Home > Indian History > History of India > Lodi Dynasty
Lodi Dynasty
The last ruling family of the Delhi Sultanate, the Lodi Dynasty was the first Afghan Pashtun Dynasty in India who ruled from AD 1451 to 1526.

Share this Article:

Lodi Dynasty, Delhi SultanateThe Lodi Dynasty was established by the Ghizlai tribe of the Afghans by Bahlul Khan Lodi when he replaced the Sayyid Dynasty. The time of the Lodis was a period of reforms in administration, strengthening of the army, gearing up the machinery of land revenue administration, expansion and improvement of the cultivation and welfare of the people. There were three main rulers in the history of the Lodi Dynasty, all of whom are discussed below in detail:

Bhalul Lodi (AD 1451- 1489)
Founder of the Lodi Dynasty in India and the first Afghan ruler of Delhi, Bahlul Lodi was the nephew and son-in-law of Malik Sultan Shah Lodi, the governor of Sirhind in Punjab. During the reign of the Sayyid dynasty ruler Muhammad Shah, Bahlul Lodi succeeded his uncle and served as the Subedar or Governor of Lahore and Sirhind. Bahlul Lodi seized the throne without much resistance from the last Sayyid ruler of Delhi, Alam Shah. His territory was spread across Jaunpur, Gwalior and northern Uttar Pradesh. During his reign in 1486, he appointed his eldest son Barbak Shah as the Viceroy of Jaunpur.

Lodi Dynasty, Delhi SultanateSikander Lodi (AD 1489- 1517)
Born as Nizam Khan, the second son of Bahlul Lodi was given the title of Sultan Sikander Shah when he succeeded his father as the king. He transferred his capital from Delhi to Agra, a city which he founded in 1504. The village of Sikandara, near Agra, where the tomb of Akbar stands, was named after Sikandar.

Sikander Lodi was the ablest of the 3 Lodi rulers. His empire extended from Punjab to Bihar, and later he signed a treaty with the ruler of Bengal, Alauddin Hussain Shah. It was under his rule that Dariya Khan Lohani was appointed as the Governor of Bengal. Under his rule there was abolition on corn duties and introduction of the system of auditing the accounts and relaxed restrictions on trade, which greatly promoted the economic prosperity of the people. Sikander Lodi introduced "Gaz-i-Sikandari" also known as the Sikandar`s yard, of 39 digits or 32 inches, for the measurement of agricultural land.

Sikander Lodi was a staunch Sunni and a Muslim fanatic, who lacked religious tolerance and levied Jaziya and Pilgrim`s tax on Hindus. Other than this he was a liberal patron of arts and wrote letters and verses in Persian under the pen name of Gulrukhi.

Lodi Dynasty, Delhi SultanateIbrahim Lodi (AD 1517- 1526)
The last sultan of the Lodi Dynasty, Ibrahim Lodi was the youngest son of Sikandar Lodi who succeeded the throne after the death of his father. There were many revolts during his reign; Bihar declared its independence under Dariya Khan Lohani. His repressive policy towards the Lohani, Formuli and Lodi tribes and his unsympathetic treatment of Dilawar Khan, the governor of Lahore, turned the nobles against him. Daulat Khan Lodi, the father of Dilawar Khan and Alam Khan invited Babur, the Timurid ruler of Kabul, to invade India and thus the first Battle of Panipat (AD 1526) ensued, where Babur defeated Ibrahim and killed him. This marked the end of the Lodi Dynasty and the rise of the Mughal Empire in India led by Babur.

Fall of the Lodi Dynasty
When Ibrahim Lodi ascended the throne to Lodi Dynasty, the political structure in the empire had dissolved due to abandoned trade routes and depletion of the treasury. In the 15th century, the supply lines of the coastal trade of the Deccan had collapsed, which resulted in cutting off supplies from the coast to the interior, where the Lodi Dynasty resided. The dynasty was not in a position to protect itself from warfare, if it were to break out on the trade route roads; therefore, they didn"t use those trade routes, thus their trade declined and so did their treasury leaving them vulnerable to internal political problems. It was Daulat Khan, the governor of Punjab region who asked Babur to invade the Lodi kingdom, with the thought of taking revenge from Ibrahim Lodi. The Hindu Rajput leader of Mewar, Rana Sanga also offered his support to Babur to defeat Ibrahim Lodi.


Share this Article:

Subscribe to Newsletter
Learn unknown facts about India from a curated list of informative articles.

Related Articles

More Articles in History of India

History of Indian Drama
History of Indian Drama is rich with Vedas and Indian epics and has gradually changed with time and remains unaffected by any foreign influence.
History of Khajuraho Temple
Located in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is country’s most magnificent groups of temples.
History of Ayurveda
History of Ayurveda dates back to 5,000 years old and is widely considered to be the oldest form of health care in the world.
History of Uttar Pradesh
The state was the heart of Mahabharata war and the history of Uttar Pradesh is very much the history of India. The place finds its mentions in Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.
History of Indian Photography
An overview of the development of photography, through the various stages in India.
History of Delhi
History of Delhi began with the advent of Indian regal dynasties. Delhi witnessed the rise and fall of Hindu dynasties, Muslims and the British as well.
History of Indian Radio
History of Indian Radio dates back to late 1930s with the first establishment of All India Radio in 1936 that improved further after independence.
History of Punjab
History of Punjab dates back to the 16th century; however its formation is traced in the great epic Mahabharata.
History Of Archaeology In India
History of archaeology in India contributes a lot to define the past history and the social life of India.
History of Maharashtra
Maharashtra, the land of charismatic Marathas, unfolds the legend of diverse culture and tradition, keeping in pace with the modernity. The gallant history of Maharashtra is still echoed amidst its historical relics and archeological wonders.
History of Kerala
History of Kerala can be interpreted from the inscriptions of Ashoka, Mauryan Emperor. History of Kerala is as interesting as its wide-ranging geographical features that make the land a place of versatile appeal.
History of Bihar
History of Bihar goes back to the very dawn of the human civilizations. Many eminent personalities and leaders from Bihar contributed for India’s freedom struggle.
History of Assam
In the ancient Indian epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata, Assam was known as `Kamarupa` or `Pragjyotish`. In the Mahabharata, the Puranas, the Tantras there are references of Assam as Kamrupa kingdom.
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands
History of Andaman and Nicobar Islands dates back to the settlement of the East India Company in the territory of the Islands.
History of West Bengal
History of West Bengal is rooted in richness and is an important episode in the history of India. The history of Bengal played an important role in shaping the history of India.
History of Jharkhand
One of the fairly newer states, Jharkhand was carved out of the southern portion of Bihar in 2000. The history of Jharkhand is seeped with a variety of cultural significances starting from the Vedic era to Mughal period and finally the British administration.
History of Sikkim
History of Sikkim declares the pre historic culture and the colonial era hilly politics and the rules of Sikkim.
History of Nagaland
The history of Nagaland mainly revolves around and deals with the customs and economic activities of the Naga Tribes and how the state has evolved since the Indian Independence.
History of Mizoram
History of Mizoram includes the various historical events and incidents which occurred during the various ages, right from before the age of the Mughals.
History of Jammu & Kashmir
History of Jammu and Kashmir involves a series of political and geographical transformations from every ancient era to the modern times also. Even now, Jammu and Kashmir has its political tension between Pakistan and India.
History of Puducherry
Puducherry was invaded by different invaders in different times. The invaders include Pallava Kingdom of Kanchipuram, dynasties of the South, Cholas of Thanjavur, Pandyas and Muslim invaders.
History of Chandigarh
In 1947, the British India was partitioned into India and Pakistan. Punjab was also included in this partition. So, there was a need for a new capital for Punjab, as the old capital Lahore became part of Pakistan during the partition. So, in 1948, under the leadership of chief architect Mr. P.L. Verma the construction of Chandigarh city began.
History of Daman and Diu
During the early stage, i.e. from 8th to 13th century, Daman and Diu was part of Goa.
History of Lakshadweep
History of Lakshadweep defines the first settlement on these islands under the Union Territory of India that was ruled by Cheraman Perumal, who was the last king of Kerala.
History of Karnataka
History of Karnataka comprised of the different rulers of different dynasties of various religions like Hindus, Buddhists, and later the Muslims.
History of Goa
History of Goa dates back to the 3rd century BC and reflects the rule of the mighty rulers and gained its independence under Jawaharlal Nehru.
History of Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh possesses a rich historical heritage of culture of the ancient tribes. Being a bordering state of India, Arunachal Pradesh also has a history of military unrest since ancient Indian age.
History of Andhra Pradesh
History of Andhra Pradesh traces its origin back to the 5th century BC. According to the inscriptions, Kuberaka, the oldest Kingdom in South India had an empire in the coastal Andhra during that period.
History of Himachal Pradesh
History of Himachal Pradesh narrates about the various settlements and dynasties that emerged in the region over time.
History of Uttarakhand
History of Uttarakhand finds mention in the early Hindu scriptures as Kedarkhand, Manaskhand and Himavat. Uttarakhand is called as the Land of the Gods (Dev Bhoomi) because of its various holy places and shrines.
History of Rajasthan
The history of Rajasthan is dotted with tales of valor, chivalry, camaraderie and romance.
History of Tamil Nadu
History of Tamil Nadu reveals that this ancient place in South India was ruled by various kingdoms like the Pandyas Dynasty, Cholas Dynasty, Nayakas Dynasty and Pallavas Dynasty.
History of Haryana
History of Haryana depicts various events and influences that have cast a profound effect on the culture and people of the district. The place gained statehood on 1st of November 1966
History of Odisha
History of Odisha goes back a rather long way. Most of the history of the state is replete with the dynastic as well as tribal struggle for territorial superiority. Odisha is a place where one can find the religion, culture and history flow in away that lead to cultural amalgamation of early India.
History of Manipur
History of Manipur can be traced back to the prehistoric ages and this was followed by a number of rulers who reigned the land from age to age till it came under British rule and later joined the union of India.
History of Gujarat
History of Gujarat can be dated back to the 14th century that later witnessed the supremacy of many powerful dynasties.
History of Tripura
History of Tripura is dealing with the early mythological history and the history of British rule in North eastern part of India.
History of Meghalaya
The history of Meghalaya predominantly comprises of the three tribes of the state- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia tribes. Later on Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam.
History of Chhattisgarh
History of Chhattisgarh dates back to the era of epics and traces through the reign of powerful dynasties in India like Marathas. The area developed a rich cultural heritage during British era.