Bahlul Khan Lodi (died 12 July 1489) was the chief of the Pashtun Lodi tribe founder of
Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate upon the abdication of the last claimant from the previous
Sayyid rule.
Bahlul became sultan of the dynasty on 19 April 1451 (855 AH).
== Early life ==
Bahlul's grandfather, Malik Bahram, was a Pashtun from Multan, he took service under
the governor of Multan, Malik Mardan Daulat.
Malik Bahram had a total of about five sons.
His eldest son, Malik Sultan Shah Lodi, later served under the Sayyid dynasty ruler Khizr
Khan and distinguished himself by killing in the battle later's worst enemy Mallu Iqbal
Khan.
He was rewarded with the title of Islam Khan and in 1419 appointed the governor of Sirhind.
Bahlul, the son of Malik Kala, the younger brother of Malik Sultan was married to Malik
Sultan's daughter.
In his youth, Bahlul was involved in the trading of horses and once sold his finely bred horses
to the Sayyid dynasty Sultan Mohammad Shah.
As a payment he was granted a pargana and raised to the status of amir.
After the death of Malik Sultan, he became the governor of Sirhind.
He was allowed to add Lahore to his charge.
Once, Sultan Muhammad Shah asked for his help when the Malwa Sultan Mahmud Shah I invaded
his territory.
Bahlul joined the imperial army with 20,000 mounted soldiers.
By his cleverness, he was able to project himself as a victor over the army of the Malwa
Sultan and Sultan Muhammad Shah conferred on him the title of Khan-i-Khanan.
He also accepted Bahlul's occupation over a large part of Punjab.
In 1443, Bahlul attacked Delhi but he did not succeed.
During the reign of last Sayyid ruler Sultan Alam Shah, Bahlul again made another unsuccessful
attempt to capture Delhi in 1447.
Finally, when Alam Shah retired to Badaun in 1448, a minister of Alam Shah, Hamid Khan
invited him to occupy the throne of Delhi.
After the voluntary abdication of the throne by Alam Shah, Bahlul Shah ascended the throne
of Delhi on 19 April 1451 and adopted the title of Bahlul Shah Ghazi.
Alam Shah continued to live in Badaun till his death in July 1478.The tomb of the founder
of the Lodi dynasty lies close to the shrine of the noted Sufi saint, Nasiruddin Chirag-e-Delhi,
in a locality that goes by his name, 'Chirag Delhi'.
== Reign == After ascending to the throne, Bahlul decided
to dispose of Hamid Khan.
His cousin and brother-in-law Malik Mahmud Khan alias Qutb-ud-din Khan (Governor Of Samana)
imprisoned Hamid Khan.In 1479, Sultan Bahlul Lodi defeated and annexed Sharqi dynasty based
at Jaunpur.
Bahlul did much to stop rebellions and uprisings in his territories, and extended his holdings
over Gwalior, Jaunpur and upper Uttar Pradesh.
Just like the previous Delhi Sultans, he kept Delhi the capital of his kingdom.
In 1486, he appointed his son, Babrak Shah as viceroy of Jaunpur.
In time, this proved to be problematic, as his second son, Nizam Khan (Sikandar Lodi)
was named successor, and a power struggle ensued upon his death in 1489.
== Marriages == Bahlul married two times:
Shams Khatun, daughter of Malik Shah Sultan Lodhi, his first cousin;
Bibi Ambha, daughter of a Hindu goldsmith
== Death ==
Bahlul died on July 1489 after a long reign.
His tomb is a drab place compared to other mausoleums.
It is a square chamber with three arched openings on all sides, surmounted by five domes, the
central one being the biggest.
Quranic verses are inscribed on the arches but there is hardly any other ornamentation.
== See also == Sher Shah Suri
Jaunpur Sultanate Shaikh Sama'al-Din Kamboh
Tomb of Bahlul Lodi
== Notes