Who of the following was a contemporary of Chingiz Khan ?

1. Rise of the Delhi Sultanate: The Slave Dynasty (basic)

To understand the political landscape of Medieval India, we must first look at the vacuum created after the death of **Muhammad Ghori** in 1206. His departure led to a power struggle among his generals, from which **Qutb-ud-din Aibak** emerged victorious in Delhi. This marked the birth of the **Slave Dynasty**, the first of five dynasties that would collectively be known as the **Delhi Sultanate** Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25. The dynasty is also frequently called the **Mamluk Dynasty**—a term derived from the Arabic word for 'property' or 'owned,' referring to the elite class of Turkic military slaves who rose to become powerful rulers History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Chapter 10, p.139. While Aibak founded the dynasty, his reign (1206–1210) was cut short by a fatal accident while playing **Chaugan** (horse polo) History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Chapter 10, p.140. The task of consolidating this nascent state fell to his successor, **Shams-ud-din Iltutmish** (1211–1236). Iltutmish is often regarded as the real founder of the Sultanate's administrative strength. He was a contemporary of the Mongol conqueror **Genghis Khan**, and his greatest diplomatic feat occurred in 1221. When the Mongol forces reached the Indus River while pursuing the Prince of Khwarizm, Iltutmish prudently refused to give the Prince asylum in Delhi. This strategic caution effectively shielded India from a devastating Mongol invasion during Genghis Khan's lifetime. During this era of expansion, the political map of India was rapidly shifting. While the Sultanate established control over parts of Northern India, it faced stiff resistance from regional powers like the **Eastern Gangas** and the **Hoysalas** Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Class VIII, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25. Internally, the period was also marked by the loss of cultural heritage, such as the destruction of the **Nalanda University** by Bakhtiyar Khalji, which resulted in the loss of thousands of manuscripts on subjects ranging from astronomy to medicine History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Chapter 10, p.140.

Sources: Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII, NCERT, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25; History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.139-140

2. Medieval Indian Chronology: The Five Dynasties (basic)

To master the political landscape of Medieval India, we must first understand the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526). This era wasn't ruled by a single family but by five distinct dynasties that shaped India for over three centuries. It all began after the defeat of King Prithviraj Chauhan in 1192, leading to the formal establishment of the Sultanate in 1206 Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25. While often grouped together, these rulers were ethnically diverse, including Turks, Persians, and Afghans History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.136.

The first three dynasties were predominantly Turkic. The Slave Dynasty (also known as the Mamluks) laid the foundation, followed by the Khaljis, who are famous for their rapid territorial expansion into South India, and the Tughlaqs, who ruled during the Sultanate's peak geographical reach. However, the Tughlaq era ended in chaos following the devastating invasion of Timur in 1398, which paved the way for the final two dynasties History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.147.

The final phase saw the Sayyids and the Lodis ruling a declining empire. Notably, the Lodis shifted the ethnic balance of power as the first Afghan dynasty of the Sultanate. This 320-year journey finally concluded in 1526 when Babur defeated the last Lodi Sultan, marking the birth of the Mughal Empire THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.193.

Sources: Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT (Revised ed 2025), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.25; History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.136, 147; THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.), An Imperial Capital: Vijayanagara, p.193

3. The Mongol Empire and Genghis Khan's Era (intermediate)

In the early 13th century, the geopolitical landscape of Eurasia was fundamentally reshaped by the rise of Temujin, known to history as Genghis Khan. After years of tribal warfare, he consolidated the nomadic tribes of the Central Asian steppes. In 1206, an assembly of Mongol chieftains called a quriltai proclaimed him the 'Great Khan' or 'Universal Ruler' Themes in World History, Nomadic Empires, p.65. His success was not merely a result of brute force but stemmed from a rigorous military reorganization that broke traditional tribal loyalties and replaced them with a disciplined, meritocratic hierarchy Themes in World History, Nomadic Empires, p.65.

For students of Indian history, the most critical intersection occurs in 1221. While expanding his empire westward, Genghis Khan pursued Jalaluddin, the crown prince of the Khwarizm Empire, right up to the banks of the Indus River Themes in World History, Nomadic Empires, p.66. At this time, the nascent Delhi Sultanate was ruled by Sultan Iltutmish (1211–1236). This was a moment of existential crisis; had the Mongols crossed the Indus, the Sultanate might have been extinguished in its infancy. However, Iltutmish displayed remarkable diplomatic foresight by refusing to grant asylum to Jalaluddin, thereby avoiding a direct confrontation with the Mongol forces.

Genghis Khan's decision not to invade India at that moment is often attributed to a mix of factors: the harsh Indian summer, unfavorable omens from his shamans, and the tactical realization that his primary interests lay elsewhere Themes in World History, Nomadic Empires, p.66. Despite his reputation for devastation in Persian chronicles, his empire facilitated the Pax Mongolica, a period of relative peace that allowed trade and ideas to flow across the Silk Road, eventually influencing later dynasties like the Mughals (who were, in fact, descendants of the Mongols).

Sources: Themes in World History, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.), Nomadic Empires, p.60, 65, 66; History, Class XI (Tamilnadu State Board 2024 ed.), Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140, 142

4. The Khwarizmian Empire and the Mongol Pursuit (intermediate)

Concept: The Khwarizmian Empire and the Mongol Pursuit

5. North-West Frontier Policy of Delhi Sultans (exam-level)

To understand the North-West Frontier Policy of the Delhi Sultans, we must first look at the map. The north-western gateway—modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan—was the only viable land route for invaders. For the Delhi Sultanate, this wasn't just a border issue; it was an existential threat posed by the Mongols, the most formidable nomadic military force of the 13th and 14th centuries History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10, p.142.

The policy evolved through three distinct phases of leadership:

• The Phase of Diplomatic Caution (Iltutmish): When the Mongol leader Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in 1221 pursuing the Khwarizm Prince Jalaluddin, Iltutmish faced a crisis. Jalaluddin sought asylum in Delhi. Knowing that helping him would invite Chengiz Khan’s wrath, Iltutmish politely refused, famously stating that the climate of Delhi would not suit the prince. This masterstroke of neutrality saved the infant Sultanate from being crushed History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10, p.140.
• The Phase of Militarization (Balban): By the mid-13th century, the Mongols had settled in Persia and Transoxiana. Balban shifted from caution to active defense. He created a separate military department (Diwan-i-Arz) and built a chain of strategic forts at Bhatinda, Sunam, and Samana History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10, p.141. He also balanced this with diplomacy, receiving a goodwill mission from Hulagu Khan (the Mongol ruler of Iran) in 1259 History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10, p.142.
• The Phase of Aggressive Resistance (Alauddin Khalji): Unlike his predecessors, Alauddin faced repeated, massive Mongol invasions that reached the very gates of Delhi. He responded by maintaining a permanent standing army and fixing prices of essential goods to sustain them. He repaired old forts and built the new city of Siri as his military headquarters Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII NCERT, p.26.

Essentially, the frontier policy moved from evasion (Iltutmish) to fortification (Balban) and finally to confrontation (Alauddin Khalji). This constant pressure from the North-West explains why the Delhi Sultans were often reluctant to expand deep into Southern India until their northern bases were secure.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140-142; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, Social Science, Class VIII NCERT (Revised ed 2025), Reshaping India’s Political Map, p.26

6. Shams-ud-din Iltutmish: Consolidation and Diplomacy (exam-level)

While Qutb-ud-din Aibak founded the slave dynasty, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish (1211–1236) is historically regarded as the real consolidator of the Delhi Sultanate. He inherited a kingdom that was little more than a collection of loosely held military outposts. To transform this into a stable empire, he had to navigate both internal rebellions and a terrifying external threat: the Mongol Empire under the leadership of Genghis Khan.

The most defining moment of his reign occurred in 1221. The Mongol forces, having devastated the Khwarizmian Empire in Central Asia, reached the banks of the Indus River in pursuit of Jalaluddin Mangabarni, the son of the Khwarizm Shah. Jalaluddin fled into India and sought political asylum and military support from Iltutmish to fight the Mongols. This was a moment of extreme geopolitical peril; agreeing to help a fellow Muslim prince would have brought the full, unstoppable wrath of Genghis Khan down upon the infant Delhi Sultanate.

Iltutmish demonstrated extraordinary diplomatic caution. He politely refused Jalaluddin’s request, famously claiming that the "climate of India would not suit" the prince. By denying asylum and effectively staying neutral, Iltutmish ensured that Genghis Khan had no reason to cross the Indus into the heart of India. As noted in History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140, had he supported Jalaluddin, the Mongols would have likely overrun India with ease, potentially ending the Sultanate before it had even truly begun.

Beyond this diplomatic masterstroke, Iltutmish consolidated his rule internally by organizing the Turkan-i-Chahalgani (the Group of Forty), a corps of elite Turkish slaves who acted as his loyal administrative and military backbone. He also formalized the Iqta system, which provided a stable financial and military framework for the empire. His reign stands as a masterclass in survival through strategic restraint and institutional building.

Sources: History, class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks, p.140

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have mastered the timelines of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mongol Empire, this question tests your ability to synchronize global geopolitical events. The key building block here is the "Mongol Threat," which defined the foreign policy of early Indian Sultans. As you learned in Themes in World History (NCERT) and History (Tamil Nadu State Board), Genghis Khan's expansion peaked in the early 13th century. By aligning his reign (1206–1227) with the rulers of the Slave Dynasty, you can pinpoint the Sultan who faced the immediate ripple effects of his conquests.

To arrive at the correct answer, recall the critical incident of 1221: the Mongol pursuit of the Khwarizm Prince, Jalaluddin. The Mongol forces reached the banks of the Indus, placing the fledgling Delhi Sultanate in existential danger. It was Iltutmish (reigned 1211–1236) who famously exercised diplomatic caution by refusing to grant asylum to the Prince, thereby avoiding the direct wrath of the Great Khan. This strategic decision confirms that (B) Iltutmish was the contemporary who successfully navigated the Mongol storm and saved his kingdom from potential annihilation.

UPSC frequently uses chronological traps to confuse candidates. For instance, Mahmud of Ghazni (971–1030) lived nearly two centuries before the Mongol rise, belonging to the era of early Turkish invasions. Conversely, while Alauddin Khalji and Mohammad bin-Tughlaq are heavily associated with Mongol attacks in textbooks, those raids were conducted by the successor Khanates (such as the Chagatai Khanate) long after Genghis Khan's death. Always distinguish between the founder of an empire and the later incursions to avoid falling for these historical decoys.