Which Sultan of Delhi imposed Jaziya on the Brahmins also?

Concept: Jaziya was a religious poll tax levied by the Delhi Sultans on their non-Muslim subjects as a mark of protected (zimmi) status. Certain groups — including Brahmins, women, children, the disabled, and the very poor — were traditionally exempted from this tax by the earlier Sultans, since Brahmins were regarded as a priestly and scholarly class outside the ambit of jaziya.

Application: Firoz Shah Tughlaq (reigned 1351–1388), known for his orthodox religious policies, broke with this convention: he imposed jaziya on Brahmins as well, treating it as a tax separate from kharaj (land revenue). This was a major departure — under his predecessors, Brahmins had never been required to pay jaziya. The move provoked strong protests from the Brahmin community; in response, Firoz Shah Tughlaq had Brahmins assessed at a reduced fixed rate under the jizya-grade system already used for other non-Muslim subjects, rather than restoring their earlier exemption, so the underlying principle that Brahmins too were liable for jaziya was upheld throughout his reign.

Cross-check — contrasting the other Sultans:

• Mohammad bin Tughlaq's reign (1325-1351) is associated with the transfer of the capital to Daulatabad and the introduction of token currency.

• Alauddin Khilji's reign (1296-1316) is associated with market-price controls and raising land revenue (kharaj) to fund his army.

• Balban, ruling several decades earlier (1266-1287), focused on centralizing royal authority (the theory of kingship).

Only Firoz Shah Tughlaq is credited with extending jaziya to Brahmins during his reign.