The Nāṣirī Generations 214: Twelfth Year: 655 H.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 214
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Twelfth Year: 655 H.
214.1
After withdrawing from thence [the hill tract of Silmur], on Sunday, the 6th of Rabi'-ul-Awwal, 655 H., Malik Saif-ud-Din, Ibak Khan, the Khita-i, sustained a fall from his horse and died from the effects of the injuries he sustained, and the Sultan's forces turned their faces towards the capital, and, on Sunday, the 26th of the month of Rabi'-ul-Akhir, he reached the illustrious seat of government, Dihli. On the return of the victorious forces, Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu Khan, who, with the troops of Uchchah and Multan, was [then] in the neighbourhood of the banks of the river Biah, advanced still farther [north-eastwards], and Malik Kutlugh Khan, and those Amirs who were in combination with him, joined Malik Balban-i-Kashlu Khan, and advanced to the limits of Mansur-pur and Samanah. When information of the movement of this faction came to the sublime hearing, Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam with the troops was appointed [to march against them], and, on Thursday, the 15th of Jamadi-ul-Awwal, 655 H., he moved from the capital.
214.2
When Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam, with the forces under him, arrived near unto the army of the faction, so that between the two armies about ten kuroh [about 18 miles] distance remained, a party at the capital, such as the Shaikh-ul-Islam [patriarch], Jamal-ud-Din, the Sayyid, Kutb-ud-Din, and Kazi Shams-ud-Din, the Bhara’iji, wrote letters secretly, and despatched them to Malik Kutlugh Khan and Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu Khan [urging them] to come to the capital, and that they would give up the gates [of the city] to them; and every one within the city they were getting to pledge their support to this movement. and were entering into compacts, and making stipulations with them. Certain loyal informants [however] wrote intimation of this sedition to Ulugh Khan-i-A’zam who, in consequence of this treason, from his camp, imparted information to the sublime Court respecting the fact of this disaffection on the part of a party of turban-wearers [priest-hood], and requested, in the event of its being expedient in the sublime opinion, that a royal mandate should be issued by his Majesty unto them to the effect that those [among them] who held fiefs in the neighbourhood of the capital should repair to their respective fiefs, and that their return to the city again should be prohibited, by his Majesty’s command, until that sedition should be quelled.
214.3
On Sunday, the 2nd of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, 655 H., the mandate was issued that the Sayyid Kutb-ud-Din, the Shaikh-ul-Islam, Jamal-ud-Din, and Kazi Shams-ud-Din, Bharaiji, should proceed to their fiefs. On their letters from the capital having reached Malik Kutlugh Khan and Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu Khan, they, at once, without the least delay, marched from their position, with the whole of their forces, and pushed on towards Dihli. This forced march of theirs upon the capital, from their camp near Samanah, was begun on Monday, the 3rd of the month of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, and they pushed on with such celerity that they marched a distance of one hundred kuroh [about 180 miles] in two days and a half; and, on Thursday, the 6th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir, they alighted at the Bagh-i-Jud [the Jud Garden]. The next morning, at dawn, after morning prayers, they made for the city gate, and made a circuit in the vicinity of the capital, and, at night, pitched their camp in the suburbs of Dihli, between the Bagh-i-Jud, and Gilu-khari, and the city.
214.4
When those Maliks and [their] forces, in expectation of the fulfilment of the promise [contained] in those letters, reached the Bagh-i-Jud, the favour of Almighty God was such that, two days previous to their arrival, the party disaffected had been sent away from the city; and, when those [hostile] Maliks became aware of their story, their proceedings became suspended, and a command had issued from the Sultan’s court, so that they [the authorities] secured the city gates; and, as the [royal] troops were absent from it, they made dispositions for defence. The Amir-ul-Hujjab [Lord or Head of the Chamberlains] ’Ala-ud-Din, son of Ayaz the Zinjani, and the Deputy Amir-i-Hajib, and the Ulugh Kotwal-Bak [the great Lord, the Seneschal], Jamal-ud-Din, the Nishapuri, with the Diwan-i-’Ariz-i-Mamalik [Muster-Master of the Kingdom], that same night, in organizing the fighting men for the defence of the city, greatly distinguished themselves, and Amirs, heads of families, and respectable persons, were appointed to the ramparts.
214.5
When the morning of Friday [the 17th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir] dawned, God Almighty prepared a pleasure [for them], and Malik 'Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu proposed to retire. The other Maliks along with the Sultan's mother, the Malikah-i-Jahan, when they perceived that his intention was to be abandoned, all concurred in retiring. The greater portion of their following [however] did not accompany them at the time of their withdrawal, and took up their quarters in the vicinity of the city, and many of the great and notable persons among them sought to be admitted to terms, and presented themselves before the sublime court; and those [disaffected] Maliks retired towards the Siwalikh [territory] foiled in their objects. When information of their intention [to march against Dihli, previously related] reached Ulugh Khan-i-A'zam, and the [other] Maliks and Amirs of the royal army, they moved from the position they were then in, and pressed forward towards the capital, until, when they arrived near unto it, the state of affairs became manifest to Ulugh Khan-i-A'zam, and he reached the capital again, safely, prosperously, victoriously, and triumphantly, on the 14th of Jamadi-ul-Akhir—May Almighty God perpetuate the sovereignty of this dynasty, and make lasting the fortune and power of this Khan-ship, and preserve the people of Islam, through His illustrious Prophet Muhammad!
214.6
Subsequently to these events, on Wednesday, the 8th of the blessed month of Ramazan of this year, the masnad of the Wazir-ship was entrusted to the Ziya-ul-Mulk, Taj-ud-Din, with the title of Nizam-ul-Mulk, and the masnad of the [office of] Ashraf-i-Mamalik was committed to the Sadr-ul-Mulk ; and, at the end of this year, an army of infidel Mughals from Khurasan reached the territory of Uchchah and Multan, and Malik ’Izz-ud-Din, Balban-i-Kashlu Khan, entered into a compact with them, and joined the camp of their leader, the Nu-yin, Salin the Mughal.