With reference to the Delhi Sultanate, answer the following questions to understand its historical significance and contributions:

(a) How did disunity among Indian kings pave the way for the Turks to establish their rule?

(b) Why was the Delhi Sultanate significant in medieval Indian history?

(c) Name the five dynasties that ruled the Delhi Sultanate and their respective time periods.

(a) During the 10th and 11th centuries, North India saw the emergence of many small kingdom and due to the absence of a strong central government, these kingdoms were often in conflict with one another, leading to a lack of political unity. This disunity paved the way for the Turks to achieve swift victories during their conquests in the 11th and 12th centuries. By the 13th century CE, their empire was firmly established.

(b) The Delhi Sultanate ruled much of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh for over 300 years. The rulers of the five dynasties, known as Sultans, governed from Delhi, which served as their capital and gave this period its name. This perios saw the rise of many important reforms in most parts of India, that were united under the Delhi Sultanate.

(c) The Delhi Sultanate (1206—1526) was ruled by five successive dynasties :

1. The Slave Dynasty (1206—1290)
2. The Khalji Dynasty (1290-1320)
3. The Tughlaq Dynasty (1320—1414)
4. The Sayyid Dynasty (1414—1451)
5. The Lodi Dynasty (1451—1526)