The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c9.110

c9.110

Unlike Bengal, provinces nearer the capital had a comparatively peaceful history. Their proximity however made them more susceptible to events affecting the central government. The rebellions against Firoz, Raziah and Bahram, as described above, gathered momentum in Awadh and the Doab; aggressions from the semi-autonomous governors of Lakhnauti seemed a recurring feature. The Ganges-Jumna area being the heart of the Delhi kingdom, problems of its control demanded precedence over all others. With Balban’s appointment, continuity of policy and action was assured and Delhi came closer to these provinces than ever before. The almost annual expeditions undertaken by Balban in ‘Hindusthan’ prevented the growth of any rebellious tendency.