Ghiyath Ud Din Tughluq Shah II

In 1388 C.E., Ghiyath Ud Din Tughluq Shah II assumed the throne of the Tughlaq Dynasty. He ruled the Sultanate Of Delhi for around five months.

This article will briefly look at the Life of Ghiyath ud din Tughluq Shah II. This article will outline the major facts and instances of his reign.

Ghiyath ud din Tughluq Shah II ruled for a very short timespan i.e. from 1388 to 1389. Let us study him, which will eventually be very beneficial for UPSC exam preparation.

Tughlaq Dynasty – In a Nutshell

1. Muslim dynasty that ruled parts of India from the early 14th century to mid-15th century
2. Founded by Ghazi Malik, a governor under the Khilji dynasty
3. Ghazi Malik declared himself Sultan and established the Tughlaq dynasty in 1320
4. Known for centralization of power, administrative reforms, and military campaigns
5. Rulers attempted to control a vast empire, including parts of modern-day India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh
6. Attempts at reforming economic and social structure of the empire, such as introducing new currency system and uniform code of law
7. Marked by instability, frequent rebellions, civil wars, and succession disputes
8. Declined after the death of most prominent ruler, Mohammad bin Tughlaq, in 1351
9. Despite mixed legacy, played important role in shaping the history of the Indian subcontinent and influencing subsequent dynasties.

Who Was Ghiyath Ud Din Tughlaq Shah II?

Ghiyath ud din Shah II, born Tughluq Khan, is a major ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. He was the son of Fateh Khan.

He was the grandson of Sultan Firoz Shah. He was the 20th Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate. In 1388, he came to the throne and reigned for five months. His period of the reign was in effect from 20 September 1388 to 14 March 1389.

His dynasty was troubled by a succession crisis, with Muhammad Shah Ibn Feroze Shah claiming the throne.

The Reign

1. Ghiyath ud din Tughluq Shah II took over the throne following the demise of Firoz Shah Tughlaq. Tughluq Khan faced major issues because of Muhammad Shah. Muhammad Shah wanted to claim the throne for his brother Zafar Khan’s son, Abu Bakr Khan.
2. To fight him, Tughlaq Khan sent troops in the direction of the Sirmur Hills. After a brief quarrel, Muhammad Shah ibn Feroze Shah fled to the Fort of Kangra.
3. Tughlaq Khan’s army turned back to Delhi without pursuing him any further due to the difficulty of the mission and the terrain.
4. However, certain Amirs eventually teamed up with Abu Bakr Khan, in a conspiracy to assassinate Tughluq Khan. Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq II ruled for 5 months and 18 days, before being encircled, slain, and having their heads hanged over the Delhi city gate.

Conclusion

Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq II, unfortunately, reigned for a very short period. He was a Muslim Turkic ruler. He was not a very able emperor. Under his rule, his reign was not managed and controlled properly.

However, he passed away within a year. Following his demise, Sultanate fell into political instability. Nasiruddin Mahmud Shah was the eventual ruler.

After the demise of Ghiyath ud Din in 1325:

His son Juna (who was also known as Ulugh Khan) took over as the ruler, and became known as Mohammad-bin-Tughlaq.

During his rule in 1398, Timur, the Mongol leader of Central Asia took major steps. He initiated the seizure of India. They dealt with distress because of this.

After his assassination, Sultan Abu Bakr Shah wore the crown. Abu Bakr Shah, a Turkic ruler, ruled the kingdom of Delhi from 1389 to 1390.

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