Riyaz al-salatin 61.1

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.