Riyaz al-salatin 61: REIGN OF BARBAG, THE EUNUCH, STYLED SULTAN SHAHZADA.
The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 61
- Language
- English
REIGN OF BARBAG, THE EUNUCH, STYLED SULTAN SHAHZADA.
61.1
Barbag the eunuch, the faithless miscreant, after slaying his own master, placed himself on the throne, according to the saying — When a forest is untenanted, jackals give themselves the airs of lions. He styled himself Sultan Shahzada. He collected together eunuchs from all places; and bestowing largesses on low people, won them over to his side, and attempted to enhance his rank and power. Finding that only his own peers would come within his clutches, he tried to destroy the high and influential nobles. Out of these, the premier-nobleman, Malik Andil, the Abyssinian, who was on the frontiers, becoming apprised of the eunuch's designs, planned to set his own capable son on the throne, and to finish off the eunuch's life-work. At that time, the doomed eunuch thought of summoning Malik Andil, in order to imprison him by means of a trap; then he issued orders summoning him. Malik Andil guessing the real significance of the summons, with a large number proceeded to meet the eunuch. Since the Malik observed great precaution in his ingress to and egress from the darbar, the eunuch despaired of destroying him.
61.2
In consequence, one day, the eunuch arranging an entertainment, showed great intimacy towards Malik Andil, and placing a Qoran, said : "Place your hand on the Holy Book, and vow that you will not injure me." Malik Andil vowed, "So long as you are on the throne, I shall do you no injury." Inasmuch as all the people were designing to destroy that miscreant eunuch, Malik Andil also schemed to avenge the murder of his benefactor, and leaguing with the porters sought for an opportunity. One night, whilst that miscreant was intoxicated by excessive indulgence in liquor, and lay asleep on the throne, Malik Andil, being led in by the porters, entered the harem, to kill the eunuch. When he found the latter asleep on the throne, he hesitated, on recollecting his vow. Suddenly, that miscreant over whom a fatality was hanging, by the will of Providence which flings one from the throne of pride down to the dust of degradation, and places on another's head the crown of sovereignty, owing to his intoxication from liquor, slipped down from the throne. Malik Andil was delighted at this incident, and drew his sword on him, but did not succeed in despatching him. Sultan Shahzada, awaking, and seeing himself in front of an unsheathed sword, seized Malik Andil, and being strong, in the wrestling, threw down the latter, and sat on his chest.
61.3
Malik Andil who held tightly the hair of the eunuch's head, did not let it go, but shouted out to Yugrush Khan who was standing outside the room, to come up quickly. Yugrush Khan, the Turk, with a number of Abyssinians, instantly came in, and finding Malik Andil underneath the eunuch, hesitated in attacking with the sword. In the interval of search, the lights had fallen under the hands and feet of the two wrestlers and had got extinguished, and all was dark. Malik Andil shouted out to Yugrush Khan, "I am holding the hair of the eunuch's head, and he is so broad and robust, that his body has become in a way my shield; do not hesitate to strike with your sword, since it will not penetrate through, and even if it does, it does not matter; for I and a hundred thousand like me can die in avenging the death of our late master." Yugrush Khan gently inflicted some strokes with his sword on the back and shoulder of Sultan Shahzada, who feigned being dead. Malik Andil then got up, and along with Yugrush Khan and the Abyssinians, went out, and Tawachi Bashi, entering the bed-room of Sultan Shahzada, lighted up the lamp. Sultan Shahzada, fancying him to be Malik Andil, before the lamp was lit, from fear not mounting the throne, had escaped into a cellar. Tawachi Bashi proceeding towards the cellar, entered it; then again Sultan Shahzada feigned being dead.
61.4
The Bashi cried out: "It is a pity that rebels have killed my master, and ruined the kingdom." Sultan Shahzada, fancying him to be one of his own loyal adherents, cried out: "Look here, hold your peace, for I am alive," and enquired where Malik Andil was. Tawachi said: "Thinking that he has killed the king, he has returned home with peace of mind." Sultan Shahzada told him, "go out, call together the nobles and set them to fetch Malik Andil's head, after killing him, and place watchmen in charge of the gates, warning them to be armed and on the alert." Tawachi the Abyssinian replied: "Very well, now I go to effect a radical cure." Coming out, he quickly told the whole affair to Malik Andil, who again went in, and inflicting cuts with the dagger, finished off the eunuch's life, and leaving his corpse in that cellar, locked it, and coming out sent a person to summon Khan Jahan, the Vizier. And after the arrival of the Vizier, he held a council for the election of a king. And since the son of Fath Shah was only two years old, the nobles were diffident as to how he could be placed on the throne, so that, in the morning, all the nobles being of one mind went to the house of the widow-queen of Fath Shah, related to her the story of the night, and said: "As the prince is a child, you should appoint one to manage the affairs of Government, until the prince comes of age." The queen, on learning their anxiety, knew what to say.
61.5
She said: "I have made a vow to God that I would bestow the kingdom on the person who kills the murderer of Fath Shah." Malik Andil, at first, declined to accept the burden of kingdom, but afterwards, when all the nobles collecting in that assembly unanimously besought him, he mounted the throne. The period of Sultan Shahzada's reign according to one account was eight months, and, according to another account, two and a half months. After this incident in connection with Sultan Shahzada, for some years, it became the ruling practice in Bengal that whoever slew the ruling king, and got an opportunity to seat himself on the throne, became recipient of homage and submission of the people, who did not protest against his installation. In one pamphlet, the period of the rule of Sultan Shahzada is stated to be six months. God knows the truth.