Muntakhab al-tawarikh 20.3.3

20.3.3

and after the death of Sultan Qutbu-d-Din this same Ali Mardan eventually seized the reins of power by great craft, and promulgating the khutba and sikka of Lakhnauti in his own name was styled Sultan Alau-d-Din, and from the excessive folly and pride and arrogance of his mind sat quietly in Lakhnauti and divided the country of Iran and Turan among his adherents, and no one dared to say “these dominions are outside the scope of the Sultan’s power why do you divide them?” They say that some unfortunate merchant laid a complaint of poverty before Alau-d-Din, who asked “where does this fellow come from?” They answered “from Isfahan” then he ordered them to write a document to Isfahan which should have the force of an assignment of land to him. The merchant would not accept this document, but the Vazirs did not dare to represent this fact and reported “the ruler of Isfahan, by reason of his travelling expenses and assembling his retinue for the purpose of subjugating that country, is in difficulties.” He thereupon ordered them to give a large sum of money far beyond his expectations; and when his tyranny and oppression exceeded all bounds the Amirs of Khilj consenting together put him to death and raised to the throne Malik Husainu-d-Din Khilji who was one of the nobles of Khilj and Garmsir and one of the servants of Muhammad Bakhtyar. The reign of Ali Mardan lasted thirty-two years.