Twilight of the Sultanate c6.s2.27

c6.s2.27

Prince Humayūn succeeded his father as Sultan Sikandar Shāh, but he also died within a couple of months. Thereupon Muhammad's youngest son Mahmūd, a lad of barely ten years, ascended the throne on 23 March, 1394, with the title of Sultan Nāsiruddīn Mahmūd Shāh. The people were naturally sceptical about his capacity to rule,⁴⁷ but the boy-king proved to be quite precocious and from the very beginning he dealt effectively with the disturbed state of the country. Of late his predecessors had been completely preoccupied with the affairs of Mewat and the Doab. Consequently the eastern region of Jaunpur and beyond had gone out of control on account of the turbulence of the Hindu zamindars. Therefore, the Sultan conferred on Khwājā Jahān the title of Malikul Sharq "and appointed him governor of Hindustan from Qannauj to Bihar devolving upon him full powers and uncontrolled authority"⁴⁸ to bring the region under control. At the same time he sent Sārang Khan to Deopalpur to restore order in the west.