The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c17.s2.2

c17.s2.2

At the time of his accession Kaiqubad was seventeen years old. He had been brought up under the strict guardianship of his puritanical grandfather, Balban. He was not allowed to cast ‘a glance at a fair face’ or to taste wine. Now that he found himself quite free and master of a big kingdom, his pent-up desires and passions found expression in unrestrained indulgence in wine, women and gaiety. His example was followed by his courtiers who had become sick of the restraint imposed upon their emotions by the late king. Such a young, inexperienced and pleasure-loving Sultan was bound to neglect administration which was left to shift for itself. Power passed into the hands of an unscrupulous intriguer, named Nizam-ud-din, who was the son-in-law of Fakhr-ud-din, the kotwal of Delhi. Kaiqubad became a puppet in his hands. The Mongols took advantage of the change and invaded the Panjab under their leader, Tamur Khan, and advanced as far as Samana. Fortunately, Malik Baqbaq defeated them near Lahore and brought a thousand of them prisoners to Delhi where they were put to death. Within the kingdom, law and order were disregarded by ambitious people. Nizam-ud-din sedulously tried to remove all competent rivals from his path of ambition with a view to seize the throne for himself.