History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.200.1

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.