Twilight of the Sultanate c8.s1.72

c8.s1.72

In Delhi the news of Mallū Iqbāl’s death was received with no regret. True, he had spent his life in the service of the Tughlaq throne, had tried to establish order in Delhi out of the chaos left by Tīmūr and had fought against independent rulers and zamindars to reassert the authority of the Sultanate; but in all his acts lurked his personal ambition. He had invited Sultan Mahmūd to join him, but his motives were not entirely altruistic. He was sorely disappointed when Mahmūd, whom he had brought up on the throne almost as a child, deserted him, but it was probably Iqbāl’s own ambition that had made Mahmūd suspicious. Ferishta writes that when he marched against Khizr Khan (late in A. D. 1405) he had thought of adopting the royal title after finishing off the ruler of Multan.⁵⁹ What his plans were after that last and fatal campaign, one cannot tell, but the fact remains that he never adopted the royal title, nor struck coins nor got the Khutba read in his name. Probably content with actual sovereignty, he cared little to assume its title and insignia. All the same his treatment of Sultan Mahmūd was an irremovable stigma. His campaign against Mahmūd at Qannauj and his heinous murder of Bahrām Khan must have antagonised even his confidants. His frailties brought about his downfall, but he met his death as a courageous soldier. He fought as long as he lived.