The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c14.78

c14.78

The *naib's* office was entirely abolished; it was made use of sometimes but it was never allowed all its recognised powers. Even the *wazir* became an unimportant functionary under Balban who dealt directly with every departmental head. His *naib*, the *kotwal* Fakhruddin, was merely his representative, a proxy, who was left to carry on the routine administration during the king's absence on the Lakhnauti campaign². Even then, he was left with no discretionary powers for every important matter or despatch was to be sent to the Sultan for final orders³. The *naib* appointed for Kaiumars was also far from what Aetigin or Balban was to the reigning king, for he was intended to exercise powers on behalf of the king, not to supersede him⁴; it was purely a regency. It was in this capacity of a regent that the *naib* functioned in the Khalji period; as the wielder of sovereign power, to the nullification of that of the king, the officer disappeared from after Balban's accession. He was the last incumbent.