Agricultural Development during the Delhi Sultanate

The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526 CE) marked a crucial phase of agrarian reorganization and expansion in medieval India.The Sultans, through state control and systematic revenue administration, created conditions for agricultural growth, irrigation development, and rural integration.The introduction of new crops, better irrigation practices, and market linkages under rulers like Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad bin Tughlaq laid the foundation for later Mughal agrarian reforms.

Background

• Before 1206 CE, India’s economy was largely village-based and dependent on seasonal rainfall.
• Agriculture was the primary occupation and main source of state revenue.
• The early Turkish rulers inherited a rich but regionally fragmented agrarian system—with fertile Gangetic plains, ....