The History of Fīrūz Shāh (ʿAfīf) 85: Ninth Mukaddama. — Memoir of Malik-i Muluku-sh Shark, 'Imadu-l Mulk, Bashir-i Sultani.

85

* * * Some say that Sipah-salar Rajab, the father of Sultan Firoz received 'Imadu-l Mulk as part of his wife's dower, others that he purchased him with the price of some of his wife's jewels, and others assert that when Sultan Firoz, after his accession, married a daughter of Sultan Kutbu-d din, this lady gave her slave 'Imadu-l Mulk to her husband. * * * * The great wealth of 'Imadu-l Mulk has already been spoken of; it amounted to krors. The author was told that on one occasion bags were required for containing the coin, and 2,500 tankas were expended in the purchase of the material, the cost of each bag being four jitals. * * * When the accounts were brought before 'Imadu-l Mulk he objected to this extravagant outlay for bags, and directed that pits should be dug in the ground and the money placed therein like as corn is stored. * * * There were many rich khans and maliks in the time of Firoz Shah, but no one was so rich as he; indeed there never had been one so rich in any reign or in any kingdom. It is said that he amassed thirteen krors (of tankas) but he was avid in the acquisition of more. He held the fief of Rapri and looked very vigilantly after it. The clerks of the Exchequer (diwan-i wazarat) were afraid of him, and they refrained from calling him to account, so that in the course of years a large balance was due by him. This fact became known to the Sultan, * * * When 'Imadu-l Mulk heard about the enquiry he drew up a statement of his wealth which he himself presented to the Sultan, who read it without making any observation and returned it. * * One day 'Imadu-l Mulk brought a kror (of tankas) in bags to Court, and when the Sultan cried out "Bashir, what is this?" he replied that it was a small contribution (chize 'alifah) for the use of the servants of the court. The Sultan declined to take it, but 'Imadu-l Mulk urged its acceptance. At length the Sultan said, "Bashir is my property. and so his property is mine. But this kror must not be placed in the public treasury, because that is the depository of the public revenue. Let it therefore be deposited with Makbúl the perfumer ('itr-dár). Whenever Khán-i Jahán required money for fitting out the equipage of the Sultán, he used to give notice to the Sultán, and this kror in the hands of Makbúl was drawn upon for the necessary expenses. But as money was continually coming in from ('Imádu-l Mulk's) fief, which was handed over to Makbúl the perfumer, the kror (of tankas), so long as the Sultán lived, was not diminished. * * * When 'Imádu-l Mulk died the Sultán decided that the wealth did not belong to the deceased. There were twelve krors, of which the Sultán took nine, leaving three for Malik Is'hák.