Officers of the Delhi Sultanate: Easy to Learn Compilation

Delhi Sultante were the Persian-speaking dynasties of Turkic and Afghan origin, which were controlling India from 1210 to 1526. Many of these dynasties ruled from Delhi. This includes the Slave dynasty (1206-90), the Khilji dynasty (1290-1320), the Tughlaq dynasty (1320-1413), the Sayyid dynasty (1414-51), and the Lodi dynasty (1451-1526). Later on, after India fell to the Mughals.

Let’s learn the important Central Departments under Delhi Sultanate first and then learn the officers involved.

Central Departments under Delhi Sultante

Central Department	Function
Diwan-i-Risalat	Department of appeals
Diwan-i-arz	Department of Military
Diwan-i-Bandagan	Department of slaves
Diwan-i-Qaza-i-Mamalik	Department of justice
Diwan-i-Ishtiaq	Department of pensions
Diwan-i-Mustakhraj	Department of arrears
Diwan-i-Khairat	Department of charity
Diwan-i-kohi	Department of agriculture
Diwan-i-insha	Department of correspondence

Officers of the Delhi Sultanate (Central Level)

Officer: Central Level	Duty Performed
Wazir	Chief Minister; in charge of revenue & finances.
Ariz-i-Mumalik	Head of military department
Qazi	Legal Officer; dispensing Sharia law
Wakil-i-dar	Controller of Royal household
Barid-i-Mumalik	Head of state news agency
Amir-i-majlis	Officer in charge of Royal feasts & festivals
Majlis-i-am	Council of friends and officers consulted on important affairs of the state
Dahir-i-mumalik	Head of Royal correspondence
Sadr-us-sudur	Dealt with religious matters and endowments
Sadr-i-jahan	Officers in charge of religious matters and endowments
Amir-i-dad	Public prosecutor
Naib wazir	Deputy Minister
Mushrif-i-mumalik	Accountant general
Amir-i-hazib	Officer in charge of the Royal court
Qazi-i-mumalik	Chief Justice
Qazi-ul-kazat	Head of chief judicial department
Amir-i-Akhur	Officer commanding Royal Horses
Shahna-i-pil	Superintendent of Royal Elephants
Amir-i-bahr	Officer in charge of police & transport naval port

Officers of the Delhi Sultanate (Provincial Level)

Officials: Provincial	Function
Amir	Governor
Mukti/ Wali	Responsible for law & order and collection of taxes in their iqtas
Nazir/ Wakuf	Officials responsible for collecting revenue in the provinces
Sahib-i-diwan	Maintained accounts of the provinces and sent them to central administration
Shiqdar	Officer in charge of land measuring a shiq

Compare, Connect and Learn Faster: Indian Political History

• Officers of the Mughal Empire: Easy to Learn Compilation
• Officers of the Delhi Sultanate: Easy to Learn Compilation
• Officers of the Gupta Empire: Easy to Learn Compilation
• Officers of the Mauryan Empire: Easy to Learn Compilation
• Officers during the Vedic Period: Easy to Learn Compilation

Compiled by: Jishnu J Raju