Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c11.11

c11.11

These slaves were brought to India in very large numbers. Their position was generally that of inferior species. Sometimes they were not trusted. A case in point is seen during Akbars conquest of Gujarat. After the fall of Ahmedabad all officers of Sultan Mahmud Gujarati came to make submission to Akbar. These included Aitmad Khan the slave and Prime Minister of Sultan Mahmud Guiarati¹⁹ (who was originally a Hindu slave),²⁰ Mir Abu Turab, Saiyyad Ahmad Bukhari, Malik Ashraf, Ulugh Khan Habshi, Jajhar Khan Habshi, and other amirs and chiefs of Gujarat too numerous to mention. Abul Fazl writes that Emperor Akbar desired to include the Habshis (Abyssinians) among the royal slaves on the same terms as they had been slaves of Sultan Mahmud. But Akbars officers were suspicious of them. Aitmad Khan too became surety for all Gujarati slaves except the Abyssinians.²¹ Therefore, for reasons of security, Akbar ordered the headmen of the Habshis to be made over to the great officers of the court.²²