Question

'Chahalgani' means_______________.
A.Turkish noble under Iltutmish
B.Slaves inherited by him from his predecessors
C.General cadre of slaves
D.The elite cadre of slave officers under him

Answer 1

Hint:Chahalghani was an initiation made by Iltutmish, one of the major Mamluk kings and the ruler of Ghurid territories situated around Delhi. He was the first Muslim king who ruled the regions near Delhi. Hence, he is considered as the effective founder of the Delhi Sultanate. Iltutmish is the real founder of the slave dynasty and along with it he founded the 'Chalisha', Turk-i-Chahalgani and Chahalgani system as a part of establishing an effective administration.

Complete answer:
When Iltutmish took charge of the Delhi sultanate, he decided to organize an administration in order to lay the foundation for future dominance over north India. he organized a group of forty nobles who had important roles in the administration of Delhi Sultanate. They all were Turkish nobles who excelled in their fields. He named the group Chahalgani. The Iltutmish divided the empire into different divisions called Iqtas. These divisions were assigned to the nobles and officers in lieu of salary. He constructed many historical structures, including mosques, khanqahs (monasteries), dargahs (shrines or graves of influential people) and a reservoir (hawz) for pilgrims.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: Iltutmish laid the cornerstone, as a fully independent state, of the Delhi Sultanate, freeing it from a subordinate role to Ghazni. The investiture of the Caliph, although a mere formality, reaffirmed his position among the Muslims as an independent ruler. The Delhi Sultanate had emerged as the largest and most powerful kingdom in northern India by the time of his death.