Medieval History of Uttar Pradesh For Competitive Exams Preparation: Medieval period of Uttar Pradesh saw the emergence of Muslim rule. The rule of Delhi Sultanate and the Mughal Empire is of vital importance in the medieval history of Uttar Pradesh.
The medieval history of Uttar Pradesh remained a period of turmoil. After the decline of Harshavardhana’s reign, various regional powers came into existence and tried hard to establish their rule. Then it was ruled by the different sultans of Delhi Sultanate.
After this event, Uttar Pradesh along with Delhi came under the rule of Mughal Empire. The subedar of Mughal Empire became the Nawab of Awadh.
Medieval History of Uttar Pradesh
- Uttar Pradesh and Sultanate Period
- Architecture of Sultanate Period
- Uttar Pradesh and Mughal Period
- Architecture of Mughal Period
- Nawab of Awadh
- Timeline: Medieval UP
Uttar Pradesh and Sultanate Period
● Muhammed Ghori’s conquest became the cause of new political entity in India, the Delhi Sultanate.
● Qutb ud-Din Aibak (1206-10), the slave of Muhammed Ghori, founded the slave dynasty in 1206 and conquered the throne.
● The area of present Uttar Pradesh was the part of Delhi Sultanate from the beginning.
● Qutb ud-Din Aibak was given the title of ‘Lakh Bakhsh’. He laid the foundation of Qutub Minar of Delhi and constructed two mosques ‘Qutub-ul-Islam’ at Delhi and ‘Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra’ at Ajmer. He died while playing polo in 1210.
● After the death of Qutb ud-Din Aibak, Iltutmish occupied the throne in 1211 by deposing Aram Baksh. He was son-in-law of Aibak. He introduced silver coin (Tanka) and copper coin (Jital). Jama Masjid of Badayun was built by Iltutmish.
● He introduced Iqta system and official nobility of slaves known as Chhangani (Group of Forty). He patronised Minhaj-i-Siraj, author of Tabaqat-i-Nasiri.
● After Iltutmish, Firuz Shah Tughlaq became the ruler of Delhi sultanate. He has set up the city of Jaunpur in memory of Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Firozabad was founded by Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
● Jizya tax was introduced in his time.
● Sharqi dynasty was founded by Malik Sarwar Khwaja Jahan in 1394.
He was given the title of Malik-Us-Sharqi (Owner of East) and he was the ruler of Eastern areas.
● In reign of Sharqi Jaunpur became the major centre of education, art and business. Jaunpur was known as Siraj-e-Hind (Siraj of East).
● Bahlol Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi won Jaunpur in 1484 and merged it in Delhi Sultanate.
● Sultan Sikandar Lodi, the son of Bahlol Lodi, laid the foundation of Agra city in 1504 and made it its sub-capital.
● He introduced Gaz-i-Sikandari for measuring cultivated land. Sikandar Lodi was succeeded by his son Ibrahim Lodi.
Uttar Pradesh and Mughal Period
● Mughal rule in India was established in 1526 by Babur. He defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the first Battle of Panipat on 21st April, 1526 and made Agra his capital.
● In 1527, he defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar at Khanwa. He wrote his autobiography Tuzuk-i-Baburi in Turkish. He died at Agra in 1530. His tomb is at Kabul.
● In 1529, Babar defeated Muhammad Lodi and Nusrat Shah on the banks of the river Ghaghara.
● In December 1530, Humayun succeeded his father Babur as ruler of the Mughal territories in the Indian sub-continent. His sister Gulbadan Begum wrote his biography Humayunama. Humayun built Dinpanah at Delhi as his second capital.
● In 1540, Sher Shah Suri took over the reign of Uttar Pradesh after defeating Mughal emperor Humayun.
● In 1540, he invaded the fort of Kalinjar, which was ruled by Kirti Singh and laid a siege of the fort.
● In 1545, after the death of Sher Shah Suri, Humayun regained the throne of Delhi sultanate in 1555.
● Akbar was the eldest son of Humayun who succeeded the throne under the title of Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar in 1556 AD.
● Akbar was under the inference of Maham Anga and Adham Khan from 1560 to 1562. He founded Agra city and built a fort here.
● Akbar ruled from Agra and founded the city of Fatehpur Sikri in 1572 AD. He constructed huge forts in Agra and Allahabad.
● Todarmal and Birbal, the Navaratanas of Akbar, belonged to Sitapur and Kalpi districts of Uttar Pradesh.
● Jahangir succeeded the throne after Akbar’s death in 1605.
● He established Zanjir-i-Adal (Chain of Justice) at Agra fort for the seekers of royal justice. He built the Mausoleum of Akbar and Mausoleum of Mariam-uz-Zamani.
● In 1608, Captain William Hawkins came to Jahangir’s court.
●The period of Jahangir saw arts and culture at its peak.
● After the death of Jahangir, Shah Jahan succeeded the throne in 1628.
● In 1631-32, he defeated the Portuguese. He shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi.
● The period of Shah Jahan is known as the golden period of India’s art, culture and architecture.
● He built the classical wonder Taj Mahal at Agra in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. He also built Moti Masjid in Agra fort.
● After the death of Shahjahan, Aurangzeb sat on the throne of Delhi but due to his religious intolerance the Mughal empire collapsed.
Nawab of Awadh
● Awadh was a province of the Mughal empire. It included the entire Uttar Pradesh.
● Saadat Ali Khan-Burhan-ul-Mulk was the founder of the autonomous kingdom of Awadh in 1722.
● He was appointed as the Governor of Awadh in 1722. He introduced new land revenue and land lease system in Awadh, to protect farmers from exploitation of landlord.
● Safdar Jang became the Nawab of Awadh in 1739. In 1748, he was made the Wazir of the Mughal Empire and Allahabad province was also handed to him.
● Shuja-ud-Daula became the Nawab of Awadh in October 1754. He participated in the Battle of Buxar in 1764 in alliance with Mir Qasim against the British East India Company. British established their supremacy in India after this battle.
● Shuja-ud-Daula made a Treaty of Banaras in 1773 with Warren Hastings and with the help of the British in 1774 Ruhelkhand got mixed in Awadh.
● He died in 1775 at Faizabad and was buried at Gulab Bari.
● Asaf-ud-Daula became Nawab of Awadh after the death of Shuja-ud-Daula, replaced by Shah Alam II from 1773 to 1777. Asaf-ud-Daula shifted his capital from Faizabad to Lucknow.
● He made treaty in 1775 with British East India Company. By this treaty, he was burdened with debt. It is called Treaty of Faizabad.
● He built Bara (big) Imambara, Rumi Darwaza (also known as Turkish gate) in Lucknow. He died in 1797 and was buried at Bara Imambara in Lucknow.
● Wajid Ali Shah was the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh from 1847-1856.
● By accusing of misrule, Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh in British state in 1856 and sent Wajid Ali Shah to Calcutta and paid monthly pension.
Medieval History Timeline
Ancient History of Uttar Pradesh For Competitive Exams
Uttar Pradesh Current Affairs in Hindi and English
Uttar Pradesh General Studies | General Knowledge of Uttar Pradesh