List of sultans of Delhi

Sultan of Delhi
Sultan of Delhi
Sulṯan-i-Dihlī
	Flag
	Muhammad bin Tughlaq; 1 February 1325 – 20 March 1351
Details
Style	Sultan; Sultan of Sultans; Shah; Ghazi; Khan; Sikander; Malik;
First monarch	Qutb ud-Din Aibak
Last monarch	Ibrahim Khan Lodi
Formation	25 June 1206
Abolition	21 April 1526 ; (319 years)
Residence	Lahore ; (1206–1210); Badayun ; (1210–1214); Delhi ; (1214–1327, 1334–1506); Daulatabad ; (1327–1334); Agra ; (1506–1526);

The Sultan of Delhi was the absolute monarch of the Delhi Sultanate which stretched over large parts of the medieval Indian subcontinent from 1206 to 1526.^[1]^[2] Following the Ghurid conquest of India, five dynasties ruled over the Sultanate sequentially: the Mamluk dynasty (1206–1290), the Khalji dynasty (1290–1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320–1414),^[3] the Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451), and the Lodi dynasty (1451–1526). It covered large swaths of territory of modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.^[4]

This list contains the rulers of Delhi Sultanate in chronological order.^[5]

Mamluk dynasty (1206–1290)

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
1	Aibak قطب ‌الدین ایبک Qutb ad-Dīn Aybak	25 June 1206 – 14 November 1210 (~4 years)	1150 – 14 November 1210 (aged 60) Mamluk general of Muhammad of Ghor; governor of his Indian holdings. Declared himself sultan at Lahore after Muhammad's assassination. Died after a fall from his horse during polo.
2	Aram Shah آرام شاه Ārām Shāh	December 1210 – June 1211 (~6 months)	1176 – June 1211 (aged 35) Possibly son of Aibak; defeated by Iltutmish.
3	Iltutmish شمس الدین التتمش Shams ad-Dīn Iltutmish	June 1211 – 30 April 1236 (~25 years)	1192 – 30 April 1236 (aged 44) Mamluk general and son-in-law of Aibak; moved the capital to Delhi (1214). Received formal recognition from caliph al-Mustansir (1229). Died of illness.
4	Firuz I رکن الدین فیروز Rukn ad-Dīn Fīrūz	30 April 1236 – 19 November 1236 (~7 months)	1211 – 19 November 1236 (aged 25) Son of Iltutmish; deposed and killed by nobility.
5	Razia Sultana جلالة الدین رضیه Jalālat ud-Dīn Raziya	November 1236 – 20 April 1240 (~3 years)	1205^[6] – 15 October 1240 (aged 35) Daughter and original heir of Iltutmish. Overthrown and killed by nobility.
6	Bahram Shah معز الدین بهرام Muʿizz ad-Dīn Bahrām	20 April 1240 – 15 May 1242 (~2 years)	9 July 1212 – 15 May 1242 (aged 29) Son of Iltutmish; installed by nobles as a puppet. Killed by nobility factions.
7	Masud I Shah علاءالدین مسعود شاه ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn Masʿūd Shāh	May 1242 – 10 June 1246 (~4 years)	1227 or 1232 – 10 June 1246 (aged 19 or 14) Son of Firuz I; installed, controlled and eventually killed by nobles.
8	Mahmud I Shah ناصر الدین محمود شاه Nāṣir ad-Dīn Maḥmūd Shāh	10 June 1246 – 18 February 1266 (~20 years)	1229 or 1230 – 18 February 1266 (aged 37 or 36) Son or Grandson of Iltutmish; real power held by his father-in-law, Balban. Possibly killed on Balban's orders.
9	Balban غیاث الدین بلبن Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Balban	18 February 1266 – 13 January 1287 (~21 years)	1216 – 13 January 1287 (aged 71) Mamluk of Iltutmish; father-in-law of Mahmud I. Broke the power of nobility; held of Mongol invasions. Died of grief over his son's death.
10	Kayqubad معز الدین کیقباد Muʿizz ad-Dīn Kayqubād	13 January 1287 – 1 February 1290 (~3 years)	1269 – 1 February 1290 (aged 21) Grandson of Balban; installed by nobles as a puppet. Murdered by the nobility.
11	Kayumars شمس الدین کیومرث Shams ad-Dīn Kayūmarth	1 February 1290 – 13 June 1290 (~4 months)	1285/1287 – 13 June 1290 (aged 3-5) Infant son of Kayqubad; installed as a puppet. Killed during Khalji seizure of power.

Khalji dynasty (1290–1320)

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
12	Firuz II جلال الدین فیروز خلجی Jalāl ad-Dīn Fīrūz Khaljī	13 June 1290 – 19 July 1296 (~6 years)	1220 – 19 July 1296 (aged 76) Noble of Afghan-Turkic descent; seized power after Kayqubad's murder. Murdered by Muhammad I.
–	Ibrahim رکن الدین ابراهیم خلجی Rukn ad-Dīn Ibrāhīm Khaljī	19 July 1296 – November 1296 (~4 months)	d. 1297 Young son of Firuz II Khalji; titular ruler under the regency of his mother.
13	Muhammad I علاء الدین محمد خلجی ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn Muḥammad Khaljī	19 July 1296 – 4 January 1316 (~19 years)	1266 – 4 January 1316 (aged 50) Nephew and son-in-law of Firuz II; took power after murdering him. Repelled Mongol invasions; conquest of Deccan and Southern India under Malik Kafur. Died of failing health.
14	Omar شهاب الدین عمر Shihāb ad-Dīn ʿUmar	5 January 1316 – 14 April 1316 (~3 months)	1310 or 1311 – 14 April 1316 (aged 6 or 5) Son of Muhammad I; installed by Malik Kafur as a child figurehead. Deposed and exiled after Kafur's overthrow.
15	Mubarak I Shah قطب الدین مبارک شاه Quṭb ad-Dīn Mubārak Shāh	14 April 1316 – 1 May 1320 (~4 years)	1299 – 9 July 1320 (aged 21) Son of Muhammad I; imprisoned by Kafur before being released and overthrowing him. Briefly regent for Omar, before deposing him. Assassinated by Khusrau Khan.
16	Khusrau Khan ناصر الدین خسرو شاه Nāṣir ad-Dīn Khusrau Shāh	10 July 1320 – 5 September 1320 (~2 months)	d. 1320 Non-dynastic; a court favorite of Mubarak I; murdered him, before being killed himself.

Tughluq dynasty (1320–1414)

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
17	Tughluq I غیاث الدین تغلق شاہ Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Tughluq Shāh	8 September 1320 – 1 February 1325 (~4 years)	d. 1 February 1325 Frontier Governor under Mubarak I; took power after defeating the usurper Khusrau Khan. Died in a accident, with suspicions of foul play by his son.
18	Muhammad II فخر الدین محمد شاہ Fakhr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shāh	1 February 1325 – 20 March 1351 (~26 years)	c. 1290 – 20 March 1351 (aged c. 61) Son of Tughluq I; succeeded him after his death. Forced and failed relocation of capital to Daulatabad (1327); failed attempt at creating a token currency. Died of fever while chasing rebels in Sindh.
19	Firuz III ناصر الدین فیروز شاه Nāṣir ad-Dīn Fīrūz Shāh	23 March 1351 – 20 September 1388 (~37 years)	1309 – 20 September 1388 (aged 79) Son-in-law of Tughluq I; installed by nobility after Muhammad II died without an heir. Died of old age.
20	Tughluq II غیاث الدین تغلق شاه Ghiyāth ad-Dīn Tughluq Shāh	20 September 1388 – 14 March 1389 (~6 months)	d. 14 March 1389 Great-grandson of Firuz III; assassinated in a palace coup.
21	Abu Bakr Shah ابو بکر شاه Abū Bakr Shāh	15 March 1389 – 31 August 1390 (~1 year)	d. after 1390 Grandson of Firuz III; installed by nobility. Deposed by his uncle Muhammad III Shah
22	Muhammad III Shah ناصر الدین محمد شاه Nāṣir ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shāh	31 August 1390 – 20 January 1394 (~3 years)	17 June 1352^[7] – 20 January 1394 (aged 41) Son of Firuz III; took power from Abu Bakr Shah. Died of natural causes.
23	Sikandar I Shah علاء الدین سکندر شاه ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn Sikandar Shāh	22 January 1394 – 8 March 1394 (~1 month)	d. 8 March 1394 Son of Muhammad III; died of natural causes.
24	Mahmud II Shah ناصر الدین محمود شاه Nāṣir ad-Dīn Maḥmūd Shāh	8 March 1394 – February 1413 (~19 years)	d. February 1413 Brother of Sikandar I; rule heavily contested by rival Nusrat Shah. Timurid invasion of India; Sack of Delhi (1398). Died of natural causes.

Sayyid dynasty (1414–1451)

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
25	Khizr Khan خضر خان Khiḍr Khān	28 May 1414 – 20 May 1421 (~7 years)	d. 20 May 1421 Governor of Multan; Took power by overthrowing Sayyid loyalists in Delhi. Ruled as a deputy of Timur; died of illness.
26	Mubarak II Shah معز الدین مبارک شاه Muʿizz ad-Dīn Mubārak Shāh	21 May 1421 – 19 February 1434 (~13 years)	d. 19 February 1434 Son of Khizr; first Sultan of the dynasty. Assassinated.
27	Muhammad IV Shah محمد شاه Muḥammad Shāh	February 1434 – 1 January 1445 (~11 years)	d. 1 January 1445 Grandson of Khizr; installed by nobility as a puppet. Rise of Bahlul Lodi; died of natural causes.
28	Alam Shah علاءالدین عالم شاه ʿAlāʾ ad-Dīn ʿĀlam Shāh	1 January 1445 – 19 April 1451 (~6 years)	d. July 1478 Son of Muhammad IV; actual rule by his ministers. Ceded Delhi to Bahlul Lodi, ending the dynasty.

Lodi dynasty (1451–1526)

No.	Name	Reign	Life details
29	Bahlul Lodi بهلول خان لودی Bahlūl Khān Lodī	19 April 1451 – 12 July 1489 (~38 years)	1420 – 12 July 1489 (aged 69) Afghan governor of Punjab; took power from Alam Shah. Died of natural causes.
30	Sikandar II Lodi سکندر خان لودی Sikandar Khān Lodī	17 July 1489 – 21 November 1517 (~28 years)	17 July 1458 – 21 November 1517 (aged 59) Son of Bahlul Lodi; founded Agra as the new capital. Died of illness.
31	Ibrahim Lodi ابراهیم خان لودی Ibrāhīm Khān Lodī	November 1517 – 21 April 1526 (~8 years)	1480 – 21 April 1526 (aged 46) Son of Sikandar Lodi; mistreated and alienated his nobles, who invited Babur to take the throne. Defeated and killed at the First Battle of Panipat (1526). End of Delhi Sultanate; Mughal rule begins.

Family trees

Mamluk dynasty (1206-1290)

Mamluk dynasty

Qutb ud-Din
Aibak
⁽¹⁾
r. 1206-1210

Aram Shah
⁽²⁾
r. 1210-1211

Shams ud-Din
Iltutmish
⁽³⁾
r. 1211-1236

Rukn ud-Din
Firuz
⁽⁴⁾
r. 1236

Razia
Sultana
⁽⁵⁾
r. 1236-1240

Muiz ud-Din
Bahram
⁽⁶⁾
r. 1240-1242

Nasir ud-Din
Mahmud
⁽⁸⁾
r. 1246-1266

Ala ud-Din
Masud
⁽⁷⁾
r. 1242-1246

Ghiyath ud-Din
Balban
⁽⁹⁾
r. 1266-1286

Nasir ud-Din
Bughra Khan

Muiz ud-Din
Qaiqabad
⁽¹⁰⁾
r. 1287-1290

Shams ud-Din
Kayumars
⁽¹¹⁾
r. 1290

Khalji/Khilji dynasty (1290-1320)

Khalji dynasty

Yughrush

Jalal ud-Din
Khalji
⁽¹²⁾
r. 1290-1296

Shihab ud-Din
Mas'ud

Ala ud-Din
Khalji
⁽¹³⁾
r. 1296-1316

Shihab ud-Din
Omar
⁽¹⁴⁾
r. 1316

Qutb ud-Din
Mubarak
⁽¹⁵⁾
r. 1316-1320

Khusrau
Khan
⁽¹⁶⁾
r. 1320

Tughluq dynasty (1320-1414)

Tughluq dynasty

Ghiyath al-Din
Tughluq I
⁽¹⁷⁾
r. 1320-1325

Malik Rajab

Muhammad
bin Tughluq
⁽¹⁸⁾
r. 1325-1351

Firuz Shah
Tughlaq
⁽¹⁹⁾
r. 1351-1388

Fateh Khan

Zafar Khan

Nasir ud-Din
Muhammad
⁽²²⁾
r. 1390-1394

Ghiyath ud-Din
Tughluq II
⁽²⁰⁾
r. 1388-1389

Abu Bakr
Shah
⁽²¹⁾
r. 1389-1390

Ala ud-Din
Sikandar
⁽²³⁾
r. 1394

Nasir ud-Din
Mahmud
⁽²⁴⁾
r. 1394-1414

Sayyid dynasty (1414-1451)

Sayyid dynasty

Khizr Khan
⁽²⁵⁾
r. 1414-1421

Mubarak
Shah
⁽²⁶⁾
r. 1421-1434

Farid Khan

Muhammad
Shah
⁽²⁷⁾
r. 1434-1445

Ala ud-Din
Alam Shah
⁽²⁸⁾
r. 1445-1451

Lodi dynasty (1451-1526)

Lodi dynasty

Bahlul
Khan Lodi
⁽²⁹⁾
r. 1451-1489

Sikandar
Khan Lodi
⁽³⁰⁾
r. 1489-1517

Ibrahim Lodi
⁽³¹⁾
r. 1517-1526

Sources

Dynastic Chart, The Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 2, p. 368.
"Sayyid dynasty". Encyclopedia Britannica.
Lodī dynasty - Encyclopædia Britannica
City List – Delhi Sultanate Rulers, First to Last
The Delhi Sultanate : How Many Lists of Dynasties and Rulers Delhi Sultanate?

References

↑ Delhi Sultanate Archived 3 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopedia Britannica
↑ A. Schimmel, Islam in the Indian Subcontinent, Leiden, 1980
↑ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 68–102. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
↑ Chapman, Graham. "Religious vs. regional determinism: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as inheritors of empire." Shared space: Divided space. Essays on conflict and territorial organization (1990): 106-134.
↑ "سلاطین دہلی - وجود". www.wujood.com (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
↑ Smithsonian "TIMELINES OF EVERYONE" (1st ed.). U.S. U.K.: DK. 2020. p. 63. ISBN 9781465499967.
↑ Jackson, Peter (April 1999). the Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press. p. 332.

Other literature

Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.

[brt-1] Delhi Sultanate Archived 3 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopedia Britannica

[2] A. Schimmel, Islam in the Indian Subcontinent, Leiden, 1980

[sen2-3] Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 68–102. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.

[4] Chapman, Graham. "Religious vs. regional determinism: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as inheritors of empire." Shared space: Divided space. Essays on conflict and territorial organization (1990): 106-134.

[5] "سلاطین دہلی - وجود". www.wujood.com (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 13 November 2023. Retrieved 13 November 2023.

[6] Smithsonian "TIMELINES OF EVERYONE" (1st ed.). U.S. U.K.: DK. 2020. p. 63. ISBN 9781465499967.

[7] Jackson, Peter (April 1999). the Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History. Cambridge University Press. p. 332.

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