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Muntakhab al-tawarikh 51: SULTAN MUHAMMAD SHAH IBN I FARID KHAN,

Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 51

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SULTAN MUHAMMAD SHAH IBN I FARID KHAN,

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The brother’s son of Mubarak Shah ibn i Khizr Khan, whom Mubarak Shah had adopted as his own son, ascended the throne in succession to Mubarak Shah in the year 837 H. (1433 A.D.) and Sarwaru-l Mulk, whose head was filled with treacherous designs, ostensibly owned his allegiance. Muhammad Shah, in spite of the foregoing circumstances, conferred upon him the title of Khan-i Jahan and bestowed a Khil'at upon him, he also appointed Miran Sadr Mu'inu-l-mulk, and for a short time winked at the doings of those infidels. Maliku-sh-Sharq Kamalu-l-mulk, who was co-partner with Sarwaru-l Mulk in the vazirship, elected to reside outside the city, and gave in his allegiance to Muhammad Shah the second day after the accession. Sarwaru-l Mulk made some pretext for arresting certain of the servants of Mubarak Shah, and put them to death, and left nothing undone to secure the overthrow of the family of Mubarak Shah; moreover, he began to divide the country among his own partisans, giving the territory of Baiana, and Amroha, and Narnol, and Kuhram, together with certain districts in the Doab, to Sidh Pal and Sidharan Khatri who were the (actual) murderers of Mubarak Shah. Ranun the Black, a slave of Sidh Pal, arrived in Baiana with a large following and attempted to enter the fort; but in the meantime Yusuf Khan Auhadi arrived from Hindwon, and giving him battle defeated him, and sent the greater portion of those infidels to hell.

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Their women and children fell as prisoners into the hands of the Muslims, and the head of Ranun the Black was hung up over the gate of the fort. Inasmuch as Sarwaru-l Mulk and his infidel horde began to commit violence, the Amirs of Khizr Khan and Mubarak Shah, who were scattered here and there about the country, in several places showed symptoms of revolt and set on foot many insurrections. Sarwaru-l Mulk had the self-same object, namely to damage the kingdom. Malik Allahdad Kala Lodi, governor of Sambhal and Ahar, and Malik Chaman governor of Badaon, of Khan-i-Jahan, and Amir 'Ali Gujarati, together with other Amirs, raised a large following to avenge the death of Mubarak Shah and started towards Dehli. Kamalu-l-Mulk, and Sayyid Khan, son of Sayyid Salim, who had received the title of Khan-i-A'zam from Mubarak Shah, were appointed by the darbar to proceed against those Amirs, and Malik Yusuf, the son of Sarwaru-l-Mulk, together with Sidharan and Kanhu were ordered to accompany Kamalu-l-Mulk. The Dehli army crossed by the ford of Kicha and came to Baran (Bulandshahr). Malik Allahdad and the other noted Amirs having arrived at the township of Ahar desired to cross the Ganges without fighting and go where they could safely. But when they saw clearly that Malik Kamalu died, and the country was confirmed to Son Muhammad Khan. Muhammad although outwardly he held friendly relations with Sarwaru-l-Mulk, still in his inmost heart was in unison with his father’s Amirs.

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of Mubarak Malik Hujhyar and Mubarak Kotwal were executed along with them. The following day Kamalu-l-Mulk and the other noted Amirs renewed their fealty to Muhammad Shah; Kamalu-l-Mulk obtained the rank of wazir and Malik Chaman of Badaon received the title of Ghazi-ul-Mulk, and was reinstated in his former position as governor of Badaon, Amroha being also added to his province; Malik Allahdad Lodi would not accept any title, the title of Khan however he accepted for his brother. Thus after settling the important affairs, Muhammad Shah gave durability to his rule, and conducted his Government in tranquillity.

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And in the year 840 H. (1436 A.D.) he turned his attention towards Multan, and halted for some days at Mubarakpur to give time for the Amirs of the various districts to join him. When the Muhammad Shahi’s troops were all assembled at Mubarakpur he marched thence towards Multan, and after visiting the shrines of the holy men at that place came to Dihli. And in the aforesaid year, marching towards Samana he despatched a force to proceed against Shaikha Khokhar. Accordingly they laid waste his country and returned. In the year 841 H. (1437 A.D.) tidings arrived that the tribe of Langahs had raised an insurrection in Multan, and in the meantime Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi obtained possession of certain divisions of Dihli, and the Rai of Gwaliar and the other Rais refused to pay the customary tribute. Muhammad Shah affected to be indifferent to this, and disturbances sprung up in all directions, and everyone was hankering after something. The Khanzadas of Mewat, who are the ancestors of Hasan Khan of Mewat, invited Sultan Mahmud Khilji from Malwa to assume the imperial power of Dihli. And in the year 844 H. (1440 A.D.) Sultan Mahmud arrived at Dihli, and Muhammad Shah drew up his forces and sent out his son Sayyid ‘Alau-d-Din to engage him in battle, giving the command of the force to Malik Buhlul Lodi. Sultan Mahmud also appointed Imad-ul-Mulk and Qadir Khan to oppose them. A fierce battle resulting;

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they at last agreed to make peace, and Sultan taking advantage of that, and alleging as an excuse that he had need in a time that the kingdom of Multan was being ruined, marched in light order under cover of night towards Multan, Malik Bahlol pursued him and seized a portion of his baggage and valuable equipment. Sultan Muhammad was so pleased at this that day by day taking him to fatherhood from his own son, and bestowed upon him the country of Dipalpur and Lahore. And in the year 845 (1441 A.D.) he marched to Samana, and having dispatched a force to chastise Jasrat Khokhar, returned to Dehli. Malik Bahlol made peace with Jasrat Khokhar and held out to him the plunder of Sultan of Dehli, till at last Bahlol began to collect Afghans from all directions and took forcible possession of a large number of perganas, then without any ostensible reason he picked a quarrel with Sultan Muhammad, openly revolted against him, leading an army towards Dehli, he left Sultan Muhammad for a considerable time closely besieged, but could not accomplish his purpose, and returned without effecting anything. In the meantime Muhammad Shah was visited with a grievous disorder, and the Amirs who were at a distance of twenty kros from Dehli revolted against him, and sending for his son 'Ala-ud-din who held a mansab and had left there on a hunting expedition at the foot of the hills, made him heir apparent. And in the year 847 H.

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he passed away, the duration of his reign was fourteen years and some months, or thereabouts. Come and cast one look upon and take warning, For the dust is the resting-place of trusted emperors.

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