Theory and Practice of Muslim State in India c8.s6.6

c8.s6.6

Writing about the days of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq (1325-51), Shihabuddin al-Umari writes: "The sultan never ceases to show the greatest zeal in making war upon the infidels... Every day thousands of slaves are sold at a very low price, so great is the number of prisoners .... (that) the value at Delhi of a young slave girl, for domestic service, does not exceed eight *tankahs*. Those who are deemed fit to fill the parts of domestic and concubine sell for about fifteen *tankahs*. In other cities prices are still lower... " Probably it was so because Ibn Battutah while in Bengal says that a pretty *kaniz* (slave girl) could be had there for one gold dinar (or 10 silver *tankahs*). "I purchased at this price a very beautiful slave girl whose name was Ashura. A friend of mine also bought a young slave named Lulu for two gold coins." It is very difficult to establish a relationship between the prices of Delhi market and those of the provinces. Umari continues, "but still, in spite of low prices of slaves, 20000 *tankahs*, and even more, are paid for young Indian girls. I inquired the reason... and was told that these young girls are remarkable for their beauty, and the grace of their manners."¹⁸⁶ All evidence point to the fact that it was the Muslim ruler who profited from the sale of these slaves. Isami in his *Futuh-us-Salatin* states that when Mahmud of Ghazni defeated Raja Jayapala of the Hindu Shahiya dynasty, he "carried him to the distant part of the kingdom of Ghazni and delivered him to an agent (*dalal*) of the slave market... (and) at the command of the king Mahmud they (the Brokers of the Market, *Muqiman-i-Bazar* in the original) sold Jayapal as a slave for 80 dinars and deposited the money realised by the sale in the Treasury." Hodivala adds that "it would be difficult to get better evidence than this of the ruler making the profit."¹⁸⁷