History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c6.233

c6.233

seize upon the lamb and the lion and the deer drank at one stream.”¹⁰³ Exaggerated as the verdict of the chronicler may seem, it, nevertheless, contains a substratum of truth, and shows what the men of his time thought of his government. The beneficent activities of the Sultan were extended to every branch of the administration, and public buildings were erected to add to the glory of the empire, and several schemes were launched, but they were cut short by his sudden death. He built the fort of Tughluqabad¹⁰⁴ and several other magnificent buildings, some of which exist to this day. By an adroit combination of tact and firmness Ghiyas-al-Din kept under control the forces of disorder and accomplished without shedding blood, what ‘Ala-al-Din had achieved by means of crooked policy, violence, and high-handed measures. Had life been granted to him, he would have introduced far-reaching reforms and constructed works of public utility. During his brief reign he did much to wipe out the disgrace which had befallen the empire of Dihli, to re-organise the administration which had fallen out of gear, and to re-establish the power of the monarchy, which had been reduced to a nullity during the Khusrauite regime.