The period from the thirteenth to the sixteenth centuries (1206–1526 CE) saw the arrival of Islamic institutions and Islamic culture in India. The Arab military expedition of 712 and the later Ghaznavid and Ghori raids were followed by the Delhi Sultanate, under which Muslim rulers ruled Indian provinces with Delhi as capital for about four centuries. The rulers came from different regions and ethnicities: Arabs, Turks, Persians and Central Asians.
1. The Delhi Sultanate – Five Dynasties
| Dynasty | Period | Important Rulers |
|---|---|---|
| Slave (Mamluk) | 1206–1290 | Qutb-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, Balban |
| Khalji | 1290–1320 | Jalal-ud-din Khalji, Ala-ud-din Khalji |
| Tughlaq | 1320–1414 | Ghiyas-ud-din Tughlaq, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firuz Shah Tughlaq |
| Sayyid | 1414–1451 | Khizr Khan (founder), Alam Shah |
| Lodi | 1451–1526 | Bahlul Lodi (founder), Sikander Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi |