The Qutb Minar is an ancient tower in India’s capital city, Delhi. While its exact purpose is debated, it reflects the collision of culture experienced by the subcontinent in the late 12th Century, when forces from Turkey introduced Islam to the land by establishing the Delhi Sultanate. The grand column was commissioned by the Sultan Qutb ud Din Aibak, a former Turkish slave who rose up to lead the Mamluk dynasty.