South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c11.s1.33

c11.s1.33

Mubarak’s return to Delhi.—Before leaving on this expedition to Warangal Khusru Khan was raised by the Sultan to a distinction even higher than that attained by Malik Kafur and was granted a canopy with the special commission to invade Ma’bar. He probably started on that expedition after the Sultan left for Delhi. On the Sultan’s return march to Delhi, at Ghati-Sakun, an attempt on the life of the Sultan was about to be made by Malik Asadu-d-din, a cousin of Alau-d-din. One of the conspirators revealed the plot to the Sultan, and all the conspirators were immediately captured and put to death; and the whole family of the principal conspirator, in Delhi, who had no knowledge of the conspiracy were also similarly treated. Then the Sultan grew exceedingly suspicious and, according to Barni, got all the sons of Alau-d-din in prison at Gwalior put to death. He then grew very high-handed in all that he did, and resigned himself practically into the hands of Khusru Khan whom Barni describes as a low designing schemer. Some of his schemes to put to death the principal nobles, to get them out of the way of his schemes, were brought to the ears of the Sultan, who subjected to disgraceful punishment those that made bold to warn him of his own danger. He put to death his own father-in-law Zafar Khan, Governor of Gujarat and appointed in his stead an uncle of Khusru Khan. A rebellion broke out against the new governor; and persons of a respectable character were appointed to governorships afterwards. There was a revolt in Deogir by the governor Malik Yek Lakhi, who was cruelly punished and publicly disgraced. Luckily, however, others appointed in his place happened to be tried men and of good character. They carried on the administration satisfactorily at Deogir. It was during this period of his reign that he ordered the construction of a Jami Masjid at Delhi and when that was completed, he gave orders that the city and fort of Delhi begun by Alau-d-din and left unfinished, should be completed.