Before determining the responsibility of Firoz
Shah Tughlaq for the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate, it is important to
observe that he came to the throne to provide stability to an empire whose
foundations had already been shaken.
There were contradictions within the basic
structure of the Sultanate. The Sultans of Delhi tried to provide stability to
their rule by removing or reducing these contradictions. But when the time of
Firoz Tughlaq came, the method he adopted to resolve these contradictions
proved disastrous for the empire.
1. Relationship between the
Sultan and the Umra class
The internal conflict between the Umra class and
the Sultan was going on since the beginning, but different rulers tried to find
a solution to it in their own way. Iltutmish built Chahalgani to organize the
elite class. Balban broke the power of Chahalgani and he introduced a new
principle of kingship. Alauddin further expanded the base of the Umra class.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq carried forward the imperialist policy of Alauddin Khilji.
He broadened the base of the Umrah class even further. Then came Firoz Tughlaq,
who inherited the problem of conflict between the elite and the Sultan. Firoz
Tughlaq tried to reverse the faulty policies of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. He tried
to satisfy the Umrah class and, in this sequence, he increased the salaries of
the Umrah and made their posts in military service hereditary. Many controls
were removed from the Iqtadars and their posts were also made hereditary. But
later we will see that the medicine proved to be more deadly than the disease
and Firoz Tughlaq's policy of appeasement was ultimately responsible for the
disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate.
2. Relations between the Sultan and the Ulema class
To make their imperialist policies successful, the
Delhi Sultans gradually separated religion from politics. Alauddin Khilji
controlled the Ulema class and rejected their interference in administration.
Muhammad bin Tughlaq went one step further and brought the Ulema class to the
level of common people. Naturally, the organization of the Umrah and Ulema
class stood against Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Now Firoz Tughlaq wanted to take the
Ulema class into his confidence. He restored the old rights of the Ulema class
and made it possible for this class to intervene in administration. But here
too we will see that Firoz Shah Tughlaq's appeasement policy proved fatal for
the Sultanate.
2. Sultanate and internal
rebellion and external invasion: military system
Alauddin Khilji established a strong military
system to deal with internal rebellion, external attacks and stability of the
empire. The next ruler Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq also understood the importance of military
organization. Muhammad bin Tughlaq also paid full attention to military power.
But this led to some military mistakes like the appointment and dismissal of
soldiers during the Khorasan campaign. Hence the military elements became
dissatisfied with Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Firoz Shah Tughlaq also received
military discontent as a bitter legacy. Firoz Shah Tughlaq wanted to solve this
problem in his own way. He made the posts of soldiers hereditary. But this was
not a permanent solution, rather it made the military structure loose and weak
and this mistake later played a role in the disintegration of the Delhi
Sultanate. Firoz Shah Tughlaq was not even a skilled commander. He carried out
some campaigns in which both his Bengal campaigns and Sindh campaigns were
unsuccessful.
Thus, conflict and tension were inherent in the
basic structure of the Sultanate itself, which were bridged at the superficial
level by various administrators. Those fundamental discrepancies came to light
during the reign of Firozshah Tughlaq.
In this way, many factors were responsible for the
disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate and there was a long process of
disintegration but Firozshah Tughlaq intensified it with his weaknesses.
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