The history of Delhi is as old as the epic the Mahabharata. The first name of Delhi, ‘The Indraprastha’ was given by the ‘Pandavas’ according to the epic Mahabharata. Delhi, the capital of India has a robust ancient history. It was controlled by some of the mightiest kings in Indian history. From Hindu Kings to Muslim Sultans, the constraint of the city kept changing from one ruler to another.

Slave Dynasty

Qutbuddin Aibak

(AD 1206-AQd 1210)

Qutbuddin Aibak had begun his career as a humble slave of Muhammad Ghori. He rose to power after his master’s death in AD 1206.He constructed the first Islamic Monuments, the Quwat-ul-Islam Mosque, one each at Ajmer and Delhi. He also started the construction of Qutb Minar in memory of Sufi saint Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki.It was completed by Iltutmish.

Iltutmish

(AD 1211-AD 1236)

Iltutmish was a slave of Qutubuddin Aibak and later became his son in law. He created a group of 40 powerful nobles knwn as “Chalisa” or “the forty” to help him in supressing his enemies.

Raziya Sultan

(AD 1236-AD 1240)

Raziya sultan came to throne after her father Iltutmish died in AD 1236.Being a woman, she had to face great opposition from the nobles. She was very brave. She was, however, defeated by Altuniya. She later married Altuniya to recover the throne. The nobles, however, plotted against her and she was put to death in AD 1240.

Ghiyas-ud-din-Balban

(AD 1265-AD 1287)

Nasir-ud-din-mahmud, the youngest son of Iltutmish ascended the throne. He left the administration to his adviser Ghiyas-ud-din-Balban. All the power of the sultan were now in his hands. After Nasir-ud-din’s death in Ad 1265,Balban occupie the throne. Balban destroyed the group of “forty’” which had become very powerful .the nobles stood silently in the court. They had to kneel and touch the ground with their forehead in salutation known as “sijdah”.

Khilji Dynasty

Jalaluddin Khilji

(AD 1290-Ad 1320)

Jalaluddin Khilji was the first ruler of this dynasty. He sent his nephew Alauddin on a mission to conquer Devagiri in Deccan. He was victorious there. When he returned to Delhi, Jalaluddin came forward to greet him but was treacherously stabbed by Alauddin.

Alauddin Khilji

(Ad 1296-Ad1360)

Alauddin dreamt of becoming the second Alexander. He was a brilliant general and an able administer. It was during his attack on the fort of Chittor that the Rajput women performed JAUHAR.They preferred to perish in flames rather than to submit to the enemy.

Tughlaq Dynasty

Muhammad-bin Tughlaq

AD 1325-Ad1351)

Muhammad-bin Tughlaq was a great scholar and the only sultan to have received good education. He has often been described as a “mixture of Opposites”.He was kind as well as cruel. He was wise. Yet, at times he behaved unwisely that resulted in great misery to the people. In AD 1327, he decided to transfer his capital from Delhi to Devagiri in Deccan, because Devagiri was situated in the middle of his kingdom. He ordered all his nobles, officials and many others to shift to the new capital which was renamed Daulatabad .In spite of many arrangements, the distance of 1500 km was too long for the people.As soon as the sultan realised that the scheme had failed, he ordered the people to return to Delhi. This brought more misery to the people. He was also known as “pagla” in the history.

Sayyid Dynasty

(AD 1414- AD 1451)

Timur entrusted the governance of Multan,Lahore and Dipalpur to his deputy Khizr Khan. Timur died in Ad 1405.The Tuglaq kingdom somehow managed to continue till Ad 1413. Khizr Khan occupied Delhi in 1414.He laid the foundation of Sayyid Dynasty. He was the most able ruler of is dynasty. He died in AD 1421.His successor were all very weak.

Lodi Dynasty

(AD 1451-AD 1526)

During the rule of Sayyid’s one of their Afghan officers, Bahlol Lodi (AD 1451-AD 1489) rose to great prominence and became the governor of Punjab. In AD 1451, he seized Delhi and raised himself to the throne. He (AD 1451-AD 1489) recovered Sind and Mewar.He treated the nobles as his equals. He tried to win their confidence by giving them gifts and land grants as jagirs.

Sikander Lodi

(AD 1489-AD 1517)

He succeeded Bahlol Lodi. He was the greatest of the Lodi kings. He moved the capita from delhi to Agra. He is known for his hatred towards Hindus.

Ibrahim Lodi

(AD 1517-AD 1526)

He failed to keep the nobles in good humour much of their strength depended on the loyalty of the Afghan nobles. These nobles became jealous of his power and success. A powerful Afghan nobel,Daulat Khan Lodi, invited Babur to invade India. In AD 1526, Babur established the Mughal Empire in India.

Mughal Dynasty

(AD 1526-AD 1707)

Babur

(AD 1526-AD 1530)

Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Pannipat in Ad 1526.Babur was now the ruler of Delhi.Babur died in AD 1530.

Humayun

(AD 1530-AD 1540 And AD 1555-AD 1556)

On ascending the throne,Humayun had to dface a difficult task of establishing his Empire.Humayun and Sher Shah Suri at Kanauj in AD 1540. Humayun had to hastily assemble an army to face Sher Shah Suri.Sher Shh Suri secured a victory.Humayun wondered from place to place. Finaly,the ruler of Iran provided him a place to stay. With his help, Humayun could recapture Kabul and Kandahar in AD 1545. In AD 1556 he died from a fall from his library building in Purana Quila at Delhi.

ROLE OF DELHI IN THE FREEDOM STRUGGLE

Delhi also played a major role in the revolt of 1857.The Meerut soldiers reached Delhi on the morning of 11 May. These soldiers forced their way into the palace of Bahadur Shah Zafar and proclaimed him as their leader. Some rulers felt that they would be able to regain their territories .Delhi became the Centre of revolt. Therefore, the Englishmen fled Delhi as fast as they could. Regiment after regiment mutinied and joined other troops at different places. Then people in the towns and villages also rose in rebellion . They all rallied around local leaders and chiefs who were fighting against the British. Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment. After many years when India was still not free, everybody was full of enthusiasm. Bal Gangadhar Tilak declared , “Swaraj is my birthright and I will have it.” Indian National Army or INA had been formally established in September 1942. It was establish by Rash Behari Bose, an old revolutionary who had fled to Japan in 1915. Subhash Chandra Bose reorganized the INA and infused new vigour in the army. He was addressed as Netaji. Their battle cry or slogans were Dilli Chalo (March to Delhi) and Jai Hind (victory to India ). India achieved independence on 15 August 1947.On 15 August Jawaharlal Nehru was sworn in as the first Prime Minister of Free India. The Constituent Assembly with Rajendra Prasad as its President prepared the Constitution of India. It came into force on 26 January 1950 when the republic of India was born .

Delhi still remains the capital of India . Delhi was the favourite place for the emperors and is still for the Prime Minister and the President.

SONAL TAMANG GRADE XI

AISHWARYA NAHAP GRADE IX

SMS, JANAKPURI, NEW DELHI

WATCH OUT THIS VIDEO TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF DELHI

Citation: http://delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/aboutus/history_of_delhi.jsp

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Delhi

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EFFORTS BY : MODERN PUBLIC SCHOOL, SHALIMAR BAGH, NEW DELHI, INDIA

Created by :- Atulya Grade IX

Sahil Aggarwal Grade IX

Aditya Pratap Sharma Grade IX

Contribution by Gymnasium №32, Kurgan, Russia

Kurgan is a city that is а part of the Russian Federation is the administrative center of the Kurgan region. The date of Foundation of the city of Kurgan is considered to be 1679. In 1782, it received the official status of the city, thanks Catherine II.

The founder of the town is a peasant Timothy Nevezhin, who built a hut near the burial mound, located on the shore of the river Tobol.

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