History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c17.s2.18

c17.s2.18

It is obvious that neither agriculture nor trade and commerce could flourish under the regulations of ‘Alāūddīn. But the fostering of agriculture and trade were not his motives either. To him the prime necessity of the state was the maintenance of a huge army, sufficient to repel Mongol invasions as well as to subdue independent chiefs of India. There is no doubt that the benefits of market regulations were enjoyed by the civil as well as the military population of Delhi,—a fact about which Baranī does not forget to make a special mention,³⁸ still the agriculturists of the doāb and of tracts in the vicinity of Delhi, of Jhain and of Bayana, suffered privations for the benefit of the people at the capital. The tradesmen also did not gain much and worked under compulsion. But 'Alāuddīn was not learned enough to philosophise on the benefits of a far distant future and to foster trade, commerce and agriculture. He thought he was called upon to act and he acted vigorously. He invariably sacrificed civil interests to those of military. In the reign of no other king were the Mughal invasions so persistent as in the time of 'Alāuddīn. In the reign of no other king of the sultanate period were conquests made on such a large scale. Under these circumstances if all his reforms and regulations were directed towards the benefit of the army, it is not at all surprising. And how many renowned Turkish kings of India could afford to keep the happiness and prosperity of the peasants and traders above those of the army? Necessity, religious zeal and personal ambition, rendered the glory of conquest much more appealing to them than the glory of making such laws as would make the peasants rich and traders richer. 'Alāuddīn was no exception. It is, therefore, not surprising that he put military necessities above civil ones and raised such a strong and contented army, that, whether at home or in foreign kingdoms, it always defeated its adversaries.