In the history of the Delhi Sultanate, who introduced a strict system of market regulation to control prices of essential goods and ensure regular supplies in the capital?

Introduction / Context:
The Delhi Sultanate period saw several experiments in economic and administrative policy. One of the most famous reforms was a strict system of market regulation designed to control prices and prevent hoarding. This question asks which Sultan introduced this system, a key fact often examined in medieval Indian history, especially in questions related to economic administration.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The topic is market regulation under the Delhi Sultanate. • The options list Illtutmish, Ala-ud-din Khilji, Ghias-ud-din and Muhammad Bin-Tughlaq. • We assume familiarity with major reforms undertaken by each of these rulers.

Concept / Approach:
Ala-ud-din Khilji, who ruled from the late thirteenth to the early fourteenth century, is particularly remembered for his bold economic and military reforms. To maintain a large standing army and to prepare for resistance against Mongol invasions, he needed to keep the prices of food grains, cloth, horses and other essentials under control. He introduced a detailed system of market regulations in Delhi, appointing officials to check prices, punish hoarders and maintain records. The market reforms of Ala-ud-din Khilji are discussed in detail in chronicles by writers such as Barani.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recall that Ala-ud-din Khilji was a strong and ambitious Sultan who expanded the empire and faced repeated Mongol threats. 2. Understand that to support his huge standing army, he needed to ensure that soldiers could live on their salaries, which required stable and low prices. 3. Remember that he set maximum prices for essential goods, fixed rates for horses and other military supplies and created separate markets for different types of commodities. 4. Note that market inspectors were appointed to enforce regulations and severe punishments were given to dishonest traders and hoarders. 5. Compare this with Illtutmish, who stabilised the early Sultanate but is not associated with such a detailed market system. 6. Ghias-ud-din and Muhammad Bin-Tughlaq had their own policies, but the classic and widely known market regulation reform is clearly associated with Ala-ud-din Khilji. 7. Therefore, Ala-ud-din Khilji is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Medieval chronicler Ziauddin Barani provides detailed accounts of Ala-ud-din Khilji market control measures in his writings. Modern historians consistently refer to these reforms when discussing price control and economic planning in the Delhi Sultanate. No other Sultan is described with the same level of detail regarding market regulation, confirming that Ala-ud-din Khilji was the ruler who introduced this system.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Illtutmish: Important for consolidating the Sultanate and introducing the silver tanka, but not noted for a comprehensive market regulation system. Ghias-ud-din: The name here is incomplete and could refer to different rulers, but none are as closely linked to market control as Ala-ud-din Khilji. Muhammad Bin-Tughlaq: Known for ambitious but often unsuccessful experiments such as token currency and shifting the capital, rather than the specific price control measures implemented under Ala-ud-din Khilji.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse economic experiments of different Sultans, especially mixing up Ala-ud-din Khilji price control with Muhammad Bin-Tughlaq token currency. To avoid this, it helps to remember that market regulation and fixed prices are the hallmark of Ala-ud-din Khilji economic policy, while token currency and shifting capitals are associated with Muhammad Bin-Tughlaq.

Final Answer:
The strict system of market regulation in the Delhi Sultanate was introduced by Ala-ud-din Khilji.