The Sultanate of Delhi, 711–1526 A.D. c21.s3.2

c21.s3.2

He persuaded the new king to grant him the title of Khan-i-Jahan. He filled the high offices of the State with his own nominees and supporters. Important fiefs, such as, Bayana, Amroha, Narnaul, Kuhram and some of the parganas in the Doab were assigned to Siddhipala and his friends and followers who had played a prominent part in the assassination of Mubarak Shah. Other followers of the perfidious wazir were similarly rewarded. There was, however, one noble, named Kamal-ul-mulk, who was loyal to Khizr Khan’s house and was secretly nursing a grievance against the murderers of Mubarak, whom he wanted to punish. He secretly raised a party of his followers which consisted of old maliks and amirs who were dissatisfied with the wazir for his policy of associating Hindu nobles with the administration of the court. These discontented peers besieged the wazir in the fort of Siri. The new king became a privy to the conspiracy and lent support to Kamal-ul-mulk and his party. On the other hand, Sarwar-ul-mulk wanted to lay hands on the Sultan. The Sultan, however, forestalled their designs and ordered an attack on the wazir and his followers when they came to the court. Kamal-ud-din came up with his followers in time and put Sarwar-ul-mulk and his followers to death. He was now appointed minister and he distributed offices among his friends and supporters. But Kamal-ul-mulk was not likely to succeed, as he had no powerful army at his back. Rebellions continued as before. Ibrahim Sharqi of Jaunpur invaded the eastern parts of the Sultanate and seized a number of its parganas. Mahmud Khalji of Malwa also raided the vicinity of Delhi in order to invade it; but he was obliged to return to his capital, Mandu, on the receipt of the news that his capital was threatened by Ahmad Shah of Gujarat. Moreover, he was nervous to hear that Bahlol Lodi, the governor of Lahore and Sarhind, was coming to reinforce the Delhi army. Bahlol arrived in time and chased the retreating Malwa army and captured its baggage. For this timely service Bahlol was given the title of Khan-i-Khana, and Muhammad called the Lodi chief affectionately his ‘son’.