The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c21.27

v3.c21.27

In July, 1429, Rajab Nādira died at Multān and Mahmūd Hasan received the title of ‘Imād-ul-Mulk and was transferred to that province, the government of which he had formerly held. In the cold weather Mubārak marched to Gwalior and thence against the contumacious raja of Athgāth¹, who was defeated and compelled to take refuge in the hills of Mewāt. His country was plundered and many of his people carried off into slavery, and Mubārak marched to Rāprī, expelled the son of Hasan Khān, and bestowed the fief upon Malik Hamzah. On his way back to Delhi he learnt of the death, at Bhātinda, of Sayyid Sālim, who had served his house for thirty years. Mubārak, who seems to have been unacquainted with the true character of the Sayyid, and was certainly ignorant of that of his offspring, rewarded the father’s long service by bestowing on his elder son the title of Sālim Khān and on the younger that of Shujā‘-ul-Mulk. The Sayyid had been both rapacious and parsimonious, and during his long tenure of the lucrative fief of Bhātinda had amassed enormous wealth. The central situation of this district in the province of which Khizr Khān had enjoyed the virtual sovereignty for some time before his establishment on the throne of Delhi had secured it from attack from without and from demands for contributions to the defence of the frontiers. The customary law of Muhammadan states in India, which made the ruler the heir of his officials, was especially formidable to those who had defrauded their sovereign and oppressed his subjects, and Sālim Khān and Shujā‘-ul-Mulk, who were in the king’s power, attempted to secure their wealth by instigating Fūlād, a Turkish slave of their late father, to rebel in Bhātinda. Their complicity in the rebellion was discovered, they were thrown into prison, and Yūsuf, son of Sarvar-ul-Mulk, and Rāi Hansū Bhatī were sent to treat with Fūlād and to induce him to surrender the treasure, but Fūlād, who had no intention of surrendering it either to the king or to his late master’s heirs, amused the envoys for a time with fair words and promises and, having thrown them off their guard, made a sudden attack on their troops, defeated them and was further enriched by the plunder of their camp. Zīrak Khān, Malik Kālū, and Islām Khān Lodī were then sent to besiege the rebel in Bhātinda. Fūlād announced that he was prepared to consider terms of submission provided that negotiations were conducted through ‘Imād-ul-Mulk of Multān, in whom he had confidence, and ‘Imād-ul-Mulk was summoned and arrived at court in August, 1430. He was sent to Bhātinda, but it was discovered that the rebel’s offer to treat with him had been merely a device to gain time, the negotiations broke down, and he returned to Multān after urging the officers before Bhātinda to continue the siege.