Turkan-i-Chahalgani, the Group of Forty

Amir-i-Chahalgani, known variously as Turkan-i-Chahalgani and Chalisa (The Forty), was a group of 40 faithful slaves which came into existence with the task of protecting Shamsuddin Iltutmish, the third Slave Sultan of Delhi Sultanate. The idea to form the group was taken by him when he came to realize that Turkish nobles cannot be trusted and could be a threat to his rule.

With the passage of time the group went on to become very influential and powerful. Though Iltutmish succeeded in keeping the group under control, after his rule they became notorious and intrigued against nearly all his successors. 

The Forty acquired domination on the affairs of the state so much so that no ruler could defy them. Without their support it was utterly out of questions for the rulers to win the battle for succession. The members of this Turkish nobility used to appropriate all the offices of the state to themselves. Some of the rulers of the Slave dynasty after Iltutmish were murdered by these slaves.

Intrigues, counter intrigues and greed for wealth reigned supreme among the members of the Forty. 

Balban, who had been an active member of the Forty before his accession to the throne, was fully aware of its real strengths as well as its sense of loyalty to the family of Iltutmish. He carefully made a plan to guard against the intrigues and conspiracies of the members of the Forty. He started to eliminate them one by one, giving a death blow to the Turkish nobility to which he once himself belonged.