History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c1.14

c1.14

The nonagenarian Fakhruddīn was aware of the dangerous game his son-in-law was playing. On more than one occassion he had reprimanded him saying: "Give up this idea of sovereignty ... The imperial purple befits the person of soldiers. You, who dare not strike a green-grocer with an onion stalk, or fling a clod at a jackal, how can you count yourself a man among men and dream of an imperial crown."¹⁸ This advice was appreciated more by those who learnt about it, than by the one for whom it was meant. But if Nizāmuddīn refused to listen to his father-in-law the foolish sultan at last lent an attentive ear to his father. When the tidings of the ruinous conditions at Delhi reached Bughrā Khān in Bengal he hastened to meet his son at Ayodhya, where Mu'izzuddīn arrived to receive him. Nizām did his best to create a rift between father and son and even tried to stop an interview between them. But they met and the tears of the two added a pleasant poignancy to the situation.¹⁹ Nāsiruddīn gave a hundred pieces of advice to Mu'izzuddīn, and at the time of parting, he whispered into his ears: "Be quick and put Nizāmuddīn out of the way. If after this he finds an opportunity, he will not leave you on the throne for a day.”²⁰