Continued From: The
Forgotten Empires Of India: Foreign Invasion of Medieval India - Part 8
It was in the year 1296, that Ali plundered Devagiri without informing his
father-in-law/uncle. The Sultan however, learnt of Ali's success and proceeded
towards Gwalior from Delhi to confiscate the loot in person. Learning of the
Sultan’s move, Ali proceeded directly to Kara in Uttar Pradesh without stopping
at Gwalior and the Sultan was forced to return empty-handed to Delhi. Ali and
his brother Almas carefully planned their next move. They knew that it would be
a folly to openly attack the Sultan. Almas Beg used his persuasive powers to
convince the Sultan that Ali only meant well and was a loyal servant of the
Sultan. Almas informed the Sultan that Ali was afraid of meeting the Sultan in
person as he had raided Devagiri without obtaining permission from the Sultan. He
persuaded the Sultan to propose his peaceful intentions by going to Ali
instead. The Sultan pleased with the success of Ali and lured by the loot,
assured Almas that he could never be upset with Ali. Almas who was also Ali's
co-conspirator thus convinced the Sultan to meet Ali at Khara. (See map )
Jalal-ud-din fell into the trap laid
by Almas Beg and Ali. He foolishly
agreed to meet Ali with just a few of his followers and that too unarmoured. Jalal-ud-din
traveled down the Ganges to meet Ali, but
to his shock, as soon as he disembarked from his boat, Ali's soldiers fell upon
him and severed his head in cold blood! Confusion ensued amongst the Sultan’s
followers as they were slaughtered to death by their host. The Sultan’s severed
head was on display as proof of Ali’s victory over the Sultan. The historian Zia-Ud
-Din Barani says in his book Tarik-I-Firuz-Shahi that for the purpose of
glossing over the murder of Jalal-Ud-Din, an act condemned by men and God, Ali
threw open the door of liberality and munificence. (A translation of
Tarrik-I-Firuz-Shahi by A.R.Fuller). Zia-Ud -Din Barani was a contemporary of
Ali and his uncle was later appointed as the Kotwal of Delhi by the Usurper. Those
whose silence could be bought was purchased with the loot from Devagiri and
those who opposed were put to death. In this manner, the gruesome murder of
Sultan Jalal-ud-din was covered up.
Ali purchased the allegiance of Jalal-ud-din's nobles and boldly marched to
Delhi where he easily took over the throne by bribing the nobles and proclaimed
himself as Allaudin Khilji, the second sultan of the Khilji Dynasty. He
donated large amounts of gold to the common people and ascended the throne of
Delhi amidst great pomp and celebration. The people were only too happy to get
gifts from the new Sultan and no one grieved for Jalal-ud-din.Thus was born
Allaudin Khilji, a cruel despot!
Continued On:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.