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{{Short description|Subdivision of the Mughal Empire between 1580–1857}}
{{Infobox former country
| conventional_long_name = Delhi Subah
| common_name = Delhi Subah
| era = Early modern period
| year_start = 1580
| year_end = 1857
| date_end = 21 September
| event_end = [[Siege of Delhi (1857)|Siege of Delhi]]
| area_label = 1601
| area_sq_mi = 66797<ref>{{Cite book |last=Habib |first=Irfan |url= |title=An Atlas of the Mughal Empire: Political and Economic Maps with Detained Notes, Bibliography and Index |date=1986 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-560379-8 |language=en|chapter=Table I: Area and ''ʽJama'' of the Mughal Empire, c. 1601|author-link=Irfan Habib|pages=xii–xiii}}</ref>
| life_span =
| p1 = Mughal Empire
| s1 = Durrani Empire
| flag_s1 = Flag of Herat until 1842.svg
| s2 = Sikh Confederacy
| flag_s2 = Kattar Dhal Talwar.jpg
| image_map = Elaborately illustrated map of the Shahjahanabad Subah of the Mughal Empire, commissioned by Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil, ca.1770.jpg
| image_map_caption = Elaborately illustrated map of the Delhi Subah of the Mughal Empire commissioned by Jean Baptiste Joseph Gentil, ca.1770
| capital = Delhi
| government_type = [[Administrative division|Subdivision]]
| leader1 = Subedar
| title_leader = Subedar
| today = {{plainlist|
* [[India]]}}
}}
'''Delhi Subah''', also known as the '''Shahjahanabad Subah''',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sinha |first=Surendra Nath |title=Subah of Allahabad Under the Great Mughals, 1580-1707 |publisher=Jamia Millia Islamia |year=1974 |isbn=9780883866030 |pages=95}}</ref> was one of the ''[[Subah|subahs]]'' (provincial-level [[Government of the Mughal Empire|administrative division]]) of the [[Mughal Empire]]. During the Mughal Empire, the [[Punjab|Punjab region]] consisted of three subahs: [[Subah of Lahore|Lahore]] and [[Subah of Multan|Multan]] subahs, and parts of Delhi Subah.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wahi |first=Tripta |title=Irrigation, State and Society in Pre-colonial India |publisher=Nehru Memorial Museum and Library |year=2013 |isbn=9789383650002 |pages=3}}</ref><ref name="Redfort">{{Cite web |title=Red Fort Complex |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704063551/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/231 |archive-date=4 July 2018 |access-date=11 December 2018 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Hearn1906>{{cite book|last=Hearn|first=Gordon Risley|title=The Seven Cities of Delhi|url=https://archive.org/stream/sevencitiesofdel00hear |year=1906|publisher=W. Thacker |location=London |pages=134–173}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rathore |first=Abhinay |title=History of Rajputs in India |url=https://www.indianrajputs.com/history/ |access-date=2024-10-03 |website=Rajput Provinces of India |language=en}}</ref>

Delhi remained an important place for the Mughals, who built palaces and forts. Most importantly, [[Shah Jahan]] ordered his famous chief architect, [[Ustad Ahmad Lahori]] to build the walled city between 1638 and 1649, containing the [[Delhi Fort|Lal Qila]] and the [[Chandni Chowk]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Khan (Arshi) |first=I. N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=teHRAgAAQBAJ&dq=Ustad+Ahmad+Lahori&pg=PT38 |title=BLACK TAJ MAHAL: The Emperor's Missing Tomb |date=2015-08-28 |publisher=Black Taj Project |isbn=978-81-927479-0-3 |page=38 |language=en}}</ref> Delhi was one of the original twelve [[Subah|subahs]] (imperial Mughal provinces), renamed Shahjahanabad in 1648, bordering [[Awadh]], Agra, [[Ajmer]], [[Multan]], and [[Lahore]] subahs. [[Daryaganj]] had the original [[cantonment]] of Delhi, after 1803, where a native regiment of Delhi [[garrison]] was stationed, which was later shifted to the Ridge area. East of Daryaganj was Raj ghat Gate of the walled city, opening at [[Raj Ghat]] on [[Yamuna River]].<ref>[[Old Delhi#Fa|Fanshawe, p. 67]]</ref> The first wholesale market of Old Delhi opened as the hardware market in [[Chawri Bazaar]] in 1840, the next wholesale market was that of dry fruits, spices, and herbs at [[Khari Baoli]], opening in 1850. The ''Phool Mandi'' (Flower Market) of Daryaganj was established in 1869, and even today, despite serving a small geographical area, it is of great importance due to dense population.<ref>{{cite book |author=Ashok Kumar Jain |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ye0fMoARJ2YC&q=Darya+Ganj&pg=PA176 |title=Urban transport: planning and management |publisher=APH Publishing |year=2009 |isbn=978-81-313-0441-9 |pages=166, 176 |access-date=17 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403102044/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ye0fMoARJ2YC&q=Darya+Ganj&pg=PA176 |archive-date=3 April 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== History ==
The early modern period in Indian history is marked with the rise of the [[Mughal Empire]] between the 16th and 18th centuries. After the fall of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals ruled from [[Agra]], [[Fatehpur Sikri|Sikri]] and [[Lahore]], but the city once became the capital in 1648 during the rule of [[Shah Jahan]], and remained the capital until the fall of the empire. During this time, Delhi became a center for culture, and poets such as [[Ghalib]], [[Khwaja Mir Dard|Dard]], [[Daagh Dehlvi|Dagh]] and [[Mohammad Ibrahim Zauq|Zauq]] lived in the city and sought patronage of the emperor. The Mughals also built several monuments in the city including [[Humayun's Tomb]], [[Red Fort]], and [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]].

=== Babur and Humayun (1526–1556) ===
{{See also|Sur Empire|Hemu}}
The first Mughal Emperors [[Babur]] (1526–1530) and [[Humayun]] (1530–1540, restored 1556–57) ruled from Agra, unlike the preceding Delhi Sultans.

In the mid-16th century there was an interruption in the Mughal rule of India as [[Sher Shah Suri]] defeated [[Humayun]] and forced him to flee to [[Safavid Empire|Persia]]. Sher Shah Suri built the sixth city of Delhi, as well as the old fort known as [[Purana Qila]], even though this city was settled since the ancient era. After Sher Shah Suri's death in 1545, his son [[Islam Shah Suri|Islam Shah]] took the reins of north India from Delhi. Islam Shah ruled from Delhi. Then Humayun was briefly restored; but meanwhile in 1553 the Hindu [[Hem Chandra Vikramaditya|Hemu]] became the Prime Minister and Chief of Army of Adil Shah.

Hemu fought and won 22 battles in all against rebels and (twice) against the Mughal Akbar's army in Agra and Delhi, without losing any. After defeating Akbar's army on 7 October 1556 at Tughlaqabad fort area in [[Battle of Tughlaqabad|Battle of Delhi]], Hemu acceded to Delhi throne and established Hindu Raj in North India for a brief period, taking the title 'Vikramaditya' at his coronation in [[Purana Quila]], Delhi. Hemu was defeated at the [[Second Battle of Panipat|second battle of Panipat]] by Mughal forces led by [[Akbar]]'s regent [[Bairam Khan]], thus reinstating Mughal rule in the region.

=== Akbar to Aurangzeb (1556–1707) ===
The third and greatest Mughal emperor, [[Akbar]] (1556–1605), continued to rule from [[Agra]], resulting in a decline in the fortunes of Delhi.

In the mid-17th century, the Mughal Emperor [[Shah Jahan]] (1628–1658) built the city that sometimes bears his name [[Shahjahanabad]], the seventh city of Delhi that is now commonly known as the old city or old Delhi.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Centre |first=UNESCO World Heritage |title=Delhi{{Snd}} A Heritage City |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5743/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424023553/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5743/ |archive-date=24 April 2018 |access-date=11 December 2018 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Hearn1906 /> This city contains a number of significant architectural features, including the [[Delhi Fort|Red Fort]] (''Lal Qila'') and the [[Jama Masjid, Delhi|Jama Masjid]].<ref name="Redfort"/> The city served as the capital of the later Mughal Empire from 1638 onward, when Shah Jahan transferred the capital back from Agra.

[[Aurangzeb]] (1658–1707) crowned himself as emperor in Delhi in 1658 at the [[Shalimar Bagh, Delhi|Shalimar garden]] ('Aizzabad-Bagh) with a second coronation in 1659.

After 1680, the Mughal Empire's influence declined rapidly as the [[Hindu]] [[Maratha Empire]] rose to prominence.<ref>{{cite book |last=Thomas |first=Amelia |title=Rajasthan, Delhi, and Agra |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-74104-690-8}}</ref>

=== Decline of Mughals ===
{{Further|Maratha Empire|Mughal–Maratha Wars}}{{See also|Battle of Delhi (1737)|Capture of Delhi (1753)|Battle of Delhi (1757)|Battle of Delhi (1783)}}
The [[Mughal Empire]] suffered several blows due to invasions from [[Maratha Empire|Marathas]], [[Bharatpur State|Jats]], [[Durrani Empire|Afghans]] and [[Sikh Empire|Sikhs]]. In 1737, [[Bajirao I]] marched towards Delhi with a huge army. The Marathas defeated the Mughals in the First Battle of Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d1wUgKKzawoC&dq=Mir+Hasan+Khan+delhi+1737&pg=PA117|title=Advanced Study in the History of Modern India 1707-1813|first=Jaswant Lal|last=Mehta|date=January 1, 2005|publisher=Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ga-pmgxsWwoC&dq=Bajirao+I&pg=PA12|title=History Modern India|first=S. N.|last=Sen|date=November 20, 2006|publisher=New Age International|via=Google Books}}</ref> The [[Maratha Empire|Maratha]] forces sacked Delhi following their victory against the Mughals.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} In 1739, the Mughal Empire lost the huge [[Battle of Karnal]] in less than three hours against the numerically outnumbered but military superior Persian army led by [[Nader Shah]] during his [[Nader Shah's invasion of India|invasion]] after which he [[Sack of Delhi|completely sacked and looted Delhi]], the Mughal capital, followed by massacre for 2 days, killing over 30,000 civilians and carrying away immense wealth including the [[Peacock Throne]], the [[Daria-i-Noor]], and [[Koh-i-Noor]]. Nader eventually agreed to leave the city and India after forcing the Mughal emperor [[Muhammad Shah|Muhammad Shah I]] to beg him for mercy and granting him the keys of the city and the royal treasury.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Jagmohan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QsDSGn8jLPAC&q=muhammad+shah+nader+shah+beg+for+mercy&pg=PA298 |title=Soul and Structure of Governance in India |publisher=Allied Publishers |year=2005 |isbn=9788177648317 |access-date=2 June 2014}}</ref>

== Administrative divisions ==
The Delhi Subah was divided into ''[[Sarkar (administrative division)|sarkars]]'' (equivalent to [[District|districts]]), with them being as follows as per the ''[[Ain-i-Akbari]]'':<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Habib |first=Irfan |title=An Atlas of the Mughal Empire: Political and Economic Maps with Detailed Notes, Bibliography and Index |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1986 |edition=reprint |location=New Delhi |pages=sheets 0A and 4A, pages VII–VIII, 8–13}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+List of ''[[Sarkar (administrative division)|sarkars]]'' of Delhi Subah in 1601{{Efn|The area of the sarkars is based on the years 1595–6/1601. The revenue figures are the official estimates for ''jama'' or ''naqdī'' as per the ''Ain-i-Akbari''. However, the revenue figures do not take into account the regional variations in price-levels. The jama' is stated in ''dams'' (a copper coin). At the time of the Ain-i-Akbari one rupee was worth 40 dams.|group=note}}<ref name=":0" />
!No.
!Name
!Area ([[Square mile|sq. mi.]])
!Revenue (''[[Dam (Indian coin)|dams]]'')
|-
|1.
|Delhi Sarkar
|7,962 mi2
|123,012,596
|-
|2.
|[[Badaun]] Sarkar
|5,628 mi2
|34,817,063
|-
|3.
|[[Kumaon Kingdom|Kumaun]] Sarkar
|18,846 mi2
|45,437,700
|-
|4.
|[[Sambhal]] Sarkar
|5,585 mi2
|66,941,431
|-
|5.
|[[Saharanpur]] Sarkar
|3,480 mi2
|87,839,859
|-
|6.
|[[Rewari]] Sarkar
|1,201 mi2
|28,807,718
|-
|7.
|[[Hisar (city)|Hissar Firuza]] Sarkar
|12,445 mi2
|52,554,905
|-
|8.
|[[Sirhind]] Sarkar
|11,650 mi2
|160,790,549
|-
! colspan="2" |Total for the subah:
!66,797 mi2
!600,201,821
|}
The sarkars were subdivided into ''[[Pargana|pargannahs]]'' (equivalent to [[Subdistrict|sub-districts]] or ''[[Tehsil|tehsils]]''). For example, the Sirhind Sarkar was further subdivided into twenty-eight pargannahs spread across the [[Doab|Yamuna-Sutlej Doab]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Panag |first=H. S. |date=4 July 2017 |title=The razing of Sirhind |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/shooting-straight/the-razing-of-sirhind/ |access-date=16 March 2025 |work=Times of India}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

== See also ==

* [[Administrative divisions of India]]
* [[Delhi Territory]]
* [[Pargana|Subah or Taraf, Pargana or Mahal, Mauza or Pir]]

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Mughal subahs|Delhi]]

Subah of Delhi - Revision history

DesignersX: adding