A History of Agriculture in India v2.c58.s9: Exchange of Gifts with a Chinese Embassy
A History of Agriculture in India v2.c58.s9
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Exchange of Gifts with a Chinese Embassy
v2.c58.s9.1
An embassy came from the Buddhist Emperor of China. 'The king of China had sent valuable gifts to the Sultan, including a hundred slaves of both sexes, five hundred pieces of velvet and silk cloth, musk, jewelled garments and weapons, with a request that the Sultan would permit him to rebuild the idol-temple which is near the mountains called Qarajil (Himalayas). It is in a place known as Sambhal, to which the Chinese go on pilgrimage; the Muslim army in India had captured it, laid it in ruins and sacked it. The Sultan, on receiving this gift, wrote to the king saying that the request could not be granted by Islamic law, as permission to build a temple in the territories of the Muslims was granted only to those who paid a poll-tax; to which he added, "If thou wilt pay the jizya we shall empower thee to build it. And peace be on those who follow the True Guidance." He requited his present with an even richer one—a hundred thoroughbred horses, a hundred white slaves, a hundred Hindu dancing and singing girls, twelve hundred pieces of various kinds of cloth, gold and silver candelabra and basins, brocade robes, caps, quivers, swords, gloves embroidered with pearls, and fifteen eunuchs.¹ This indicates the scale on which gifts were exchanged in inter-state dealings, and also display of unprecedented arrogance.
v2.c58.s9.2
Apart from his eccentricities and generosity, Muhammad-bin-Tughlak deserves mention for three fantastic projects, viz. the transfer of capital from Delhi to Deogir in Deccan, issue of copper tokens as substitute for silver money, and a disastrous expedition into the Outer Himalayas.