History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.207

Language: English

c11.207.1

As soon as the Sultan heard the news of the revolt, he suspended the settlement of Maharaśtra and proceeded towards Gujarat. In order to prevent the rebels from regaining their former position of advantage he appointed certain officers to look after the affairs in Devagiri. These were Khudāwand Zādah Qiwām-al-Din Shaikh Burhān Bilgramī whom Barani writes as Balarāmī and Malik Jauhar surnamed Zahīrr-al-Jayūsh. The Sultan thought that the rebellion of the ‘Centurions’ at Devagiri was not so serious as the disturbance in Gujarat, which, if neglected, might assume dangerous dimensions. Probably, the Sultan did not correctly estimate the strength which the *amirs sadah* had gathered at Devagiri. He did his utmost to restore order, but the stars in their courses fought against him, and every attempt that he made to put down disturbances resulted in failure. When he was in Gujarat on a previous occasion, he had energetically striven to restore order and peace, but the ‘Centurions’ had stirred up strife again, and the sediment that lies hidden beneath the lowest strata of society had again come to the surface during the period of turmoil. The sense of injured pride and personal cupidity led many a man to join the revolutionary movement that had begun in the country. There were nobles and chiefs who had old accounts to settle with Muhammad's government and desired vengeance for their alleged insults;

c11.207.2

there were others, the scum of the population, whose evil tendencies urged them to create a field for their ambition by overthrowing the established order. This explains the ease with which a low-born man like Taghī could gather a large following and enlist under his banner the amirs of Gujarat as well as many of the Hindu chiefs. At the head of a large force Taghī advanced upon Nehrwālā, killed Malik Muzaffar, the deputy governor, and imprisoned the governor along with some of his officials. Emboldened by this success, he marched upon Cambay and levied a heavy blackmail upon the population of the city and having thus augmented his resources, he proceeded towards Broach with the combined army of the Hindus and Musalmans. They invested the fort and had sharp encounters with the local officers who bravely defended themselves. The Sultan marched in great haste towards Broach; the rebellious Deccanis started in pursuit of him, massacred his men and plundered the royal treasure. Nature conspired with man to multiply the difficulties of this unfortunate ruler and famine and high prices considerably added to his anxiety at this time. But notwithstanding these hardships, he did not give up his determination to stamp out rebellion, and with his army encamped on the bank of the Narbada.

c11.207.3

He was greatly perturbed by the disorders that had broken out on all sides as is evidenced by the conversation which he had with Zia Barani, the historian, who had been sent with messages of congratulation by Firuz, Malik Kabīr, and Ahmad Ayāz, his trusted representatives at Dihli. The historian, who joined him when he had moved one or two stages from Ghāti Sākūn, towards Broach, writes that the Sultan regretted the indulgence which he had shown to the ‘Centurions’ of Devagiri, Gujarat and Broach. Taghī’s infidelity stirred his indignation and he observed; “This rebel Taghī is my slave; if I had executed him or sent him as a memorial to the king of Aden, this revolt would have never broken out.” Not gifted with the analytical turn of mind which ‘Ala-al-Din had possessed, he was unable to find out the real causes of the widespread insurrections in his empire, and the historian wanted to remind him that conciliation and not coercion was the only remedy to win back the confidence of the people but he knew that the Sultan who was deeply incensed was not inclined to listen to counsels of prudence. As soon as Taghī learnt that the royal army was encamped on the banks of the Narbada, he left Broach with a party of three hundred horsemen and withdrew to Cambay.¹⁰³ The Sultan immediately despatched Malik Yūsuf Bughrā at the head of two thousand horse with a few noblemen in pursuit of the rebel.

c11.207.4

By rapid marches Yūsuf Bughrā reached Cambay in 4 or 5 days and gave battle to Taghī, but the latter inflicted a sharp defeat upon him and put his troops to flight. Several of the amirs lost their lives in the encounter and Yūsuf Bughrā himself was among the slain. On hearing of this disaster, the Sultan immediately moved to the scene of action, but before he could reach Cambay, news came that Taghī had fled to Āsāwal. Pressed hard by the imperialists, the rebel went over to Nehrwālā where he revenged himself upon the local governor whom he put to death with a number of his officers who had attempted to check his advance.¹⁰⁴