Khusrú Khán gathered a troop of Indians, chosen from among the bravest and greatest; his brother, the Khán-i Khánán, was among them. It was the hot season, and the Sultán slept on the roof of the palace, having only a few eunuchs around him. When the Indians bearing their weapons had passed four gates of the palace and arrived at the fifth, Kází Khán, the keeper of the keys, was startled by their proceedings, and suspected that they had some evil design in view. So he prevented their entrance, and said he would not let them pass without a distinct order from the mouth of the king himself. Finding themselves thus stopped, they fell upon him and killed him. The noise arising from this contention grew loud and reached the Sultán, who asked what it was, and Khusrú Khán told him that it was made by the Indians, who were coming to make their profession. Kází Khán had opposed their entrance, and hence a tumult had arisen. The Sultán was alarmed and rose to go into the inner part of the palace, but the door was closed and the eunuchs stood near it. The Sultán knocked at the door. Khusrú Khán then seized him in his arms from behind, but the king was the stronger and threw him down. The Indians entered, and Khusrú Khán called out to them, “Here he is upon me, kill him!” So they murdered him and cut off his head, which they threw from the roof of the palace into the court-yard.
Khusrú Khán sent immediately for the amírs and maliks who were not yet aware of what had happened. Each party that entered found him seated on the throne. They took the oath (of allegiance) to him, and when morning came he proclaimed his accession, despatched his orders into all the provinces, and sent a robe of honour to each amír. They all submitted to him with the exception of Tughlik Sháh, father of Sultán Muhammad Sháh, who was then governor of Díbálpúr, in Sind. When he received the robe of honour which Khusrú had allotted to him, he threw it on the ground and sat upon it. Khusrú Khán sent his brother, the Khán-i Khánán, against him, but Tughlik defeated him and afterwards killed him, as will be narrated in the account of the reign of Tughlik.
Khusrú Khán, upon becoming king, showed great favour to the Hindus, and issued objectionable orders, such as an order prohibiting the slaughter of bullocks, in deference to the practice of the idolatrous Indians, who do not allow these animals to be killed. * * * Such conduct was one of the causes which made Khusrú Khán hateful to the Musulmáns, and made them incline in favour of Tughlik. Khusrú's reign did not last long, and the days of his power were not numerous, as we shall relate.
The shaikh and pious imám Ruknu-d dín * * * gave me the
following account in his hermitage at Multán. Sultán Tughlik belonged
to the race of Turks called Karauna,*
who inhabit the mountains
between Sind and the country of the Turks. He was in a very
humble condition, and went to Sind as servant of a certain merchant,
as his golwání, or groom. This took place in the reign of 'Aláu-d
d??n, whose brother, Úlú Khán,*
was governor of Sind. Tughlik
entered his service and was attached to his person, being enrolled
among his piádas or footmen. Afterwards he distinguished himself
by his bravery, and was entered among the horsemen; then he became
a subordinate amír, and Úlú Khán made him his master of the
horse. Finally, he became one of the great amírs, and received the
title of al malik al ghází, “warlike prince.” I have seen the following
inscription, which is placed over the sacrarium of the mosque
which he built at Multán: “I have fought with the Tátárs twenty-
When Kutbu-d dín became king, he made Tughlik governor of the town and district of Díbálpúr; and he made his son (the present Sultán of India) superintendent of the imperial stables. He was called Jauná, the Sun; when he became king he called himself Muhammad Sháh. Kutbu-d dín being dead, and Khusrú Khán having succeeded, he confirmed Jauná in his office as master of the horse. When Tughlik wanted to rebel, he had 300 comrades in whom he put confidence in the day of battle. He wrote to Kishlú Khán, who was then at Multán, three days journey from Díbálpúr, calling upon him for assistance, reminding him of the favours of Kutbu-d dín, and urging him to exact vengeance for the murder of that king. The son of Kishlú Khán resided at Dehli, and, consequently, he replied to Tughlik that if his son were with him he would certainly help his design. Tughlik wrote to his son, Muhammad Sháh, to inform him of his resolve, and desiring him to fly from Dehli to meet him, bringing with him the son of Kishlú Khan. The young nobleman contrived a stratagem against Khusrú Khán, which was successful. He told him that the horses had grown fat and heavy, and that they required exercise. Khusrú Khán accordingly gave permission for taking them out. So the master of the horse mounted on horseback every day, and, followed by his subordinates, he rode about from one to three hours; he even extended his absence to four hours, so that one day he was out till noon had passed, which is the time when the Indians dine. The Sultán sent out to look after him, but nothing could be heard of him, and he joined his father, together with the son of Kishlú Khán.
Tughlik then openly rebelled and collected his forces. Kishlú Khán also joined him with his soldiers. The Sultán sent out his brother, the Khán-i Khánán, to give them battle, but they totally defeated him, and his army passed over to their side. The Khán-i Khánán returned to his brother; his officers were slain and his treasure captured. Tughlik then proceeded towards Dehli. Khusrú Khán went out to meet him with his army, and encamped near the city at a place called Asyá-bád, that is to say, the windmill. He ordered the treasures to be opened, and he gave away the money by bags, not by weight or definite sums. The battle began between him and Tughlik, and the Indians fought with the greatest fury. Tughlik's troops were defeated, his camp was pillaged, and he remained surrounded by his 300 old companions. He cried, “Whither can we fly? We shall be taken everywhere and killed.” The soldiers of Khusrú were busy plundering, and were scattered, so that there remained only a few near him. Tughlik and his companions went against him. In this country the presence of the sovereign is always indicated by the umbrella carried over his head. * * *
When Tughlik and his companions advanced against Khusrú, the fight began again between them and the Hindus: the Sultan's troops were routed, and none remained near him. He took to flight, dismounted from his horse, threw away his garments and arms, and keeping only his shirt, he let his hair fall upon his shoulders as the fakírs of India do. Then he went into a garden near at hand. The people gathered round Tughlik, who proceeded towards the city. The governor brought him the keys. He entered the palace and lodged in one of its wings; then he said to Kishlú Khán, “Be thou Sultán!” The Khán replied, “Rather you.” They disputed together, but at length Kishlú Khán said to Tughlik, “If you refuse to be Sultán, your son will obtain the sovereign power.” Tughlik was averse to this, so he accepted the government, and sat upon the royal throne. The nobles and common people took their oaths to him.
After three days Khusrú Khán, still concealed in the same garden, was hard pressed by hunger. He came out of his hiding-place and walked about. Then he met the keeper of the garden, and asked him for some food. The man had none to give him, so Khusrú gave him his ring and told him to go and pawn it, and buy food. When this person went into the market with the ring, the people had their suspicions, and they took him to the police magistrate. The latter conducted him to Tughlik, to whom he made known who had given him the ring. Tughlik sent his son Muhammad to bring in Khusrú, and Muhammad seized him, placed him on a tátú, or baggage-horse, and brought him to his father. When Khusrú went into the presence of Tughlik, he said: “I am hungry, give me something to eat.” The new sovereign ordered him to be served with sharbat, food, beer, and lastly betel. When he had eaten he rose and said, “O Tughlik, deal with me after the manner of kings, and do not dishonour me.” Tughlik complied with his request; he ordered him to be beheaded, and he was executed on the very spot where he had killed Kutbu-d dín. His head and his body were thrown from the roof of the palace, as he had done with the head of his predecessor. Afterwards, Tughlik ordered his corpse to be washed, wrapped in a shroud, and buried in a tomb which he himself had built. Tughlik was a just and excellent prince, and he enjoyed the sovereign power in peace for four years.