Military Slavery of the Delhi Sultanate

Timeline

1. 1192–1206Northern India · IndiaAfter the Second Battle of Tarain, the Ghurid general Qutb al-Din Aibak built a ruling group centered on men of military-slave origin, transposing the Central Asian Mamluk model onto the Indian subcontinent.
2. 1206–1236Delhi · DelhiAfter Aibak proclaimed himself sultan, military slaves received land revenue through iqta grants, forming an officer class dependent on the sultan; the system matured and stabilized under Iltutmish.
3. 1290–1320Delhi · DelhiAfter the Khalji dynasty replaced the Mamluks, the model of rulers of purely slave origin weakened, but the iqta military grant and professional officer traditions continued, influencing later dynasties such as the Tughluqs.