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Muntakhab al-tawarikh 53: SULTAN BUHLUL [IBN I KALA] LODI,

Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 53

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SULTAN BUHLUL [IBN I KALA] LODI,

53.1

Who in the reign of Sultan Muhammad Shāh had obtained the title of Khān-i-Khānān, in the year 855 H. (1451 A.D.) in concert with Hamīd Khān Vazir (who, after the execution of Husain Khān at the hands of Sultan ‘Alāu-d-Dīn, had gained possession of the family and relations of Sultan ‘Alāu-d-Dīn in Dihlī, and had brought the key of the fortress and had given it to Sultan Buhlūl) ascended the throne of sovereignty, and by degrees contrived to secure the imprisonment of Hamīd Khān, and in the same year proceeded to Multān to set that province in order. And in the year 856 H. (1452 A.D.) Sultān Mahmūd Sharqī at the instigation of certain of the Amīrs of the party of Sultan ‘Alāu-d-Dīn, came with a large army and laid siege to Dihlī, and after severe fighting gained possession of it, and Fath Khan Harwi who was one of the most trusted Amirs of Sultan Mahmud was killed. Sultan Mahmud not being able to bear up against this went to Jaunpur, and the following year came into the same neighbourhood, proceeding from Jaunpur to Etawah, and concluded peace upon the following terms, namely, that so much of the kingdom of Dihli as was under the sway of Mubarak Shah should belong to Sultan Bahlul, while that portion which was under the rule of Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi should revert to Sultan Mahmud: and having promised that after the rainy season he would give Shamsabad to Sultan Bahlul which was held by Juna Khan as the deputy of Sultan Mahmud, each of them went to his own country.

53.2

Sultan Bahlul at the expiration of the appointed time marched against Shamsabad, took possession of it, and gave it to Rai Karan, ruler of Bhongaon. Sultan Mahmud being displeased at this, proceeded against the holders of Shamsabad and fought with Sultan Bahlul. In the meantime Sultan Mahmud quitted this existence for the house of eternity, and Muhammad Shah, the son of Sultan Mahmud, was nominated to the kingdom of Jaunpur in the room of his father, and having arranged peace upon the terms formerly agreed upon between Sultan Mahmud and Sultan Buhlul proceeded to Jaunpur, and, inasmuch as Qutb Khan cousin of Sultan Buhlul had fallen a prisoner into the hands of Muhammad Shah, Sultan Buhlul, in defiance of the existing treaty, again brought up his army against Muhammad Shah, who also leaving Jaunpur came to Shamsabad and took it from the Hindus by force, and on the borders of Rapri confronted Sultan Buhlul: Muhammad Shah was defeated and retreated towards Qanauj; Sultan Buhlul pursued him. And in the aforesaid year Sultan Husain Sharqi, ibn-i-Sultan Mahmud revolted against his brother Muhammad Shah, and seized the throne of Jaunpur with the assistance of the Amirs, and detailed a large army to proceed against Muhammad Shah, whom they finally put to death on the banks of the Ganges in the vicinity of Raj Gar.

53.3

Sultan Husain made peace with Sultan Buhlul, and sending for Qutb Khan Lodi who was still in prison, from Jaunpur, presented him with a horse and a robe of honour and sent him to Sultan Buhlul and returned from Qanauj to Jaunpur. Sultān Buhlūl also despatched Jalāl Khān the brother of Mai’sūm Khān, whom he held in confinement as hostage for Qut̤b Khān, to Sultān Husain after conferring honours upon him. And after some years Sultān Husain coming to the borders of Chandwār, fought a battle with Sultān Buhlūl, and having concluded a peace for three years again returned to his own country. At this juncture Ah̤mad Khān Jilwānī, the ruler of Baiāna read the Khut̤bah in the name of Husain Khān; and Sultān Husain, upon the expiration of the period for which peace had been concluded, proceeded towards Dihlī with 10,000 cavalry and a thousand elephants. They met near a place called Bhalwāra, and Sultān Husain having agreed to peace encamped at Itāwa. Sultān Buhlūl came to Dihlī. The fact of these two kings being thus within a seven days’ journey is not without its ridiculous side. Verse. Who has ever seen a scabbard which can contain two swords! Who has ever seen the thrones of two Jamshīds in one place! And in this year Sultān ‘Alāu-d-Dīn, whose daughter [Malika-i-Jahān] was married to Sultān Husain, passed away in Badāon, as has been already related, and left his kingdom to Sultān Buhlūl and Sultān Husain. Verse.

53.4

Even supposing that thou hast attained to that which thou desirest, Even supposing that thou hast been all that thou shouldest be, Has not everything which has attained perfection, suffered afterwards from loss? Does not the azure heaven take away again all that it has bestowed?

53.5

And Sultān Husain came from Itāwa to Badāon to perform the duties of mourning for and having taken those districts from the sons of Sultan 'Alau-d-Din, took possession of them himself, and thence went to Sambhal, and having taken prisoner Tatar Khan the Governor of that place, sent him to Saran, and with a large army and the number of elephants already mentioned, arrived at Dihli in the month of Zu-l-Hijjah, in the year 880 H. and encamped on the banks of the Jamna near the ford of Kicha. Sultan Buhlul coming from Sihrind summoned Husain Khan, the son of Khan-i-Jahan from the vicinity of Mirath, and despatched him to oppose Sultan Husain, while he himself held Dihli against him. And on this occasion also, owing to the exertions of Qutb Khan, Sultan Husain agreed to peace, taking into his own possession the whole of the country on the further side of the Ganges then relinquishing this side of the river to Sultan Buhlul he returned. Sultan Buhlul seized his opportunity, and when Sultan Husain marched, crossed the river Jamna and captured some baggage and other property which Sultan Husain, relying upon the truce, had left on the camping-ground; a certain proportion of the treasury also which was laden on elephants and horses, fell into the hands of Sultan Buhlul, and as many as forty noted Amirs of Sultan Husain's force, were taken prisoners, among others for instance, Qazi Sama'u-d-Din, entitled Qutlugh Khan the Vazir, who was the most learned of the doctors of his time.

53.6

Sultān Bahlūl made over Qutlugh Khān in chains to Qutb Khān Lodī, and himself giving chase went as far as Shamsābād in the Doāb, which was held by Sultān Husain, and seizing it, appointed commissioners of his own over country; this occurrence took place in the year 884 H. (1479 A.D.): the chronogram for that year was Khauf o kharāb (Tiding of ruin).

53.7

And Sultān Husain seeing that he was being very closely pursued, determined to make a stand at Rāpr children were drowned in the Jamna. Sultan Husain continued his march towards Gwalior, and was still on the way when the rebel tribes of Hatkanth who are a clan of the Bhadauris, attacked his camp; Rai Girat Singh, the Governor of Gwalior came to the assistance of the Sultan offering his services, and having presented him with money and property, horses, camels, and elephants, with tents for himself and his troops, sent an army to accompany him, proceeding himself with the Sultan as far as Kalpi; Sultan Buhlul pursued him, and the two Kings met in the neighbourhood of Kalpi and a considerable time was spent in hostilities. In the meantime Rai Tiluk Chand, the Governor of the country of Baksar, came and offered his services to Sultan Husain, and enabled him to cross the Ganges at a place which was fordable. Sultan Husain not being able to stand against him withdrew to Thatta, and the Raja of Thatta came to receive him, and having presented him with several laks of tankahs in cash, and other valuables, together with several elephants, escorted him to Jaunpur.

53.8

Sultan Buhlul made an attempt to conquer Jaunpur, accordingly name of Bāyazīd, and having arrived at Dholpūr levied several mans of gold as tribute from the Rai of that place; then passing by Bari went to Ilāhpūr, one of the dependencies of the fortress of Ranthanbhur, and having laid waste that country came to Dihli and remained there. Some time after this he hastened to Hissar Firoza, where he remained a few days and then returned to Dihli. Once more he went to Gwāliār, where Raja Mān the Governor of Gwāliār sent an offering of eighty lacs of tankahs of that period; accordingly Buhlūl confirmed him at Gwāliār, and proceeded to Itawa, and was making his way back to Dihli when he was taken ill in the neighbourhood of a township of the dependencies of Sakit. And in the year 894 H. (1488 A.D.) he died, the duration of his reign was thirty-eight years, eight months and eight days. Verse. Whether it be Afrasiyāb or his son Zāl, He will meet with chastisement at the hand of Fate. To a cup whose measure the wine-bearer has appointed It is impossible to add a single drop, however much you may strive. Whether it be a king or a ... Fate brings to his hearing the summons of death. The date of his death: In eight hundred and ninety and four The world-conquering Khedive Bahlul left the world; With his sword he seized provinces, but for all his bright sword and burnished dagger, He was not able to repel death.

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