The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s2.t1: Early career
The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s2.t1
- Language
- English
Early career
c19.s2.t1.1
Ala-ud-din was a nephew and son-in-law of Jalal-ud-din Firoz. He was a very active and spirited soldier and was gifted with a. fund of commonsense and realism. He was known to be ambitious and must have given early promise of future greatness. On his uncle's accession, in 1290, he was promoted to the office of *amir-i-tuzak* and was, shortly after, appointed governor of Kara Manikpur, near Allahabad. The followers of Malik Chhajju flocked round him. Young Khalji soldiers, too, who were ambitious of rising to power and wealth, recognised him as the man of the hour who could be persuaded to strike for the throne of Delhi and occupy it and reward them for their valour and enthusiasm. These disgruntled men, being dissatisfied with the lenient policy of the aged king, Jalal-ud-din, spurred Ala-ud-din on to fight for the throne. But Ala-ud-din was shrewd enough not to precipitate action. He waited to strike only at a favourable opportunity. His first and more urgent work was that of increasing his followers and of gathering round him men of tried ability and sure loyalty. He kept his uncle and sovereign in good humour through his brother, who served as his representative at the court and looked after his interests there. He obtained the Sultan's permission to lead an expedition to Malwa. In 1292 he penetrated into the heart of Malwa, captured the town of Bhilsa and brought a huge sum of money and valuable articles as plunder. He sent a part of these to the Sultan who rewarded him with governorship of Awadh in addition to that of Kara. Ala-ud-din, thus, ruled over two provinces of his uncle's kingdom.
c19.s2.t1.2
His recent success in Malwa whetted Ala-ud-din's appetite for further conquests. At Bhilsa he had heard stories of the prosperity of the southern kingdom of Devagiri and his imagination was fired by dreams of conquest of southern India. He obtained his uncle's permission to increase the number of his troops, but concealed from him his project of a Dakhin campaign. Immediately south of the Vindhya mountains there were, at this time, two flourishing kingdoms in the Dakhin, the kingdom of Devagiri in the west and that of Telingana in the east. Ala-ud-din resolved to raid the former. He made preparations for the enterprise and, placing Malik Ala-ul-mulk, his deputy, in Kara, he proceeded on the enterprise in 1294 with an army consisting of eight thousand horse. He cunningly gave out on the way that he was a refugee noble from Delhi going to seek shelter and service at Rajamundry in southern Telingana. In view of this, he was not suspected or opposed by any one on the way. He appeared all of a sudden on the northern frontier of Devagiri which was ruled by the Yadava king, Rama Chandra Deva. The Yadava ruler was taken by surprise. A greater part of his army was away from his kingdom under his son, Shankar Deva, who had gone on a pilgrimage. Rama Chandra hastily collected 2,000 to 3,000 soldiers and met the invader at Lasura, twelve miles from Devagiri. But he was defeated by Ala-ud-din's vastly superior army and compelled to take shelter within his fort. Ala-ud-din besieged the fort and gave out that his troops were only an advance guard of a big army of 20,000 horse who were coming from Delhi to join him. Rama Chandra was frightened by the news and agreed to make peace. He made over to the invader 1,400 pounds of gold, a large quantity of precious pearls and other things. Ala-ud-din was preparing to depart when the Raja's son, Shankar Deva, returned from the pilgrimage and, contrary to his father's advice, attacked the invader. Ala-ud-din divided his army into two parts. One was left to watch the city and prevent Rama Chandra from coming to the assistance of his son, while with the other he prepared to fight Shankar. He was on the point of being defeated when the second part of his army under Malik Nasrat moved from the border of the city to his assistance. Shankar thought that this was the army from Delhi about which Ala-ud-din had boasted. His nerves were, therefore, shaken and he suffered a defeat. Ala-ud-din once again besieged the fort of Devagiri. After a few days' fighting Rama Chandra discovered that the sacks with which he had provisioned the garrison contained salt instead of grain. He was compelled to sue for peace. Ala-ud-din now imposed much harsher terms than before. He compelled Rama Chandra to cede to him the province of Illichpur and to pay him a very huge indemnity which consisted of "17,250 pounds of gold, 200 pounds of pearls, 58 pounds of other gems, 28,250 pounds of silver and 1,000 pieces of silk cloth." With this enormous booty he returned to Kara.
c19.s2.t1.3
This was the first Turkish expedition to southern India. Ala-ud-din's success was well-deserved. His objective was separated from his base by several hundred miles and the entire region was unknown and the people were hostile to him. The successful expedition showed that Ala-ud-din was not only gifted with soldierly talent of a high order, but was also a man of great daring and dash, of organising ability and resourcefulness.
c19.s2.t1.4
This remarkable success turned Ala-ud-din's head. He now aspired for the throne of Delhi. His followers had been egging him on to action. His domestic difficulties were also pointing the same way. His wife, who was a daughter of the Sultan, was on bad terms with him. She and her mother, the queen, intrigued against him at court and also embittered his private life. These domestic reasons prompted him to come to a decision in the matter as early as possible. As has already been related, he decoyed his uncle and had him murdered near Kara Manikpur on July 19, 1296, and crowned himself king.