History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c12.s1.19

c12.s1.19

Muhammad Tughluq had a large number of slaves in his household, each of whom received a monthly allowance of two *mans* of wheat and rice and a daily allowance of 3 seers of meat with all the other necessary articles of common use. In addition to his provisions he was given by the state a stipend of ten *tankahs* per mensem and four suits of clothes every year. There was a corps of slaves and the author of the *Masālik* writes that when the king marched in state, he was accompanied by two hundred thousand slaves which seems to be an exaggerated number in view of the fact that when the number of slaves rose to the high figure of one lakh eighteen thousand in the time of Firuz Tughluq, it was looked upon as something abnormal, and after the Sultan's death as one of the causes of the disintegration of the empire. The conquests of the Sultan brought a large number of prisoners who were all offered for sale and did not cost more than eight *tankahs*. Women were also captured in War and were distributed among the officers of the state. There was an abundance of slave-girls.¹³¹ Slaves were employed as domestic servants and also as spies who were sent among the officers and reported to the Sultan what happened in their homes. The lot of slaves under Muhammad Tughluq was not unhappy. The practice of manumission was prevalent, and on an appointed day during the ‘Id festival the Sultan granted freedom to his slaves. Female slaves were also set free and married. Some of the slaves showed great proficiency in music and other social accomplishments and rose to high positions in the state. Malik Maqbūl and Taghi were raised to high dignity notwithstanding their low origin. But ordinary slaves were treated like articles of merchandise, and were included in royal gifts and rewards. These facts enable us to understand the disproportionate growth of the slave department and the undue predominance acquired by the slave fief-holders.