Riyaz al-salatin 49: THE REIGN OF SIKANDAR SHAH, SON OF SHAMSU-D-DIN.
The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 49
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THE REIGN OF SIKANDAR SHAH, SON OF SHAMSU-D-DIN.
49.1
When Sultan Shamsu-d-din Bhangra passed away from this fleeting world, on the third day, with the consent of the nobles and the generals, his eldest son, Sikandar Shah, ascended the throne of Bengal, and spreading the hem of justice and generosity on the heads of the people, proclaimed joyful tidings of peace and security. And deeming it expedient to conciliate Sultan Firuz Shah, he sent, in the shape of presents, fifty elephants with sundry rareties. In the meantime, Firuz Shah, Emperor of Delhi, in the year 760 A.H. marched to subjugate the kingdom of Bengal. When he reached Zafarabad, the rains setting in, the Emperor encamped there, and sent envoys to Sikandar Shah. Sikandar Shah was in anxiety about the aim of the Emperor of Delhi, when Firuz Shah's envoys arrived. Sikandar Shah immediately sent his aid-de-camp together with five elephants and other presents, and opened negociations for peace; but these resulted in nothing. After the rainy season was over, Sultan Firuz Shah marched to Lakhnauti. When the Sultan encamped in the environs of Panduah, Sikandar Shah feeling that he was no match for the Sultan followed his father's tactics, and entrenched himself in the Fort of Ekdalah. Firuz Shah pressed the siege hard. When the garrison was reduced to straits, Sikandar Shah sending forty elephants together with other goods and presents and numerous rareties, and agreeing to pay an annual tribute, sought for peace. Firuz Shah accepting these returned to Delhi.
49.2
After this for some years, Sikandar Shah with absolute independence gave full rein to enjoyments. And in the year 766 A.H., he built the Adina mosque; but before he could finish it, death overtook him, and the mosque remained half finished. Some trace of the mosque still exists in the jungles of Panduah, at a distance of one karoh from the town. The Author of this history has seen it. In truth, it is a beautiful mosque, and an enormous sum must have been expended on its erection. One ought to be thankful for his efforts. It is said that Sikandar Shah had seventeen sons by his first wife, and by his second wife he had one son, named Ghiasu-d-din, who, in polish of manners and other qualities, was superior to his other brothers, and was proficient in the art of government. Consequently, the first wife kindling the fire of envy and jealousy and wishing the destruction of Ghiasu-d-din, sought for an opportunity to injure him. One day, finding an opportunity, she respectfully placed the hand on her chest, in the presence of the king, and desired to state her object.
49.3
The king guessing from the manner of the wife said: "Speak out what thou hast to say." The wife said: "I would submit my prayer, if the king would take an oath to fulfil it and try his best to fulfil it." The king swore to fulfil it, and indulging in a bit of hyperbole said: "Unbosom the desire that thou hast, and make thy lip the mirror of the dust of thy heart." The shrewd queen said: "I am in great anxiety, in consequence of the conduct of Ghiasu-d-din. He is scheming to mount the throne, by killing the king and destroying my sons. Although he is in the position of a son to me, and I do not wish that he should be killed, yet as the safeguarding of the life of the king is incumbent, you should not let slip from the hand the rein of alertness, but provide previously against any mishap. The best course would be that you should imprison him, or blind his eyes." The king on hearing this became perturbed, and said, "What is this aim of thine which thou hast mingled with the liquid of my welfare?, and what is this fire of envy that thou hast mixed with solicitude for me? Thou feelest no shame that thou hast seventeen sons, whilst the other frail lady has only this one son. "What you do not like for yourself, do not desire unto others." The queen again anxiously said: "Envy and jealousy have nothing to do with my suggestion. The duty that I thought incumbent upon myself in the interests of thy well-being, I have discharged;
49.4
after this, my sovereign is at liberty to do what he pleases." The king putting the padlock of silence on the portal of the tongue, kept quiet, and said within himself, "As Ghiasu-d-din is a dutiful son and possesses capacity for ruling, even if he seeks to take my life, let it be so! Happy it is, if the son is dutiful. But if he is undutiful, may he perish!" After this, he put the reins of authority entirely into the hands of Sultan Ghiasu-d-din. But Ghiasu-d-din, who suspected always the wiles and stratagems of the queen, one day on the pretext of hunting escaped towards Sunargaon, and in a short time mobilising a large army, demanded the throne from his father. Shortly after, in order to wrest the kingdom, he marched with a large army from Sunargaon, and encamped at Sunargadhi. From the other side, the father also with a powerful army advanced. On the next day, on the battlefield of Goalpara, both sides marshalling their forces prepared to fight. The son shewed malice towards the father : Blood flowed from the perturbed heart. The father snapped the ties of kindness and affection : You might say that love had vanished from the world.
49.5
Although Ghiasu-d-din had given strict orders to his soldiers and commanders that to the utmost they should capture the king alive, but as fate willed otherwise, Sikandar Shah was unknowingly killed at the hands of one of the commanders of Ghiasu-d-din. Whilst still the slayer was standing at his head, one amongst them seeing Sikandar Shah killed, enquired as to who had killed him. He said : " I have killed him ; " the other man said, " You felt no pity for Sultan Sikandar." Then both in fright went to Ghiasu-d-din and said : " In case we fear that by restraining our hands, we may be killed, can we kill him ? " Ghiasu-d-din said : " Certainly you may kill him," and after some reflection he said : " Apparently, thou hast killed the king." The slayer said : " Yes, unknowingly I inflicted a cut with the spear on the heart of the king. Still he has some remnants of life." Ghiasu-d-din proceeded swiftly, dismounted from the horse, and placed the head of the father on his lap, and tears trickled down his cheek, and he said : " Father, open thy eyes, and express thy dying wish, that I may fulfil it." The king opened his eyes, and said: "My life's work is over; the kingdom is welcome to thee. May you prosper in your sovereignty, As I have quitted the world."
49.6
After he said this, the bird of his soul flew away. Ghiasud-din seeing no good in tarrying further, left behind some nobles to attend to the obsequies of his father, and himself rode forward towards Panduah, and ascended the throne. The reign of Sikandar Shah lasted nine years and some months. He was a contemporary of the saint 'Alaul Haq.