Founding of the Delhi Sultanate under Qutb al-Din Aibak
- Date
- 1206 CE
- Category
- Politics & governance
- Region
- Northern India (Delhi)
- Era
- Post-Classical / Medieval
- Significance
In 1206, after the death of his master Muhammad of Ghur, the Turkic slave-general Qutb al-Din Aibak assumed power in northern India and established himself at Delhi, founding the Mamluk or Slave dynasty and inaugurating the Delhi Sultanate.
For the first time a large, durable Islamic state was planted in the Indian subcontinent, ruled by a succession of dynasties (Mamluk, Khalji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi) until 1526. The Sultanate introduced Persianate administration, Islamic law and coinage, and a new Indo-Islamic culture in architecture, language and art, while its military strength later shielded much of India from the Mongols. Its expansion carried Muslim rule deep into the Deccan and south, provoking the regional reactions that produced states such as Vijayanagara. The founding of the Delhi Sultanate was a turning point that reshaped the political, religious and cultural landscape of South Asia for centuries.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Empires active in 1206 CE
- Jurchen Jin Dynasty1115 CE – 1234 CE
- Mongol Empire1206 CE – 1368 CE
- Song Dynasty960 CE – 1279 CE
- Kanem-Bornu Empire700 CE – 1900 CE
- Abbasid Caliphate750 CE – 1258 CE
- Byzantine Empire330 CE – 1453 CE
Related politics & governance events
- Temüjin proclaimed Genghis Khan, uniting the Mongols1206 CE
- Kublai Khan founds the Yuan dynasty and conquers Song China1271 CE (conquest completed 1279)
- Magna Carta limits the English crown15 June 1215
- Founding of Tenochtitlan by the Mexica1325 CE
- Founding of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Great Law of Peacec. 1450 (scholarly estimate; oral tradition as early as 1142)
- Foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire1336 CE
Further reading
The wider story
India: A History
Accessible single-volume history; covers the Chola sea empire.
Get it on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.