -ul-Mulk was a famous official who combined ruling skills with deep study was a leader of nobles and did a good work as ruler of Awadh.
b. Comment – With the arrival of new nobles, all these old nobles families suffered loss of power in the administration.
2. Recently converted families recently appointed to the high posts (shaikhzada)
a. Azizuddin Khammar (distiller) – Barani has adverse criticism for them as he originally belonged to lower castes. Ibn Battuta saw him as tax collector at Amroha, later he became the ruler of Malwa.
b. Kawanul Mulk –He got the highest post among all the Hindus converted to Islam. He was born in a noble family of Warangal and was extremely efficient at work despite being illiterate. Later he became naib-wazir of the entire empire.
c. Pira Mali (gardener) was given diwan-i-wazirat
d. Comment – Sultan MBT had deep faith in the people converted to Islam and provided them high posts, one of them was even made in charge of drinking water supply of the capital city of Delhi. However, Barani was extremely critical of MBT for appointing people of lower origin (jawahir-i lutrah) being appointed to high posts and given iqta positions. Old Nobility saw the state as the preserver of their high birth privileges and thus remained disgruntled.
3. Religious families or mystics appointed to the high post by MBT
a. MBT introduced a new policy of employing religious families in administrative work. Sultan justified it by saying that it was even done under the Caliph but it is difficult to accept this argument because the time and situation had by then changed a lot. Besides, all the official under the Delhi sultanate had to learn some art of war which was not possible for these families. Consequently, trouble began. (Barani even mentions how they couldn’t even ride horses)
i. Sheikh Muizuddin was sent as the administrator of Gujarat but was killed by rebels at a critical time.
ii. Sheikh Imamuddin died fighting against Bahram Aiba
iii. Sheikh Shibauddin was made chief of revenue and his duty was to collect arrears. It was impossible for a sheikh to do it.
b. Comment – this group remain inefficient and couldn’t exert any influence in the administration.
4. Foreign officials
a. MBT had pity-cum-love for the foreigners and appointed them to very high posts. He used to call them aizza. He gave an order that in the empire, they should be addressed honourably.
b. However, these people didn’t know the local language and therefore they couldn’t be employed in regular offices. They were given generally judicial posts to interpret sharia or in the department of grants to provide to ulemas and madrasas. Battuta says that MBT had appointed them mostly to confidential posts.
c. Example - even Ibn Battuta himself was a foreigner appointed as Qazi
d. Comment – They remained more or less loyal to the Sultan but from the severe criticism of Barani it may be understood that these group of nobles didn’t have much local base/power.
#AnswerWritingPractice #Delhisultanate #MBT
@nikhilhistoryoptional
5. Afghan families
a. A few Afghan families were appointed by MBT in administration. Example – Malik Makh, Shah Lodhi
b. Comment – Hvowever, they couldn’t agree with MBT’s policies and became rebels.
6. Hindu officials
a. Many Hindus were appointed by MBT to high posts.
b. Examples – Saha Raja as wazir, Dhara as naib-wazir of Deccan, ratan as administrator of Shewan, Vishan Rai as administrator of Gulbarga,
c. Comment – Older Muslim nobles used to consider high appointments of Hindu as against their interests. They also felt that their honour and privileges were reduced because of employment of Hindus. However, it should be noted that despite too many revolts against MBT by various nobles, not a single example of Hindu is there.
7. Sadah Amirs
a. Appointed in Deccan
b. Comment – They became hostile to Sultan when he took new administrative projects in Deccan and started appointing wazirs above them. The last few years of Sultan were spent in suppressing the revolts by Amiran-e Sadah who had spread their conspiracy from Cambay to Daulatabad. As a result, the atmosphere of the empire completely changed and this revolt later led to the establishment of the independent kingdom of Bahmanis. (details are given by both Barani and Battuta)
#AnswerWritingPractice #Delhisultanate #MBT
@nikhilhistoryoptional
a. A few Afghan families were appointed by MBT in administration. Example – Malik Makh, Shah Lodhi
b. Comment – Hvowever, they couldn’t agree with MBT’s policies and became rebels.
6. Hindu officials
a. Many Hindus were appointed by MBT to high posts.
b. Examples – Saha Raja as wazir, Dhara as naib-wazir of Deccan, ratan as administrator of Shewan, Vishan Rai as administrator of Gulbarga,
c. Comment – Older Muslim nobles used to consider high appointments of Hindu as against their interests. They also felt that their honour and privileges were reduced because of employment of Hindus. However, it should be noted that despite too many revolts against MBT by various nobles, not a single example of Hindu is there.
7. Sadah Amirs
a. Appointed in Deccan
b. Comment – They became hostile to Sultan when he took new administrative projects in Deccan and started appointing wazirs above them. The last few years of Sultan were spent in suppressing the revolts by Amiran-e Sadah who had spread their conspiracy from Cambay to Daulatabad. As a result, the atmosphere of the empire completely changed and this revolt later led to the establishment of the independent kingdom of Bahmanis. (details are given by both Barani and Battuta)
#AnswerWritingPractice #Delhisultanate #MBT
@nikhilhistoryoptional