Who succeeded Qutbuddin Aibak as the second Sultan of Delhi in 1210?

After the sudden death of Qutbuddin Aibak at Lahore in 1210, Aram Shah became the second Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate.

About Aram Shah:

• He ruled for only a very short time, from 1210 to 1211.
• His relationship to Aibak is uncertain; he is generally described as Aibak's son, though some historians think he may not have been.
• He was raised to the throne at Lahore by some nobles.
• He was a weak and incapable ruler, and was unable to control the nobles or defend the kingdom.
• The nobles of Delhi, unhappy with him, invited Shamsuddin Iltutmish, who was then the governor of Badaun and the son-in-law of Aibak, to take the throne.
• Iltutmish marched to Delhi and defeated Aram Shah's army near Delhi (in the plain of Jud) in 1211.
• Aram Shah was probably killed or disappeared soon afterwards.
• Iltutmish then became the third Sultan.

The early Sultans of the Mamluk dynasty:

• Qutbuddin Aibak (1206-1210): the first Sultan.
• Aram Shah (1210-1211).
• Iltutmish.
• Ruknuddin Firoz: a son of Iltutmish, removed after a few months.
• Razia: a daughter of Iltutmish.
• Muizuddin Bahram Shah, Alauddin Masud Shah and Nasiruddin Mahmud.
• Ghiyasuddin Balban.
• Kaiqubad and Kayumars, the last rulers of the dynasty.

Problems after Aibak's death:

• The Turkish territories in India broke up into several parts.
• Nasiruddin Qabacha declared himself independent in Multan and Sindh.
• Ali Mardan Khalji declared independence in Bengal.
• Tajuddin Yildiz, the ruler of Ghazni, claimed authority over the Indian territories.
• Iltutmish faced these challenges and consolidated the Sultanate.

Sources:

Minhaj-us-Siraj's history is the main source for this period.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Iltutmish was the third Sultan.
• ✗Ruknuddin Firoz and Bahram Shah came later.