Khalji

The Khalji, also spelled Khilji, were a Turko-Afghan dynasty that ruled a significant portion of the Indian subcontinent during the Delhi Sultanate. The dynasty was founded by Alauddin Khalji, who seized control of Delhi in 1296. The Khalji period is notable for its territorial expansion and administrative reforms. Alauddin Khalji is credited with consolidating and expanding the Sultanate's control over vast territories in North India and initiating military campaigns into the Deccan.

The Khalji rulers implemented a series of economic and administrative policies. Alauddin Khalji introduced market control regulations to stabilize prices of essential commodities and reformed the land revenue system to increase state income. He also established a standing army and modernized military organization. His reign, however, was also marked by harsh measures and suppression of dissent.

The dynasty faced internal strife and external threats. After Alauddin Khalji's death in 1316, the Sultanate experienced a period of instability. His successors struggled to maintain control, and the dynasty eventually fell to Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, who founded the Tughlaq dynasty in 1320, bringing the Khalji era to a close. Despite its relatively short duration, the Khalji dynasty left a significant impact on the political and administrative landscape of the Delhi Sultanate.