Firoz Shah Tughluq

Firoz Shah Tughluq (1351-1388)

• Firoz Tughlaq, ascending to power after Muhammad bin Tughlaq died in 1351, stood out for being chosen by the nobles as the Sultan.

• Firoz, though not a notable military leader, governed during a peaceful phase marked by gradual progress. He implemented measures that pleased the nobility, allowing inheritance of positions and iqta upon their deaths. Additionally, he abolished the practice of torturing nobles and officials found with deficits during audits, further enhancing nobles’ contentment and minimizing rebellions, except for minor uprisings in Gujarat and Thatta.

• However, the policy of hereditary appointments, including offices and military roles, had drawbacks. While initially advantageous, it limited the recruitment of competent individuals and created dependency on a small group, leading to potential long-term harm.

• The extension of heredity to the military also had adverse effects. Soldiers were allowed to replace themselves with their sons or relatives, and paid through assignments on village revenues instead of direct cash payments. This arrangement encouraged inefficiency within the military, as soldiers had to either collect their salaries from villages, neglecting their duties, or involve intermediaries, diminishing their overall benefit. The lax military administration further deteriorated as soldiers bribed clerks to pass sub-par horses during muster checks. Even Firuz himself, in a misguided act of generosity, once gave money to a soldier to bribe a clerk.

• Overall, Firoz attempted to gain favour with religious leaders and attempted to strike a balance between various groups within the kingdom.

• His reign emphasized administration and military pursuits. Though he aimed to reinforce control over North India, his campaigns in Bengal faced failure, resulting in Bengal’s independence. His expeditions against Jajnagar, Nagarkot, and Thatta were marked by acquiring treasures and manuscripts from temples, including translating Sanskrit texts into Persian.

• Firoz instituted substantial administrative reforms, reinstating and making the iqta system hereditary.

• He levied Islamic taxes, strictly enforcing jiziya on non- Muslims and introducing irrigation taxes while creating irrigation systems like canals and wells.

• Firozabad, a prominent town near Delhi’s Red Fort, and several royal factories (karkhanas) were established.

• He initiated social welfare with hospitals for the poor and marriage bureaus, yet his rule was characterized by intolerance toward Shia Muslims and Sufis. He treated Hindus as inferior citizens (imposed jiziya), similar to later rulers like Sikandar Lodi and Aurangzeb.

• His reign also saw an increase in slaves, totaling around 180,000 upon his death in 1388. His demise marked a power struggle between the Sultan and nobles, leading to further disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate.

• Subsequent years witnessed provinces like Malwa and Gujarat declaring independence.

The invasion by Timur in 1398 exacerbated the chaos, resulting in widespread destruction and looting of Delhi. Timur’s assault dealt a severe blow to the Tughlaq dynasty