History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c2.1

c2.1

My original intention was to write a complete history of the Tughluq dynasty based on original sources dealing with the various phases of state activity, but Sir Denison Ross and Sir Wolseley Haig advised me to confine myself to the reigns of the first two Sultans. Sir Wolseley Haig, who had devoted much time to the study of Indian history, wrote to me that there were highly controversial problems connected with the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq which deserved careful and impartial investigation. The first European writer to depart from the accepted views about Muhammad bin Tughluq's character and policy was the late Mr. Gardner Brown who was connected for some time with the old University of Allahabad. His article in the Journal of the U. P. Historical Society stimulated me to pursue the enquiry further and to place before scholars a correct interpretation of that unfortunate ruler's plans and policies. In writing this work I have primarily relied upon the original sources which have been used with all possible care. It may be that scholars will differ from the views expressed in this thesis but I can claim for myself that I have tried to investigate the truth, to bring out the significance of facts unknown or ill-understood and to redeem a great historical personage from the unmerited obloquy and condemnation of misinformed or uncritical historians. In the vast field of truth, one might say: