Muslim Slave System in Medieval India c8.23

c8.23

Under the Khaljis and Tughlaqs (fourteenth century) the nobles lived under constant fear of the Sultan. Nor did they do anything nor utter a single word which could subject them to reproof or punishment.³³ The Afghan nobles, who were considered to be difficult of control and therefore fairly independent, were no better. Whenever a *farman* was sent to a district officer by Sultan Sikandar Lodi (fifteenth century), the former received it with the utmost respect. Sikandar reduced the highest nobles to the position of slaves so that he could boast that if I order one of my slaves to be seated in a palanquin, the entire body of nobility would carry him on their shoulders at my bidding.³⁴ Badaoni gives an eye-witness account of the situation under Islam Shah Sur (sixteenth century). In the year 955H (1548 A.D.), when he was of tender age (the chronicler Badaoni) went to the country of Bajwara, one of the dependencies of Baiana and witnessed the customs and rules in practice - that the high nobles holding ranks of 500 to 20000 *sawars* were ordered to set up a lofty tent every Friday; a chair was placed in its centre on which were kept the shoes of Islam Shah (how could the shoes of the Sultan be procured? Were they sent along with the *farman*?). The nobles sat at their proper places with bowed heads in front of them to show their respect. Thereafter, the amin read out the *farman* containing new regulations and reforms to be carried out by the nobles. If any one disobeyed the royal orders, the officer concerned informed the Sultan and the disobedient Amir would forthwith be visited with punishment together with his family and relations. The Sultan also took away the elephants and even *patars* (dancing girls) of the nobles at will.³⁵