The Nāṣirī Generations 189: VII. MALIK 'ALA-UD-DIN, 'ALI, SON OF MARDAN, KHALJI.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 189
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VII. MALIK 'ALA-UD-DIN, 'ALI, SON OF MARDAN, KHALJI.
189.1
'Ali-i-Mardan, the Khalj, was a man of vast energy, vehement, intrepid, and daring. Having obtained release from imprisonment at Naran-go-e [or Naran-ko-e], he came to the presence of Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak, and accompanied him towards Ghaznin; and he became a captive in the hands of the Turks of Ghaznin. A chronicler has related in this manner, that one day, when he was out hunting along with Sultan Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, he began saying to one of the Khalj Amirs, whom they used to style Salar [a leader, chief] Zaffir: “What sayest thou if, with one arrow, I should slay Taj-ud-Din, Yal-duz, within this shikar-gah [chase] and make thee a sovereign.” The Salar, Zaffir, the Khalj, was a very sagacious person, and he was shocked at this speech, and prohibited him from [the committal of] such a deed. When ’Ali-i-Mardan returned from thence, the Salar, Zaffir, presented him with two horses and sent him away. When ’Ali-i-Mardan came back again into Hindustan, he presented himself before Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak, and received an honorary robe, and was treated with great favour, and the territory of Lakhanawati was assigned to him. He proceeded towards Lakhanawati, and, when he passed the river Kons, Husam-ud-Din, ’Iwaz, the Khalj, [feudatory] of Diw-kot, went forth to receive him, and 'Ali-i-Mardan proceeded to Diw-kot and assumed the government, and brought the whole of the country of Lakhanawati under his sway.
189.2
When Sultan Kutb-ud-Din, I-bak, passed to the Almighty’s mercy, ’Ali-i-Mardan assumed a canopy of state, and read the Khutbah in his own name; and they styled him by the title of Sultan ’Ala-ud-Din. He was a bloodthirsty and sanguinary man. He sent armies in different directions, and put the greater number of the Khalj Amirs to death. The Raes of the adjacent parts became awed of him, and sent him wealth and tribute. He began granting investitures of different parts of the realm of Hindustan, and the [most] futile bombast began to escape his lips. Both in the assembly, and in the audience-hall, he would declaim about the country of Khurasan, of ’Irak, of Ghaznin, and of Ghur, and idle nonsense he began to give tongue to, to such degree, that they used [in jest] to solicit from him grants of investiture of Ghaznin and of Khurasan. and he would issue commands accordingly [as though they were his own].
189.3
Trustworthy persons have narrated after this manner, that there was, in that territory [Lakhanawati], a merchant who had become indigent, and his estate was dissipated. He solicited from ’Ali-i-Mardan some favour. ’Ali-i-Mardan inquired [from those around]: "From whence is that man?” They replied: "From Safahan [Isfahan].” He commanded, saying: "Write out the investiture of Safahan as his fief,” and no one could dare, on account of his great ferocity and unscrupulousness, to say: "Safahan is not in our possession.” Whatever investitures he conferred in this way, if they would represent: "It is not under our control,” he would reply: "I will reduce it.”
189.4
So that investiture was ordered to be given to the merchant of Safahan — that indigent wretch, who lacked even a morsel and a garment of rags. The chief personages and intelligent men, there present, in behalf of that destitute man, represented, saying: "The feudatory of Safahan is in want of resources for the expenses of the road, and for the preparation of equipage, to enable him to take possession of that city and territory;” and he ['Ali-i-Mardan] commanded a large sum of money to be given to that person for his necessary expenses. The nature of 'Ali-i-Mardan’s presumption, cruelty, and hypocrisy amounted to this degree; and, together with such conduct, he was [moreover] a tyrant and a homicide. The weak and indigent [people] and his own followers were reduced to a [perfect] state of misery through his oppression, tyranny, and bloodthirstiness; and they found no other means of escape save in rising against him. A party of the Khalj Amirs conspired together, and slew ’Ali-i-Mardan, and placed Malik Husam-ud-Din, ’Iwaz, upon the throne. The reign of ’Ali-i-Mardan was two years, or more or less than that.