History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.151

c11.151

The earliest rulers of this tract of land were the Rathors who claimed kinship with the Rathors of Kanauj. They are first mentioned in 1298 when Karan, the last king of the Baghela clan fled and maintained himself with the aid of Ramadeva of Devagiri as an independent chief after his defeat by 'Ulugh Khan. After stead of affording them asylum, robbed them of their valuables and cast them into prison. Reduced to a hopeless condition by the vigorous attacks of the royal army, the rebellious amirs lost their following as well as their influence. All disturbance was was put down for the time being, but the authors of the rebellion still existed and the Sultan had recourse to foul play in order to rid himself of the danger. Malik Maqbūl, the imperial commandant, still remained on the bank of the Narbada, engaged in clearing the land of the rebels where the order of the Sultan reached him that the ‘ Centurions ’ should be made away with. Most of them were put to death by their captors ; while some who survived fled to Devagiri and others sought shelter with the Hindu chiefs of Gujarat. This atrocious act is a blot upon the name of the Sultan, and reveals to us the dark and repulsive side of his character. In his own mind he must have justified his action by the usual plea of despots--the reasons of state, but the lesson conveyed by it was seared upon the minds of the ‘ Centurions ’ who had serious misgivings about his attitude towards them. His policy of distrust and coercion added to the volume of discontent, and the opposition which it provoked gathered strength as time passed.