After Khusrú Khán had crushed his accusers, he prosecuted
his schemes with all his energy. The Sultán had quarrelled with
Baháu-d dín, his secretary, about a woman, and this man, eager
for revenge, was won over by the traitor. Before proceeding further
with his designs, Khusrú represented to the Sultán that he
had been made a great man by his Majesty's favour, and had
been sent on an important command into a distant country. The
maliks and amírs had their relations and friends and adherents
around them, but he had none; he therefore begged that he
might be allowed to send unto Bahlawál and the country of
Gujarát for some of his own connections. The Sultán, in his
doting and heedlessness, gave the permission. Khusrú then
brought some Gujarátís, called Parwárís,*
and, pretending they
were his kinsfolk, kept them near him, giving them horses and
clothes, and entertaining them in grand state. The villain, in
prosecution of his designs, used to call the chiefs of these Par-
After the Sultán returned from his excursion, the favourite made another request. He said that when he returned home from the palace at early dawn, the doors were locked, and those kinsfolk who had come from Gujarát to enjoy his society could not then see him. If some of his men were entrusted with the key of the postern gate (dar-i chák), he might bring his friends into the lower apartments and hold converse with them. The Sultán, in his infatuation, did not perceive the design, and the keys were given over. Every night, after the first or second watch, armed Parwárís, to the number of 300, used to enter by the postern, and assemble in the lower apartments. The guards of the palace saw the entry of armed men, and had their suspicions; and men of sense all perceived that this entry of the Parwárís boded evil. * * * But no human being dared to utter a word to the Sultán, even to save his life. * * * Kází Zíáu-d dín, generally called Kází Khán, * * venturing his life, spoke to the Sultán [acquainting him with the facts, and urging him to make an investigation]. The Sultán was incensed at the words of the Kází, grossly abused him, and spurned his honest counsels. Just then Khusrú came in, and the Sultán [told him what the Kází had said]. The infamous wretch then began to weep and lament, saying, that the great kindness and distinction which the Sultán had bestowed upon him had made all the nobles and attendants of the Court his enemies, and they were eager to take his life. The Sultán * * * said that if all the world were turned upside down, and if all his companions were of one voice in accusing Khusrú, he would sacrifice them all for one hair of his head. * * * When a fourth of the night was past and the first watch had struck, * * Randhol, the maternal uncle (niyá) of Khusrú, and several Parwárís, entered the Hazár-sutún with their swords, which they hid under a sheet. * * * A Parwárí named Jáhariyá, who had been appointed to kill the Sultán, approached Kází Zíáu-d dín, and pierced him with a spear, which he drew from under the sheet. * * An outcry arose in the palace, and Jáhariyá hastened, with some other armed Parwárís, to the upper rooms. The whole palace was filled with Parwárís, and the uproar increased. The Sultán heard it, and asked Khusrú what it was. * * He went and looked, and told the Sultán that his horses had broken loose, and were running about in the court-yard, where men were engaged in catching them. Just at this time Jáhariyá, with his followers, came to the upper story, and despatched the officers and door-keepers. The violent uproar convinced the Sultán that treason was at work, so he put on his slippers and ran towards the harem. The traitor saw that if the Sultán escaped to the women's apartments, it would be difficult to consummate the plot. Prompt in his villany, he rushed after the Sultán and seized him behind by the hair, which he twisted tightly round his hand. The Sultán threw him down and got upon his breast, but the rascal would not release his hold. They were in this position when Jáhariyá entered at the head of the conspirators. Khusrú called out to him to be careful. The assassin stuck the Sultán in the breast with a spear, dragged him off Khusrú, dashed him to the ground, and cut off his head. All persons that were in the palace or upon the roof were slain by the Parwárís, who filled all the upper story. The watchmen fled and hid themselves. The Parwárís lighted torches; they then cast the headless trunk of the Sultán into the court-yard. The people saw it, and knew what had happened. Every one retired to his home in fear. Randhol, Jáhariyá, and other of the assassins, proceeded to the harem. They killed the widow of 'Aláu-d dín, mother of Faríd Khán and 'Umar Khán, and committed atrocities which had never been paralleled among infidels and heathens. * * * After killing all there were to kill, the whole palace was in the hands of the Parwárís. Lamps and torches were lighted in great numbers, and a Court was held. Though it was midnight, Malik 'Ainu-d dín Multání, Malik Wáhidu-d dín Kuraishí, Malik Fakhru-d dín Júná afterwards Sultán Muhammad Tughlik, and other nobles and great men were sent for, and were brought into the palace and made accomplices in what passed. When day broke the palace was full inside and out with Parwárís and Hindus. Khusrú Khán had prevailed, the face of the world assumed a new complexion, a new order of things sprung up, and the basis of the dynasty of 'Aláu-d dín was utterly razed. * * *
As morning broke, Khusrú, in the presence of those nobles whom he had brought into the palace, mounted the throne under the title of Sultán Násiru-d dín. * * * He had no sooner begun to reign, than he ordered all the personal attendants of the late Sultán, many of whom were of high rank, to be slain. Some were despatched in their houses, others were brought to the palace and were beheaded in private. Their wives, women, children, and handmaids were all given to the Parwárís and Hindus. The house of Kází Zíáu-d dín, with all that it contained, was given to Randhol, the maternal uncle of Khusrú. The wife and children of the Kází had fled in the early part of the night. The brother of Khusrú received the title of Khán-i Khánán, Randhol was made Ráí-ráyán, * * * and Baháu-d dín received the title of 'Azamu-l Mulk. To keep up a delusive show, and to implicate the great men of the preceding reigns, 'Ainu-l Mulk Multání, who had no kind of connection with the usurper, was entitled 'Álam Khán; the office of díwán was conferred on Táju-l Mulk. * * * In the course of four or five days preparations were made for idol worship in the palace. Jáhariyá, the murderer of Kutbu-d dín was decked out in jewels and pearls; and horrid Parwárís sported in the royal harem. Khusrú married the wife of the late Sultán Kutbu-d dín; and the Parwárís, having gained the upper hand, took to themselves the wives and handmaids of the nobles and great men. The flames of violence and cruelty reached to the skies. Copies of the Holy Book were used as seats, and idols were set up in the pulpits of the mosques. * * * It was Khusrú's design to increase the power and importance of the Parwárís and Hindus, and that their party should grow; he therefore opened the treasury and scattered money about. * * * Calling himself Sultán Násiru-d dín, the base-born slave had his title repeated in the khutba, and impressed upon coins. For the few months (that he reigned) he and his satellites thought only of overthrowing the adherents of the late Sultáns, and they had no awe of any malik or amír except of Ghází Malik, afterwards Sultán Ghiyásu-d dín Tughlik Sháh.