Firuz Shah Tughlaq vs Gwangjong of Goryeo

Firuz Shah Tughlaq founded the city of Firuzabad and built the Firuz Shah Kotla fortress in Delhi. The complex included a palace, a mosque, and a pillar of Ashoka brought from Topra. It became a major administrative center.

Firuz Shah Tughlaq established the Diwan-i-Khairat, a department for charity and welfare. It provided financial assistance to the poor, widows, and orphans. This institutionalized state-sponsored social welfare in the Delhi Sultanate.

Firuz Shah Tughlaq oversaw the construction of five major canals from the Yamuna and Sutlej rivers to irrigate fields in the Delhi region. These canals improved agricultural productivity and reduced famine risk. They were a key public works achievement.

Firuz Shah Tughlaq imposed the jizya tax on Brahmins, who had previously been exempt. This policy was based on his interpretation of Islamic law and caused resentment among Hindus. It marked a departure from earlier, more tolerant policies.

King Gwangjong issued a decree freeing thousands of slaves and commoners who had been unjustly enslaved. This reform weakened the power of the aristocratic clans, strengthened the central monarchy, and increased the tax-paying population of Goryeo.

Gwangjong introduced a Chinese-style civil service examination (gwageo) to select government officials based on merit rather than birth. This reform reduced the influence of the entrenched aristocracy and promoted a more centralized, bureaucratic state.

King Gwangjong ordered the execution or exile of numerous powerful nobles and their families, including many who had opposed his reforms. This violent purge eliminated opposition to his centralization policies but created a climate of fear and resentment among the elite.