Slave Dynasty

Mahmud Ghazni

998

He made Ghazni a beautiful place; many madressas, mosques, libraries, gardens, hostels for travelers, and bridges were constructed. Mahmud was also known for his patronage of art and knowledge.

Muhammad of Ghor

1187

He added his conquests to his kingdom. To establish his rule, over the rest of the northern India, he had to fight the Rajputs led by Prithvi Raj Chauhan, the ruler of Dehli and Ajmer, and other Hindi rulers, who combined to defeat him at the Battle of Tarain in 1191

Qutb-ud-din Aibak

1206

When he joined the army of Ghor, he rose in rank and became a general. As the Sultan, he proved to be a wise and just ruler. He treated Hindus with kindness and left the local administration in the hands of the people. He built two mosques, the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque at Dehli and another one at Ajmer, and he began the construction of the Qutb Minar dedicated to the patron saint of Dehli, Qutbaddin Kaki.

Shams-ud-din Iltutmish

1211

He set up a good administration with proper taxation and officials appointed for the task; he completed the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque and Qurb Minar begun by qutb-ud-din Aibak, built a college, and many roads for which forests had to be cut down. Iltutmish is acknowledged as a remarkable ruler.

Razia Sultana

1236

She had mastered the art of government and leadership under her father and had all the qualities of a monarch.

Balban

1266

Balban's wise and capable rule made sure that the Mongols were kept in check. He had forts built to protect the Sultanate against them.