The Dynasty founded by Qutub-ud-Din Aibak in India is known as the Slave Dynasty. However this description is not accurate. Out of all the kings belonging to the so-called Slave Dynasty, only three, viz., Qutub-ud-Din Aibak, Iltutmish and Balban were Slaves and even they were manumitted by their masters. Aibak received a letter of manumission from Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din Mahmud the nephew and success or of Muhammad Ghori, before his elevation to the throne of Delhi.

Iltutmish was also freed by his master. Balban who belonged to the Forty Turkish Slaves of Iltutmish, was given freedom by his master. It is also not proper to describe the dynasty as Afghan dynasty or Pathan Dynasty as all the rulers of the so-called Slave Dynasty were neither Afghans nor Pathans but Turks.

Sir Woleseley Haig says: “The designation of this dynasty will appear to many a contradiction in terms; but in an eastern monarchy, where the sovereign was the heir of all his subjects, who held both life and property at his pleasure, to be the personal Slave of the ruler was a distinction rather than a disgrace.

The Ghaznavids were sprung from a Turkish Slave; the Mamelukes, at a later period, were the Circassian slaves of Egyptian rulers. Loyal service earned for a slave a regard and esteem sometimes withheld from a son born in the purple and corrupted from his cradle by flattery and luxury.

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A favourite slave often received the hand of his master’s daughter in marriage; and Muhammad Ghori, when a courtier condoled with him on having no son, is said to have replied that in his Turkish slaves he had thousands of sons, who would succeed his and carryon his name.'”

Qutb-ud-Din Aibak (1206-10)

Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was the real founder of the Turkish dominion in India. He was born of Turkish parents in Turkestan. When he was merely a boy, he was taken to Nishapur by a merchant where he was purchased by the local Qazi as a slave.

The Qazi provided for his religious and military training along with his own sons. When the Qazi died, he was sold by his sons to a merchant who took him to Ghazni where he was purchased by Muhammad Ghori.

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Rise of Qutub-ud-Din Aibak

Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was “endowed with all laudable, qualities and admirable impressions” though “he possessed no outward comeliness.” He attracted the attention of his new master by his courage, manly bearing and generosity.

He proved himself to be so faithful to his master that he was appointed a commander of a section of the army of his master He was also appointed Amir-i-Akhur or Master of the Stables. He rendered so valuable services to his master during his Indian expeditions that he was placed in charge of his Indian conquests after the second battle of Tarain in 1192 A.D.

Thus, he was left “untrammeled not only in his administration of the new conquests, but also in his discretion to extend them.” Aibak made Indraprastha near Delhi his head quarters.

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In order to strengthen his own position, Qutb-ud-Din Aibak entered into matrimonial alliances with important personalities. He himself married the daughter of Taj-ud-Din Yildoz. He married his sister to Nasir-ud-Din Qabacha. To Iltutmish, he married his daughter.

In 1192 A.D., he crushed a rebellion in Ajmer and Meerut. In 1194 A.D., he crushed a second rebellion in Ajmer. In the same year, he helped his master Muhammad Ghori in defeating Jai Chandra, the ruler of Kanauj, in the battle of Chandwara. In 1197 A.D., he punished Bhimdev of Gujarat, plundered his capital and came back to Delhi by way of Hansi.

In 1202 A.D., he besieged the fortress of Kalinjar in Bundelkhand and captured the same. He got a lot of booty. Thousands of persons were made prisoners. He marched to the city of Mahoba and took possession of it. Next he occupied Badaun which was one of the richest cities of Hindustan.

One of his lieutenants, lkhtiyar-ud-din, conquered Bihar and a part of Bengal. Thus, before his accession to the throne in 1206 A.D., Qutb-ud-Din Aibak was already in possession of almost the whole of Northern India as a lieutenant of his master and his representative in India.