THE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY OF INDIA - III - Turks and Afghans

VIII

Muharak Shah  

 

Mubarak, beside whose weakness that of his father assumes the appearance of strength, found it no longer necessary to feign 'vassalage to any of the rulers who now governed the fragments of Timur's vast empire, and freely used the royal title of Shah, which his father had never assumed.

On his coinage he was styled Muizzuddin Mubarak Shah, and another unmistakable claim to complete independence was exhibited in his profession of allegiance to the puppet Caliph alone. He confirmed most of the nobles in the fiefs and appointments which they had held during the late reign, but, conscious of his own weakness, pursued the fatuous policy of perpetually transferring them from one fief to another. He perhaps attained his object of preventing any one noble from acquiring a dangerous local influence in any district of the kingdom, but it was attained at the cost of efficient administration, and the discontent of the nobles, harassed by these vexatious transfers, led finally to his downfall. In pursuance of this policy Malik Rajab Nadira, son of the late Sadhu Nadira, was transferred from Firuzabad and Hansi to Dipalpur, to make room for the king's nephew, Malik Bada, who eventually succeeded him as Muhammad Shah.

The early days of the reign were disturbed by the activity of Jasrat the Khokar, who, with the interests of the fugitive Tughan as a pretext and the throne of Delhi as a lure, crossed the Sutlej and attacked Rai Kamaluddin, a vassal of Delhi, at Talwandi. Rai Firuz, a neighbouring fief-holder, fled towards the Jumna, and Jasrat occupied Ludhiana, ravaged the country eastwards as far as Rupar, and, returning across the Sutlej, besieged Zirak Khan in Jullundur, when a composition not very creditable to either party was effected. Zirak Khan betrayed the interests of his master by the surrender of the fortress and Jasrat betrayed his guest by sending his son to Delhi as an hostage for his father's good behaviour, and his former adversary, Zirak, by seizing and imprisoning him. With Jullundur as a base Jasrat again crossed the Sutlej and on June 22 appeared before Sirhind, now held for Mubarak Shah by Islam Khan Lodi.

In July, although the rainy season was at its height, Mubarak Shah marched to the relief of Sirhind, and as he approached Samana Jasrat, after releasing Zirak Khan, who rejoined his master, retreated to Ludhiana, whither Mubarak Shah followed him. Jasrat, having collected all available boats, crossed the flooded river and encamped in security on the opposite bank. As the rains abated Mubarak Shah retired, in real or feigned apprehension, along the bank of the river to Qabulpur, while Jasrat, who had failed to observe that a force had been dispatched up stream to search for a ford, followed him. The two armies were still facing one another when Jasrat learnt that this force had crossed the river and, fearing lest his retreat should be cut off, retreated precipitately towards Jullundur, but was unable to rest there owing to the vigour of Mubarak's pursuit, during which the fugitives suffered heavy losses, and retired to the lower slopes of the Kashmir highlands.

Bhim, raja of Jammu, guided the royal army to the principal stronghold of the Khokars, which was captured, with heavy loss to the defenders, and destroyed, but Jasrat escaped. From the hills Mubarak Shah marched to Lahore, ruinous and deserted since its capture by Timur's troops and spent a month in replacing its once formidable defences by a mud fort. On returning to Delhi he left Malik Mahmud Hasan, who had distinguished himself at the passage of the Sutlej and was henceforward the ablest and most active of his nobles, with a force of 2000 horse to hold the restored outpost of the kingdom.

By May, 1422, Jasrat had reassembled his army, descended from the hills, and attempted to carry the new citadel by assault, but was repulsed and forced to retire. For more than a month he harassed Mahmud Hasan by desultory skirmishes, but, finding his labour vain, retired to Kalanaur, his principal place of residence in the plains. Here he met Raja Bhim of Jammu, who was marching to the assistance of Mahmud Hasan, and after one battle made peace with him and retired towards the Beas. In the meantime Mubarak Shah had dispatched to the aid of Mahmud Hasan the minister, Sikandar Tuhfa, who crossed the Ravi, once more drove Jasrat into the hills, and marched to Lahore, where he was welcomed by Mahmfid Hasan on September 28. Malik Rajah Nadira of Dipalpur arrived at Lahore at the same time, and the three nobles marched to Kalanaur, where they were met by Raja Bhim, to punish Jasrat's presumption. They invaded the Khokar country, but Jasrat had escaped into the higher ranges, and after plundering the homes of his tribesmen the three nobles returned to Lahore.

During the absence of the minister, Sikandar Tuhfa, from the capital the governor of Delhi, Sarvarul-Mulk, induced the feeble king to order, for the benefit of himself and his son, a redistribution of various important offices. Sikandar Tuhfa was dismissed from the office of minister, to make way for Sarvarul Mulk, who was succeeded as governor of Delhi by his son Yusuf. Sikandar Tuhfa received the fief of Lahore as compensation for the loss of the first post in the kingdom, but his transfer thither necessitated the removal of Mahmud Hasan, who was transferred to Jullundur, but was ordered for the time to wait on Mubarak Shah with the contingent maintained from his fief. These changes bred much discontent, to which may be traced the assassination of Mubarak Shah, which took place twelve years later.

In 1423 Mubarak Shah once more invaded Katehr, collected tribute from the people in the usual fashion, and, crossing the Ganges, entered the lower Doab, where he treated the Rajputs with great severity and behaved as though he were in an enemy's country. Zirak Khan was left as governor of Kampil, but his ill-treatment of the Hindus so alarmed the son of Sarvar Singh that he fled from the camp to Etawah and successfully defended the town against Malik Khairuddin Tuhfa, brother of Sikandar Tuhfa, who was fain to raise the siege on receiving the usual nugatory promise of tribute.

Recent successes encouraged Jasrat the Khokar again to invade the kingdom. He had defeated, and slain in battle his old enemy, Raja Bhim of Jammu and now overran and plundered the districts of Dipalpur and Lahore. Sikandar Tuhfa marched against him, but retired before him, leaving him free to prepare for more extensive aggressions. At about the same time it was reported that Alaul Mulk, governor of Multan, had died and that Shaikh Ali, the deputy in Kabul of Suyurghatmish, the fourth son of Shahrukh, who had succeeded to the greater part of Timur's empire, proposed to invade and ravage the western Punjab and Sind. Malik Mahmud Hasan was sent to Multan, and restored some degree of confidence to the people who had been plundered by Shaikh Ali's troops.

Towards the end of the year Mubarak was obliged to march to the aid of Gwalior, which was besieged by Hushang Shah of Malwa. Hushang, on learning that Mubarak was marching towards Dholpur, raised the siege and marched to the southern bank of the Chambal, so that when Mubarak reached the northern bank he found most of the fords held by the troops of Malwa, but he discovered an unguarded ford, crossed the river, and permitted his advanced guard to attack some outlying parties of Hushang's army. A trivial advantage was gained and some prisoners and plunder were taken, but neither party desired a general engagement or a protracted campaign, and negotiations ended in the retreat of Hushang to Mandu.

Mubarak returned to Delhi in June, 1424, and in the following cold weather marched to Katehr, extorted three years' arrears of tribute from the raja, Har Chand, plundered the country as far as the foot of the Kumaon hills, and, marching down the banks of the Ramganga, crossed the Ganges and entered the Doab. It had been his intention to remain in the neighborhood of Kanauj, and to establish his authority to the south of that district, but the country had suffered from famine and would neither repay rapine nor support the troops, and he was compelled to return. He turned aside with the object of crushing a rebellion in Mewat, but the rebels laid waste their villages in the plains and retired into their mountain fastnesses, and the king was obliged to retire, but returned in 1425, when the rebels under Jan, or Jalal Khan, and Qaddu, or Abdul Qadir repeated their tactics of the preceding year. Mubarak on this occasion followed them into the hills, drove them from one stronghold, and pursued them to Alwar, where they surrendered. Jalal Khan escaped, but Qaddu was carried prisoner to Delhi.

 

Rebellion in Mewat