Economy During Delhi Sultanate
Agrarian Structure and Relations
The principal achievement of the Delhi Sultans was the systematisation of land revenue administration. Immediately after the conquest, settlements were made with the members of the defeated aristocracies and so land revenue was the same as tributes fixed on subjugated rulers. The introduction of radical reforms in the revenue system came only after a century of experience and adaptation.
After consolidating their position in India, the Delhi Sultans classified the land into three categories: iqta land, i.e., land assigned to officials as iqtas; khalisa land or crown land, i.e., land which was under the direct control of the Sultan and whose revenues were meant for the maintenance of the court and royal household; înam land (also known as madad-i-maash or waqf land) i.e., land assigned or granted to pious persons, religious leaders and also to religious institutions.
The establishment of the Delhi sultanate marked a new phase in the cultural development of the country. When the Turks came to India, they not only had a well-defined faith in Islam to which they were deeply attached, they also had definite ideas of government, arts, architecture, etc. The interaction of the Turks with the Indians who had strong religious beliefs, well-defined ideas of arts, architecture and literature resulted, in the long run, in a rich development.
Art and Architecture
The Turks eschewed representation of human and animal figures in the buildings. Instead, they used geometrical and floral designs, combining them with panels of inscriptions containing verses from the Quran. Thus, the Arabic script itself became a work of art. They also freely borrowed Hindu motifs such as the bell motif, lotus, etc. The skill of the Indian stone-cutters was fully used.