In the sequence of Delhi Sultanate dynasties, which dynasty came to power in Delhi after the fall of the Tughlaq dynasty?

Introduction / Context:
This question focuses on the political chronology of the Delhi Sultanate, which saw several dynasties rule from Delhi before the rise of the Mughals. Understanding the order of these dynasties helps structure your knowledge of medieval Indian history. After the Tughlaq dynasty declined, a new ruling house took control of Delhi. The question asks you to identify this successor dynasty.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The starting point is the Tughlaq dynasty.
• The question asks which dynasty came to power immediately after the Tughlaqs in Delhi.
• The options are the Guptas, Khiljis, Mughals and Sayyids.
• We assume familiarity with the standard sequence of Sultanate dynasties.

Concept / Approach:
The Delhi Sultanate is generally divided into five main dynasties: Slave (Mamluk), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi. The Khiljis came before the Tughlaqs, not after. The Sayyid dynasty emerged in the early 15th century following the weakening and collapse of Tughlaq authority. Later, the Lodi dynasty replaced the Sayyids before Babur's Mughal dynasty established itself in 1526. The Guptas were a much earlier ancient dynasty and not part of the medieval Delhi Sultanate line at all. Therefore, the correct answer is the Sayyid dynasty.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the chronological order of Delhi Sultanate dynasties: Slave (Mamluk), Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid, then Lodi. Step 2: Note that the Tughlaqs, including rulers like Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and Firoz Shah Tughlaq, declined in the later 14th century. Step 3: Recognise that the Sayyid dynasty was installed in Delhi after the Tughlaqs, often with support from the Timurids. Step 4: Understand that the Khiljis ruled earlier, before the Tughlaqs, and the Mughals came later after the Lodis. Step 5: Therefore, the dynasty that came to power in Delhi after the Tughlaqs was the Sayyid dynasty.

Verification / Alternative check:
History texts on the Delhi Sultanate uniformly list the dynasties in the order given above. They explain that after Timur's invasion in 1398 and the weakening of the Tughlaqs, the Sayyid rulers like Khizr Khan established a new line. Only after the Sayyids did the Lodi Afghans emerge, and the Mughal dynasty of Babur came even later. The Guptas belong to an entirely different era (4th–6th centuries CE) long before the Sultanate, which confirms that they cannot be the answer here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Gupta dynasty: An ancient Indian dynasty that ruled long before the Delhi Sultanate and is unrelated to the medieval sequence of sultanate dynasties.
The Khilji dynasty: Came before the Tughlaqs, not after; rulers like Alauddin Khilji preceded the Tughlaq rulers.
The Mughal dynasty: Established by Babur in 1526 after the defeat of Ibrahim Lodi, which took place long after the fall of the Tughlaqs; the Mughals did not follow the Tughlaqs directly.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the order of Khilji, Tughlaq, Sayyid and Lodi dynasties or jump directly from Tughlaq to Mughal, forgetting the intermediate Sayyid and Lodi phases. Another error is mixing ancient dynasties like the Guptas with medieval ones. To avoid such mistakes, it helps to memorise the neat sequence of five Sultanate dynasties and place the Mughal period after the Lodi defeat at Panipat in 1526.

Final Answer:
After the Tughlaq dynasty, Delhi came under the rule of the Sayyid dynasty.