The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c19.s8.t6.1

c19.s8.t6.1

Khusrav had realised that it would not be possible for him to seize the throne without an army of his own. He sought the king's permission to raise a corps of 40,000 horse, consisting mostly of the Bharvars of Gujarat, a tribe to which Khusrav himself belonged. Mubarak agreed. Next, Khusrav requested that his relations and friends should be permitted to enter the palace gates and see him inside the palace, if they had any urgent work with him. This request was also granted. Khusrav had now his plan ready for the assassination of the king. A warning, however, was given to Mubarak by his former tutor. The Sultan paid no heed to it. On the night of April 14, 1320, when Khusrav's conspiracy had matured, his troops entered the palace and cut down the royal guards. The noise reached the upper storey of the palace and the Sultan enquired from Khusrav as to what it was about. Khusrav replied that men were trying to catch some horses which had broken loose. As Khusrav spoke these words his followers reached Mubarak's apartment. The Sultan sprang up in terror and ran towards the female apartments of the palace; but Khusrav seized him by the hair, while one of his followers named Jaharia stabbed him to death. Mubarak's head was severed from the body and thrown down into the courtyard.