The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c25.50

v3.c25.50

Mahmūd, instead of arraigning the conspirators, as might have been expected from the energy of his character, took steps to test the fidelity of his servants. He made all the necessary preparations for a sea voyage, and announced that he intended to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca, leaving his son Ahmad as regent of the kingdom. The nobles were summoned from Ahmadābād to Cambay to consider this proposal, and, perceiving that their plot had been discovered, urged the king to return to Ahmadābād and set the affairs of the kingdom in order before taking any irrevocable step. He accepted their advice and returned to Ahmadābād, where he kept them still on the rack. He desired, he said, to make the pilgrimage, but must leave the matter to the decision of his counsellors, and would neither eat nor drink until he had received that decision. The courtiers were in a quandary. They knew not how their advice would be accepted, but knew that they must either forgo the object of their conspiracy or be accounted hypocrites. So long did they hesitate that it became necessary to remind them that the king was hungry and awaited their decision. They had arrived at none, and sent Nizām-ul-Mulk Aisan, the oldest courtier, to the king as their spokesman. Nizām-ul-Mulk, who perceived that the king had outwitted the conspirators, adroitly suggested that just as the king was satisfied of his son’s ability to guide the affairs of the kingdom, so he too had a son who was competent to advise and assist him, and requested that he himself might be permitted to accompany the king on his pilgrimage. It was now Mahmūd’s turn to be at a loss, but he sent Nizām-ul-Mulk back to those who had sent him, saying that he could not permit him to accompany him to Mecca and demanding a categorical answer. By the advice of ‘Imād-ul-Mulk, Nizām-ul-Mulk was sent back to the king with the message that he would do well to conquer Chāmpāner before deciding to make the pilgrimage. This advice was accepted, but it was not convenient to attack Chāmpāner at once, and Mahmūd marched to Pātan and thence sent ‘Imād-ul-Mulk and Qaisar Khān Fārūqī on an expedition to Sānchor and Jālor in Marwār. As the expedition was about to start the two sons of the minister, Khudāvand Khān, entered the tent of Qaisar Khān and murdered him for his share in discovering the plot to the king. The actual murderers escaped, but Khudāvand Khān was imprisoned, and Muhāfiz Khān was made chief *vazīr* in his place. ‘Imād-ul-Mulk died in the same year, and was succeeded by his son, Buda ‘Imād-ul-Mulk. From Pātan Mahmūd returned to Ahmadābād, and the country now suffered from a failure of the rains and famine.