History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c7.16.1

c7.16.1

makes no further mention of the activities of the Sultan's brothers, but we learn from Ibn Batūṭah that Masud was executed on the charge of rebellion and conspiracy.³ Nusrat Khan probably died during the reign otherwise, as Sir Wolseley suggests, his title would not have been conferred upon Shihāb Sultani.⁴ Sir Wolseley's surmise that Mubārak Khan was neglected, or possibly blinded early in the reign to make Muhammad's position secure is not supported by Ibn Batūṭah who distinctly states that the Sultan's brother Mubarak Khan was appointed to the office of Mirdād and he sat with the Qazi in the Diwan to administer justice.⁵ No opposition seems to have been offered by Muhammad's brothers. Bahram was only an adopted son, and his claim to the throne would have found no support from the nobles, because it could not be grounded on any legal right. Mubārak Khan acquiesced in his brother's assumption of royalty, because, as Barani positively states, and we have no reason to doubt his testimony on this point, the late Sultan had declared him as his heir to the throne,⁶ and because Muhammad's undoubted abilities marked him out as a pre-eminently fit person to occupy the throne, which had been filled in the past by such renowned captains of war as 'Ala-al-Din Khilji and Ghiyas-al-Din Tughluq. Muhammad had held important offices under the Khiljis and acquired considerable experience of administrative work which must have pre-disposed the nobles and officers of the state in his favour.