Amidst the turbulent tides of the Delhi Sultanate, where ambition often clashed with chaos, rose the figure of Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq ibn Malik Rajjab.
Inheriting a fractured empire from his visionary yet enigmatic cousin, Muhammad bin Tughlaq, Firuz Shah (1351-1388) carved his own legacy, not with grandiose conquests, but with a quiet focus on infrastructure and public welfare.
And at the heart of his vision lay a network of canals – some restored, some entirely new – that earned him the enduring title of “The Canal Builder”.
Family Background
Firoz’s father’s name was Malik Rajab (the younger brother of Ghazi Malik) who had the title Sipahsalar. His mother Naila, a Hindu woman, was a Bhati Yadav Rajput from Dipalpur, which is now in the Punjab region of Pakistan.
We know of Firoz Shah Tughlaq in part through his 32-page autobiography, titled Futuhat-e-Firozshahi.
Born in 1309, Firuz Shah’s early life was a blend of religious education and military training.
He earned recognition for his piety and administrative skills, qualities that caught the eye of his ambitious cousin,Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Firuz Shah rose through the ranks, eventually becoming governor of a crucial frontier province.
It was during this time that he displayed a keen understanding of irrigation and water management, skills that would become the cornerstone of his reign.
Public Works Department
When Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s ambitious but ultimately disastrous policies led to rebellions and disintegration, Firuz Shah emerged as a stabilizing force. He ascended the throne in 1351, inheriting a realm weakened by internal strife and external threats.
Recognizing the need for stability and prosperity, Firuz Shah adopted a pragmatic approach.
He abandoned his predecessor’s controversial policies like the token currency and focused on internal development. Agriculture, the lifeblood of the agrarian economy, became his primary concern.
He is credited for establishing Public Works Department in the Sultanate to oversee development and construction works.
He also founded several cities around Delhi, including Jaunpur, Firozpur, Hissar, Firozabad, Fatehabad.
The Canal Legacy
It was in this context that Firuz Shah’s canal-building endeavors truly flourished. He ordered the restoration of ancient canals like the West Yamuna Canal, originally built by Prithviraj Chauhan, and embarked on ambitious new projects.
His most notable achievement was the Sultanpur canal, a 120-kilometer channel connecting the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers, bringing life to vast tracts of parched land.
According to UPSC (1998), Firuz Shah Tughlaq built the biggest network of canals in India.
His vision extended beyond just one grand project. He constructed a network of smaller canals in Doab, Haryana, and Rohtak, transforming these regions into fertile havens. He also built dams, reservoirs, and waterwheels, ensuring efficient water utilization.
Sharb Irrigation Tax was imposed for proper maintenance of these canals.
The impact of Firuz Shah’s canal network was transformative. Agricultural production soared, leading to increased food security and revenue for the empire. Trade flourished, fueled by the abundance of agricultural produce.
Cities like Hissar, founded by Firoz Shah, benefited immensely from this newfound prosperity.
Religious Policy
Tughlaq was a fervent Muslim who tried to curb Brahmanical frauds and superstitions by upholding Islamic monotheism. He tried to ban practices that learned scholars considered un-Islamic, an example being his prohibition of the practice of Muslim women going out alone to worship at the graves of saints.
Further, he was indiscriminately benevolent and lenient as a sultan so much that would happily allow nobles and scholars to rule his kingdom peacefully.
He captured Cuttack, desecrated the Jagannath Temple, Puri, and forced Raja Gajpati of Jajnagar in Orissa to pay tribute.
He converted Chauhan Rajputs from Hinduism to Islam in the 14th century. They are now known as Qaimkhanis in Rajasthan.
During his time Tatar Khan of Greater Khorasan attacked Punjab multiple times and during final battle in Gurdaspur his face was slashed by the sword given by Feroz Shah Tughlaq to Raja Kailash Pal of Mau-Paithan from Nagarkot region.
Firuz Shah Tughlaq married off his daughter with Raja Kailash Pal, embraced him to Islam and sent the couple to rule Greater Khorasan, where eleven sons known by the caste of ‘badpagey’ were born to the queen.
Education System, Infrastructure & Public Welfare
Tughlaq instituted economic policies to increase the material welfare of his people. Many rest houses (sarai), gardens and tombs (Tughluq tombs) were built.
A number of madrasas (Islamic religious schools) were opened to encourage the religious education of Muslims.
He also set up hospitals for the free treatment of the poor and encouraged physicians in the development of Unani medicine.
He provided money for the marriage of girls belonging to poor families under the department of Diwan-i-khairat. He commissioned many public buildings in Delhi.
He built Firoz Shah Palace Complex at Hisar in 1354 CE, over 300 villages and dug five major canals, including the renovation of Prithviraj Chauhan era Western Yamuna Canal, for irrigation bringing more land under cultivation for growing grain and fruit.
Hindu religious works were translated from Sanskrit to Persian and Arabic. He had a large personal library of manuscripts in Persian, Arabic and other languages.
He brought 2 Ashokan Pillars from Meerut, and Topra near Radaur in Yamunanagar district of Haryana, carefully cut and wrapped in silk, to Delhi in bullock cart trains. He re-erected one of them on the roof of his palace at Firoz Shah Kotla.
Malik Maqbul Tilangani
For day-to-day administration, Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq heavily depended on Malik Maqbul Tilangani, previously commander of Warangal fort, who was captured and converted to Islam.
When Tughlaq was away on a campaign to Sind and Gujarat for six months and no news was available about his whereabouts Maqbul ably protected Delhi. He was the most highly favoured among the significant number of the nobles in Tughlaq’s court and retained the trust of the sultan.
Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq used to call Maqbul as his ‘brother’. The sultan even remarked that Khan-i-Jahan (Malik Maqbul) was the real ruler of Delhi.
The fiscal and general administration were entirely left to Maqbul. On his part, Maqbul never exceeded his powers, and kept the sultan fully informed. He was also scrupulously honest.
Although he did take presents from the governors of the provinces, he entered them in the royal treasury. He was also strict in collecting government dues. His powers, however, were restricted by the auditor (mustaufi) and by the Accountant-General (mushrif). Sometimes it led to bitter disputes in which the sultan mediated.
On one occasion, Maqbul threatened to leave for Mecca when he came into conflict with Ain-i-Mahru, the Accountant General. The Sultan had to retrench Ain-i-Mahru.
Beyond Canals: A Multifaceted Ruler
While canals remain his most enduring legacy, Firuz Shah’s contributions extended far beyond. He founded hospitals, rest houses, and educational institutions. He revived old industries like weaving and metalworking.
He patronized art and architecture, leaving behind a legacy of magnificent buildings like the Tomb of Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq. He even undertook religious pilgrimages, promoting religious tolerance and understanding.
Challenges and Debates
Despite his achievements, Firuz Shah’s reign was not without challenges. He faced rebellions from powerful Hindu chiefs and external threats from Mongol raiders.
Some historians debate his religious policies, pointing to the reimposition of Jizya (tax on non-Muslims), though others argue Jizya was a progressive tax that was imposed only on elite non-Muslims and not poor, women and children. Firuz had imposed it on Brahmins who so far had been exempted from any tax under Hindu-Brahmin law.
Despite the complexities of his reign, Firuz Shah Tughlaq’s legacy remains firmly etched in the fertile plains of India. His visionary canal network not only secured his empire’s future but also laid the foundation for future irrigation projects in the region.
He stands as a reminder that true leadership often lies in pragmatic solutions that touch the lives of ordinary people, leaving behind a legacy not of conquest, but of life-giving water.
