[Solved] Firuz Shah Tughlaq Slaves Department | UPSC | Concept & Explanation

With reference to medieval Indian rulers, which one of the following statements is correct?

[UPSC CSE Prelims 2002]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Sultanate rulers created specialized departments (Diwans) to manage different aspects of the state, such as the military, charity, and agriculture.

Authentic Source Evidence

Satish Chandra’s Medieval India notes that Firuz Shah Tughlaq had a great fondness for slaves and created the 'Diwan-i-Bandagan' specifically for their welfare and management.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: Statement A is false. The military department (Diwan-i-Ariz) was established by Balban.

Logic 2: Statement B is false. The branding of horses (Dagh) and descriptive rolls (Chehra) were introduced by Alauddin Khalji.

Logic 3: Statement C is false. MBT was succeeded by his cousin, Firuz Shah Tughlaq.

Logic 4: Statement D is correct. Firuz Shah’s slave department managed over 180,000 slaves.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"What was the purpose of the Diwan-i-Bandagan?"

It was established to maintain a loyal cadre of slaves who could be trained in various crafts and used as a personal guard to the Sultan.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"While intended for stability, the excessive number of slaves under Firuz Shah eventually became a burden on the state and contributed to the Tughlaq decline."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Diwan-i-Bandagan 2Firuz Shah Tughlaq 6

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