English
1 And Malik Nizamu-d-din setting himself to the destruction of the Balbani family, induced Muizu-d-din to call bis cousin KaikhusraQ from Multan; and to kill him on the way, and to dismiss many of the loyal Umara. Sultan Na§iru-d-din Bughra Khan at Lakhnauti on receiving news of the negligence of his son, and of the over¬ bearing influence of Malik Nizamu-d-din, wrote to his son letters containing instructions, and by insinuations and hints, advised Z^uddm Barm, author of Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi ( p . 121) 8Ut *s that shortly before his death in 686 A.H. (1287 A.C.), the aged and venerable Em- peror G^asu-d-din Balban enmmoned to his presence in his palace in Delhi Malik-ul-Umara FakWd-din Kotwal (or police commissioner) of Delhi Khwajah Hussain Ba*ri, the Vizier or Prime Minister, and some others, and mstructecI them to place Kai Khuarao, son of Sultan Muhammad, on the ‘ _f fter the Emperor’s death, however, the Kotwal and his party placed Kaiqubad, son of Sultan Nasiru-d-dln Bughra Khan (King of Bengal, and of v the on th ® throne. m personnel of Salffn . d ’ d ‘r *“* Bb,d 8 administration consisted of ( 1 ) Malik-ul-Umara wal of Delhi, (2) Nizamu-d-din, nephew of Malik-ul-Umara, who CK\ r,.; a l blg ° r Chief Jastice, and subsequently Wazir or Prime Minister J MaIlk Qaamu-d-din who became Wakildar or Administrator-General! mperor Kaiqubad, who was a boy of seventeen years, was addicted to aDd 8PeDt m0St ° f hia time iD the oharn, * n 8 Pleasure-villa of m . fche Bubnrba of Delhi. Nizamu-d-din the Wazir who now thn r 0 tltle ° f NizamQ - 1 “Mulk, set about devising means to destroy the house of Balbali (see Tarikh-i-Firuz Shahi, p. 132) 88 him to beware of the wily enemy in the person of Nizamu-d-din. It was of no use In despair, two years after the death of Emperor Balban, in the year 687 A.H with the object of conquering the province of Delhi, and chastising his son, Na§iru-d-din Bu gh ra Khan marched with his army. On reaching Behar, Sultan Nasiiu-d-din passing from Behar to the banks of the river Saru, encamped. 1 The standards of the Emperor of the world were pitched On the banks of the Ghagar, in the environs of the town. The Ghagar was on one side, and the Saru on the other, From excessive heat, the soldiers foamed from their mouths. The sword-casting East from yonder side of the river Became bright as if the sun had risen ; On the banks of the river, the marshalling of the forces Flashed like two Suns from two sides. At length, after nearing each other, Sultan Nasiru-d-diu, aban¬ doning the idea of the conquest of Delhi, made overtures for peace. And Sultan Muizu-d-din, owing to the instigation of Malik Nizaiuu-d-diu, refused to make peace, and prepared to fight. After negotiations had proceeded for three days between the con¬ tending parties, on the fourth day, Sultan Na§iru-d-din with his own hand wrote :— “ Son! I have a great longing to meet you. I have no further strength of self-restraint in your separation. If you show a way by which I who am consumed by the fire of misfortune, may behold 1 The text here is rather confused. In Fcrishta, the rendering is as fol¬ lows : “ When Sultan Muiza-d-din Kaiqubad heard of the intention of his futher (Sulfcan Na?iru-d-din Bughra Khan, King of Bengal) and of the latter’s arrival in Behar, he (Emperor Kaiqubad), too, arrayed his forces, and iu tho hottest part of the year reached th^ banks of the Ghagar river, and halted. And Sultan Na?iru-d-din, on hearing of the news, advanced from Behar, reuched the banka of tho river Sro, and halted.” The meeting between Sultan Nisiru-d-din Bnghra Khan and his son the Emperor Kaiqubad is immortalized in the pages of “ Qiranu-s-Sadain ” by Amir Khusrau, the celebrated poet of Delhi. The camp of the father was on the bank of the river Sro or Saru or Sarju, the old river boundary-line between the Masaliuan Kingdom of Bengali which inoludod Behar iu tlioso days) and the Empire of Delhi, and the camp of the son was on Hie opposite banka of the Sro. Tarikh-i-Firm Shuhi, p. 141. The Qiranu-s-Sadain fixes the meeting-place at Ajmlheya on the banks of the Ghagar. 89 yon, and, Jacob-likc, if once more my eye which lias become blind, becomes bright by the sight of Joseph, no harm shall betide to your sovereignty and enjoyment.” The Sultan wound up this message with the following verse :— ‘•Although paradise is a happy region, Nothing is better than the joy of union.” Sultan Muizu-d-din being touched by the perusal of his father’s letter desired to proceed unattended, to meet his father. Nizamu- d-din used dissuasion, and arranged that the Emperor, with all Imperial pomp and paraphernalia, should for the purpose of mcetiug his father march from the bank of the river Ghagnr to¬ wards a plain, and then encamp on the bank of the Saru. And it was also arranged that out of regard for the rank of the Emperor of Delhi, Nasiru-d-diu crossing the Saru should come to visit KaiqubSd, who should remain seated on the throne. Then Bughra Khan embarking on a boat crossed the river, and proceeded to the tent of Muizu-d-din Kaiqubad. Kaiqubad being overpowered by feelings dismounted from the throne, prostrated himself on his father’s feet, and both the father and the son embracing each other, and giving each other kisses on the head and the face shed tears. After this, the father catching the hand of the son, placed the latter ou the throne, and desired to stand in front of it. The son descending from the throne placed the father on it, and him¬ self respectfully sat before him; and ceremonies of rejoicings were performed. After a while, Sultan Nasiru-d-din left, and crossing the river returned to his tent. From both sides gifts were ex- changed. Several days Successively, Sultan Nasiru-d-din went to meet bis son, and both were in each other’s company. And on the day of departure, after speaking some words of advice, ‘ and taking his son in the lap, he departed, and weeping and crying returned to his own camp. That day he ate no food, and told his confidants: “To-day I have bid the last farewell to my son.” Bulhl l^-. atnt0 l d tb “! ° n the day of <ie P artttre - SaUin Nasira-d-dm ughra Khin exhorted Ins son, Emperor Kaiqubad, to attend to prayer and to serve e fast of Ramzan, taught him certain regulations and fixed rule* vereignty, warned him against excesses in wine and neglect of Slate Kai KhUS ™ and 0tl - Amirs and Nil firs ™' dl “ Balba, ‘' RUd ad7i8ed Mm **■■ Nizamu-d-din alia* l] tl,c (See Tarikh^Firuz.Shdhl, pp. 1U to 150). X — 90 Then marching back from that, place, he returned to his kingdom. And when Sultan Muizu-d-dm Kaiqubad at the end of 689 A.H. was slain, 1 and the Empire was transferred from the Ghorian dynasty to the Khilji family, and Sultan Jalalu-d-din Khilji 2 mounted the throne of Delhi, Sultau Naeiru-d-din seeing no alter¬ native except profession of loyalty and submissiou put aside the royal umbrella and the Khutbnh , conducted himself like other nobles, and remained contented with the fief of Lakhnautl. Till the reigns of Sultan Alau-d-din and Sultan Qntbu-d-din, 5 Sultan Nasiru-d din Bughra Khan conducted himself in this wise. The period of the rule of Sultan Nasirn-d-dln in Bengal was six years.- -o- RULE OF BAHADUR SHAH. In the reign of Sultan ‘Alau-d-din, Bahadur Khan who was one of the connexions 4 of Saltan Nasiru-d-din, and was one of; the leading nobles of Sultan ‘Alau-d-din, was entrusted with the Vice royalty of Bengal. For many years he occupied the Viceregal throne, and enforced the recital of the IQyutbah and the minting 1 See Tarikh.i-Firut Shah i, p 173. According toother accounts Emperor Kaiqubad was poisoned at the instigation of the Amir-uMJmara who> was in league with Jallalu-d-din Khilji. With him (Kaiqubad) ended the Balbam dynasty in Delhi, but, as will be observed iu these pages, it lingered fora longer period in the Bengal Kingdom in the persons of the Balbam Kings 0t * B SuSn Jallaln-d-din Khilji is said to have been descended from Qalej Khun, son-in-law of Changiz Khan. He was Governor of Samanah and held ^Te office of State Secretary (Arzi Mamalik) in the Cabinet of ^" 1 P ei ° r Kaiqubad. Jallaln-d-din ascended the Delhi throne in 1290 A.C or 689 A.JL and with him commenced the Khilji dynasty which continued to reign over India till 1320 A.C. During 1,is reign, Muhammadan conquests were. ex- tended into Southern India through the prowess of h.s nephew, Alan-tl din Khilji. See Tnrikh-i-Firuz Shahi pp. Ii0-I,4, Badaont, p. 1 •, • , Bad (ion i states that ’• Qalij " and “ Khilj ” were different, and that Khilj was one of the children of Yafue, son of Noah. - s 3 Sultan Qutbu-d-diu Khilji was son of Sultan Alau-d-dm Khilji. ^♦ In reBpect^of'the weak^lult in Bengal of Sultan Nasiru-d-din Bugjira Shah (son^f Emperor Balban, Ziau-d-d.n Barni (p. - t^IhIu-J- din’s fuvouiite mode of disposing of dacoits cap in'the Delhi territory, was to send them in shiploads to Bengal, where ey were let loose 91 of coins after tho names of the Emperors of Delin'. Daring the reign, however, of Sultan Qutbu-d*din Silji, he usurped the sovereignty of Bengal, and proclaiming himself Bahadur Shah, introduced the ghutbah and the coin in the kingdom of Bengal after his own name, and commenced oppressions. For some time, he passed in this wise. But when the Empire of Delhi passed to Ghiasu-d-din Tughlak Shall, in the year 721 A H. petitions from Laklmauti describing the oppressions of the rulers of that country were received. Sultau Tughlak Shall with au efficient anny marched towards Bengal.