what difficulties did the Turkish Sultan faced in India?
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Answer:
Iltutmish was not the son but the son-in-law of Qutb-ud-din. His family was Shamsi and, therefore, he established the rule of a new Turkish dynasty at Delhi. Certain scholars, therefore, have expressed the view that Iltutmish thus had no legal claim over the throne of Delhi and, therefore, was an usurper. But this opinion has no valid justification.
By that time, the Turks had not accepted the hereditary principle of succession and, therefore, every powerful noble or governor could contend for the throne. Iltutmish did the same. While Aram Shah was supported by the nobles at Lahore, Iltutmish was supported by the nobles at Delhi and he won in the contest.
Besides, the infant Turkish kingdom of Delhi required the services of a competent ruler which Iltutmish certainly proved to be. Therefore, Iltutmish had every legitimate reason and claim over the throne of Delhi and cannot be accepted as an usurper.
Iltutmish ascended an insecure throne. When he ascended the throne he was master of only Delhi, Badaun and the outlying districts extending from Banaras in the east to the Shivalik hills in the west. He certainly defeated Aram Shah but when the Turkish nobles assembled in Delhi, some of them opposed his claim to the throne and decided to revolt.
Iltutmish defeated and killed most of them and, thus, succeeded in overcoming his initial difficulties. Yet he had challenges, both foreign and domestic. Taj-ud-din Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni still claimed suzerainty over the Indian territories of Sultan Muhammad. Nasir-ud-din Qabacha, ruler of Uch, occupied Multan and, taking advantage of the difficulties of Iltutmish, extended his hold over Lahore, Bhatinda and even Sursuti.
Ali Mardan Khan declared himself independent at Lakhnauti and, thus, separated Bengal and Bihar from the Delhi Sultanate. The Rajput rulers also reasserted their independence. Jalor, Ranthambhor, Gwalior and Ajmer became independent and Turkish power was thrown out of even Doab.
The same time, the Delhi Sultanate was threatened by the Mongols at its north-west frontiers. Besides, the inheritance of Qutb-ud-din was not a unified kingdom but a military jagir (principality) which could be kept under control only by force. Thus, Iltutmish had to face many difficulties after his accession to the throne of Delhi. He faced them all with success.