The cavalry (sawar) formed the elite backbone of the Delhi Sultanate’s military establishment. As the Sultans were heirs to Central Asian nomadic military traditions, the horse was the primary instrument of rapid conquest, border defense, and internal policing. The strategic superiority of the cavalry allowed the Sultanate to maintain control over the vast and diverse geography of the Indian subcontinent.
Organization and Composition of the Cavalry
The Sultanate army divided its cavalry into distinct categories based on recruitment and loyalty, ensuring both flexibility and central control.
- Sawar-i-Qalb: These were the horsemen directly recruited, trained, and paid by the central government. They were stationed in the capital and served as the Sultan’s personal guard and rapid-response force.
- Iqtadari Cavalry: This contingent was maintained by the Iqtadars (provincial governors). Each Iqtadar was mandated by the state to maintain a specific number of horsemen to be mobilized upon the Sultan’s call.
- Mercenary/Supplementary Forces: During major campaigns, the Sultanate supplemented its regular forces with mercenaries or contingents provided by vassal Hindu chiefs, though these were often viewed with less trust than the standing Turkish or Tajik troops.
Administrative Oversight and Quality Control
To address issues of inefficiency and corruption within the cavalry, Sultan Alauddin Khalji introduced rigorous administrative reforms that became standard for later rulers.
- Dagh System (Branding): To prevent Iqtadars from substituting superior horses with inferior ones or presenting the same horse for inspection multiple times, the state enforced the branding of horses with the royal mark.
- Huliya System (Descriptive Roll): Along with the horse, the rider’s descriptive roll was documented. This ensured that every soldier was accounted for and prevented the practice of proxy recruitment where subordinates would hire low-quality substitutes to collect a higher salary.
- Role of the Ariz-i-Mumalik: The head of the Diwan-i-Arz (Ministry of War) conducted periodic inspections (muayyana) of the cavalry to verify the health of the horses and the proficiency of the riders.
Economic Linkages and Procurement
The maintenance of a large cavalry required a complex economic infrastructure, given that high-quality war horses were not native to India in sufficient numbers.
- Horse Trade: The Sultanate relied heavily on the import of high-quality horses from Central Asia, Persia, and Arabia via sea routes (through ports like Cambay) and land routes (through the northwest frontier).
- Cash-Based Pay: Alauddin Khalji pioneered the payment of cavalry salaries in cash to ensure the soldiers could procure their own equipment and horses independently, reducing the reliance on the decentralized iqta system for military supplies.
- Market Regulation: To stabilize the cost of maintaining a horse, the state regulated the price of fodder and horse-related goods in the markets (Mandis), ensuring that the military’s purchasing power remained consistent.
Tactics and Military Engineering
The Sultanate cavalry combined traditional Central Asian mobile warfare with the adaptations required for the Indian terrain.
- Horse Archery: The primary tactic involved high-speed horse archery, which enabled the Sultanate forces to harass and wear down the heavier, slower infantry-based armies of contemporary Indian kingdoms.
- Mobility in Siege: While the cavalry was primarily for open-field maneuvers, they were instrumental in the rapid deployment of siege equipment, including mechanical engines like the Maghribi and Manjaniq, during the protracted Deccan campaigns.
- Elephant-Cavalry Synergy: Although elephants were native to India, the Sultanate cavalry often used specialized tactics to neutralize enemy elephant corps by targeting their drivers and utilizing the horses’ superior speed to outmaneuver the larger animals.
Comparative Overview of Military Personnel
| Category | Source of Payment | Administrative Oversight |
|---|---|---|
| Central Cavalry | State Treasury (Cash) | Direct inspection by Ariz-i-Mumalik |
| Iqta Cavalry | Local Revenue Collection | Audited by provincial/central officials |
| Household Guards | Sultan’s Personal Purse | Direct command of the Sultan |
Social Mobility and Military Status
Military service in the cavalry provided one of the most effective paths for social mobility in the Sultanate period.
- Bandagan (Military Slaves): Many high-ranking cavalry commanders originated as military slaves. Their specialized training in horsemanship and tactical warfare allowed them to ascend to the highest offices of the state.
- Elite Status: Participation in the cavalry was a prerequisite for holding administrative office. Most of the Sultanate’s nobility were high-ranking cavalry commanders who balanced administrative duties with military leadership.
- Ethnic Diversity: While initially dominated by Turks, the cavalry eventually incorporated Tajiks, Afghans, Mongols, and Indian Muslims, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of the Sultanate’s military society.
Facts and Trivia for Prelims
- The horses imported from the Arabian Peninsula and Central Asia were often referred to as “Bahri” or “Tajiki” breeds, prized for their stamina and speed.
- Alauddin Khalji’s market reforms were essentially “military-economic” measures; they were explicitly designed to lower the cost of living for his cavalrymen so that he could maintain a larger army without increasing taxes.
- The term “Ghor-chari” was occasionally used in various medieval contexts to describe a soldier serving in the cavalry.
- Despite the emphasis on cavalry, the Sultans maintained a massive Department of Stables (Astable) headed by the Amir-i-Akhoor, highlighting the state’s strategic focus on animal husbandry for war.