CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER XV.
Conquest of Dehli — Abstract of the History of Hindustan, from this time to that in 'which
Ibn Batuta visited this place.
The city of Dehli was conquered by the Emir "Kotb Oddin Aibak, one
of the Mamluks of the Sultan ^ Shahab Oddin Mohammed Ibn Siim El
Ghauri* * king of Ghizna and Khorasan, who had overcofne ^ Ibrahim Ibn
Mahmood Ibn Subuktagin| the beginner of the conquest of India. This
Emir Kotb Oddin » resided here as governor, on the part of Shahab
Oddin: but when Kotb Oddin died, his»son, "" Shams Oddin Lalmish,:}:
became governor. After this. Shams Oddin became possessed of the king-
dom here, having been appointed thereto by the general consent of the
people ; and he governed India for twenty years. He was a just, learned,
and religious prince. After his death, his son, ^Rokn Oddin, took posses-
sion of the throne j but polluted his reign by killing his brothers, and was.
^ tf. ^ ^
• {ifj : •
England,” (p. 236) that “ the water of the Jumna, and of the wells, which they are now
obliged to drink (i. e. the inhabitants of Delhi) is so much impregnated with natron, otherwise
called soda, as to prove at times very injurious.” Our traveller was in India before the time of
Shah Jahan, and consequently before the canal for supplying purer water (mentioned in the same
page by the Colonel) had been made : and hence the necessity for this reservoir.
* The taking of Dehli by, Kotb Oddin Aibak ^ servant
of Shahab Oddin, is placed by Ferishta in the year of Hegira 588. See Dow, vol.i. p. 156;
where we are also told that Kotb Oddin made Dehli the seat of his government,
f An outline of these events will be found in Dow, vol. i. pp. 146-7-8.
J This is, no doubt, a mistake of the copyist: Shams Oddin A 1 tarnish
was, according to Ferishta, the name of this king; see Dow, p, 176. And by this account
he reigned twenty-six years. The word for six, however, might have been omitted by our
traveller’s copyists.
HINDUSTAN.
113
therefore, killed himself.* Upon this, the army agreed to place his sister
^E1 Malika Razia, upon the throne, who reigned four years. ' This woman
usually rode about among the army, just as men do. She, however, gave
up the government, on account of some circumstances that presented them-
selves.
After this, her younger brother, Nasir Oddin,'|' became possessed of
the government, which he held for twenty years. This was a very religious
prince ; and so much so, that he lived entirely on what he got by writing-
out and selling copies of the Koran. He was succeeded by his Nawab,
^Ghiath Oddin Ahmed, one of his fathers’ Mamluks, who murdered him.J
This man’s name was originally ® Balaban ; his character had been just,
discriminating, and mild : he filled the office of Nawiib of India, under
Nasir Oddin, for twenty years : he also reigned twenty years. § One of his
. til.
*■ The account of this reign is found in Dow, p. 182; and in p. 183 commences the account
of his sister’s reign noticed by Ibn Batuta, and perfectly agreeing with it. The Emperor,
according to Ferishta, said of her: boi
“ Although Razia is a woman in form, she is a, man in understanding.”
f A similar account of him is given by Dow from Ferishta, where (p. 203) we have an
anecdote about one of the copies of the Koran, which in his industry he had copied out ; and
another in which we are told, that his queen (for he had but one, and no concubines) one day
complainingof her hands being injured {j!j\dj\j\ ^ which Dow translates, burnt her
fingers, ” in baking his bread, and requesting to have a maid to help her, was told, “ that he was
only a trustee of the state, and that he was determined not to burthen it with needless
expenses. He therefore exhorted her to proceed in her duty with patience, and God would
reward her in the end.” Two reigns, according to Ferishta and the Tabakati Akbarl, intervene
here, of which Ibn Batuta makes no mention : the rqason probably is, that they possess no partis
cular interest.
J Nothing of this is mentioned in Ferishta.
^ According to Ferishta he ascended the throne A. H. 664) and died in 685. See Dow,
p. 208-221. At the outset of this section, we have an abstract of his origin according to the his-
torians of Hindustan, which differs in some respects from that of our traveller. Here, as already
remarked, he is erroneously named Balin for Balabmi. Ferishta thinks, that as several persons
of the name of Balaban occur in history, it probably may be the name of a Turkish tribe. His
words are: tSujUs i—
iiOwSib It is curious enough, that in the Tabakati Akbari, which was composed before the
times of Ferishta, Balaban is said to have been called Balaban the Dwarf: the words are
Q
114
HINDUSTAN.
pious acts was, his building a house which was called the House of Safety f
for whenever any debtor entered this, his debt was adjudged ; and
in like manner, every oppressed person found justice ; every man-slayer
deliverance from his adversary ; and every person in fear, protection.
When he died he was buried in this house, and there I myself visited his
grave. The history of his beginnings is surprising, which is this ; When a
child he lived at Bokhara in the possession of one of the inhabitants, and
was a little despicable ill -looking wretch. Upon a time, a certain Fakeer
saw him there, and said: “ You little ^Turk!’' which is considered by them
as a very reproachful term. The reply was : I am here, good Sir. This
surprised the Fakeer, who said to him : Go and bring me one of those pome-
granates, pointing to some which had been exposed for sale in the street.
The urchin replied: Yes, Sir; and immediately, taking out all the money
he had, went and bought the pomegranate. When the Fakeer received it, he
said to Balaban : We give you the kingdom of India. Upon which the boy
kissed his own hand, and said : I have accepted of it, and am quite
satisfied.
It happened, about this time, that the Sultan Shams Oddin sent a
merchant to purchase slaves from Bokhara and Samarkand. He accord-
ingly bought a hundred, and Balaban was among them. When these
Mamluks were brought before the Sultan, they all pleased him except
Balaban, and him he rejected, on account of his despicable appearance.
If
. 1 •• -.-.U,,. 1 •• ^ “ In the year 664 Aligh Khan, wliom they called
Balaban the D’warJ', the whole of the Emirs and Governors of the city placed upon the throne of
empire, in the white palace.” This appellation is not given to him by Ferishta, but must have been
fresh in memory in the times of our traveller, and perhaps when the Tabakati Akbari was
composed.
* In a note p. 42, some notice will be found of an inscription brought from Ceylon by Sir
Alexander Johnston and translated by me. Upon referring to that inscription it will be found,
that an asylum is spoken of : the passage alluded to in our text in this place, seems to me to
signify an institution perfectly similar to that in the inscription, and appears to be coniir-
matory of the view there taken of the inscription. We have no account of this establish-
ment in Dow : but in the Tabakati Akbari and Ferishta, it is said i. •• iJ
‘‘ He was buried in the House of Safety”
HINDUSTAN.
115
Upon this, Balaban said to the Emperor: Lord of the world! why have
you bought all these slaves ? The Emperor smiled, and said : For my
own sake, no doubt. The slave replied : Buy me then for God’s sake. I
will, said he. He then accepted of him, and placed him among the rest;
but, on account of the badness of his appearance, gave him a situation
among the cup-bearers.
Some of the astrologers, who were about the king, were daily in the
habit of saying to him: “ One of the Mamluks will one day overcome thy
son, and take the kingdom from him. To this the Emperor, on account of
the justice and excellency of his own character, paid no regard, till they
also told it to the Queen-Mother ; who soon made an impression on his
mind respecting it. He accordingly summoned the astrologers before
him, and said: Pray can you tell which of the Mamluks it is, who
is to take the kingdom from my son, if you see him ? They said,
we have a mark whereby we can distinguish him. The Emperor
then ordered all the Mamluks to be present; who came accordingly, sta-
tion after station, as commanded. Upon these the astrologers fixed
their eyes; but did not discover the person looked for, until* the day
began to draw towards the close. At this time the cup-bearers said
one to another, we are getting rather hungry, let us join and send some
one into the street to buy us something to eat. They did so ; and Balaban,
as the most despicable, was sent to make the purchase. Balaban accord-
ingly sallied forth, but could find nothing in that street which would suit
him ; he then went on into another, during which time the turn of the
cup-bearers came on to be presented. But, as Balaban was not forthcom-
ing, they took a little pitch and whatever else was necessary for their
purpose, and daubing it over a child, took him with them in the place of
Balaban ; and when his name was called over, this child was presented ;
and the business of the day was closed, without the astrologers finding their
mark upon any one ; which was a providential circumstance for Balaban.
* The force of the particle (until) is worth remarking in this place, as it is obvious
that no inference whatever can here be drawn, that the circumstance hinted at did afterwards
take place. The same often takes place in the scriptural usage of the terms
very unlike the usage of our pai'ticle until. See Noldius, p. 534, edit. 1734.
Q 2
116
HINDUSTAN.
At last Balaban made his appearance ; but not till the business of the day
was over. The cleverness of Balaban was afterwards noticed, and he was
made head of the cup-bearers. After this he was placed in the army,
and soon became a general officer. After this the Sultan Jalal Oddln mar-
ried his daughter, which was before he had been made king. But when he
was, he appointed Balaban to the office of Nawab or Viceroy, which he
filled for twenty years. He then killed his master, and seized the em-
pire. This Balaban had two sons; one of these, namely, ^‘El Khan El
Shahid, he appointed as his own successor, and governor on his part
in the provinces of Sindia : he resided at Multan. He was killed,
however, in an affair with the Tartars,* leaving two sons, Kaikobadf
and 'Kaikhosru. Balaban’s second son, named ^Nasir Oddin, was ap-
pointed to govern the districts of ^Laknoutl and “Bengal. When, however,
the heir-apparent El Khan El Shahid had been killed, Balaban appointed
El Khan El Shahid’s son Kaikhosru, his successor, passing over his own
son Nasir Oddin.
Nasir Oddin, however, had a son named "Moizz Oddin residing at the
court of his grandfather at Dehli, the person who eventually became suc-
cessor to Balaban. This at length came to pass on account of Giath
Oddin Balaban’s dying in the night, when his own son Nasir Oddin was out
of the way in the district of Laknouti. On this occasion he appointed
Kaikhosru his grandson, the son of El Khan El Shahid, as already men-
tioned.
The king, however (or chief) of the Emirs and Nawab to the Sultan
Balaban, happened to have conceived a strong enmity against Kaikhosru,
* In Dow, vol. i. p. 226, we have the same account.
f The Tabakati Akbarl and Farishta give the name of Kaikobad to the son of this Nasir
Oddin, and who is here termed MoTzz Oddin. All agree, however, in making the son of Nasir
Oddin eventually to succeed to Balaban in the empire. Which of our writers is correct in the
other particulars I have not the means of determining, nor is it of much importance ; but, from
the accounts given below by Ibn Batuta, and no where else to be found, I am disposed to
believe, that he had access to documents not in existence in the times of the historians referred
to : and if so, his story bids the fairest for being the true one. The title of Balaban’s second
son Baghera Khan lyb) as given by Ferishta and Dow, is constantly in the Tabakati
Akbarl Bakera Khan .
HINDUSTAN.
117
on this account he had recourse to a stratagem, which gained him his end :
it was this : He forged a letter in the name of the Emirs, stating that they
had declared Moi'zz Oddin son of Nasir Oddin, king. With this he goes
to Kaikhosru by night, as if wishing to advise with him, and says : The
Emirs have proclaimed thy uncle’s son ; and I very much fear for thy
safety. The reply was: What am I to do? He said, save thyself by
escaping to the districts of Sindia. But, replied he, how am I to get through
the gates of the city,, which are already barred. The keys, answered -the
Emir, are here in my possession. I will open the gates for you. The
young man thanked him for this, and then kissed his hand. The Emir
said: Mount immediately. He accordingly did, with his nobles and slaves;
and the Emir opened the gates, let them out, and immediately closed them
again.
He next went to Moi'zz Oddin, son of Nasir Oddin, and asked permission
to enter; which being granted, he proclaimed him Emperor. “ But, how
is this,” replied Mo’izz Oddin, “ since Kaikhosru my uncle's son was
appointed successor ?” The Emir told him of his stratagem, and how he
had got rid of Kaikliosru. Mo'izz Oddin thanked him for this, and then
took him to the palace ; where, sending for the rest of the Emirs and
nobles, they invested him with the supreme authority during the night.
In the morning this was confirmed by the people generally ; and Mo'izz
Oddin took possession of the throne.
His father, however, was living at this time in the provinces of Bengal
and Laknouti : and, when the news of his son’s being made Emperor
reached him, he said : I am heir to the crown, how then can my son
exercise this authority during my lifetime ? He accordingly set out with
his army for Dehli,in order to make war upon his son Mo'izz Oddin. Mo'izz
Oddin too marched out with his troops to give battle to his father. They
both arrived at the same time at the city of "Karra,* which is situated on
the banks of the Ganges, took their stations on opposite sides of the river,
and prepared for the onset. It was the will of divine Providence, how-
ever, to spare the blood of the faithful ; and hence the heart of the father
•1^"
* The Currah of Major Rennell.
118
HINDUSTAN.
Nasir Oddln began to relent towards his son ; for he said to himself, surely
as long as my son is king, I shall partake of his glory. Mo'izz Oddin too
felt in his mind that someting of submission was due to his father. Each
of them, therefore, as if by instinct, left his army and rode directly into
the middle of the river and met there. Here the Emperor kissed the feet
of his father, and asked his forgiveness. His father replied, I give you my
kingdom ; and so invested him with the authority of Emperor. He then
wished to retire to his districts ; but his son said : Nay, but you must come
with me to mine. He accordingly accompanied him to Dehli ; and,
entering the palace, seated his son upon the throne, and took his own sta-
tion before him. This day is therefore called, the day of meeting ; because
they had this happy rencontre in the middle of the river, no blood being-
shed, and the kingdom mutually given and accepted.*
After this, Nasir Oddin returned to his districts; where after two years he
died, leaving a family behind him. The kingdom was thus confirmed to
Moizz Oddin, which continued for four years, during which the inhabitants
* The account of this transaction is given in a manner somewhat different in the Tabakati
Akbari, Ferisbta, and after the latter, by Dow, vol. i. p. 225, &c., the former, stating, as Fe-
rishta does, that Nasir Oddin did not think of leaving Luknouti for Dehli for two'years, until he
had heard of the great profligacy of his son, proceeds thus : b ^ j♦\la3 v ^
... ^ ^ ^
j cLuj I— jJ 3'^
c__>b jJj AL-Lj
I bs^ Cl — ? I f b 1
jub;- ^1' ** Sultan, at the instigation of the Vizier Nizam Oddin, pro-
viding himself with an army, and other appurtenances of royalty, set out for Oude. When the
Sultan Nasir Oddin was acquainted with this, knowing that tlie Vizier Nizam Oddin had origi-
nated it, he also set out with an army, elephants, and great pomp towards his son. Each of the
armies took its station on each side of the Sirve (Soorjew or Gogra). When three days were spent
in sending and receiving letters, as to how the meeting was to be arranged, it was at length
agreed, that the son should retain the throne; and that Nasir Oddin should pass the river, and
do homage to his son upon it.” I make this extract, because Dow introduces certain matters
into the account not to be found either in Ferishta or the author cited. Such as the armies
waiting for some days in hourly expectation of an action ; the old man finding his army inferior
to that of his son, and the like : when the fact seems to be, that a negociation was set on foot im-
mediately, and that the father had no intention or wish to give his son battle. What authority
our traveller had for placing this meeting upon the Ganges it is not easy to say.
HINDUSTAN.
119
may be said to have enjoyed a continual holiday. After this he was
affected by a complaint, by which one of his sides became quite withered, *
and for which the physicians could find no remedy. At this time, his
Nawab, ^'Jalal Oddin Firoz Shah El Khilaji, revolted, taking his
station upon a high mount without the city. Moizz Oddin sent his
Emirs for the purpose of giving him battle ; but they all, one after
another, joined him, and proclaimed him Emperor. Jalal Oddin then
entered the city, and enclosing Moizz Oddin within his palace for three
days, overcame him, put him to death, and took possession of his
kingdom. j" This Jalal Oddin was a mild and well-informed prince; he
governed India for two years. He had a son and a daughter. The
daughter he married to his brother’s son Ala Oddin, a daring, bold,
and powerful man. His wife, however, so much harassed him, that he
was obliged to complain to her father, in order to have an end put to their
disputes. +
The uncle had given him the government of MCarra and Manikbur,§
containing two of the most populous districts in India. Ala Oddin, how-
ever, had an eye to the kingdom. The only difficulty he had to contend
with was, his want of money ; for he had none, except what he got by
his sword in making new conquests. Upon one of these expeditions, his
horse happened to stumble against a stone as he went along, and from this
a kind of ringing noise proceeded. He immediately ordered his men to
dig ; and here they found an immense quantity of wealth. H This he divided
among his followers, and hence acquired considerable power. It happened
that his uncle undertook an expedition against him, and summoned him
before him, but he refused to appear. The uncle then prepared to go to
iu, 1/ ' . JIU- "
* Dow, ib. p. 229.
f Here the Khiliji dynasty originated, and that of Ghaur ended. Dow, ib. pp. 229-231.
t Noticed by Dow, p. 243
§ The Currah and Manicpoor of Major Rennell.
II This wealth seems to have been acquired in an expedition into the Deccan. Dow, ib. p.
245 and 247. In countries like those of the East, however, subject to a perpetual change of
masters, it is not at all to be wondered at, that much treasure is often buried j and, perhaps, this
will in some measure account for the stories we so often meet with, of great treasures being found
in the earth.
120
HINDUSTAN.
him ; for he said, This young man is as my son, I will therefore go to
him. The nephew accordingly met him, which happened upon the banks
of the Ganges, in the very place where Moizz Oddin and Nasir Oddin had
formerly met : and, like them, each rode into the middle of the river.
Ala Oddin, however, had commanded his followers, that, at the time he
should embrace his uncle Jalal Oddin, they were to kill him. When,
therefore, the parties met, and the nephew was in the act of embracing
the uncle, the followers of the nephew killed him, which put Ala Oddin
in possession of his uncle’s army, and all proclaimed him Emperor.^'
After this he governed Hindustan for twenty years. He was just, and
looked to the affairs of his subjects in person. Now he also had a nephew
named "Soleiman Shah, and as he was one day engaged in the chase,
this nephew conceived the intention of destroying him, just as he had of
destroying his own uncle. He shot him, accordingly, with an arrow in an
unguarded moment, and the uncle fell from his horse, j The nephew was
c;
* Ferislita’s account of this transaction will be found in Dow, vol. i. pp. 252-254. But here
the Persian historians represent the affair as having taken place in the Ganges : and, as Ibn
Batuta says, it took place where the former one did, he must have written i-.Gl the Ganges,
on that occasion.
•f Dow, ib. pp. 267-209. But here the name of Akit Khan occurs ; if, however, we turn
to Ferishta, we shall find Soleiman Shah, just as we have it in our traveller: and as we have
another variety, it may not be amiss to cite the passage: .'•.j dzij
^ ^b. ^ 1 ^ ^3^ tX) b< ^ bx.* (al. J
i.ii" ^ V 3^ il^b jUb
X J^X^ ^ ^^33^ i^X J‘3 ^
ji jX ‘■^xi" (j^baLiC A..aaj Kit^X ^
sXci tcj , &c, “ The Sultan was enraged, and in his own person proceeded towards that part
in regal pomp. When he arrived at Tibet (according to the Tabakati Akbari at Til Pfiiit), and
had resided there a few days, and went daily into the desert to hunt the kamurgah, upon one
of these he happened to have lost time, so that he could not get to the army, but remained out.
On the next day, before sun-rising, he ordered the hunting to commence, white he, with a
HINDUSTAN.
121
about to make up to him, when he was told by his slave that he need not
do so, as he was quite dead. He left him, therefore, and returned to the
palace j and took possession of the government. A little while after Ala
Oddln, recovering from his stupor, got up and mounted a horse, which
the army perceiving joined him. He then entered the city, and besieged
his nephew Soleiman Shah in the palace ; who, feeling his weakness,
betook himself to flight, but was taken and put to death by his uncle
Ala Oddln. After this he never rode a hunting, to divine service, or to the
celebration of any public holiday.
He had five sons, the younger of whom were ^Sliahab Oddin and Kotb
Oddin : the eldest he had, during his life time, ordered to be kept in prison.^
When taken with his last sickness (the anger of the young man on account
of his imprisonment not having abated), and when the disease was making
rapid advances, he sent for this son in order to name him as his successor ;
but, he delaying to come in consequence of this irritation, the Mamluks, the
head of whom hated this son, together with the principal Nuwa,b, placed
the younger son Shahab Oddln upon the throne, as soon as the Emperor was
dead : and the appointment was confirmed by the people. The three elder
children, however, were ordered to be imprisoned and their eyes to be put
out : and thus was the government established.
few others, went aside and sat upon a height, so that when the Kamurgah should be started be
might engage in the hunt. All on a sudden, however, Soleiman Shah the Sultan’s nephew,
who was styled Alikh Khan, and was keeper of the Door, having in his mind the affair of Jalal
Oddln and Ala Oddin, with a few horsemen who were his old servants and had lately
become Mohammedans, parading as it were for his amusement, made for the Sultan ; who, when
they had attacked him with their arrows, fell from the height, &c.” The place where this
occurred is called Jilput, by Dow, which is, perhaps, an error of the press for Tilput, as found
in the Tabakati Akbarl. Of the Vakeel Muttaluk, as in Dow, we have in both histories . j IN.
Vakili Dar.
* This, we have, I suppose, in the temporary banishment mentioned ^by Dow, vol. i. p. 292.
Ferishta, however, mentions it not as a command, as given by Dow, but merely as a per-
mission to go to Amrohe, on a hunting excursion : his words are,
• c-.-'lb \jj \j^ He gave
permission to Khazir Khan to make a hunting excursion to Amrohe, saying, when I shall have
recovered my health, I will' send for you. See also id. p. 293, where Ferishta does not say one
R
122
HINDUSTAN.
Upon this the Queen sent for two of the most powerful of her husband’s
Mamluks, the name of one of whom was * * * * § Bashir, that of the other,
“ Mubashshir, and with tears complained of the conduct of the principal
Nuwab towards her children, soliciting their assistance, and stimulating
them to put the chief Nuwab to death ; and affirming, that it was his inten-
tion to murder her younger son Kotb Oddln. They accordingly agreed to
kill him, which they did by stratagem while he was in his house. ^ They
then brought forth Kotb Oddin to his brother Shahab Oddln, who held the
reins of government. Kotb Oddln remained for some time in the situation
of his Nuwab, but at length deposed his brother, and took possession of
the kingdom ; which he held for some time.
After this he took a journey to ^ Dawlat Abad, between which and Dehli
is a distance of forty days. The road is from first to last inclosed with
^willow and other trees, so that a traveller seems to be in a garden
throughout all this distance. f Besides, there are at the distance of every
three miles the stations of the foot couriers, at which there are also inhabi-
tants, as already mentioned. From this place to El Telingana,j; and ^E1
Maabar,§ is a distance of six months. In all these stations there is a
word about trying his affections or seeing him weep, as stated by Dow, but that the Emperor em-
braced him affectionately, and allowed him to go into the haram to see his mother, &c.
* In pp. 295-6. The account of the Queen’s proceeding differs a little in Ferishta from that in
IbnBatuta: and here Dow is incorrect. “ The mother of Mobarick Shaw .... acquainted Shech
Nizam ul Dien,” &c. ; but Ferishta says it was the Sheikh Najm Oddln . And a
little lower down he tells us, just as our traveller does, that this affair was communicated to both the
Mubashshir and the Bashir: his words are ^ jb
&c. i. e. they returned and told the affair to the Mubashshir and the Bashir, who were the heads
of the Eunuchs. Where we also learn that these are names of office.
f We are told by Ferishta, and after him by Dow, Hind. vol. i. p. 319, that the emperor
planted both sides of the road from Dehli to Dawlatabad with trees, for the purpose of shading
the inhabitants when passing from the one place to the other.
:j: This is, no doubt, the of Ferishta and Tilling of Dow ; the reading of our MSS.
is evidently wrong.
§ It will scarcely be necessary to add any thing to the valuable notes of M. de Sacy and Mr.
Marsden on this place ; Relat. de I’Egypte, p. 112, and Travels of Marco Polo, p. 626. But as a
few notices of it are to be found in Abulfeda’s Geography, not mentioned by them, I shall here
give them. j
HINDUSTAN.
123
lodging for the Emperor, with cells for his suite, and for travellers generally.
There is no necessity, therefore, for a poor man’s carrying any provisions
with him on this road.
When, therefore, the Sultan Kotb Oddin was on this journey, and had
with him “Khazir Khan, the son of his elder brother who was in prison,
some of the Emirs formed a conspiracy, by which it was their intention to
depose the Emperor, and to proclaim this son of his elder brother. But
the Emperor discovering this, instantly put his nephew and his nephew’s
father to death, as well as his other brothers, who were then confined in the
fortress of ''Kaliyur.*
This fortress is situated on the top of a high hill, and seems as if it
had been cut out of the rock : opposite to it is no other mount. Within
it are reservoirs filled with rain-water ; and about it are numerous walls,
• ^ [*V.^ Said
has said, that the Maabar is well-known and often mentioned. From it is brought the Las (un-
washed silk), on the washing of which a proverb has been formed. On the north of this place are
the mountains adjoining the districts of Balhara king of the kings of India. On the west of
it does the river Sulian discharge itself into the sea. The Maabar is to the east of Kawlam
(Coulan), about three or four day’s journey : to the south of which if must be necessarily placed.
Again, the longitude and latitude are said to be, according to Ibn Said, east 142° 8'; lat.
17° 45'. Where the first, allowing about 17° west for the difference of calculation, is evidently
too great. And if any reliance can be placed on the last, the conjecture of M. de Sacy, that
the Maabar probably extends as far north as the mouths of the Ganges, cannot be true. If we
could ascertain where the districts of Balhara commence, we may, probably, be able to
determine this question. The reader should be informed, that in many cases in which Ferishta has
Maabar, Col, Dow not knowing, I suppose, what to make of the word, has translated it
by Malbar. Hist. Hind. vol. i. p. 300, &c. Again, it is said, ^ Si: Jb’
• I— b ^
has said, the first (part) of the districts of El Maabar, on the part of Manibar (Malabar), is
Cape Komhori (Comorin), with o after m without any vowel, o after h, i after r, &c. In this
case Cape Comorin is the southern limit, and the latitude given above, the northern.
* The Gwalior of Rennell. Some account of this expedition, mutiny, and murder of the
king’s brothers, is to be found in Dow, vol. i. pp. 298-9. An abstract of the history of this cele-
brated fortress will be given from the Gwalior Namah in an Appendix to this chapter."
R 2
124
HINDUSTAN.
upon which warlike engines are planted. This is their strongest fortress :
beneath it, is a small town.
When, however, Kotb Ocldin had killed his brothers, and so purified his
kingdom that no one seemed left to contend with him, divine Providence
gave the supreme power to one of his most powerful and choice friends,
namely, ‘^Nasir Oddin Khosru Khan, who killed him, and took possession
of the empire; but this he held only for a short time.* The reason was,
that when he had taken possession of the throne, he sent dresses of honour
to the governors of the several provinces ; which they all put on, as a mark
of obedience, if we except '^Toglik Shfdi, father of the present Em-
peror of Hindustan Mohammed Slifdi. This person was then governor of
®Debalbur,j' and would neither put on the dress, nor tender his obedience.
The consequence was, an army was sent against him, which he put to
flight. The Emperor then sent his brother against him : him also he routed,
and put to death : and so far did matters proceed, that Toglik also slew
Nasir Oddin Khosru Khan and seized his empire.
This Nasir Oddin had originated some great abominations during his
reign, :j: of which the forbidding oxen to be slaughtered is one, and which is
one of the regulations of the infidel Hindoos. For among them, no one is
allowed to slaughter an ox ; and, in case he should do so, he is ordered to
be stitched up in its skin, and to be burnt. The reason is, they so much
esteem the ox that they drink its urine, both to promote prosperity and
to recover health. They also daub their walls with the dung of these ani-
* The rise of this wretch will be found in Dow, pp. 300-4 ; and at p. 307 we are told, that
his reign continued only five months ; but according to my copies of Ferishta his reign was
some days short of this. I = i .
f The province of this name. We have in Dow, vol. i. p. 305, the first intimation of this,
where we are told, that this chief was governor of Lahore and Debalpur; and that his son
was appointed master of the horse in Dehli, as noticed by our traveller a little lower down.
Toglik, however, is styled in Dow, Ghazi Malluk.
;f Nothing is said in Dow of this; but in Ferishta some intimations of it are found, viz.
. U 1^1 began
to practise idolatry with the Hindoos, so that the Koran was occasionally placed as a stool and
sat upon.”
HINDUSTAN.
125
mals.' Hence it was that Nasir Oddin became so hateful to the Moham-
medans, that they stimulated ^ Toglik Ghiath Oddin, to put him to death,
and to take possession of the kingdom.
This Toglik was originally descended from the Turks who inhabit the
mountains in the district of Sindia.^' He was very poor ; but, betaking
himself to the cities of these parts, he got employment in feeding cattle.
After this he became a foot soldier, and then a horse soldier : in the next
place, as his abilities appeared he was made a ^commanding officer.
After this the Emperor Kotb Oddin appointed him governor of Debrdbur;
and his son, who is now Emperor, keeper of the horse. Toglik was
brave, warlike, honourable, and just : and, as his son was stationed at
Dehli as keeper of the horse, when the father had determined to rebel,
I
* Ferishta tells us, that he could find nothing upon which he could rely as to the origin of
Toglik Shah. His words are these : JiU j
xJoJJ cjliA jO to oeJiA" j
^toLi cALj jO s\lA)u t^Ato tcl
y.irk-0 tXjl CraAto ^ ^ ^^jAj
. xjAT A-=ry 3J^ tjltiLjj “ The historians of Hindustan, both
ancient and modern, have neglected to give any particular account of the origin and descent of
Toglikshah. Mohammed Kasim Ferishta, however, the writer of these pages, when he arrived at
Lahore, during the times of the Emperor Nur Oddin Mohammed Jahangir, on the part of the
Sultan of his time Ibrahim Aadil Shah, enquired of the persons of that place, whose desire it was
to investigate the history of the Kings of Hindustan, what was the origin and descent of the family
of Toglikshah. They said ; We have found no clear account of it in any book whatever. In this
State, however, there is a report, that the King Toglik, father of the Emperor Ghiath Oddin
Toglikshah, obtained a situation among the Turkish slaves of the Sultan Balaban : and contract-
ing an intimacy with the Jit tribe, who are stipendiaries upon this kingdom, married a daughter of
one of them ; and from him descended the Sultan Ghiath Oddin.” We have a sketch of
this in Dow, vol. i. p. 308, where, instead of Balaban we read Bolin. My two copies of Ferishta,
however, the Tabakati Akbarl, and Ibn Batutu, are constant in giving Balaban, which is
undoubtedly the true reading: and, as Ibn Batuta lived much nearer the time of Toglikshah than
Ferishta did, it is very likely that his account of his origin is the true one.
126
HINDUSTAN.
he corresponded with this son, who cajoled the Emperor Khosru Khan ;
sometimes, for example, appearing at his post without the city, and then
returning to his father. After some days, however, he was missing till
after sunset, which giving some suspicion to Nasir Oddin, he sent for him,
but could not find him : on this occasion he had escaped, and taken all
the best of the Emperor’s horses to his father.^
The Emir of Multan, '‘Kashlu Khan, joined Toglik in his rebellion, in
order to avenge Kotb Oddin, son of Nasir Oddin, their common master.
When, however, the two conspirators entered Dehli, and Nasir Oddin had
betaken himself to flight with only a few Hindoo fakeers, Toglik said' to
Kashlu Khan : You shall be Emperor. But he refused; and Toglik took
possession of the government. After this, Nasir Oddin was taken and put
to death ; and the kingdom was purged, and remained so for four years.
After this the Emperor sent his son, who is now Emperor, to reduce the
provinces of Telinga, [' which are at the distance of three months from
*■ This is Dow’s Malleck Fuchir ul Dien Jonah. Ferishta tells us, that the escape of this young
man to his father, was the first thing that awakened this king to the danger of his situation : and,
as his words very much confirm the account given by Ibn Batuta I shall here give them : UJl
jt) Ij j\ Jvt.'
&c. In the mean time, after two months and a half, Juna, finding an opportunity in the middle of
the night, mounted with two or three confidential friends, and took the road from Dehli to Debal-
pur with all haste. Khosru Khan being (thus) awakened from his sleep of negligence, became
anxious as to the decline of his power, &c. The particulars, however, differ a little.
f Our MSS. here read which is a manifest mistake of the copyist, for t,:! the
orthography of Ferishta, and which Dow writes. Tilling, vol. i. p. 309, where we have an
abridgment of the account given by Ferishta of this rebellion. But as Dow’s mode of writing
the proper names, &c. differs very materially from that found in my MSS. it may not be amiss to
notice it. Ferishta’s words are these, (al. CJicj
“ But Malik Fakhar Oddin
Junala (al. Juna) his eldest son, he appointed as his successor, and lifted his head almost to
the skies, by giving him a royal umbrella. He also gave him the title of Alif Khan.” "Wfith
this my MSS. agree; Dow, however, gives Aligh Khan, (he probably read where I
have 1 pUy
For some account of Telingana, (occasionally written by Ferishta) the place here
meant, see Rennell’s Memoir to his Map of Hindustan, p. cxi. &c.
HINDUSTAN.
127
Dehli ; but when he had arrived at a certain part of the way, one of the
courtiers thought proper to rebel, and to possess himself (if possible) of the
kingdom. For this purpose he circulated a report, that the Emperor was
dead ; supposing that the Emirs would now immediately proclaim him
king. When they heard this, however, every one of them struck his drum,
and betook himself to his own part (i. e. to rebellion) so that the prince
was left with his particular friends alone. f The Emirs, moreover, intended
* This appears to be equivalent to the scriptural expression, “ Every man to his tent, O
Israel,” which seems to have been the watch-word for rebellion.
t As the account of this mutiny is not given correctly by Dow (vol. i. p. 309, &c.) I shall
here give it in the words of Ferishta- Jf ^ j\ ^j\
iXjiXui I, I jb
ScMb jd C**^)
t 0 SI ^ S)
j^UaL.) tXJwirfllti i—JjM
^ ISSSji
t^Loy (jUal J-c dibej
jl ^U-i ^ ^ iXi£-
(S lSi3\i3 j\jS ^
i3y>~ jO '^j 3
jI^ Jj Jo yj ^J &C" During this interval, from the corrupt state of the water and air of
those parts, and as various diseases had appeared, a great number of men, horses, and ele-
phants, perished ; and, besides, the soldiers had circulated false reports. At the same
juncture, as the roads had been stopped up, and no news had arrived from Dehli for about a
month (two couriers usually arriving weekly) the Sheikh Zada DimashkI, and Obeid the
Poet, who had lately come to Hindustan, and waited on the prince’s person, raised an insolent
and false report, that the Emperor Toglik Shah was dead, that another king was already upon
the throne, and that the greatest confusion was prevailing in Dehli; but not content with this,
the two insurgents went to the quarters of Malik Timur, Malik Mai Afghan, Malik Kafur, the
keeper of the seals, and Malik Tagin, who \vas chief in command, and said : The affairs of
Dehli are in this state ; and, as Alif Khan knows you to have been the great men of Ala Oddin,
and participators in his rule, he has made up his mind to seize upon you all four in one day, and
to strike off your heads. When they heard this, they were much alarmed ; and, as great fear
already existed in the army, each of them made up his mind and fled. The account given in
the Tabakati Akbarl agrees with this as to matter, except that it gives jj) Aligh Khan,
for 4_aJ) Alif Khan.
128
HINDUSTAN.
to kill him ; but from this they were diverted by one of the great men of
their body, whose name was ' Timur. The prince then fled to his father
with ten of his friends, whom he styled ^‘Yaran (i. c. friends in the Persic);
but, when he came to him, was immediately sent back on his journey with
a large army. Upon this, the Emirs, who had intended to put him to
death, fled; but some of them were taken, and put to death. Thus the
matter terminated, and he returned to his father.
The father himself then undertook an expedition against the province of
UaknoutI,* in which resided at that time the Sultan Shams Oddin son of Ghiath
Oddin Balaban : to whom had fled the Emirs of Toglik, as just mentioned.
About this time, however. Shams Oddin died, having first bound his son,
Shahab Oddin (by contract), who accordingly took possession of the
throne. His younger brother, however, “Ghiath Oddin Bahadur Bura,
overcame him, and seized upon the kingdom. He then killed all the rest
of his brothers, except Shahab Oddin, who had been bound to mount
the throne, and Nasir Oddin : for they fled to Toglik imploring assistance.
He allowed them, therefore, to march with his army, in order to give battle
to Ghiath Oddin. Toglik had also appointed his son Mohammed to the
office of Nuwab in Dehli during his own absence on this expedition. He
proceeded therefore, and gained possession of the province of Laknouti,
having put Ghiath Oddin to the rout, after which, however, he took him
prisoner, and carried him to Dehli.
* Some account of this expedition is given by Dow, vol. i. p. 311, where we also find the
appointment of the Emperor’s eldest son to the office of Nuwab of Dehli. Ferishta places this
expedition in the year of the Hejira 72d, A.D. 1324, and as Dow’s account is in some respects
inaccurate, I shall give Ferishta’s words : j\
Jsi.lk.wO j\)'^ 1 J.ol
jjy
accounts came from LakhnoutI and Sanarganw, stating that the Emirs and magistrates of
that place were exercising great cruelties and injustice upon the inhabitants. Upon this the
Emperor Toglikshrih getting an army together, and appointing Alif Khan for his Viceroy in Dehli,
set out for the eastern parts of Hindustan: and when he arrived at Turhat, the Sultan Nasir
Oddin, son of the Sultan Ghiath Oddin Balaban, &c.
HINDUSTAN. 129
When he had got near to Dehli, he sent to his son Mohammed, request-
ing him to build him a "kushka, that is, a palace, which he did, and
constructed one, well built of wood, in the space of three days. But
Mohammed the son made an. agreement with the geometrician who planned
it, that the steps leading to it should be made sufficiently broad to allow
t.he elephants * to ascend them, in order to their being presented to the
* We read in Dow (vol. i. p. 311) that forty elephants had been sent from Jagenagur, by
Alif Kban, for the Emperor ; and it is probable these were the elephants intended to be presented
on this occasion, if there is any^ruth at all in this part of the story. In p. 312 of Dow, vol. i,
we have a very short account of this event ; but there the scene is placed at Afghanpoor, a place
of which Rennell gives no account, but which must be very near Dehli. This has been taken
from Ferishta, whose words are as follows ; Jj^
AaAIj 1 j\ 4*^ OJyj lisT’ 1
Jo\sT
iflrijtilj J3J3 1 * * * 1
k\3iX»A^ ifiXc! ^ JUJcujb
3b
UL
^ ,ll?b* (XkXol ^ 4r.iwi.ia U faXwa ^|y..a L**^
ij jJ jsj [) jjUaL; j u-aJL» Lj) bsTl
4$” (feirs-b ^3 ^jtos ^ ^
t,i*' — jU23 (^1 4aiiXi^ j\ ^j^as ^ adlCiJ j\
^ (*^ C3”^ 4^ aX) 4r.i^
. Jkiial) -vbi* jjU- (w_iL!) 4^^ Oo “ He made for his capital, using every possible
endeavour to expedite bis progress, not at all aware that his end was so near. When Alif
Khan had heard that his father was coming in great haste, he erected a palace for him nearj
Afghanpur, in the space of three days; so that when the Sultan should have arrived at that,
place, he might lodge there for the night ; and in the morning, when the city should be adorned,
and every thing prepared to receive him, he should enter it with great pomp. The Sultan
accordingly arrived there, and believing tbe reason given for erecting this palace to be the true
one, he took up his lodging there. On the day following Alif Khan, with the rest of the
Emirs of Dehli, happy at the intimation of the king’s arrival, with the company who came to
welcome him sat down in the palace to a feast. When the eatables were removedj and the
company was aware that the Sultan would soon mount, they got up, not waiting even to
wash their hands. The Sultan, however, delayed as long as washing his hands would require,
s
130
HINDUSTAN.
Emperor Toglik. A place also was so constructed, that when the foot of
the elephant should come in contact with it, the whole palace should fall
down upon all who may happen to be in it. When, therefore, the Emperor
arrived at his palace, he had it carpetted and furnished, and took up his
residence within it. Now, the Emperor had a second son, who was a
great favourite with him. In consequence of this, the elder brother.
but during this time the roof of the palace fell in, and the Sultan with five others perished.
In some of the histories it is said, that since the palace was new and fresh built, and as some
persons made the elephants which the Emperor had brought with him from Bengal race round
it, as the weight of the elephants made the ground sink, the palace on this account fell.
Others say, that this useless palace was built merely because Alif Khan had a design upon his
father.” This opinion, however, Ferishta rejects as improbable, and inclines to another, given
by the Haji Mohammed of Kandahar, that the palace was struck by lightning. The author
of the Tabakati Akbarl, however, who is followed by the Farhat El Nazirin er
after giving the same account with Ferishta of this circumstance, concludes by ascribing it to
the same cause with Ibn Batuta. His words areijj JwIJ t "y.-.-"” Ji
j (AAU jSJ JciAS ^ ^
^ J
i ^ jJ^ \j Jjj &c.
It will not be concealed from the minds of intelligent men, that the making of this otherwise
useless palace, was for the purpose of furthering a scheme which Aligh Khan had devised against
his father, and which is evident enough. And, as the author of the Tarlkhi Firoz Shahi, published
his work in the time of Firoz Shah, who had a very unreasonable faith in Mohammed Shah, it is on
this account, as I have often heard from credible persons, that he said nothing about this circum-
stance. Abul Fazl speaks of this event in the following terms : Jj&jo
j jiJ ^1
.
“ Having arranged matters in Bengal, he came to Dehli. Mohammed Khan, his son, at the
head of a party in Dehli, built a palace in three days, and with much solicitation got the Sultan
to come to it. The roof, however, fell in, and his matters were brought to a conclusion ; and
although Zia BarnI labours to give a good name to this prince, yet to have built such a
receptacle, and to have used such diligence to get the Sultan to it, must bring to mind the
badness of his character.” (A-ini Akbari.) This Zia Barni, it should be remembered, was
a favourite with Mohammed Shah, and wrote his history under the immediate inspection of
Mohammed’s son Firoz Shah, as the author of the Tabakati Akbari has judiciously remarked.
There can be no doubt, therefore, that Ibn Batuta’s account of this event is the true one. An
account of this transaction, similar to those above given, is also found in the Ji U
Maathari Rahimi, by Abd El Baki.
HINDUSTAN.
131
Mohammed, very much feared lest he should be appointed successor to the
throne. When, therefore, the different orders, as well as those who had
come to welcome the Sultan, had concluded the banquet, the elephants
were presented before him : but, when the elephant’s foot came in contact
with the place appointed, down came the palace upon the head of the
Sultan Toglik, his favourite son, and the courtiers who were assembled
before him, and all perished. Mohammed, the present Emperor, accord-
ingly took possession of the throne, having been proclaimed by the Emirs
and people, and thus was the kingdom purged of his enemies.