Muiz ud din Qaiqabad

Muiz ud din Qaiqabad (Persian: معز الدین کیقباد; 1269 – 1 February 1290) was the tenth sultan of Delhi. He was the son of Bughra Khan, the Sultan of Bengal, as well as the grandson of Ghiyas ud din Balban (r. 1266–1287), the previous Sultan of Delhi.

Muiz ud-din Qaiqabad
Jital coin of Muiz ud din Qaiqabad
10th Sultan of Delhi
Reign	13 January 1287 – 1 February 1290
Predecessor	Ghiyas ud din Balban
Successor	Shamsuddin Kayumars
Born	1269 Delhi, Mamluk dynasty
Died	1 February 1290 (aged 20–21) Delhi
Issue	Shamsuddin Kayumars
House	House of Balban
Father	Nasiruddin Bughra Khan
Mother	daughter of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud shah
Religion	Islam

Historical background

After the death of his son Muhammad Khan, on 9 March 1285 at the hands of the Mongols during the Battle of Beas River, Ghiyas ud din Balban was in an unrecoverable state of shock. In his last days he called his son Bughra Khan, who was then the Governor of Bengal, to stay with him, but due to the stern nature of his father he slipped away to Bengal. Eventually, Balban chose his grandson and son of Muhammad, Kay Khusroe, to be his successor. However, when Balban died, Fakhr-ud-Din, the Kotwal of Delhi, set aside the nomination and chose for Muiz ud din Qaiqabad, son of Bughra Khan, to become ruler instead, although he was only 17 years old.^[1]

Reign

After he became the Sultan, he indulged in the life of wine and women, and the example set by the Sultan was also followed by his courtiers. He was not as much a pious Muslim as his predecessors as he did not focus on his Islamic studies as much. His army met with his father Bughra Khan's Bengal army in Northern Bihar, but due to the love for his father he ran towards him to embrace his crying. No battle took place and a lasting peace treaty was agreed between Bengal and Hindustan, which was even respected by his successors. On his return to Delhi, he transferred Nizam-ud-Din to Multan, seeing the latter's hesitation, the Sultan ordered him to be poisoned. He appointed Jalal-ud-din Khalji as a new commander of the army, but the murder and appointment sent a wave of dissent amongst the Turkic nobility. Taking advantage of this Jalal-ud-Din Firuz marched his army to Delhi.^[2][3]

Coin of Muiz ud din Era

After four years, he was murdered in 1290 by a Khalji noble. His infant son, Kayumars, was also murdered, ending the Mamluk Dynasty and instigating the Khalji Revolution.^[4]

Coinage

Muiz ud din Qaiqabad struck coins in gold, silver, copper and billon. He struck many coins from Delhi and Lucknow.

• 
  Silver Tanka from Hazrat Dehli Mint (10.95 grams)
• 
  Billon 3 gani (3.32 grams)
• 
  Copper Paika of 40 Rati (4.2 grams)
• 
  Copper Adli (2 grams)

See also

• Mamluk dynasty of Delhi
• Delhi Sultanate
• Islamic history
• List of Indian monarchs

References

1. V.D. Mahajan (2007). History of medieval India (10th ed.). New Delhi: S Chand. pp. 121, 122. ISBN 978-8121903646.
2. V.D. Mahajan (2007). History of medieval India (10th ed.). New Delhi: S Chand. pp. 121, 122. ISBN 978-8121903646.
3. Antonova, K.A.; Bongard-Levin, G.; Kotovsky, G. (1979). A History of India Volume 1. Moscow, USSR: Progress Publishers. p. 204.
4. Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. p. 80. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.

External links

• India Through the Ages
• The Slave Dynasty (archived 10 February 2006)
• Coin database of Mu'izz ud-Din Qaiqabad

Preceded by Ghiyas ud din Balban	Mamluk Dynasty 1206–1290	Succeeded by Kayumars of Delhi
Preceded by Ghiyas ud din Balban	Sultan of Delhi 1287–1290	Succeeded by Kayumars of Delhi