History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c10.159.1

c10.159.1

Now, submission to the Khalifah’s authority was not a new thing in the history of the Islamic power. Greater kings and conquerors than Muhammad Tughluq had sought the sanction of the Khalifah to consecrate their power. His goodwill was solicited even when the office had become a mere shadow of its former self. Warriors and champions of the faith like Mahmud of Ghazni had applied to the Khalifah for investiture, which was done by means of a formal patent and the usual robe of honour, which often included a turban studded with jewels, swords and ensigns. When the Muhammadans established their dominion in Hindustan they felt the need of obtaining some authoritative sanction to maintain their newly founded power. The first Indian sovereign to apply for such sanction was Iltutmish. But towards the middle of the seventh century A.H. a great calamity befell the Khilafat. The *Habīb-us-Siyar* relates at length the story of the Khalifah’s betrayal by Ibn-al-Qani who always kept him in the dark as to the real strength of the Mughals and the final capture of Baghdad by Halagu in 656 A.H.⁹⁹ The Khalifah Al Must'asim, an imbecile without character or capacity, proceeded to wait upon the Mughal invader with his sons Abu Bakr, ‘Abd-ul-Rahman and ‘Alwi Sayyids and learned men, but the Mughals showed no mercy and ruthlessly sacked Baghdad. It is stated in the *Tarikh-i-Guzīdah* that 800,000 Baghdadis were slain during this siege.