Sayyid and Lodi Dynasties

Introduction

Sayyid Dynasty was the fourth of the Delhi sultanate. Khzir Khan took this dynasty to the throne in 1414 AD.

This dynasty claimed themselves to be the direct descendants of Prophet Muhammad. Soon after their fall, the Lodi dynasty took to the throne in 1451 AD. They marked the end of the Sultanate era.

Image 1: Map of the Sayyid Dynasty (Maps created from DEMIS Mapserver, which are public domain. Koba-chan Territorial area: पाटलिपुत्रSchwartberg Atlas p.148, Map of the Sayyid Dynasty, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Sayyid Dynasty Rulers

The eminent rulers of this dynasty have been mentioned below −

• Khizr Khan − Khizr khan the founder of the sayyid dynasty took the throne from 1414 to 1421 AD. He never assumed himself the ultimate ruler of this dynasty. He acted as the Governor of Multan.

  He mostly annexed the throne by taking the advantage of Timur’s invasive actions and the resultant tumultuous period in northern India.

  He managed to conquer certain parts namely, Surat, Dilapur, and Punjab, however, failed to get control of Bengal Deccan, Gujarat, Jaunpur, Khandesh, and Malwa. Khizr Khann died in 1421 and his son followed the throne.

• Mubarak Shah − He was the son of Khizr Khan and ruled the throne from 1421 to 1434 AD. He managed to suppress the uprising of the local chiefs of Doab and Khokhhars. He was the first ruler to appoint nobles from the Hindu community to the royal court, but they disobeyed his authority and were against his terms. He built the City of Mubarakabad on the banks of the Yamuna. He never really attempted to regain the lost territories of Bengal and other regions.

• Muhammad Shah − He didn’t have a successor in his family to replace his position. So, his nephew of Mubarak Khan, Muhammad Shah, had reigned the throne and ruled from 1434-1445 A.D. He defeated Malwa’s ruler by taking the assistance of Bahlul Lodi who was the then Governor of Lahore. Mubarak Khan conferred him with the title Khan-i-Khanan. He was succeeded by Ala–ud-din Shah.

• Ala–ud-din Shah − He was a good warrior but not an efficient leader of the people. He ruled the throne from 1445-1457 A.D. Similar to Mubarak Khan, his rule also noted different mismanagement and thus was an unpopular ruler of this dynasty. He almost gave away his throne to Bahlul Lodi and he went off to Badaun where he died in 1478 A.D.

Lodi Dynasty Rulers

The rulers of this dynasty have been mentioned below.

Image 2: The Lodi dynasty

• Bahlul Lodi − The founder of the Lodi dynasty is Bahlul Lodi, and he ruled the throne from 1451 AD to 1489 A.D. He used to be the governor of Lahore and hence he was well efficient in terms of diplomacy and political policies. He was quite a wise ruler who knew his strengths, he kept the nobles appeased. He conquered Gwalior, Samathal, Sakit and Mewat. He passed away in 1489 A.D.

• Sikandar Shahi − He was the son of Bahlul Lodi. He took upon the title of Sikandar Shah and ruled the throne from 1489-1517 A.D. He was the first Muslim ruler in India to organise an effective spy system to look for enemies and uprisings. His ruling was stringent towards Hindus, where he instilled different restrictions upon this community group. He enhanced the sectors of agriculture and its associated industries in India.

• Ibrahim Lodi − He was a cruel ruler, where his ruling period started from 1517 till1526 A.D. He was arrogant and ignorant towards his nobles and other community people. He never really showed any humanitarian concern for anyone. Under his ruling, a lot of nobles got killed and humiliated without a hint of mercy. He also treated his son like an animal. Babur invaded India in 1526 A.D. and marked the end of his reign, which also ended the rule of the Lodi dynasty and the Delhi sultanate simultaneously.

Architectural Achievements of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties

Some of the notable architectural achievements of the Sayyid dynasty include the following −

• The Mubarakabad city was established by Mubarak Shah in 1433 A.D.

• Khizrabad city was built by Khizr khan during his short rule and it was also built along the banks of Yamuna.

• The octagonal-shaped courtyard of the tomb of Mubarak shah dons one of the best architectural designs of the Sayyid dynasty.

Notable architecture of the Lodi dynasty is mentioned as follows −

• The Bara Gumbad found the Lodi Gardens is acknowledged to be the oldest of the fully constructed dome. It was most likely built by Sikandar Lodi.

• The Shish Gumbad is also a notable architecture of this dynasty.

• The Rajon ki Baoli step well was built in 1516 and is a popular vising spot to this date.

Decline of the Sayyid and Lodi dynasties

The two dynasties witnessed their fall because of two distinct reasons. The Sayyid dynasty was known to be a peaceful dynasty, however; the last two rulers were not efficient as rulers. Ala-ud-din Shah practically handed off his throne to Bahlul Lodi and left for Badaun.

On the other hand, Ibrahim Lodi was known for his cruel regime and was detested by everybody, Daulat Khan invited Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi and he did so in the first battle of Panipat where the Lodi dynasty was uprooted.

Conclusion

Sayyid and the Loi dynasties were the last of the Delhi Sultane. These two dynasties differed in terms of role and governance. The Sayyid dynasty maintained a peaceful regime and believed the throne to be their divine right. The Lodi dynasty up until Sikandar Shah was quite efficient political leaders. In 1526, the decisive battle of Panipat marked the end of the Delhi sultanate.

FAQs

Q1. How did Bahlul Lodi appease the nobles?

Ans.He gave them enough rewards. He never sat on the throne instead he sat on the carpet along with the nobles and it gained him immense support, trust and recognition.

Q2.How was Ibrahim Lodi’s regime?

Ans.He was a cruel ruler; he humiliated his ministers and nobles. He equally mistreated his son. He was quite an ignorant king.

Q3.How Sikandar Shah was culturally inclined?

Ans.He was an avid enjoyer of the instrument shehnai. He cultivated different schools of music. The Lahjati-Sikandar Shahi was composed during his reign.