The Islamic Empires of India: The History of the Muslim Dynasties that Ruled India Before the British

India has been the location of many different empires throughout its long history. The Indus Valley Civilization was home to one of the world’s first civilizations more than 5,000 years ago, and despite India’s tradition of cultural and political pluralism, several rulers attempted to place the entire Sub-Continent under the rule of one dynasty or government with a dominant religion. Most of these would-be rulers were far from successful, although a few came close, setting the template for later conquerors.

The religion of Islam had entered India centuries earlier through merchants and missionaries, but, in the 10th century, warrior bands of Muslims began establishing themselves permanently in what is today Pakistan. From their permanent strongholds, these Muslim warriors of Turkish descent raided northern India, eventually capturing the city of Delhi and establishing what would become the Delhi Sultanate. 

The Delhi Sultanate was comprised of five dynasties that expanded their borders, and Islam, at sword point, but also through diplomacy and trade. The Delhi Sultanate became known as a state that welcomed the expertise of foreigners, no matter their religion, and promoted the welfare of its citizens through a host of social programs. Eventually, the Delhi Sultanate grafted ideas and inspiration from India’s pre-Islamic past with those of Islam to create a state that was quite unique and powerful.

The Mughals, a group with Turkish and Mongolian roots, used gunpowder weapons to sweep into northern India, topple the existing Islamic dynasty in Delhi, and eventually subject most of India to their rule. The term “gunpowder empire” was originally coined by Russian scholar V. V. Bartold and popularized by American historians William McNeil and Marshall Hodgson in the mid-20th century to describe the Islamic Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal empires, which they claimed came to power through gunpowder.