Lodhi dynasty
Lodhi Dynasty (
Urdu:سلطنت لودھی) belonged to the
Pashtun Ghilzai tribe of
Afghans and ruled over the
Delhi Sultanate during its last phase. It ruled from
1451 to
1526 CE.
Bahlul Lodhi: After the last
Sayyid ruler of
Delhi,
Mohammed-bin-Farid, died in
1451,
Bahlul Khan Lodhi, a warrior and governor of
Punjab, took the throne of the
Delhi sultanate. He quelled uprisings in the provinces and garnered political support by granting extensive lands to his native
Afghan nobles.
Sikandar Lodhi: Bahlul nominated his second son,
Sikandar Lodhi (born Nizam Khan) to succeed him. However, nobles backed the rule of
Barbak Shah, his elder son, who had been appointed
viceroy of
Jaunpur. A power struggle ensued; Sikandar eventually won the struggle against Barbak and his ally,
Hussain Shah of
Jaunpur. He proved to be a capable ruler, and was somewhat merciful to his opponents. He allowed Barbak the governship of Jaunpur and also resolved differences with an uncle, Alam Khan, who had conspired to overthrow him. Sikandar also brought many Afghan nobles under his control, conquered
Gwalior and
Bihar, and encouraged trade across his holdings. He was a kind ruler and founded the present-day city of
Agra in
1503.
Ibrahim Lodhi: Sikandar's son
Ibrahim Lodhi took the throne in
1517. His rule began on a problematic note; in an attempt to divide his kingdom, the nobles recognized his break-away brother
Jalal Khan as independent ruler over Jaunpur. Ibrahim had his brother assassinated in an attempt to consolidate power. However, he never really gained the support of his nobles, as he ruled by fear. He was very strict and disrespectful to his nobles.
Ibrahim retook
Gwalior in a military campaign and then menaced
Mewar, then ruled by
Rana Sanga. Under the premise that Ibrahim threatened to expand the
Delhi Sultanate into the desert regions of
Rajasthan, which had largely been left alone by previous sultans,
Rana Sanga was able to unite the
rajput chieftains of the desert into a shortlived military alliance. This alliancemade common cause with discontented muslim nobles of the
sultanate to invite
Babur, the ruler of
Kabul, to overthrow the Lodhi dynasty.
Babur was officially invited to take India by
Daulat Khan Lodhi, a governor in
Lahore, and by
Alam Khan, an uncle of Sultan
Ibrahim Lodhi. Babur was able to defeat the Lodhis at the
Battle of Panipat in
1526. His army's use of artillery, plus the desertion of many nobles and soldiers from Ibrahim Lodhi's forces, led to victory despite being
Babur being heavily outnumbered. This victory caused the
Delhi sultanate to be supplanted by the
Mughal Dynasty founded by
Babur.
*http://www.webindia123.com/history/MEDIEVAL/delhisultanate/delhi%20sultanate4.htm
*http://sify.com/itihaas/fullstory.php?id=13233620
