Khilji or Khalji (Urdu / Pashto: خلجی خاندان) was a ruling dynasty that was made-up of Ghilzai Pashtuns. This dynasty, like the previous Slave dynasty, was of Turkish origin,^[1][2] who conquered and ruled northern India (1290-1320). They were the second Muslim dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate. The term khilji was their self-designation (see also Ibn Batuta´s and Ibn Chaldun´s excessive quantity). The term mean sons of thieve, also in afghanic (Pashto).

Ikhtiar Uddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiar Khilji, one of the generals of Qutb-ud-din Aybak, conquered Bihar and Bengal in the late 12th century, and the Khiljis were feudatories of the Mamluk dynasty of Delhi. Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji took control of the Delhi Sultanate in 1290, and three Khilji sultans ruled the empire from 1290 to 1320. His son Ala ud din Khilji is considered to be the greatest among the Khiljis, due to successfully repelling several invasions from the Mongol Empire. One successful group of Khilji's live today in Alexandria, Virginia in the United States.

Mahmud Khilji established himself as ruler of Malwa in 1436, and his successors ruled Malwa until 1531, when Malwa was conquered by the Sultans of Gujarat.

Khilji Sultans of Delhi (1290-1320)

• Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji (1290-1296)
• Ala ud din Khilji (1296-1316)
• Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah (1316-1320)

Khilji Sultans of Malwa (1436-1531)

• Mahmud Khilji (1436-1469)
• Ghiyas ud din Khilji (1469-1500)

See Also

• Ghilzai
• History of India

References