Khizr khan

Khizr Khan was Delhi’s Sayyid ruler. His rule started after the Tughlaq dynasty’s aftermath in 1413. He always had battles with Rajput rulers to obtain suzerainty. Khizr Khan was close to the TimuridEmpire and was the general of Timur. Khizr khan defeated Daulat khan after Sultan Mahmud’s demise because of the unrest of Khokhar’s revolt. Khizr Khan had to face the enmity from Doab, Malwa, Jaunpur and Gujarat’s rulers during his 7-year reign. 

Khizr khan

. Khizr khan defeated DaulatKhan Lodhi in around 1414 and became Delhi’s sultan. Timur’s invasion at that time aided him to become Lahore’s governor. Khizr khan’s humble and prophet-like nature gave him the title of Sayyid. Khizr khan’s rein tenure was not considerably memorable. He failed multiple times to defeat or to take over Jaunpur under his control during his rule. Khizr khan made many amendments to connect Delhi Sultanate with Punjab province. Rajputs of Etawah were crushed in the battle because of Khizr Khan’s ferocious attacks and hence had to surrender to Delhi’s rule. Amir Timur’s constant fear had restrained the thoughts of gaining royal titles for Khizr Khan despite being the sultan of his time. Only post names that Khizr Khan took as a namesake were “Masnad -e – aali” and “Rayat-e-aala”. 

Khizr khan sayyid

Khizr Khan had to allow coin manufacturing and circulating all around his region in the names of erstwhile Tughlaq rulers. Mubarak Khan being the son of Khizr Khan took over Delhi’s throne around 1421. Khizr khan Sayyid was eventually termed as one of the last remaining rulers of the Delhi sultanate. Khizr Khan’s reign was the fourth ruler ascendant to Delhi’s throne. An entire family of Khizr Khan denoted themselves as proud direct descendants of Muhammad. Khizr Khan was a ruler yet had to maintain rule coordination with mutual obligation with other co dynasties. Hence, his post name included “Rayat-e-vassal”. His rule was also active to get privileges from fellow kingdoms and recognition from the Timurid. “Malik-us-Sharq Malik Tuhfa” was the wazir of Khizr khan and hence he took advice from him to defeat “Katehar King Har Singh” to reunite and connect Punjab with Delhi’s throne along with Mewat and Gwalior.      

Khizr khan’s contribution to the history

Additional historical research on Khizr Khan’s reign confirms his initial governance over Lahore, Dipalpur and Multan as governor acting as Timur’s face. Khan’s presence in Delhi was labelled as one of the strongest 14-year phases during no other extra potential and powerful invader. “Under Khirz khan’s tenure, Chittor was renamed as Khizrabad according to Amir Khusrau”. He was also liked by his followers and subjects because of being labelled as a kindhearted, polite and down to earth ruler. No extra-territorial invasion like a sultan but of a vassal was only restrained to Khizr Khan. Khizr Khan’s contribution to his rule and his Sayyid Dynasty was acquired from a divine right according to him and the researchers, because of their being connected to prophet Muhammad’s direct lineage. He was also known as a land caretaker for Timur’s entire invasion.   He was also a staunch believer of the anti-Hindu establishment. 

As a founder of Sayyid dynasty

As a founder of Sayyid Dynasty, Khazir khan was the establisher with an anti-Hindu belief that reflected through constant strife and rampant opposition scale against the Hindu rulers including Rajputs. His son Mubarak Shah was the living example of Khizr Khan’s contribution because of whom the Sayyid Dynasty could last for extra 2 generations up to 1451 CE. The Sayyid Dynasty might be competent at first but became completely out of order and restless by 1445 CE with BahlolLodhi taking over to Delhi. During the rising time of the Sayyid Dynasty, Punjab was the noteworthy accumulation by Khizr Khan. Even if the dynasty was established, Khizr Khan’s governorship tenure in Multan had to label his space as under Timur’s Shadow as always. The entire Sayyid dynasty was active for 37 years only. As a Sayyid founder Khizr khan operated Delhi because of chaos and internal turbulence of non-establishment.  

Conclusion

Khizr Khan and Sayyid Dynasty were like a trance in the middle term of Nawab or rule establishment in Delhi. A spot in a white paper was like Khizr khan’s lineage because of no permanent ruler to take over the Sayyid Dynasty. As history flows by and has to remember past instances, the study materials do contain quotations of a few historians quoting about the presence of the Sayyid dynasty in Delhi. Khizr khan can’t be called a completely established ruler at least during his 13 years tenure. His rule and actions became a shadow of a watchdog of Timur’s expansion mechanism.