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History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c7.s1: The Kingdom of Gujarāt

History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c7.s1

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The Kingdom of Gujarāt

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The kingdom of Gujarāt was one of the most fertile regions of India in the Middle Ages. In the production of agricultural wealth it stood perhaps next only to the Doab.

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In its towns brisk and lively trade flourished under peaceful conditions. Its chief port of Cambay carried on trade and commerce with northern countries like Arabia and Persia. Long before the Muslim conquerors had penetrated into northern India, Arab traders had settled in this region. About the city of Cambay Vaṣṣāf writes: "Its air is pure, its water clear and the circumjacent country beautiful and charming both in scenery and buildings."⁵ Marco Polo, the adventurous Venetian, who visited the country a century before Vaṣṣāf also speaks of Cambay as a place possessed of immense wealth and riches;⁶ and both these are corroborated by Ibn Baṭṭūṭah who writes at length about its wealthy merchants.

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⁵ *Vaṣṣāf*, Book IV, p. 447.

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⁶ Yule: *Ser Marco Polo* Vol. II, pp. 388-91.

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*Early history of Gujarāt.*

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The early history of Gujarāt is shrouded in obscurity. The Mauryas are known to have been its first rulers. The Vallabhīs ruled it from the fifth to the eighth century A.D.; then came the Chandava dynasty, which was succeeded by the Chalukyas or Solankīs. It was in the reign of Bhīm Deva I (1022—64 A.D.) that Maḥmūd of Ghazna sacked the celebrated temple of Somnath.⁷ The next important ruler of Gujarāt was Bhīm Deva II (1178—1242). He defeated Muḥammad Ghaurī in 1178, but could not effectively resist Quṭbuddīn Aibak who invaded the kingdom twice, in 1195 and 1197-98. In the later raid Quṭbuddīn plundered Anhilvaṛa (modern Patan and Nahrvala of Muslim historians), the capital, and returned with a large amount of booty.⁸

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⁷ See M. S. Commissariat: *A History of Gujarat* Vol. I, pp. lviii-lxxv. For the total destruction of Somnath by Maḥmūd of Ghazna and the erectin of another edifice of the same name see M. Nāzim: *Life and Times of Mahmūd of Ghazna*.

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⁸ Hasan Nizāmī: *Taju'l Ma'asir*, Elliot Vol. II.

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The last of the Solanki kings died without a male heir, and the kingdom passed into the hands of the Baghelas who were related to the former through matrimony. The Baghela Rajputs ruled for more than half a century (1242-1299), but were constantly troubled by Muslim invaders. It was during the reign of Rai Karan that 'Alāuddīn despatched a large force for the conquest of Gujarat.

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*Expedition to Gujarat (1299).*

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The command of the expedition was entrusted to the two redoubtable generals Ulugh Khān and Nuṣrat Khān. Nuṣrat marched from Delhi on the 20th of Jamadīul Avval, 698 (24th February, 1299).⁹ Ulugh Khān was ordered to march from Sindh,¹⁰ join the force under Nuṣrat and converge on Gujarat. Ulugh attacked Jaisalmer during his march,¹¹ and joined Nuṣrat Khān somewhere near Chittor. The joint force marched through the Chittor country, and after crossing river Banas captured the fort of Radosa.¹² This fact is corroborated by Jina Prabha Sūrī who says that the then lord of Chittakuda (Chittor), Samarsingh, protected the Mevar country by punishing the invaders, meaning obviously that a portion of the Mevar country was unsuccessfully raided by the generals of 'Alāuddīn on their march towards Gujarāt.¹³ On his arrival in Gujarāt Ulugh Khān pursued the usual course of loot and plunder. The beautiful and opulent city of Anhilvāra was thoroughly sacked. Rāja Karan Baghela,¹⁴ who had succeeded Sārang Deva only a couple of years back, was taken by surprise and fled in confusion towards Devagiri. His women and treasures including his chief queen Kamlā Devī fell into the hands of the enemy.¹⁵ One part of the army started in pursuit of the king, and the other in search of gold marched towards the temple of Somnāth. It had been rebuilt by Kumārpāla (1143-74), after the first one of the same name had fallen to the iconoclastic zeal of Mahmūd of Ghazna in 1026. The wealth of this renowned temple was seized, its idol broken and carried to Delhi where it was thrown to be trampled under the feet of the faithful.¹⁶ All the contemporary Persian writings as also the Jain account of Chandra Prabha agree on the point that the sack of Gujarat was thorough. Jina mentions that Ulugh Khan and Nuṣrat Khān destroyed hundreds of towns like Asavalli (Asaval, a village near Ahmadabad), Vanmanthali (Vanthali) and Sūrat, and looted a number of monastries, palaces and temples in Gujarat.¹⁷ Barani confirms the ravaging and looting of Nahrvala and the whole of Gujarāt,¹⁸ while ‘Iṣāmī declares that the soldiers, not satisfied with plundering what they could lay their hands upon, dug out and carried away the treasures hidden underground by the Gujarat people.¹⁹

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⁹ Muslim historians differ about the date of this expedition. Barani puts it in the beginning of the third year of 'Alāuddīn's reign, which means the early months of 1299. Amīr Khusrau (*Khazāin*, Habib Trs. p. 35) gives the above date. Jina Prabha, the author of Chandra Prabha, who was an eye witness, also gives Ullu (Ulugh) Khān's invasion in Sam. 1356, A.D. 1299 (*Ind. Ant.* 1897, pp. 194-5). Vaṣṣāf too, has Zilhijjah 698 (August 1299). It is, therefore, certain that the expedition was sent in 1299. Ferishtah and Hajiuddabīr, who date it in 1297-98 are wrong.

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¹⁰ *Tarīkh-i-M'asūmī* p. 44., *Ferishtah* p. 102.

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¹¹ *Tarīkh-i-M'asūmī* p. 44., For details see Chapter VIII.

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¹² This fact has been mentioned in the poem Kanhad de Prabandh written by one Padmanabh at Jalor in 1455. The subject matter of the poem is the siege of Jalor by 'Alāuddīn. The account seems quite trustworthy as the author wrote in a country which had suffered from the invasion and would have surely possessed many sources of information including the traditions current in that part about the raid. The Ms. was first discovered by Buhler in the 19th century. Commassariate: *Gujarat*, Vol. I, p. 12 K. M. Munshi: *Gujarat and its Litrature* pp. 102-105.

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¹³ Buhler says that Chittor had to pay a fine (or undergo punishment) while Ojha interprets that "Samar Singh the ruler of Chittakuda protected Mewar by punishing him (the invader)". The passage doubtless is defective and is liable to both the interpretations but Mr. Ojha seems more reasonable as the country was saved (obviously by defeating and driving out the raiders) and the enemy could not ravage it. *Ind. Ant.* 1897 pp. 194-95. Ojha: *Rājpūtānā kā Itihās* (Hindi) Vol. II p. 476.

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¹⁴ According to Yahya, Karan had a standing army of 30,000 horse and 80,000 foot. *T.M.S.* Text p. 76.

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¹⁵ Tradition attributes the invasion of Gujarāt to the curse of the wife of Mādhava, the Prime Minister of Karan. Mādhava had a beautiful wife Rūp Sundarī. Karan fell in love with her and taking advantage of Mādhava's absence for some time from the capital forcibly seized her. She cursed Karan that as he had separated her from her husband his queen would also be separated from him. Forbes: *Rāsmālā* p. 278. Another tradition is that Mādhava appealed to 'Alāuddīn for help and the latter invaded Gujarāt. Nainsī: *Khyāts* Vol. I, p. 213.

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¹⁶ "Somnath, known to the Jains as Chandra Prabha, occupies an elevated site on the north-western corner of the city of Patan, on the western coast of the Gujarāt Peninsula overlooking the sea and close to the walls. In its present mutilated state it may be difficult to convey and very distinct or correct idea of Somnath......the whole of the buildings are most elaborately carved and ornamented with figures single and in groups of various dimensions." J.A.S.B. 1843 p. 73. The Arab geographer Damishqi gives a description of worship in Somnath. The best account of the temple and its wealth in the time Mahmūd of Ghazna has been given by Ibn Asīr, the author of *Kāmilut Tavārīkh*. The temple, he says, was a place of pilgrimage for the Hindus who congregated in thousands on occasions of eclipse. The shrine was endowed with more than 10,000 villages. The idol was washed with the water of Ganga which was brought all the distance from the north and in the temple were amassed jewels of the most exquisite quality and incalculable value. *Damishqi*: *Arabic text* pp. 170-71. Alberuni's *India*, Vol. II p. 104. *Kāmilut Tavarīkh*. Elliot, II, pp. 468-71. After the destruction of the temple by Ulugh Khan in 1299, Chudasena king of Jūnagarh (1270-1333) again restored the edifice as is evidenced by Khegnan's Girnār inscription. *Ind. Ant.* Vol. 54, 1925 Suppl. p. 32. Also see "Somnath as noticed by Arab Geographers". *Proceedings of the Indian History Congress*, 1943.

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¹⁷ *Ind. Ant.* 1897 pp. 194-95.

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¹⁸ Barani p. 251.

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¹⁹ *Futūḥ* p. 243.

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Nuṣrat Khān marched with a contingent to plunder the beautiful and wealthy port of Cambay (Kambāyat of the Muslim chronicles). He exacted an immense booty in bullion, jewels and other valuables from the merchants (Khvajas) and other rich men of the city.²⁰ It was here that the slave Kāfūr, who later played a prominent part in the Deccan campaigns, was forcibly snatched away from his master who had bought him for a thousand dinārs.

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²⁰ Barani pp. 251-52.

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After thoroughly devastating and spoiling Gujarāt, and then leaving an army of occupation, the victorious general returned towards Delhi.²¹ The booty comprised of Kamla Devī, the beautiful queen of Rai Karan, a large number of prisoners of both sexes,²² Kāfūr Hazārdinārī, and a large amount of gold, jewels and other valuable articles. Besides, each soldier had plundered sufficient wealth for himself.

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²¹ Alp Khan was appointed governor of Gujarat and reigned there from 1300 to about 1314 A.D. when he was recalled to Delhi and killed through the machinations of Malik Kāfūr. The author of the *Mirāt-i-Ahmadī* describes in detail the beauty of the Juma‘ Masjid of Alp Khan at Patna. Also see Beyley: *Local Muhammadan Dynasties, Gujarat.*, p. 38.

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²² *Vaṣṣāf* bk. IV, p. 448.

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*Mutiny of troops near Jalor.*

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In the course of the return journey to Delhi the army halted at Sakarne, 9 *kos* from Jalor²³ where the one-fifth of the loot (Khums) of each soldier was demanded as the share of the state. Dispute arose regarding the surrender of some articles, and various kinds of brutal punishments were inflicted upon the soldiers regardless of position or rank to extort confession from them with regard to their individual gains. If the author of the *Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi* is to be believed they were put under bellows and made to drink saline water; the use of rods and fists was also not spared.²⁴ This inhuman treatment whipped a large section of the army, mostly Neo-Muslims, into open revolt. The leaders of the rebels, according to 'Iṣāmī were Muḥammad Shah Kahbru,²⁵ Yalhaq and Burrāq, and according to Yaḥya, Iljak, Kasri, Begi, Tamghān, Muḥammad Shah, Timūr Bugha, Shādi Bugha and Qutlugh Bugha.²⁶ Their names also indicate that they were all Mughal converts. They had seized a richly share in the plunder of Gujarāt, and apprehending that a large part of it shall have to be surrendered to the central treasury, they had decided to conceal their possessions. The fiendish cruelty of the royal generals gave them the necessary excuse for rebellion. One morning they murdered Malik A'izzuddīn, Amīr-i-Ḥājib (Secretary) to Ulugh Khān and brother of Nuṣrat Khān. Next, they attacked the camp of Ulugh Khān, but he had gone out for a wash, and escaped a certain death. The soldiers instead killed a nephew (sister's son) of the Sultan, mistaking him for their prey. Ulugh Khān escaped to the tent of Nuṣrat Khān and the two generals with their unfailing presence of mind ordered drums to be beaten. Loyal soldiers, who had no share in the mutiny, put on their armour under the impression that some neighbouring Hindu ruler was upon them and assembled in front of the tent of Nusrat Khan. The Mughals were overtaken by consternation and fled. The sagacity of the imperial commanders had saved the situation and the trouble was over within four days. Muḥammad Shāh and Kahbru sought shelter with Rana Hammīra of Ranthambhor, while Yalhaq and Burrāq went to Karan,²⁷ the vanquished king of Gujarat then staying in Nandurbar²⁸ as a guest of Ram Deva of Devagiri. The mutiny of the troops had proved abortive; even so it had terrified the royal generals, and they quietly proceeded towards Delhi²⁹ without demanding on the way any more of the one-fifth for the state.

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²³ *Khazāin*, vol. I, p. 153.

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²⁴ *T.M.S.* p. 76.

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²⁵ Probably Gabru of the *Hammira-Rasau*, in which he is called the brother of Muḥammad Shah. Hajjīuddabīr says that Muḥammad Shah had 3,000 horse under his command. *Zafarul Vāli* p. 790.

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²⁶ *T.M.S.* p. 76.

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²⁷ *Futūḥ* p. 245.

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²⁸ Vide chapter VIII.

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²⁹ They seem to have marched *via* Mathura where Ulugh Khan built a mosque. *Epig. Indo-Moslemica*, 1938, pp. 59-61.

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The chief conspirators in the rebellion had escaped, but a different fate awaited their families at Delhi. The moment ‘Alāuddīn heard of the outbreak he ordered the wives and children of the mutineers to be seized and imprisoned. But the heartless Vazīr Nuṣrat, not satisfied with the punishment the Sultan had already inflicted upon these innocent victims, committed other barbarous acts on his arrival at the capital. To avenge the death of his brother he seized the wives of the murderers of A‘izzuddīn, and delivered them to the embraces of the scavengers of Delhi, while their little children were ordered to be cut to pieces in the very presence of their mothers. The barbarities shocked the sentiments of the contemporary chronicler, who asserts that the seizure of “wives and children for the fault of men dates its commencement from this period” and that such punishments have “never been allowed by any code of religion.”³⁰

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³⁰ *Baranī* p. 253.

Cites (7)