The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s2.t3.2

c19.s2.t3.2

The first act of the new sovereign was to conciliate the people so as to make them forget the heinous crime of which he had been guilty. He lavishly distributed the cash spoils from Devagiri. It is said that on his way from Kara Manikpur to Delhi he set up a *balista* before his tent at every halting place from which small gold and silver coins were scattered among the public. He continued this practice at Delhi for some days. People's memory is proverbially short; they forgot Ala-ud-din's treachery and ingratitude and most people began to talk of his lavish generosity. Almost all the important nobles and officers joined him and forgot the past. His second act was to put down Rukn-ud-din Ibrahim and his supporters with the assistance of the new army of adventurers who had been drawn to him by lavish distribution of gold. An army, forty thousand strong, under Ulugh Khan and Hijabr-ud-din, was sent to Multan to dispose of Arkali Khan, Ibrahim and their mother. The city was captured without resistance and the princes were taken prisoners. Arkali, Ibrahim and Ahmad Chap were blinded and so also Ulugh Khan, the Mongol, who was a son-in-law of Jalal-ud-din. Malka-i-Jahan, the widowed queen, was thrown into prison. By a clever and tactful policy the new Sultan disposed of his rivals and their supporters and was firmly seated upon the throne.