South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c12.8

c12.8

Ghiyasu-d-din’s Invasion of Bengal.—Bengal at that time formed two governments with capitals at Lakhnauti and Sunargaon. Lakhnauti was under the rule of Sultan Shamsu-d-din, son of Sultan Nasiru-d-din, son of Sultan Ghiyasu-d-din Balban. Shamsu-d-din died soon after, and was succeeded by his son Shahabu-d-din. His younger brother Ghiyasu-d-din seized the kingdom and killed most of his brothers. Two of them, however, Shahabu-d-din and Nasiru-d-din, fled to the Tughlak and urged him to march against the fratricide. It was in these circumstances, according to Ibn Batuta, that the invasion against Lakhnauti was undertaken. Lakhnauti readily surrendered, but Ghiyasu-d-din Bahadur made some resistance at Sunargaon. He was at last defeated and taken prisoner, and sent over to Delhi. The conquered territory, however, was made over to Nasiru-d-din the fugitive brother, and the Sultan set forward on his victorious return to Delhi. The Sultan was received on his return in a wooden structure, called ‘Kushk’, specially erected for the occasion at Afghanpur, about a march from the city. After dinner when the nobles came out to wash their hands the building collapsed, and among the victims were the Sultan and his favourite son Mahmud. Barni ascribes this to an accident and Ferishta apparently agress with him. Ibn Batuta, however, makes a detailed narration of the circumstances that brought this fateful catastrophe about. He apparently had no doubt that it was brought about by Ulugh Khan’s design, and quotes the authority of Shaik Ruknu-d-din who was then ‘near the Sultan, and that the Sultan’s favourite son, Mahmud was with them.’ The circumstance that Ahmad, the son of Ayyaz who, as Malik Zada, constructed the structure for Ulugh Khan, became afterwards, under Sultan Muhammad, Khwaja-i-Jahan is perhaps decisive in favour of the collapse having been brought about by design.¹ Whether it was brought about by accident or design Ghiyasu-d-din Tughlak died as a result of the occurrence, and Ulugh Khan ascended the throne as Sultan Abu-l-Mujahid Muhammad Shah, ordinarily known Muhammad-bin-Tughlak.