The Rashīdī History 17.1

17.1

I HAVE heard from trustworthy Moghul sources (and my father and my uncle used also to relate) that Isan Bugha Khan, the father of Tughluk Timur Khan, had for his favourite wife a certain Satilmish Khatun; while he had also another wife whose name was Manlik. Now the Khan had no children, and Satilmish Khatun was barren. The Khan, on a certain occasion, went on an expedition with his army. According to an old Moghul custom, the favourite wife has the allotment and disposal of a man's wives, keeping back or giving him whichever of them she pleases. Satilmish Khatun learnt that Manlik was with child by the Khan, and, being envious, gave her in marriage to Dukhtui Sharawal, who was one of the great Amirs. When the Khan returned from his expedition he asked after Manlik. Satilmish Khatun replied: "I have given her away to some one." The Khan then said: "But she was with child by me," and he was very wroth; but as this was a usual practice among the Moghuls, he said nothing.