The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.182

v3.c20.182

Of Mahmūd, who was an amiable and pious prince, but a mere puppet, absurd stories are told by the later historians. He is said to have produced every year two copies of the Koran, written with his own hand, the proceeds of the sale of which provided for his scanty household, consisting only of one wife, who was obliged to cook for him, as he kept no servant. This story, which is told of one of the early Caliphs, is not new, and, as related of Mahmūd, is not true, for he is known to have had more than one wife. His principal wife was Balban's daughter, who would certainly not have endured such treatment, and as he presented forty slaves, on one occasion, to the sister of the historian Minhāj-ud-dīn it can hardly be doubted that his own household was reasonably well supplied in this respect. The truth seems to be that the young king possessed the virtues of continence, frugality and practical piety, rare among his kind, and had a taste in caligraphy which led him to employ his leisure in copying the Koran, and that these merits earned for him exaggerated praise.