Muntakhab al-tawarikh 41: SULTAN GHIYASU-D-DIN TUGHLAQ SHAH
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 41
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SULTAN GHIYASU-D-DIN TUGHLAQ SHAH
41.1
Who is the same as Ghazi Malik, ascended the throne in the year 720 A.H. (1321 A.D.) by the consent of the Amirs and nobles and was styled by this title. In the space of one week he ordered and regulated the important affairs of the state with a perfection unattainable to others in the course of years. He appointed his own relations to various posts and showing many favours to the Amirs of ‘Alau-d-Din and to some of the Maliks of Qutbu-d-Din gave them districts. Then he directed his ambition to the rebuilding of the fortress of Tughlaqabad and all the lofty edifices, and set about it (without delay) and Badr Sha'ir Shashi invented as a chronogram for the date of building meantime ‘Ubaid Zakani the poet, a turbulent fellow, the notorious opponent of Mir Khusru (on whom be mercy) who rascal that he was wrote the following famous verses: Khusru’s own verse was very raw, so by mistake he took Nizami’s saucepan by mistake, his flummery to cook.
41.2
(Mir Khusru in many of his compositions complains bitterly against him and Sa‘d Falsafi) joining with Shaikh-zada Dimishqi on the occasion of the late arrival of the stage from Dihli, spread a false report that the Sultan Tughlaq was no more, whereupon great dismay spread through the Muslims. ‘Ubaid also terrified the Amirs by his account of Ulugh Khan, and infidels springing up put to death many of the soldiers of the army; Malik Tigin and other revolutionary Amirs planned an insurrection against Ulugh Khan who with fifty sowars came by rapid marches to the metropolis, whereupon the Amirs took themselves off, each to his own district; and Malik Tigin who had gone to the country between Multan and Jaisalmir was taken prisoner with his family, and Taju-d-Din Talaqani, the son-in-law of Malik Tigin who had escaped from prison, was captured on the banks of the river Saru, and ‘Ubaid (the poet) also was captured in the same way in a wretched All this party with their families and friends, they cast under the feet of elephants, and those who escaped this fate met their death wherever they went. And in the year 723 A.H. (1323 A.D.) Ulugh Khan for the second time marched towards Tiling, and Rai Ladar Mahadeo again shut himself up in the fort.
41.3
Ulugh Khan gained possession of both the outer and inner citadels by force of arms, and took the Rai prisoner together with his family and followers, and leaving commissioners there drew off his army to Jajnagar and Bidar, and having taken as spoil many elephants and other property with jewels and valuables without number [sent them] to Dihli [and despatched Rae Ladhar also to the capital and having given to Arankal the name of Sultanpur] returned to Dihli.
41.4
And in the year 724 A.H. (1324 A.D.), Sultan Ghiyasu-d-Din Tughlaq Shah, upon the occasion of the tyranny of the governors of Bengal, left Ulugh Khan as his viceroy in the capital Tughlaqabad which had been built in the space of three years and a fraction, entrusting to his sound judgment the whole civil administration, and left for Lakhnauti with a firm intention of setting things straight. Sultan Nasiru-d-Din the ruler of Lakhnauti, with the notable princes of those districts hastened to meet the Sultan and placed their necks under his yoke; Sultan Tughlaq Shah conferred upon Sultan Nasiru-d-Din the canopy and staff of office and all other insignia of royalty, entrusted Lakhnauti once more to his control and sent a despatch announcing his success to Dihli; then he sent on in advance Tatar Khan his adopted son, the Governor of Zafarabad who brought Bahadur Shah otherwise known as Bura (? Nuda) the Governor of Sunar Ganw who was boasting his independence, with a chain around his neck, and accompanied by all his elephants into the royal presence of the Court.
41.5
Sultan Tughlaq Shah taking Bahadur Shah with him, victorious and triumphant returned to Dihli, and proceeding by double stages made forced marches. Ulugh Khan upon hearing this news gave immediate orders for the erection of a lofty and noble palace near Afghanpur which is at a distance of three kurohs from Tughlaqabad. It was completed in three days, so that Sultan Tughlaq Shah might alight there, and having passed the night in it and having rested might depart thence at an auspicious moment and alight at Tughlaqabad. The Sultan arrived there and Ulugh Khan having gone out to meet him with all the nobles and grandees, spread a banquet of welcome. The Sultan gave orders for the elephants which he had brought with him from Bengal to be raced, and as the foundation of the New Palace was new and unsettled the palace began to shake and totter with the tramp of the elephants. When the people became aware that the Sultan was mounting with all haste, they hurriedly came out from the palace, without even washing their hands. The Sultan Tughlaq Shah was engaged in washing his hands and so did not come out. In consequence he washed his hands of life and the palace fell in upon him.
41.6
We should not lose sight of the fact that from having built a palace such as this, which was quite unnecessary, there is a suspicion that Ulugh Khan may have built the palace without foundation, as was currently rumoured, but the author of the Tārīkh-i Fīroz Shāhī makes no mention of this, although this may possibly be due to a desire to flatter Fīroz Shāh and out of regard for him. This event took place in the year 725 A.H. (1325 A.D.) and the duration of the reign of Sultān Ghiyāsu-d-Dīn Tughlaq Shāh was four years and some months. Verse. If thou placest the world beneath thy feet, Thou shalt not sleep at last in thine own place. It is currently reported among the people of India that Sultān Ghiyāsu-d-Dīn Tughlaq, on account of the ill-will he bore to Sultānu-l-Mashā’ikh, sent a message to the Shaikh while on the way to Lakhnautī to this effect, "After my arrival at Dihlī, either the Shaikh will be (quiet) there or I." The Shaikh replied, "Dihlī is still some way off." This saying became proverbial from that day and gained currency. The Tughlaq Nāma of Mīr Khusrau, which was the latest of his works, was written in verse in honour of the Sultān and in obedience to his order. The death of the Sultānu-l-Mashā’ikh and also of Mīr Khusrau occurred in the same year, as has already been stated.