The North-West Frontier under the Khalji Sultans of Delhi
By U. N. Ray
Summary
The article examines the North-West Frontier policy of the Khalji Sultans of Delhi, arguing that they failed to establish a natural frontier for the Indian Empire despite their imperial ambitions. The author states that the Mamluk Sultans had previously maintained a boundary roughly along the Ravi and Beas rivers, using military outposts at Multan, Samana, Sunim, Dipalpur, and Lahore. The Khalji Sultans, including Jalalud-din Firuz Khalji and Alauddin Khalji, did not significantly alter this frontier policy. The main argument is that the Khalji Sultans lacked a coherent frontier defense strategy. Jalalud-din adopted a conciliatory policy towards the Mongols, even offering asylum to Ilkhanid princes like Abdullah and Ulghu Khan after a 1291-92 treaty. However, this did not secure the frontier, and the Ravi continued to serve as the boundary, leaving the western Punjab exposed. Alauddin Khalji, who ascended the throne in 1296 A.D., faced numerous Mongol raids from leaders like Kadar Khan, Saldi, and Targhi. The author uses evidence from contemporary chroniclers such as Barani, Badauni, Isami, and Amir Khusrau to trace these invasions. The battles, including those at Jaran Majaur and against the forces of Targhi, show that the imperial forces never pursued the Mongols beyond the Bari Doab or the Ravi. The article concludes that the western boundary remained roughly from the Kirthar Range to Multan, along the Ravi to the hills, and beyond this lay Mongol or Ghakkari territory. The author asserts that the absence of Mongol raids later in Alauddin's reign was due to internal strife in Transoxiana following the death of Duwa in 1307 A.D., not the Sultan's military or administrative reforms. The author criticizes Alauddin for not securing the natural frontier, comparing his policy unfavorably to that of a modern national monarch, and notes that the frontier forts could not control the mountain passes like Khyber or Bolan. The sources discussed include the works of Barani (Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi), Badauni, Isami (Futuh-us-Salatin), Amir Khusrau, Yahya, and the Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi, alongside modern historical analyses.
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Conclusion
The study reveals that the Khalji Sultans, despite their imperial ambitions, failed to establish a natural frontier for the Delhi Sultanate in the north-west. The political boundary remained largely unchanged from the preceding Mamluk era, resting at the river Ravi. Consequently, crucial territories in western Punjab remained outside the empire's control, rendering the frontier perpetually vulnerable to Mongol incursions. While military outposts like Multan, Dipalpur, and Lahore provided a defensive buffer, they could not secure the strategic mountain passes. The absence of a proactive frontier policy, coupled with Sultan Alauddin Khalji's preoccupation with southern conquests and internal administration, left the north-west border exposed. Ultimately, the cessation of Mongol raids late in his reign stemmed not from effective defensive measures, but from shifting geopolitical turmoil in Transoxiana.