Khizr Khan

Sayyid Khizr Khan (c. 1361 – 20 May 1421) was the Ruler of Delhi from 1414 to 1421. He started the Sayyid dynasty, which was the fourth ruling family of the Delhi sultanate in northern India. This happened after a big invasion by a leader named Timur and the end of the Tughlaq dynasty.

Before becoming ruler, Khizr Khan was the governor of Multan under another leader, Firuz Shah Tughlaq. People knew him as a good leader who managed things well. He did not use big royal titles because he was worried about being attacked by Amir Timur, also called Tamerlane. Instead, he used simpler titles like Rayat-i-Ala (Sublime Banners) and Masnad-i-Aali (Most High Post).

During his time as ruler, coins were still made with the names of the old Tughlaq leaders. Khizr Khan passed away on 20 May 1421. After his death, his son Mubarak Khan became the new ruler and used the title Muizz-ud-Din Mubarak Shah.

Ancestry and early life

Khizr Khan was said to be a descendant of Muhammad, a famous leader. People believed this because he was given the title Sayyid, which means he was from Muhammad’s family through his daughter Fatima. But some writers thought this might not be true.

Some historians think Khizr Khan was actually from a Punjabi family called the Khokhar clan. He came from the Punjab area and later became an important leader in Delhi.

Reign

After becoming the ruler, Khizr Khan chose Malik-us-Sharq Tuhfa as his important advisor, giving him the title Taj-ul-Mulk. This advisor served until 1421. He also gave control of certain areas to others, such as Sayyid Salim, who received Muzaffarnagar and Saharanpur, and Abdur Rahman, who received Multan and Fatehpur.

In 1414, an army under Taj-ul-Mulk was sent to deal with a rebellion led by Har Singh, the leader of Katehar. Har Singh first ran away but later agreed to pay taxes. In July 1416, another army went to Bayana and Gwalior, taking control of these places. In 1417, Khizr Khan got permission from Shah Rukh to use his own name along with Shah Rukh’s. In 1418, Har Singh tried to rebel again but was defeated. On 28 May 1414, Khizr Khan took control of Delhi and imprisoned Daulat Khan Lodi.