Shams ud-DIN Îltutmish

Shams Îltutmish (°? = 1211 - 1236) is a sultan of Delhi, the third of the Dynastie of the slaves and one of most important. It succeeds Âram Shâh which reigns less than one year.

Member of the tribe of Ilbarî originating in the Turkestan, the tradition the gratifie of an intelligence and a beauty which make the jealousy of his/her brothers who sell it like slave during his childhood. Bought by Qutb ud-DIN Aibak, then governor of Delhi, it starts a brilliant military career and becomes soon the governor of Badaûn to the service of Qutb ud-DIN Aibak. He marries then one of the girls of his Master and goes up finally on the throne of Delhi in 1211.

As of its accession, it is in hillock with the claims of adversaries which are judged more legitimate than him. Thus, Tâj ud-DIN Yildiz, the governor of Ghaznî, occupies Lâhore and threatens Îltutmish which attacks it and with Tarâin in 1214 demolishes it. Later, Nâsir ud-DIN Qabacha, governor of Uch and Mûltan, named him also by Muhammad Ghûrî, rebel and are overcome by Îltutmish in 1217, then expelled of Pânjab.

In 1221, the Mongolian S of Gengis Khan present to the doors India on banks of the Indus, Îltutmish dissuades them to penetrate on its grounds and they are withdrawn. Nâsir ud-DIN Qabacha returns in 1227 to again threaten Îltutmish which demolishes it again. Qabacha finds death while drowning in Indus. Benefitting from these disorders, other governors, posts some with the Bengal, declare themselves independent. Îltutmish sends its troops to it to subdue these revolts, in particular that of Ghiyâs ud-DIN which it demolishes and makes kill in 1229. Whereas it goes to Bengal to put a final time limit at the rebellions, the Râja S Rajput S Chandelâ, Pratîhâra and Châhumana are raised to recover their territories conquered by the sultans of Delhi with various successes.

Towards the end of its reign, it conducts a campaign against the râjas Mâlvâ, plunders Ujjain, then tries to take again Kânauj, Vârânasî and Badaûn which was raised.

Inviting artist and men of letters, Îltutmish imposes Delhi against its Lâhore rival and in fact what is called “second Baghdad”. Good administrator, it organizes his state by cutting out it in provinces, the iqtas , with at their head a remunerated civil servant, the iqtadâr . It is the first sultan of Delhi to strike currency. Of confession Sunnite, it is intolerant towards the Hindou S but also towards the Chiite S which it persecutes and which are raised several times.

Before dying, it names his daughter Jalâlat ud-DIN Raziyâ like successor, but it will not be able to go up immediately on the throne, the nobility preferring to him Rukn ud-DIN Fîrûz Shâh which it reverses at the end of eight month, range with the capacity by the population of Delhi.

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