When Sultán Raziya was taken prisoner to Tabarhindh, Malik Altúniya espoused her and led her army towards Dehli to regain possession of the kingdom. Malik 'Izzu-d dín Muhammad Sálárí and Malik Karákash left the capital and went to join them. Meanwhile, Mu'izzu-d dín had ascended the throne, Ikhtiyáru-d dín Ítigín, lord chamberlain, had been slain, and Badru-d dín Sankar Rúmí had been appointed his successor. In the month of Rabí'u-l awwal A.H. 638 (Sept. 1240), the Sultán marched his army from Dehli to repel his opponents, and Sultán Raziya and Malik Altúniya were defeated. When in their flight they reached Kaithal, their remaining forces abandoned them, and they both fell into the hands of the Hindús and were killed. The date of this defeat was the 24th of Rabí'u-l awwal A.H. 638 (Oct. 1240), and the Sultán Raziya was killed on the day following. She had reigned three years and six days.
Sultán Mu'izzu-d dín Bahrám Sháh was a victorious king; a fearless, intrepid, and sanguinary man. Still he had some virtues. He was shy and unceremonious, and had no taste for the gorgeous attire which kings love to wear, nor for the belts, accoutrements, banners, and other insignia of royalty. When Sultán Raziya was sent to prison at Tabarhindh, the nobles and the generals agreed to send him to Dehli, and on Monday the 27th of Ramazán 637 (April, 1240) they raised him to the throne. After all the nobles and the generals and the army had returned to Dehli, on Sunday the 11th Shawwál of the same year, they assembled at the palace and made a general agreement to uphold him as king on condition of Ikhtiyáru-d dín Ítigín being made deputy. On that day the author of this work was present and composed the following gratulatory lines.
Ikhtiyáru-d dín, having been appointed deputy, he in virtue of his office assumed the direction of all affairs of State, and with the acquiescence of the wazír Nizámu-l mulk Mahzabu-d dín Muhammad 'Auz Mustaufí the duties of administration also came under his control. After a month or two this state of affairs became very irksome to the Sultán. The Sultán's sister had been married to Kází Násiru-d dín, but being divorced, the deputy took her to wife. Music played three times a day at his gate, an elephant was always there in waiting,* and he maintained great state. On Monday, the 8th of Muharram 638 H. (July, 1240), there was a sermon in the Palace of the White-roof, and after the sermon the Sultán sent two inebriated Turks from the top of the palace as assassins, who killed Ikhtiyáru-d dín in front of the royal seat in the White Palace. The wazír Mahzabu-d dín also received two wounds in his side, but his time was not come, and he rushed out away from them. Malik Badru-d dín Sankar became lord chamberlain and assumed the management of the State.
When Raziya and Altúniya marched from Tabarhindh upon Dehli, they were baffled in their enterprise and were defeated. Both were killed by the Hindús as we have already related. Badru-d dín Sankar now assumed a very imperious position; he issued orders and carried on the government without consulting the Sultán, and sought to domineer over the wazír Nizámu-l Mulk Mahzabu-d dín. The wazír complained to the Sultán and succeeded in setting him against Badru-d dín. When the latter perceived this he was afraid of the Sultán, and sought to set him aside and to raise one of his brothers to the throne in his stead.
On Monday, the 8th of Safar, 639 H. (Aug. 1241) Badru-d dín convoked a meeting of nobles and chiefs at the house of Sadru-l Mulk Táju-d dín 'Alí Músawí, mushrif of the State. There were present the chief Kází Jalálu-d dín Káshání, Kází Kabíru-d dín, Shaikh Muhammad Shámí, and others. When they had met and were deliberating about the removal of the Sultán, they determined to send Sadru-l mulk to the wazír Nizámu-l mulk Mahzabu-d dín to invite his attendance, and to finally settle the matter in concurrence with him. It so happened that when Sadru-l mulk came to the house o the wazír, one of the confidential attendants of the king was present. When the wazír heard of the arrival of Sadru-l mulk, he concealed this trusty servant in a place where he could hear the conversation. Sadru-l mulk entered and proceeded to talk about the removal of the king and to ask the co-operation of the wazír. The minister desired his visitor to return and say that he would wait upon the gentlemen as soon as he had performed his ablutions. Sadru-l mulk had no sooner departed than the wazír released the Sultán's man and asked him if he had heard what had passed. He then directed him to go quickly and tell his master that the best thing he could do would be to take horse and to proceed against the conspirators and scatter them.
The facts being reported to the Sultán by his faithful adherent, he instantly mounted and dispersed the plotters. Badru-d dín Sankar joined the king's party, and the Sultán returned to his palace, where he held a darbar. Badru-d dín was ordered to depart instantly to Badáún and assume the management of that province; Kází Jalálu-d dín Káshání was dismissed from his post of Kází, and Kází Kabíru-d dín and Shaikh Muhammad Shámí took the alarm and fled the city. After four months, Badru-d dín Sankar returned to the capital, but the Sultán's heart was entirely alienated from him, so he ordered him to be imprisoned. The king also directed Jalálu-d dín Músawi to be apprehended, and he had them both slain in prison.
These proceedings set the hearts of the nobles against the Sultán; they were alarmed and had no longer any confidence in him. The wazír also longed to exact vengeance for the wounds he had received. The nobles, generals, and Turks all became disaffected, while on his side the Sultán was alarmed by their proceedings. In the end this uneasy feeling spread like an epidemic, and was the cause of the fall of the Sultán and of rebellion among his people.
One of the most important events in the reign of Mu'izzu-d dín was that which happened to the city of Lahore. An army of infidel Mughals came from Khurásán and Ghazní to the gates of that city and waged war for some time. Malik Karákash, governor of Lahore, was a brave, energetic, and intrepid man, but the people of the city did not support him, and were backward in keeping watch and in fighting. When Karákash perceived this lukewarmness, he one night left the city with his own soldiers and went off towards Dehli. The infidels pursued him, but the Almighty watched over him and gave him safe deliverance. When the city was left without a ruler the infidels captured it on Monday, 18th of Jumáda-l ákhir, 639 H. (December 1241), slaughtered the Muhammadans and made their dependants captives.
As soon as this dreadful intelligence reached Dehli, the Sultán assembled the people of the city at the White Palace, and the writer of this book received orders to preach and induce the people to support the Sultán.
There was a Turkoman darwesh named Ayúb, a devout man, clad in the hairy garment of a recluse. He had lived for some time quietly in the Sultán's water palace, and was brought into the society of the Sultán, who conceived a liking for him. This darwesh began to take a part in the business of the state. He had formerly lived in the town of Mihrpúr, where he had been imprisoned by Kází Shamsu-d dín Mihr. When the Sultán had become accustomed to listen to his advice, the darwesh exerted himself so that he induced the king to have Kází Shamsu-d dín Mihr cast under the feet of an elephant. On this fact becoming known the people conceived a great dread of the Sultán. The Sultán now sent Kutbu-d dín Husain and his wazír, with nobles, generals, and soldiers, to oppose the Mughals who were at Lahore, and to guard his frontier.
On Saturday, 10th Jumáda-l awwal, 639 H. (November, 1241), his majesty Mu'izzu-d dín conferred upon the author of this work the office of Kází of the capital and of all his territories, accompanied with many honours and costly presents.