History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c20.s3.41

c20.s3.41

Late on the same night as Qazi Ziyāuddīn, the superintendent of the night guard was taking his rounds, and very few persons had remained in the palace, Randhol, a relation⁹⁴ of Khusrau Khan, entered the palace with a few Barvarīs and accosted him. He offered the Qāzī a *pān* and while they were talking, Jahariya, another Barvarī, shot an arrow at the Qāzī and killed him on the spot. This cold blooded murder created consternation in the Hazār Sitūn, which was now filled with Barvarīs. Quṭbuddīn heard the noise from his chamber and asked Khusrau Khan to go out and see what the matter was. The clever intriguer came out on the terrace, shouted a few words to show that he was scolding somebody, and then returned to the king's presence saying that some horses had been let loose and people were trying to catch them.⁹⁵ Just then Jahariya dashed towards the king's private apartments and killed its chief guards Ibrāhīm and Is-ḥāq.⁹⁶ Then alone did Quṭbuddīn realise the situation and he tried to escape into the *haram*. But Khusrau was too cunning to lose him at that stage and caught him by the hair. The king had drunk hard that night and due to his intoxications and physical strength he easily threw the traitor on the ground and sat tight upon him. Jahariya reached the spot, which was indicated to him by the shouts of Khusrau pinned under the weight of the sultan.⁹⁷ He struck off the head of Qutbuddin and threw it down the battlements of the palace. A few servants of the king, who had been left on the upper storey, also fell to the daggers of the Hindus. According to the author of the *Tarikh-i-Mubarak* Shahi Qutbuddin was murdered on the night of the 5th of Rabiul Avval 720 (April 26th, 1320).⁹⁸