History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.200

Language: English

c11.200.1

Taghi's rebellion upset the calculations of the Sultan. Barani does not give a detailed account of his early career and straightway begins the history of his revolt and says that Taghi, who was originally a shoemaker and a slave of Safdar Mulk Sultani, won over the amirs of Gujarat to his side and raised the standard of rebellion. He was joined by many muqaddams of Gujarat. He marched to Nehrwālā, killed Malik Muzaffar, the deputy of Mu'iz-al-Din, governor of Pattan⁹⁸ and put the latter along with his officers in chains. He then proceeded at the head of the rebels towards Cambay, which place he plundered, and then with the aid of the Hindus and Musalmans advanced to Broach and laid siege to it. A fuller account of Taghī's early career is given by the author of the *Sīrat*, who writes in concluding his remarks about the rebellion that his narrative of this well-known event is partly based upon what he saw with his own eyes, and partly on what he heard from his elders.⁹⁹ He writes: ‘Taghī was a Turki slave. He was purchased by a Turkish merchant who came to Dihli in the time of Sultan Tughluq Shah from Turkestan. He made several presents to the Sultan among which Taghī was also included. When the presents of the merchant were accepted by the Sultan, the slaves whom he had offered were made over to Safdar Mulk Qirām-i-Sultānī. Taghī was a clever and sharp-witted boy. He was active and energetic and excellently performed the errands that were entrusted to him.

c11.200.2

After the death of Safdar Mulk, Sultan Muhammad made him superintendent (Shahnā) of the durbar (bārgāh) and afterwards appointed him to a rank in the army of Ahmad Ayāz Khwājah Jahān. One day he committed some offence for which he was ordered to be banished from the country and was taken to Cambay in chains to be shipped to Yaman to Malik-al-Mujāhid by sea. About this time occurred the rebellion of Qazi Jalāl and his confederates of which an account has already been given. Taghī was imprisoned in Cambay which was a large emporium of trade with Ajam and Arabia. In order to obtain his release, he sympathised with the inhabitants of the city and persuaded them to resist the rebels. He exerted himself also to organise resistance and succeeded in repelling the rebels. The Sultan was pleased with his efforts to restore order in the country and when he went to the Durbar, he pardoned him and restored him to his former position.¹⁰⁰ None of the later historians write anything about Taghī's early career.

c11.200.3

Hājji-ad-Dabīr describes Taghī as a person holding the title of Safdar Mulk, but this is a mistake for Barani and the author of the *Sīrat*, who were contemporaries of Taghī, describe him as a slave of Safdar Mulk Sultani and they are corroborated by Firishta.¹⁰¹ Baranī does not specifically state the cause of the rebellion, and all that can be gathered from his narrative is that in an atmosphere of treason Taghī also like many other adventurers felt inclined to rebel against the imperial authority. Later writers who closely follow Barani render no help. But the author of the *Sirat* mentions the circumstances under which Taghī was compelled to take up arms.¹⁰² When the Sultan went to Daulatabad to suppress the rising of the ‘Centurions’ which finally culminated in Isma‘il Makh’s elevation to royal dignity, he left Tātār Malik Bahadur Sultani in charge of Āsāwal and asked him to look after the affairs of that place. The Malik was commanded to assist the governor of Gujarat, Shaikh Mu‘iz-al-Din in realising the revenue and organising the royal forces. Taghi, who was in Gujarat had an Arab horse and a Gujarati maidservant. Tatar Malik Bahadur wished to obtain possession of the horse and the girl whose beauty probably captivated him. Taghi refused to give, and Tatar Malik began to tease him in various ways. He always humiliated and reprimanded him and held out threats that he would report his wickedness to the Sultan.

c11.200.4

Taghi could not bear these daily tortures and alarmed for his safety he broke out into rebellion.