History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c10.176

c10.176

of Badr-i-Chāch also it appears that the motive in seeking a patent from the Khalifah was to strike fear into the hearts of the Sultan's ruthless enemies.¹¹⁰ The author of the Sirat who wrote shortly after Barani when information must have still been obtainable from eyewitnesses states that the Sultan's religiousness and learning had suggested to him this thought,¹¹¹ Edward Thomas, who had not consulted the Sirat, more or less accepts this view when he says that the odd phase of his progressive thought also had something to do with it.¹¹² The obvious motive was to strengthen his waning authority. To reinforce the dictates of religion and political necessity he had the sanction of precedent in his favour and made up his mind to procure a farman from the Khalifah in order to put a stop to the defiance of authority which had become a chronic feature of his reign. Indeed, such had been the motive of the Sultan in doing homage to a Khalifah and Jurji Zaydān, the well-known Egyptian scholar, is right in saying that if they had been unable to lay their hands on a Khalifah, it is probable that they would have made one, in order to rule the people by his aid.¹¹³ Nothing could have induced these powerful potentates to demand such a diploma from the Khalifahs who were virtually their creatures except the notion that it would produce an impression on the minds of the people.¹¹⁴ It appears that the fate of the ‘Abbasids was but imperfectly known in India and Muhammad Tughluq had to ascertain from travellers that a scion of the ‘Abbasid Khalifahs lived in Egypt.¹¹⁵ From Saragdwāri