Understanding Political Evolution in Early Medieval South Asia: A Comparative Analysis of Political Management of Ala-al-Din Khalji (r.1296-1316) and Muhammad Bin Tughlaq (r.1325-1351)

Abstract

Political development in South Asia in the medieval period manifests evolutionary trends. This evolution owes its existing to the discursivity that engages politics with religion, culture, social standards and geography. Political ideologies, structures and deliverance remains relative and reflexive in the wake of a continuous discourse. This paper examines the process of political evolution during Sultanate period by comparing the development in political ideology, institutional structuring and policy making in the reigns of Ala-al-din Khalji and Muhammad bin Tughlaq. Besides, this paper also examines the comparatives impacts of idealistic and pragmatic steps taken by Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Ala-al-din Khalji.