Twilight of the Sultanate c8.s1.23

c8.s1.23

It was now clear to Iqbāl Khan that there were sections of people in and around Delhi who were not willing to recognise his authority. Besides Khizr Khan was making preparations in Multan for a bid for the Sultanate. In these circumstances Iqbāl Khan thought it best to invite Sultan Mahmūd to Delhi. It may be recalled that after his defeat at the hands of Tīmūr, Mahmūd had secretly fled towards Gujarat. Though Muzaffar Shāh, the then ruler of Gujarat, gave every help to the refugees from Delhi who had flocked at Pātan, he did not encourage Sultan Mahmūd himself to come there perhaps because he apprehended peril to his position. Sorely disappointed, Mahmūd made his way to Malwa where he was welcomed by Dilāwar Khan.²² He was at Dhar when Iqbāl Khan, thinking that he would be of use to him, invited him to return.²³ Placed as he was, Mahmūd was quick to respond, and returned to Delhi in A. D. 1401 (804 H). He was cordially welcomed by Iqbāl Khan who lodged the Sultan in the palace of Jahan Panāh.²⁴ But Mahmūd was not satisfied with the mere show of loyalty on the part of Iqbāl who virtually retained the reins of government in his own hands.²⁵ Indeed it was too much to expect of the latter to surrender power which he had been enjoying for more than three years, though it may be said to his credit that he ruled only in the name of the Sultan.²⁶ Even so the gulf between the two went on widening and shortly after an incident completed the rupture.