The Condition of India in 1526 Political Condition THE KINDOM OF DELHI. The political condition of our country in the first quarter of the 16th century resembled that of the early years of the 11th century A.D. when the sub-continent of India was parcelled out among numerous mutually warring states. There was, however, one notable difference, namely, that while in the 11th century the country was ruled over by indigenous monarchs, in the 16th most of our rulers were foreigners. The Sultanate of Delhi, whose disintegration had begun since the days of Muhammad bin Tughluq, could never afterwards exercise sway over the entire country. The authority of Ibrahim Lodi who ascended the throne of Delhi in 1517, did not extend beyond Delhi, Agra, the Doab, Jaunpur, a part of Bihar, Bayana and Chandcri. He was a foolish, headstrong prince who did not understand the character of his own Afghan chiefs. A believer in the theory of the Divine Right of Kings, he endeavoured to prescribe a rigid ceremonial and discipline at his court. The proud Afghan nobles who used to share the carpet with Ibrahim's father and grandfather, were made to stand in his durbar in an humble posture and with their arms folded across their breasts. The Sultan publicly declared that kingship knew no kinship and that all his nobles were his vassals and servants. When the Afghan peers made an attempt to assert their hereditary privilege, he meted out rigorous punishment. Consequently, many of the topranking Lodi, Lohani, Farmuli and Niyazi Afghans revoltedagainst him and he had to resort to force to suppress their rebellion. This led to widespread confusion and alarm. Alam Khan Lodi, an uncle of the sultan, claimed the throne of Delhi for himself, and he was supported by many a disaffected noble. The Governor of the Punjab, Daulat Khan Lodi, resisted the authority of the sultan and behaved like a de facto ruler. The nobles of .Bihar rallied round Dariya Khan Lohani, on whose death (c. 1521) his son, Bahar Khan (Bahadur Khan), declared his independ.tnce. In Jaunpur, too, the Afghans rebelled under Nasir Khan Lohani and Maruf Farmuli. The Lodi kingdom was thus greatly distracted and the sultan lost much of his prestige.

About Author
Ashirbadi Lal Srivastava, more commonly known as A.L. Srivastava, born 16 September 1899, in Andhana, Uttar Pradesh, died 12 July 1973, in District Agra, was an Indian historian specialising in medieval, early modern and modern history of India, author of fifteen monographical works, ten of which are research monographs.