Question

Give a comparison between Khilji and Tughlaq rulers.

Answer 1

Sr. No.	Aspect	Khilji rulers	Tughlaq rulers
1.	Origin & background of rulers	Turkish origin; Khan/Khilji family that succeeded the Mamluks. Alauddin rose to power by ruthless consolidation after Ghiyas-ud-din’s fall.	Turkish origin (Tughlaq family). Ghiyasuddin established the dynasty after killing the last Khilji; later rulers were more Persianate and scholarly in orientation.
2.	Notable policies & experiments	Price control for essential commodities, cash payment to soldiers, tight policing of markets and agents practical measures oriented to military needs.	Bold but often ill-planned experiments: shifting the capital to Daulatabad (Devagiri) and ordering mass transfers; introduction of token currency (failed); large-scale revenue compilation many initiatives were innovative but badly executed.
3.	Capital, urban projects & architecture	Built Siri Fort, Alai Darwaza, Hauz-i-Alai (Hauz-i-Khas) and other monuments; contributed to urban and architectural growth in Delhi.	Ghiyasuddin built Tughlaqabad Fort; Firoze Shah founded Firozabad, undertook public works, irrigation, and charitable projects. Architectural style more austere; Firoze Shah’s reign saw construction and welfare buildings.
4.	Justice, law & treatment of nobles	Harsh punishments and strict control to curb nobles’ power; Alauddin curtailed noble autonomy to keep central authority strong.	Firoze Shah relaxed harsh punishments and allowed nobles hereditary holdings, which improved popularity temporarily but ultimately encouraged nobles to assert independence. Muhammad bin’s impatience and harsh fiscal enforcement alienated local elites and peasants.
5.	Personality, education & leadership style	Alauddin: energetic, militaristic, practical, ruthless; not formally schooled but an effective general and administrator. Khilji rulers emphasised strong control and military readiness.	Muhammad bin Tughlaq: highly learned (mathematics, astronomy, languages, calligraphy) and idealistic but impractical, hasty and impatient, brilliant but often unsuccessful in implementation. Ghiyasuddin and Firoze Shah were more moderate/administrative.
6.	Revenue, taxation & economic policy	Alauddin continued heavy land revenue but coupled with price controls to ensure supplies for army and urban population. Policies were strict and enforced to keep the capital and military provisioned.	Muhammad bin Tughlaq tried to standardise revenue records and increased taxes (even in famine years in some regions), which caused peasant distress and desertion of land. His token currency and other financial experiments failed and hurt the economy.