Question

What is meant by ‘internal’ and ‘external’ frontiers of the Sultanate.

Answer 1

Hint: The major expansion of the Delhi Sultanate was undertaken by Mohammed Ghori, Ghiyas-ud-din Balban and Alauddin Khilji. The expansions were both along internal and external frontiers.

Complete answer:
The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire that was ruled by the generals of Mohammad Ghori. The first Sultan of the dynasty was Qutub-uddin-Aibak. It stretched over the Indian continents for about 320 years and also in Pakistan, Bangladesh and northern Nepal. The campaign for internal frontiers were directed towards the consolidation of the garrison towns in the hinterlands. This meant that the forests in the Ganga Yamuna and the Doab region had to be cleared along with the removal of the hunters and gatherers from their habitats.

The lands would be distributed to the peasants for agricultural practices. The protection of trade routes were undertaken along with encouragement of regional trade. During the reign of Alauddin Khilji, military expansions took place in Southern India which reached its climax during the period of Muhammad Tughlaq. During their conquests, the Sultans horses, slaves and precious metals. By the end of Muhammad Tughlaq’s reign, a large part of the subcontinent had been captured as a part of the external frontiers. The Sultanate were responsible for collecting taxes and from the peasants and to deliver justice.

Note: The administration of the Sultanate kept their land records carefully. The internal frontiers referred to the garrison towns. The external frontiers referred to the areas beyond the Garrison towns. During the Sultanate period the culture of the Indian subcontinent was transformed. It led to the evolution and growth of the Hindustani languages and Indo-Islamic cultures.