History of the Khaljis, A.D. 1290–1320 c7.s1.29

c7.s1.29

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.