It’s the first chapter in the Islamic architecture of the 4th semester bachelor of architecture.

1. (UNIT –I) IMPERIAL STYLE.
- Understanding the Evolution & Characteristic features of
Imperial Style.
- SLAVE DYNASTY (Qutubuddin Aibek, Shamsuddin Iltutmish).
- Examples : Quwaat –ul-Islam Mosque,
- Qutb-Minar,
- Enlargement of Quwaat-Ul-Islam Mosque by Iltumish,
- Tomb of Iltumish,
- KHALIJI DYNASTY (Allauddin-khaliji).
- Example : Alai- Darwaza.
- TUGHLAQ DYNASTY (Ghias-ud-din tughlaq)
- Example : Tomb of Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq.
- (feroz shah tughlaq.)
- Example : Khirki Masjid,
- Tomb of Feroz Shah Tughlaq.
- SAYYID & LODHI DYNASTY.
- Example : Moth Ki Masjid.

2. IMPERIAL STYLE:
Characteristic Features of Imperial Style:
- Imperial style of architecture developed and gained prominence during the
period of Delhi Sultanate.
- Mainly Development was concentrated more in Northern part of India.
- Qutub- ud- din Aibak constructed few monuments which have the imprint of
both Hindu (naturalistic representation of serpentine tendrils and. undulating leaves
of its scroll-work) and Muslim art (Quranic inscriptions) .
- Even during the reign of Iltutmish and Ala- ud- din Khilji, there were several
specimens of architecture which were built.
- The first mosque in India, Quwwat al-Islam Mosque in Delhi, was also built as
a series of True arches and True domes.
- the best among them are the Qutub Minar and the Alai-Darwaza.

3. Characteristic Features of Imperial Style:

4. The Slave Dynasty
(1206-1290)
Also called
Mumluk or Ghulam Dynasty

5. • All the Muslim rules that ascended the throne of Delhi after the death of
Muhammad Ghori in 1206 till 1290 were either themselves slaves or the
descendants of these slave rulers.
• That is why the rulers belonging to this dynasty are generally are known as
the "Slave Rulers" or the Mamluk Sultans and the dynasty is called the "Slave
dynasty.

6. Example -1
Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
Slave Dynasty
Iltutmush
Khaliji Dynasty

7. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
• Barring the pre-Sultanate monuments of Kutch District, this is the earliest extant
mosque in India .
• The first Islamic building in India of dressed stone was at its best mainly the patch
work of older materials.
• consists of a rectangular court, 43.2m by 33m, enclosed by cloisters( liwan),
• Cloisters are three aisle deep, the short pillars from temples being placed one
above the other in order to secure the necessary height.
• erected with the carved columns and other architectural members of twenty--
seven Hindu and Jain temples demolished by Qutbu'd-Din Aibak.
• Later it came to be called the Quwwatu'I-lslam (might of Islam) mosque.
• The western portion of its courtyard occupies the original site of one of the
demolished temples.

8. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

9. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
• At the two ends of its eastern cloisters, an intermediate storey was raised to
provide compartments for the ladies.
• An iron pillar from Vishnu temple of the fourth century which had been
earlier set up here probably by Anangpal, stands in front of the prayer-hall.

10. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

11. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

12. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

13. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

14. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

15. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

16. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

17. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
• Mecca side of the courtyard, the arrangement of pillars was made more
spacious and elaborated into series of bays with shallow dome ceiling, to form
the sanctuary.
• Than decided screen of brick to be built to separate the sanctuary and
courtyard.
• no spoils the existing Hindu temples could provide for such scheme, the
whole of which would be require to be original.
• when complete this screen as a whole formed a great wall of masonry over
50’ in height at the centre width108’with thickness of 8.5’.Central
archway22’x45’,side arch 25’ high.

18. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

19. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

20. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
- The screen is beautifully carved with borders of inscriptions and geometrical and
arabesque designs, but the hand of craftsmen used to Hindu motifs is clearly per-
ceptible in the naturalistic representation of serpentine tendrils and. undulating leaves
of its scroll-work and even in the fine characters of the Quranic inscriptions.

21. Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:
- This screen of red sandstone is by itself a noble conception, its fine pointed arches
with ogee curves producing that effect of lightness necessary in such massive volume.
- Hindu conception, and contrasting with it are upright lines of decorative inscriptions,
just as emphatically Islamic.

22. Example -2
Qutb Minar.
• Qutbu'd-Din Aibak laid the foundation of the now world-famous Qutb-Minar,
intended possibly mainly as a tower of victory but also as a minar attached to
the Quwwatu'l-Islam mosque for the use of the mu'adhdhin (crier) to call the
people to prayer.
• Surprisingly, a later Nagari inscription on the minar calls it Alau'd-Din's victory-
column (vijaya-stamhha).
• Qutbu'd Din had perhaps only succeeded in raising the first storey, the
remaining storeys being eventually completed by his successor Iltutmish.
• From the Nagari and Persian inscription on the minar, it appears that it was
damaged twice by lightning, in 1326 and 1368.

23. Qutb Minar.

24. Qutb Minar.
• The first damage occurred during Muhammed Tughluq's reign (1325-51), and
was repaired by him apparently in 1332.
• The second damage was attended by Firuz Tughluq (1351-88). Later in 1503,
Sikandar Lodi (1489-1517) also carried out some restoration in the upper
storeys. Originally the minar had only four storeys, faced with red and buff
sandstone.
• The uppermost storey which was damaged in 1368 during Firuz Tughluq's
reign was replaced by him by two storeys, making free use of marble but
leaving the lower portion of the fourth storey built with sandstone in its
original condition.

25. Qutb Minar.

26. Qutb Minar.

27. Qutb Minar.
• The original three storeys are each laid on a different plan.
• Each of its four storeys is a different pattern in section, the lowest having
stellate ,or wedge shaped flanges alternating with rounded flutes, the second
has circular projections, the third is star shaped, while the fourth is simply
round.
• It has a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and about 2.75 m on the top. With a
height of 72.5 m and 379 steps, it is the highest stone tower in India and a
perfect example of minar known to exist anywhere.
• The three lower stories remain untouched but the fourth, or the uppermost
storey was composed of circular kiosk with window opening and domical roof.

28. Qutb Minar.
• The system of stalactite bracketing underneath the balconies by which these
projections are supported and their weight transmitted to the body of the
structure.
• Seen from any point of view the qutb minar as a whole is a most impressive
conception,
• The vivid color of its red sandstone, the changing texture of its fluted stories
with their overlay of inscriptional bands, the contrast between the alternating
spaces of plain masonry and rich carving, the shimmer of shadows under the
balcony, all combine to produce an effect of marked vitality.

29. Qutb Minar.

30. Example -3
Qutb Complex, - Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque:

31. Qutb Complex, - Extention Quwwat-ul-Islam
• The mosque was enlarged by two later rulers. Shamsu'd-Din Iltutmish (1211-
36), son-in-law and successor of Qutbu'd-Din, doubled the size of the mosque
in 1230
• by extending its colonnades and prayer-hall outside the original enclosure,
with the result that the Qutb-Minar now fell within the mosque-enclosure.
• The arches of Iltutmish's screen are still principally corbelled, although their
arabesque ornamentation with the inscriptions standing out prominently is
Saracenic in feeling, as distinct from the mixed decoration of Qutbu'd-Din
Aibak's screen.

32. Qutb Complex, - Extention Quwwat-ul-Islam

33. Qutb Complex, - Extention Quwwat-ul-Islam
• 'Alau'd-Din Khilji (12961316) again extended the mosque substantially by en-
larging the enclosure.
• He provided two gateways on the longer eastern side and one each on the
north and south, the last one known as 'Ala-i-Darwaza and still extant in
entirety.
• In fact, he doubled the area of the mosque, and also commenced the
construction of another minar, intended to be twice the size of Qutbu'd-Din's
minar, although it remained incomplete

34. Example -4
TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH
• Built in A.D. 1235 just outside the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque.
• A compact square structure of 42' side with entrances at three sides and
western wall enclosed to accommodate 3 mihrabs.
• Exterior is relatively plain, but interior is richly decorated. A square hall of 30'
side, its walls are relieved with white marble insertions. Quranic verses in
Kufri, Tugra and Nashtalik characters with geometrical patterns interspersed.
• Most of the roof has collapsed, but remains show it to have been a shallow
dome composed of concentric rings of masonry which collapsed due to
excessive span.

35. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH

36. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH

37. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH
• The most interesting feature is the first appearance in India of the 'Squinch'.
This consists of projecting a small arch across the upper side of the corners of
the square room, turning it into an octagon, then repeating the process to
turn it into a 16 sided base in which a dome can rest.
• In this case, the squinch is a half-dome, though built on the corbelling
principle. Thus, this is an Indianized version of the squinch.
• It has three entrances, on the north, east,
and south elevations. The western wall,
facing Mecca, houses the mihrab as the
central niche of three.

38. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH

39. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH

40. TOMB OF SHAMS-UD-DIN ILTUTMISH
. Hindu motifs such as lotus flowers and bells
on chains are also found in the sandstone
carvings.

41. Q & A
THANK U.