The Foundation of Muslim Rule in India: A History of the Establishment and Progress of the Turkish Sultanate of Delhi, 1206–1290 A.D. c9.20

c9.20

In giving the crown to Raziah, the army officers and the citizens apparently were carrying out Iltutmish's declared wish; but their action, in effect, negatived the provincial governors' right, established in the case of Firoz, to have a predominant voice in the king's nomination. For, although Firoz's dethronement satisfied their immediate demand, yet they continued their hostile march towards Delhi. They refused to accept the fait accompli not, as their conduct showed, because of Raziah's legal incompetence, but because of the alleged irregularity of the whole procedure. As the highest counsellor of state the wazir also felt ignored and the revolt continued. They arrived and encamped in front of the city and commenced hostilities. Malik Tayasai, whom Raziah appointed to the governorship of Awadh and thus retained on her side, attempted to bring reinforcements but was captured by the insurgents and died in prison³. Her military position was definitely weak but her Machievellian diplomacy proved a great retriever. She came out of the city and tried to sow dissension among her opponents. Persuading Malik Salari and Kabir Khan to join her secretly on the assurance that the wazir, Maliks Kochi and Jani were to be imprisoned, she spread the news of this secret compact among the latter who thereupon took fright and fled. They were closely pursued. Jani and Kochi were seized and slain and the *wazir* died a lone fugitive in the Sirmur hills¹.