Mongol invasions and Delhi Sultanate — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2022

With reference to Indian history, consider the following statements:

The first Mongol invasion of India happened during the reign of Jalal-ud-din Khalji.
During the reign of Ala-ud-din Khalji, one Mongol assault marched up to Delhi and besieged the city.
Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq temporarily lost portions of the north-west of his kingdom to Mongols.

The first Mongol incursion into India took place in 1221 during the reign of Iltutmish of the Delhi Sultanate, whereas Jalal-ud-din Khalji ruled much later, from 1296 to 1298 CE.

Foundation of the Mongol Dynasty (1206 CE): A council of Mongol tribesmen elected the warrior Temujin as their leader and conferred upon him, at the age of 44, the title of Genghis – meaning “Mighty” – Khan. In the Indian subcontinent, he is known as Changez Khan
Global Conquest and Empire Expansion
- Mongols, under Genghis Khan and his successors, created the largest land empire in history.
- Conquered territories: China, Russia, Central Asia, Persia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Kashmir, and parts of Eastern Europe (Hungary and Poland).
Empire Partition Post-Genghis Khan (1227 CE)
- Yuan Dynasty: China, founded by Genghis’s grandson Kublai Khan.
- Golden Horde: Russia, founded by Genghis’s grandson Batu Khan.
- Chaghatai Khanate: Central Asia, founded by Genghis’s son Chaghatai Khan.
- Ilkhanate: Western Asia, founded by Genghis’s grandson Hulagu Khan.

In 1303, the Mongols, led by Targhi, advanced towards Delhi , hoping to take advantage of Alauddin Khalji’s absence during his Chittor campaign. Moving swiftly with little resistance, they inflicted widespread destruction and laid siege to Delhi, preventing Alauddin from entering the city. The situation was further aggravated as the capital had been weakened—one army had been dispatched towards Warangal via Bengal and returned severely depleted, while Mongol forces had seized the fords across the Yamuna, cutting off reinforcements from the Doab. In response, Alauddin established a strongly fortified camp at Siri, positioning his forces between the Yamuna and the old city of Delhi. He reinforced his defences by digging a ditch around the camp and erecting wooden planks, making it resemble a wooden fort, as noted by Barani. However, the Mongols, unlike their earlier counterparts, displayed lax discipline—they frequented nearby tanks, consumed wine, and even sold grain at low prices, inadvertently easing the city’s distress. After maintaining this ineffective siege for about two months, the Mongols eventually withdrew without engaging in a decisive battle.

Mongols sent one major expedition to Delhi during Mohammed bin Tughlaq’s regime in 1327. Tughlaq paid a ransom and sent them away. The Mongols gradually lost power after that.