History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c6.139

c6.139

After the Warangal expedition came the news of the misconduct of the governor of Bengal, Barani only says certain noblemen came from Lakhnauti to the Sultan and complained to him of the high-handedness of the ruler of Bengal. Nizam-al-Din Ahmad who follows Barani writes that the well-wishers of the Sultan made representations to him of the tyranny, oppression and misbehaviour of the rulers of Bangalah and induced the Sultan to invade Lakhnauti. All authorities agree in saying that the cause of intervention was the misconduct of the ruler of Bengal. Shihāb-al-Din Baghrā Shāh and Nāsir-al-Dīn had been expelled from Lakhnauti by Bahadur, the ruler of Sonargaon who had proclaimed himself ruler of Bengal.⁵⁹ The persecution of Musalmans and the injustice done to these princes roused the ire of the God-fearing emperor, who was ever ready to put down disorder with a high hand. The Sultan summoned Prince Muhammad from Telingana, and entrusted to him the government of the capital in his absence. According to the Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi the Sultan proceeded towards Lakhnauti in 724 (1324 A.D.). This date is followed by Ibn Batutah and Firishta and we have no reason to doubt it. The royal army rapidly crossed the rivers and swamps, and reached the country, where the news of the emperor's approach had frightened the rebels out of their wits. When the Sultan reached the neighbourhood of Tirhut, Nāsir-al-Dīn, whom Barani, Yahyā, Nizam-al-Din, Badaoni, Firishta and Hājji-ad-Dabīr call the ruler of Lakhnauti, came to pay homage, and the Rajas and Zamindars of the country also tendered their submission. Mr. Rakhal Das Banerjee in his History of Bengal says that after 1321 A.D. probably Nāsir-al-Dīn had recovered possession of captives, and a large booty fell into the hands of the Musalmans. The province was made over to Ahmad Khan, the son of Malik Talbagha, and became an imperial fief. Having finished the subjugation of the country, the emperor resumed his march towards Dihli.⁶³ This is Firishta's account. There is much discrepancy between Firishta and the Hindu writers regarding the results and details of this campaign. According to Hindu sources the Raja of Tirhut (Mithila) at this time was Hari Singh Deva son of Sakra Singh, the last great representative of the Kārnāta dynasty.⁶⁴ It was this king who grouped the Maithil Brahmans into the three main divisions of Srotriya, Panjibaddha and Jaiwāras and introduced rules of marriage which are still observed.