The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.283

v3.c20.283

This rebellion had hardly been suppressed when a serious revolt in the capital was reported. ‘Alā-ul-Mulk, the fat *Kotwāl*, was now dead, and the oppressive behaviour of his successor, Tarmadī, aroused the resentment of the populace, who found a willing leader in the person of Hājī Maulā, an old officer who resented his supersession by Tarmadī. Encouraged by rumours of discontent in the army before Ranthambhor he assembled a number of dismissed and discontented members of the city police and others, and by exhibiting to them a forged decree purporting to bear the royal seal, induced them to join him in attacking Tarmadī. On reaching his house they found that he, like most Muslims in the city, was asleep, for the faithful were keeping the annual fast, which fell in that year in May and June, the hottest months of summer. He was called forth on the pretext of urgent business from the camp, and was at once seized and beheaded. The crowd which had been attracted by the disturbance was satisfied by the exhibition of the forged decree, and Hājī Maulā, having caused the gates of the city to be shut, attempted to deal with Ayāz, the *Kotwāl* of Sīrī, as he had dealt with Tarmadī, but Ayāz had heard of Tarmadī’s fate, and refused to be inveigled from the fortress of Sīrī. Hājī Maulā then marched to the Red Palace, released all the prisoners, broke into the treasury, and distributed bags of money among his followers. He seized an unfortunate Sayyid, with the suggestive name of Shāhinshāh, who happened to be descended through his mother from Iltutmish, enthroned him *nolens volens*, and, dragging the leading men of the city by force from their houses, compelled them to make obeisance to the puppet. The dregs of the populace, lured by the hope of plunder, swelled the ranks of the rebels, but the more respectable citizens halted between the fear of present violence and the apprehension of the royal vengeance. In the seven or eight days during which Delhi was in the hands of the rebels, several reports of their proceedings reached ‘Alā-ud-dīn, but he set his face, concealed the news from his army, and continued the siege.