History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c11.34

c11.34

However, before discussing these invasions in detail it would be proper to throw a glance at the contemporary history of Central Asia to examine the causes underlying the so many assaults directed against India. Changīz Khan died in 1226. After his death the empire was divided among his sons. Oqtai became the Great Khan with China and Zungaria, a region that for exact boundaries later became a bone of contention. The descendants of Jūji, who had died in the life-time of Changīz, obtained the Khanate of Qipchāq and Tūli was put in charge of the home clans of Mongolistan. Chaghtai was to rule the kingdom of Transoxiana and Halāgū Khan, son of Tūlī and grandson of Changīz, founded the line of Ilkhān rulers in Persia. Tūlī's son Mangu Khan ousted Oqtai's son Kuyūk from the Khanate and himself became the Great Khan in 1244; and fratricidal war broke out between the houses of Oqtai and Tūlī.²⁵ Mangu died in 1259 and was followed upon the throne by the famous Qublai Khan, another son of Tūlī. Qublai's staunchest enemy was Qaidū, grandson of Oqtai' who never recognized the claims of Tūlī's descendants on his ancestral dominions. Qaidū found a very faithful ally in Dava Khan, ruler of Transoxiana or Mavar-un-Nahr. Dava was a descendant of Chaghtai. Chaghtai had died in 1241 and was succeeded by his grandson Qara Halāgū who ruled until 1265. At his death the great Qublai Khan appointed Mubarak Shah, son of Qara Halāgū to rule Transoxiana, but he was ousted by prince Borak, a great grandson of Chaghtai. He was followed upon the throne by Tuka Timūr, who in his turn was ousted by Dava, son of Borak. Dava in collaboration with Qaidū fought constant wars against Qublai and his descendants on the east and the Ilkhans on the west, both of whom had descended from Tūlī. Now it is with these two houses, the Ilkhans of Persia and the Chaghtais of Transoxina, that we are most concerned; because whenever they found some respite from their fratricidal warfare in Asia they launched upon invasion of India. Thus we find that all the Mughal expeditions of India were sent either from Persia or from Mavarun-Nahr. Either of the two houses wanted to wrest land from each other's territories. And Dava Khan of Transoxiana, who was mostly unsuccessful against his adversaries, wanted to try his luck in India as well, and constantly sent out expeditions to this country. 'Alāūddīn's contemporaries among the Ilkhans of Persia were Ghazān Khan (1294-1304) and his brother sultan Banda Aljaitū (1304-16). In Tranoxiana his contemporaries were Dava Khan (1272-1306) and his sons Kondjuk (Kuyūk), Kubak and Taliku.