Corps of Forty

From Bharatpedia, an open encyclopedia
Information red.svg
Scan the QR code to donate via UPI
Dear reader, We need your support to keep the flame of knowledge burning bright! Our hosting server bill is due on June 1st, and without your help, Bharatpedia faces the risk of shutdown. We've come a long way together in exploring and celebrating our rich heritage. Now, let's unite to ensure Bharatpedia continues to be a beacon of knowledge for generations to come. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference. Together, let's preserve and share the essence of Bharat.

Thank you for being part of the Bharatpedia family!
Please scan the QR code on the right click here to donate.

0%

   

transparency: ₹0 raised out of ₹100,000 (0 supporter)


The Corps of Forty (Persian: گروه چهارده‎, Urdu: گروہِ چالیس), also known as Dal Chalisa or Turkan-e-Chahalgani was the council of 40 mostly Turkic slave emirs who administered the Delhi Sultanate as per the wishes of the sultan. It was the first regular ministerial body in the history of Indian subcontinent. Although all power was vested in the sultan, as the head of state, head of government, commander of the sultanate's armies and the final decision-maker in the judicial system, he needed help ruling his kingdom effectively.[1]

It was initially formed by Qutb al-Din Aibak and later modified by Iltutmish.[2] After Iltutmish's death, the balance of power shifted and the sultan became a puppet of these emirs. They would enthrone and depose Iltutmish's children and grandchildren, often murdering them when they proved troublesome.[3] It would take a brutal man like Sultan Balban, one of Iltutmish's slaves and former member of the Corps, to break the power of the emirs and restore the power & stature of the sultan. This destruction of the Corps would prove to be a double-edged sword. Without the Chahalgani around to maintain a Turkic monopoly on power, the Afghans started climbing the ladders of power and ultimately overthrew the Turks in the Khilji Revolution.

References[edit]

  1. Raj, Ravish. "Crown vs Nobility: Delhi Sultanate (1236-66) BACKGROUND". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. History Guide: General Knowledge for All competitive Exams. by DIGITAL PRESS.
  3. "The Role of Nobility in the Politics of Delhi Sultanate". History Discussion - Discuss Anything About History. 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2019-03-20.