* * * * *

After the Sultán had concluded his counsels to his son, and the secretary had committed them to writing, he gave him a robe of honour, tenderly embraced him, and shedding tears over him bade him farewell. Bughrá Khán then returned to Lakh-nautí, and the Sultán, with his army, pursued his journey towards Dehli. On reaching the Sarú he halted, and he issued an order that no one who had gone with the army from Dehli to Lakhnautí should remain at the latter place without permission, and that no one should proceed from Lakhnautí to Delhi without his consent. After an inspection of the men of his army, he crossed the river and continued his journey. * * * He passed through Badáún, and crossed the Ganges at the ferry of Ghanúr. The people of Dehli of all classes came forth to meet him * * * and he entered his capital after being absent three years. [Re-joicings, public thanks, and rewards.]

After the rewards were distributed, the Sultán ordered a row of gibbets to be erected on both sides of the road from Badáún to Talpat (Pilibhít?), and that the inhabitants of Dehli and its environs, who had joined Tughril, and had been made prisoners at Lakhnautí, should be suspended thereon. This direful order spread dismay in the city; for many of the inhabitants of the town and environs had relations and connections among the prisoners. * * * The public sorrow became known to the kází of the army, who was greatly shocked. He proceeded on the evening of the Sabbath, and throwing himself at the feet of the Sultan interceded for the unhappy prisoners. The Sultán was moved by his importunity, aud ordered that the majority of the prisoners, who were of no name and repute, should be set at liberty; that some of the better known should be banished to the neighbouring towns, and that those belonging to the city should be retained in prison for a time. The most notorious among them were ordered to be mounted on buffalos, and to be paraded round the city for an exemplary punishment. After a while, through the intercession of the kází, they all obtained their release. * * *

The Sultán's eldest son, who was called Khán of Multán, and ruled over Sind, brought to Dehli the tribute money and horses for the whole three years during which the Sultán had been absent, and presented his reports to his father. The Sultán was greatly pleased, his affection and kindness to his son was in­creased tenfold, and he sent him back to his government loaded with honours. * * *

In the year 684 H. (A.D. 1285) the Khán of Multán, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Sultán, and the mainstay of the State, proceeded to Lahor and Deobálpur (Dípálpúr) to oppose the accursed Samar, the bravest dog of all the dogs of Changíz Khán. By the will of fate, the prince with many of his nobles and officers fell in battle, and a grievous disaster thus hap­pened to the throne of Balban. Many veteran horsemen perished in the same battle. This calamity caused great and general mourning in Multán. * * * From that time the deceased prince was called “the Martyr Prince.” Amír Khusrú was made prisoner by the Mughals in the same action, and obtained his freedom with great difficulty. He wrote an elegy on the death of the prince. * * *

When the news of this defeat and the death of the prince reached the Sultán, he was quite broken down with sorrow. The army was a well-appointed one, and “the Martyr Prince” was the son whom he had loved dearer than his life, and whom he had destined to be his successor. The Sultán was now more than eighty years old, and although he struggled hard against the effects of his bereavement, they day by day became more apparent. By day he held his court, and entered into public business as if to show that his loss had not affected him; but at night he poured forth his cries of grief, tore his garments, and threw dust upon his head. When the particulars of the prince's death arrived, the Sultán bestowed Multán, with the other terri­tories, the canopy, and all the ensigns of royalty which he had given to the late prince, on Kai-Khusrú, his son. This prince was very young, but he was greatly favoured by the Sultán, who sent him to Multán with a large retinue of nobles and officers. The reign of Balban now drew to a close, and he gradually sank under his sorrow.

To return to my history. When the Sultán grew weak and ill from grief for his lost son, he summoned his younger son, Bughrá Khán, from Lakhnautí, and said to him, “Grief for your brother has brought me to my dying bed, and who knows how soon my end may come? This is no time for you to be absent, for I have no other son to take my place. Kai-Khusrú and Kai-Kubád, your sons,* whom I have cherished, are young, and have not experienced the heat and cold of fortune. Youthful passions and indulgence would make them unfit to govern my kingdom, if it should descend to them. The realm of Dehli would again be­come a child's toy, as it was under the successors of Shamsu-d dín. If you are in Lakhnautí when another mounts the throne in Dehli, you must be his subordinate; but if you are estab­lished in Dehli, whoever rules in Lakhnautí must submit to you. Think over this; do not leave my side; cast away all desire of going to Lakhnautí.” Bughrá Khán was a heedless prince; he did not know that in the management of a kingdom questions are constantly arising and dangers threatening. He had been two or three months in Dehli, and his father's health had slightly improved. He wanted to go to Lakhnautí, so he found a pretext for doing so, and set off thither without leave from his father.

Bughrá Khán had a son named Kai-Kubád, who had been brought up by the Sultán, and now stayed by his side. The Khán had not reached Lakhnautí when the Sultán became worse. He knew that he was stricken by death, and gave up all hope of surviving. Three days before his death, he summoned to his presence Maliku-l-umara Kotwal of Dehlí, Khwája Husain Basrí the wazír, and some other of his favourite servants, and said, You are old and are versed in matters of government: you know how things go on when kings die, and I know that my end is near. * * * After I am gone, you must set upon the throne Kai-Khusrú, son of my eldest son, the martyr prince, whom, after his father's death, I named as my successor, and who is worthy of the throne. He is young and incapable of ruling as yet, but what can I do? Mahmúd (Bughrá Khán) has shrunk from the work, and people shut their eyes at him. He is gone to Lakh-nautí, intent upon other views. The throne will not stand without a king, and I see no course but that of my making my will in favour of Kai-Khusrú. He dismissed his friends, and three days afterwards he died. The kotwal and his people were strong, and, as confidants of the late king, had great power in the city. For a private reason, which it would be unseemly to expose,* they had been unfriendly to the martyr prince, and they were apprehensive of danger if Kai-Khusrú succeeded, so they sent him at once to Multán. They then took Kai-Kubád, the son of Bughrá Khán, and placed him on the throne with the title of Mu'izzu-d dín. The corpse of Sultán Balban was taken out of the Red Palace at night, and was buried in the house of rest, and thus ended one who for so many years had ruled with dignity, honour, and vigour. * * *

From the day that Balban, the father of his people, died, all security of life and property was lost, and no one had any confi­dence in the stability of the kingdom. Mu'izzu-d dín had not reigned a year before the chiefs and nobles quarrelled with each other; many were killed upon suspicion and doubt; and the people, seeing the troubles and hardships which had befallen the country, sighed for a renewal of the reign of Balban.