The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.334

v3.c20.334

Mubārak now indulged in the grossest licentiousness and the most disgusting buffoonery. He delighted to appear before his court tricked out in female finery and jewels. Harlots and jesters were assembled on his palace roof and greeted the great nobles, such men as ‘Ain-ul-Mulk Multānī and Qarā Beg, who held no fewer than fourteen offices, with lewd gestures and foul abuse, and, descending from the roof, ran naked among the courtiers, et gestu turpi et obscoeno in vestes nobilium honoratorum mingebant. Yet the degraded youth who could organise and enjoy such scenes as these assumed a character to which no former ruler of Delhi had ventured to aspire. Others had eagerly sought recognition by, and proudly owned allegiance to the Caliphs, and even ‘Alā-ud-dīn had readily abandoned his brief and impious dream of posing as a prophet. It remained for his son, who inherited his vices without his genius, to arrogate to himself the titles of Supreme Pontiff and Vicegerent of the God of heaven and earth, and to assume the pontifical title of *al-Wāsiq-billāh*.