• Iltutmish was the greatest of the slave kings. He was the slave who rose to eminence by sheer dint of merit. He was a Turk of Ilbari Tribe in Turkestan. He belonged to a noble family. Envious of his intelligence his half brothers sold him to a merchant of Bukhara and the latter sold him to Qutb-ud-Din Aibak. Iltutmish advanced through the ranks, ultimately becoming the Governor of Badaun. He strengthened his position by marrying the daughter of Qutb-ud-Din Aibak. His military prowess was demonstrated in the battle against the Khokhars, earning him recognition and, by the orders of Muhammad Ghori, manumission and the rank of Amir-ul-Umara. After the death of Qutb-ud-Din Aibak in 1210, his successor, Aram Shah, was deemed highly incompetent. Consequently, the nobles of Delhi decided to invite Iltutmish to assume leadership.
• Iltutmish after defeating Aram Baksh shifted his capital from Lahore to Delhi. During the first ten years of his reign he concentrated on securing his throne from his rivals. Meanwhile, the Mongol leader Temujin, better known as Chengiz Khan, was invading Central Asia. The Kwarizam king, Jalaluddin Mangabarni, was overthrown by him. Mangabarni crossed the Indus River and sought Iltutmish for protection. Iltutmish refused to give him shelter as he felt that by helping Jalal-ud-Din he would be inviting trouble from Changiz Khan.. Chengiz Khan, fortunately for Iltutmish, returned home without entering India.Thus Mongol policy of Iltutmish saved India from the wrath of Chengiz Khan.
• The famous Qutb Minar near Mehrauli in Delhi was got completed by Iltutmish in the year 1231-1232. The Qutb Minar stands as a testament to the greatness of Iltutmish. Contrary to popular belief, it was not named after Qutb-ud-Din Aibak but after Khwaja Qutb-ud-Din, a revered figure from Uch near Baghdad who had settled in Hindustan and was highly esteemed by Iltutmish and others. In gratitude, Iltutmish had the names of his patrons, Qutb-ud-Din Aibak and Sultan Muiz-ud-Din, inscribed on the minar.
• During Iltutmish’s reign, Lahore’s prominence declined while Delhi’s stature rose significantly. Delhi gradually emerged as the greatest center of learning and culture in the East, attracting renowned scholars such as Nur-ud-Din, Mohammad Aufi, Minhaj-us-Siraj, and Hasan Nizami to his court. Additionally, numerous saints, artists, and artisans flocked to the city, transforming Delhi into a vibrant cultural hub, often referred to as the “Second Baghdad.”

Administration under Iltumish

• The Delhi Sultanate owes the outlines of its administrative system to Iltutmish. He organized the Revenue and Finance Departments. Iltutmish implemented the Iqta system, dividing the empire into several Iqtas, which were assigned to various nobles. Each Iqtadar (Iqta holder) was responsible for maintaining law and order within their territory and collecting revenue. After deducting their salary and covering governmental expenses, the Iqtadars sent the surplus revenue to the central government. This system helped in streamlining administration and ensuring efficient revenue collection across the empire.
• The Iqtadari system differed from the feudal system of Europe. The Iqtadars were not the owners of the land allotted to them. They were mere functionaries. They could be transferred from one assignment to another and could even be deprived of their Iqtas at the sweet will of the Emperor.
• Iltutmish was a great statesman. In 1229, Iltutmish received the mansur, the letter of recognition from the Abbasid Caliph, which officially confirmed him as the legal sovereign ruler of India. This significant event legitimized his authority and strengthened his rule. Later, Iltutmish nominated his daughter Raziya as his successor, thereby initiating the practice of hereditary succession in the Delhi Sultanate.

Chahalgani system

• To curtail the power of the nobles and prevent them from becoming too powerful, Iltutmish established an official nobility of slaves known as the Chahalgani or the corps of Forty. These members were personal slaves of the Emperor, ensuring their loyalty and allegiance to him. Through the Chahalgani, Iltutmish maintained a firm control over the affairs of the government, leveraging their loyalty to consolidate his power and manage the administration effectively.
• Thus, Iltutmish created a sort of political unity and a centralised government which guaranteed protection to the people both from foreign invasion and internal disturbances.

Coinage System

• Iltutmish’s coins proudly bore the inscriptions “The Mighty Sultan, Sun of the Empire and the Faith, Conquest laden Iltutmish” and “Aid of the Commander of the Faithful.” He was the first to introduce purely Arabic coinage in India. His standard coin was the silver tanka, weighing 175 grains, along with the copper jital. The silver tanka became the basis for the modern rupee. Later, gold tankas of the same weight were introduced by Balban. Iltutmish was a devout Muslim, meticulous about his five daily prayers. However, he was intolerant towards the Shias, which led to a revolt by the Ismaili Shias, which he successfully crushed.