The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c22.20.4

v3.c22.20.4

From Dholpur he marched eighteen miles westward to Bārī, where Iqbāl Khān, the Muslim governor, also made his submission, and was permitted to retain his fief. Thence he marched to 'Ālampur, near Ranthambhor, plundered that district, and destroyed all the standing crops. Returning to Delhi he enjoyed some well-earned repose there and at Hissar, and, thus refreshed, marched to Gwalior, where Kirat Singh had for many years virtually maintained his independence by paying tribute to Jaunpur. Buhlūl was ill-prepared for such an enterprise as the siege of the fortress, and Kirat Singh was well content to purchase peace and liberty by the payment of eight millions of rupees. From Gwalior Buhlūl returned to Etāwah, where he made some administrative changes, and, on returning towards Delhi, was overtaken, near Suket, by his last illness, which produced a crop of intrigues regarding the succession. Bahlūl himself, who had provided for his second and eldest surviving son, Bārbak, by placing him on the throne of Jaunpur, seems to have intended that his third son, Nizām Khān (Sikandar Shāh) should succeed him, but the Afghān nobles objected to him on the ground that his mother, a favourite wife or concubine, was the daughter of a goldsmith, and prevailed upon the dying king to summon him to the camp, lest he should usurp the throne in Delhi;