in the regions surrounding Delhi and in the doab . During these campaigns forests were cleared, new roads and forts constructed, the newly deforested lands given to freshly recruited Afghans and others as rent-free lands ( mafruzi ) and brought under cultivation. New forts were constructed to protect trade routes and village markets. Balban and the Problem of Law and Order When Balban took over the reins of power the law and order situation in the Ganga, Jamuna Doab regions had deteriorated badly.
The Rajput zamindars had set up forts and defied the orders of the Sultan. Meos, a Muslim community from north-western region, living in the heavily forested region around Mewat Bandagan is the plural of banda, literally military slaves. They were graded according to the years of service, proximity and trustworthiness. This trust led to their appointment as governors and military commanders.
The Ghurid bandagan in North India were the slaves of Muiz-ud-Din Ghuri. Since these slaves were without a social identity of their own they were given new names by their masters, which included the nisba, which indicated their social or regional identity. Slaves carried the nisba of their master: hence Mu‘izz al-Din’s slave carried the nisba Mu‘izzi and later Sultan Shams-ud-Din Iltutmish’s slave were called the Shamsi bandagan. XI History - Lesson - - Advent of Arabs and Turks Ala-ud-din, a nephew and son-in-law of Jalaluddin Khalji, who was appointed governor of Kara, invaded Malwa and this campaign yielded a huge booty.
The success of this campaign stimulated his urge to embark on a campaign to raid Devagiri, the capital city of the Yadava kingdom in Deccan. On his return he arranged to get Jalaluddin Khalji murdered and captured the throne. Ala-ud-din Khalji ( – ) Ala-ud-din and Nobles Ala-ud-din spent the first year of his rule in eliminating the enemies and strengthening his position in Delhi. Soon he turned his attention to establishing a firm hold over the nobles.
He dismissed several of his top officers. He was particularly severe with the nobles who had shifted loyalty and opportunistically joined him against Jalal-ud-din. Mongol