History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c11.296.2

c11.296.2

The 'Centurions' turned against him; the insults of 'Aziz Khummār and the Sultan's own breach of faith severely tried their loyalty and goaded them into rebellion. He utterly failed to comprehend the mentality of these spirited people and had recourse to measures he had been used to adopt in dealing with the milder-mannered races of Hindustan. His lack of diplomacy, his contempt for his enemies, characteristic of all despots blinded by an exaggerated estimate of their own strength, and his feverish anxiety to execute his plans in a ruthless manner account for his failure in dealing with them. When the revolt broke out at Devagiri, he ought to have concentrated all his forces there, for the place was one of great strategic importance. But the Sultan, whose judgment was impaired by an unbroken succession of misfortunes and failures, adopted a wrong plan. The lack of competent generals and advisers further aggravated his difficulties. Among the nobles and officers around him in Gujarat, we find a conspicuous dearth of statesmen and ministers, gifted with foresight, tact and the power of effective organisation. Neither he nor his advisers estimated correctly the formidable power which the ‘Centurions’ at Daulatabad had acquired and the small force, which he called from Dihli with Ahmad Ayāz, proves his inadequate appreciation of the situation.