'Alí Mardán was very resolute, bold, and fearless. When he escaped from the prison at Nárkotí, he came to Sultán Kutbu-d dín, and with him went to Ghaznín, where he fell into the hands of the Turks of that place. It is related that one day as he was going to a hunting-ground with Sultán Táju-d dín Yalduz, he said to one of the Khiljí nobles, who was called Sálár-i Zafar (victorious general), “What would you say if I were to kill Táju-d dín Yalduz with one arrow, and to make you king on the spot.” Zafar Khilj was a wise man, and he prevented him from committing the (crime). When he returned from the hunt Zafar gave him two horses and sent him away. On reaching Hindustan, he waited upon Sultán Kutbu-d dín and received much honour and favour. The province of Lakhnautí was conferred on him and he went to that place. When he had crossed the Kosí river, Hisámu-d dín 'Auz Khiljí came from Deo-kot to meet him. He then entered Deo-kot, assumed the reins of government, and brought all the territories under his rule. When Sultán Kutbu-d dín died, 'Alí Mardán assumed royal state, and ordered his name to be read in the Khutba, under the title of Sultán 'Aláu-d dín. He was a cruel and sanguinary man. He sent his army in different directions and slew many Khiljí chiefs. The Ráís of the surrounding places grew apprehensive of him, and sent him presents and tribute. He began to issue orders to various parts of Hindustan, and to utter most extravagant vaunts before the assembly, and in open court he talked about the kings of Khurásán, Ghazní, and Ghor, and uttered the most useless absurdities. He even talked of sending his mandates to Ghaznín Khurásán, and 'Irák, requiring them to submit to his rule.
It is related that there was a merchant in that country who was reduced to poverty and had lost all his wealth. He requested a donation from 'Alí Mardán, and the king enquired what place he was a native of. He replied, Safáhán (Ispahán). The king then ordered a farmán to be written, granting to him Safáhán as his jágir. Through dread of his great severity and harshness, no one dared to say that Safáhán was not in his possession. If any person told him, when he made such grant, that the place was not his, he replied, “I shall take it.” So he granted Safáhán to that merchant, who was indigent and miserable. The great and wise persons of the place represented in behalf of the poor fellow, that he required money for the expences of the journey and for the fitting out of an army to take possession of his grant of Ispahán. A large sum of money was accordingly ordered to be given to the merchant. To such a degree was the haughtiness and severity and false pride of 'Alí Mardán excited. Besides all this, he was a cruel man and a tyrant. The poor people, the peasants, and the army were all tired of his tyranny and cruelty. They had no way of escape but in rebellion. A number of Khiljí chiefs combined against him and killed him. They then placed Hisámu-d dín 'Auz upon the throne. The length of 'Alí Mardán's reign was two years, more or less.
Hisámu-d dín 'Auz was a man of kindly disposition. He was a Khilj of Ghor. It is said that once upon a time he was driving a laden mule along the skirts of the hills of Ghor to a certain village, on his journey from the country of Záwulistán to the highlands called Pasha-afroz. Two fakírs in religious garb came to him and asked him whether he carried any food on his mule. 'Auz Khiljí replied that he did. He had with him some traveller's bread, which he took from a bag on the back of the mule and spread it before the darweshes. When they had eaten the food, he produced some water and held it in a vessel before them. The fakírs partook of the food and drank of the water which he presented; they began to talk with each other saying, “This man has rendered us a service, we must not let him lose by it.” They turned their faces towards 'Auz Khiljí and said, “O chief, go towards Hindustan; we give you the country as far as Muhammadanism has spread.”
At this direction of the fakírs he returned from that spot,
and placed his wife upon his mule, and took his way towards
Hindustán. He joined Muhammad Bakhtiyár; and
his fortune reached such a degree of success that his name
was read in the Khutba and struck upon the coin throughout
the territory of Lakhnautí. To him the title of Sultán
Ghiyásu-d dín was given. He made the city of Lakhnautí
the seat of his government, and built a fort for his residence.
People flocked to him from all quarters, for he was exceedingly
good, and possessed solid endowments, both external and internal.
He was polite, brave, just and generous. During his
reign, the army and the people in general lived in tranquillity
and comfort. All his nobles were greatly benefitted by his gifts
and bounty, and obtained immense wealth. He left many fine
monuments of his goodness behind him in the country. He
raised public buildings and mosques. He gave stipends to learned
men and to shaikhs and saiyids; he also bestowed property and
goods upon other classes of the people. For instance, there was
a descendant of the Imám of Fíroz-koh, who was called Jalálu-d
dín, son of Jamálu-d dín Ghaznawí. He came with a body of
men from his native country to Hindustán in A.H. 608 (1211
A.D.) After some years he went back to Fíroz-koh, taking immense
wealth with him. On being asked how he obtained those
riches, he said, that when he reached Hindustan, he went to
Dehli, and from thence he determined to proceed to Lakhnautí.
When he reached that place the Almighty so favoured him that
his name was mentioned in the Court of Ghiyásu-d dín. That
kind-hearted king awarded him from his treasure a large dish-
When the writer of this book reached the territory of Lakh-
The territory of Lakhnautí consists of two parts, on opposite
banks of the Ganges. That to the west is called Dál,*
the city
of Lakhnautí is on this side. The eastern side is called Bar-