Medieval India: Sultanate & Mughals
Medieval India is two long stories running in sequence: the Delhi Sultanate (five dynasties, 1206–1526) and the Mughal Empire (1526–1707 at its height). Exams ask which dynasty came when, who built what, and which battle changed which throne. Learn the order of the five Sultanate dynasties first — everything else attaches to it.
Don't read this page — work through it. Each block asks you to commit to an answer before it tells you anything.
Start here: what do you already know?
Medieval India — true or false?
6 statements · 12s each
The Delhi Sultanate: five dynasties in order
| Dynasty | Period | Remember for |
|---|---|---|
| Slave (Mamluk) | 1206–1290 | Aibak, Iltutmish, Razia Sultan, Balban |
| Khilji | 1290–1320 | Alauddin Khilji; market price control |
| Tughlaq | 1320–1414 | Muhammad bin Tughlaq's capital shift, token currency |
| Sayyid | 1414–1451 | A weak, short interlude |
| Lodi | 1451–1526 | Ibrahim Lodi lost at Panipat |
A mnemonic for the order: S–K–T–S–L. Most Sultanate questions are answered by knowing only which dynasty a ruler belongs to.
The Mughals in order
Babur → Humayun → Akbar → Jahangir → Shah Jahan → Aurangzeb
Akbar (1556–1605) is the most examined: Din-i-Ilahi, the abolition of jizya, Todar Mal's revenue settlement, and the Navratnas.
Sort the ruler by empire
Sultanate or Mughal?
0/6Alauddin Khilji
Which group does it belong to?
Fix the dates
Commit to a date, then check
1/3In which year was the First Battle of Panipat fought?
1,500CE
Put the dynasties in order
Match the ruler to what they are known for
Quick reference
Exam tip: two dates carry an unusual share of the marks — 1206 (Sultanate begins) and 1526 (Mughals begin). Almost every medieval sequence question can be settled against those two anchors.