Administrative policies of Alauddin Khilji
Introduction: Alauddin Khilji was a stern despot and exercise complete authority over his vast empire.
- Supressed rebellions: Alauddin combined efficiency with sternness. He suppressed rebellions with a strong hand.
- Enacted various Laws: To prevent future troubles he enacted various laws by which he put a ban on the consumption of wine, prohibited social meetings among the nobility, and even forbade inter-marriage among them without his special permission.
- Spies: He employed many spies who kept him informed of the doings of his subjects.
- Taxes: Accordingly he burdened his subjects with heavy taxes. Naturally, the wealthier class were subjected to more taxes.
- Army: Sultan Alauddin Khilji realized the need of keeping an efficient army. This could only be done at heavy expenses. To reduce heavy military expenditure the Sultan fixed a price of every article and attempted to make goods available in cheap rates.
- Fountain head of administrative system: The Sultan was the fountain head of the administrative system. The earlier Muslim rulers carried on their administration by the Koranic principles and the Ulemas or Muslim divines had a large say in the formulation of policies. However, Alauddin Khilji differed from that of his predecessors in this respect. He did not allow the Ulemas to lay down the principles of administration. As he used to say, ‘I do not know what is lawful and what is unlawful; whatever I consider to be for the good of my kingdom I do.? These words sum up his attitude towards government and its objects.
Conclusion: Ibn Batuta describes Alauddin Khalji as one of the best Sultans. This observation, however, is not justified either by the manner in which he came to power or by the way he carried on the government. However, when the vastness of his conquests is taken into consideration, then only perhaps the remark that he was a great Sultan can be justified.
