The Legacy of Muslim Rule in India c11.s6.9

c11.s6.9

In short, female slaves were captured or obtained in droves throughout the year. Such was their influx that Ibn Battuta appears having got bored of them when he wrote: At (one) time there arrived in Delhi some female infidel captives, ten of whom the *Wazir* sent to me. I gave one of them to the man who had brought them to me, but he was not satisfied. My companion took three young girls, and I do not know what happened to the rest.¹²¹ Thousands (*chandin hazar*) of non-Muslim women (*aurat va masturat*) were captured during the yearly campaigns of Firoz Tughlaq and under him the Id celebrations were held on lines similar to those of his predecessor.¹²² Their sale outside, especially during the Hajj season, brought profits to the state and Muslim merchants. Their possession within, inflated the harems of Muslim kings and nobles beyond belief.¹²³