Khizar Khan, the founder of the Saiyids Dynasty, claimed to be a descendent of
the Prophet of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad (S. A. W.). Thus his established rule is
known as the Saiyids Dynasty. Khizar collaborated with Timur during his invasion
on India. As a reward, on his departure from the area, Timur made Khizar the
governor of Lahore, Multan and Dipalpur. When Mahmud Shah, the last of the
Tughlaq rulers, died in 1412, Daullat Khan Lodhi and Khizar both attempted to
occupy the throne of Delhi. In 1414, Khizar won the battle and established the
rule of his dynasty in Delhi. Although Khizar Khan was completely sovereign, he
preferred to rule in the name of Timur, and then in the name of Timur's
successor, Shah Rukh. As a result of Timur's invasion and the continuous wars
for succession among the successors of Firuz Shah, a number of states and
provinces of the Sultanate of Delhi declared their independence. Khizar tried to
reintegrate these states through force, but failed in his mission. During his
rule, the Sultanate was reduced to Sindh, Western Punjab, and Western Uttar
Pradesh. Khizar died a natural death on May 20, 1421. His son Mubarik Shah
succeeded Khizar. Unlike his father, Mubarik declared himself Sultan. His rule
was full of internal and external revolts. On February 19 1434, two accomplices
of his wazir, Sarwa-ul-Mulk, killed him. The reign of his successors, his nephew
Muhammad Shah and Muhammad's son Alauddin Alam Shah, were also marked by
political instability. The territories of their empires were reduced to a
distance of ten miles from Delhi to Palam. Finally, Buhlul Lodhi occupied Delhi
and established his rule. Thus the era of Saiyids Dynasty came to an end in
1451.
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