History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c10.47

c10.47

details about his hostile plans.³⁵ According to him Ibrahim, who was governor of Sirsuti and Hansi aimed at independent power, when he heard of the rebellion of his father, Jalal-al-Din Ahsan Shah of Ma‘bar and of the death of the Sultan in the Deccan. For a handsome, high-spirited, and generous man like him, it was no strange ambition. Just at this time Zia-al-Mulk bin Shams-al-Mulk was escorting the royal treasure through his fief from Sindh to Dihli. Ibrahim told him that he was likely to be plundered by thieves on the way, and that it would be politic to stay with him for sometime. Obviously his motive was to appropriate the whole treasure, when the news of the Sultan’s death was confirmed. The amir was allowed to proceed when the rumour turned out to be entirely baseless. But one of the slaves of Zia-al-Mulk informed the Sultan of Ibrahim’s misconduct, when the latter paid a visit to the capital. Though the Sultan was well-disposed towards him, he could not condone such an offence in the interests of the state. Ibrahim confessed his guilt, and the Sultan ordered him to be cut into two by the executioners. This must have been sometime after the Sultan’s return from the Deccan. The dead body of the deceased was interred by his relatives in the stealthy manner which was usually followed when a criminal was slain by royal command.