THE CAMBRIDGE HISTORY OF INDIA - III - Turks and Afghans

VIII

Rebellion in the Punjab

 

Mahmud Hasan, having restored the royal authority in Bayana, returned to Delhi, and thence to Hissar, his former fief, and Mubarak invaded the plains of Mewat, where Jalal Khan and other chieftains of the country presented their tribute and were received at court.

In July, 1429, Rajab Nadira died at Multan and Mahmud Hasan received the title of Imadul Mulk and was transferred to that province, the government of which he had formerly held. In the cold weather Mubarak marched to Gwalior and thence against the contumacious raja of Athgath, who was defeated and compelled to take refuge in the hills of Mewat. His country was plundered and many of his people carried off into slavery, and Mubarak marched to Rapri, expelled the son of Hasan Khan, and bestowed the fief upon Malik Hamzah. On his way back to Delhi he learnt of the death, at Bhatinda, of Sayyid Salim, who had served his house for thirty years. Mubarak, who seems to have been unacquainted with the true character of the Sayyid, and was certainly ignorant of that of his offspring, rewarded the father's long service by bestowing on his elder son the title of Salim Khan and on the younger that of Shujaul Mulk.

The Sayyid had been both rapacious and parsimonious, and during his long tenure of the lucrative fief of Bhatinda had amassed enormous wealth. The central situation of this district in the province of which Khizr Khan had enjoyed the virtual sovereignty for some time before his establishment on the throne of Delhi had secured it from attack from without and from demands for contributions to the defence of the frontiers. The customary law of Muhammadan states in India, which made the ruler the heir of his officials, was especially formidable to those who had defrauded their sovereign and oppressed his subjects, and Salim Khan and Shujaul Mulk, who were in the king's power, attempted to secure their wealth by instigating Fulad, a Turkish slave of their late father, to rebel in Bhatinda. Their complicity in the rebellion was discovered, they were thrown into prison, and Yusuf, son of Sarvarul Mulk, and Rai Hansu Bhati were sent to treat with Fulad and to induce him to surrender the treasure, but Fulad, who had no intention of surrendering it either to the king or to his late master's heirs, amused the envoys for a time with fair words and promises and, having thrown them off their guard, made a sudden attack on their troops, defeated them and was further enriched by the plunder of their camp.

Zirak Khan, Malik Kalu, and Islam Khan Lodi were then sent to besiege the rebel in Bhatinda. Fulad announced that he was prepared to consider terms of submission provided that negotiations were conducted through Imadul Mulk of Multan, in whom he had confidence, and Imadul Mulk was summoned and arrived at court in August, 1430. He was sent to Bhatinda, but it was discovered that the rebel's offer to treat with him had been merely a device to gain time, the negotiations broke down, and he returned to Multan after urging the officers before Bhatinda to continue the siege.

Fulad, after holding out for six months, sent a large sum of money to Shaikh Ali of Kabul and summoned him to his aid. In January, 1431, he left Kabul and marched to Bhatinda, and on his arriving within twenty miles of the town Mubarak's nobles hurriedly raised the siege and fled to their fiefs. Fulad issued from the fortress to meet him, paid him 200,000 tangas as the price of his assistance, and entrusted his family to his care, in order that they might be removed to a place of safety.

 

Rebellion in Multan