Twilight of the Sultanate c6.s2.44

c6.s2.44

S'aādat's success soon made him arrogant and he became unpopular in his camp.⁶⁰ Afraid of an attack on his life, he fled to seek shelter in Delhi. There he was first beguiled and then treacherously done to death by Muqarrab Khan. But the mischief he had done did not end with his death; many influential Amīrs like Muhammad Muzaffar Tatār Khan, Shihāb Nāhar and Fazlullā Balkhī threw in their lots with Nāsiruddīn Nusrat. Nāsiruddīn controlled the districts between the Doab, Sambhal, Panipat and Rohtak, while Mahmūd possessed the old Delhi, Sīrī and some adjoining districts.⁶¹ Sultan Mahmūd placed Bahadur Nāhar, who had remained loyal to him, in charge of the fortress at old Delhi, and gave to Mallū the title of Iqbāl Khan and the command of the fortress at Sīrī. From now onwards regular skirmishes between Delhi and Fīrōzābād became an everyday affair. Sometimes Delhi was besieged, at others Fīrōzābād, and the Hindus and Musalmāns were killed in large numbers.⁶² "The Amīrs and Maliks of the Empire set themselves up as rulers, and levied taxes and tribute and for the next three years the affairs of the country remained in this state.”⁶³