Q. Consider the following rulers of the Mamluk dynasty:

1. Qutub-ud-din Aibak
2. Iltutmish
3. Balban
4. Rukn ud din Firuz

Which of the above were slaves?
Answer: Only 1, 2 and 3
Notes: Mamluk is Arabic for ‘owned’, practically denoting a slave. These were typically imported Turkish slaves trained for military services, often set free and given high offices by their masters before dying, often inheriting the property. The Mamluk dynasty of Delhi Sultanate was started by such a slave. However, of all of the rulers in this dynasty, only Qutub-ud-din Aibak, Iltutmish, and Balban were slaves early in their lives, manumitted long prior to assuming sovereign powers.

This question is part of UPSC Daily 20 MCQ Series Course on GKToday Android app.