Subsequently he deposed his younger brother, and assumed the title of Sulṭán Ḳuṭbu'ddín. He reduced Gujarát and the Deccan. Through his incapacity and licentious disposition he chose a favourite of the lower orders named Hasan for the comeliness of his person, and bestowed on him the title of Khusrau Khán. Although the faithful ministers of the Crown represented the man's unworthiness and infamy, the king regarded their honest advice as the suggestions of envy, till Khusrau Khán, plotting secretly, dared to assassinate his master and assumed the sovereignty under the title of Náṣiru'ddín. He put to death the surviving members of the family of Aláu'ddín and perpetrated the greatest cruelties. Malik Gházi who was one of Aláu'ddin's chief nobles, defeated and slew him and with the concurrence of the nobles, ascended the throne with the title of Sulṭán Ghiyáṣu'ddín Tughlaḳ Sháh. After settling the affairs of Bengal, he returned to Delhi. His son Muḥammad Khán erected a pavilion at the distance of 3 kós from Delhi, in the space of three days and with much entreaty invited the king to enter it. The roof of the building fell in and the king perished in the ruins. Although (Ziáu'ddín) Barni* endeavours to substantiate the innocence of Muḥammad Khán, the haste with which the pavilion was erected, and the eagerness to entertain the king therein, have all the appearance of guilty design.

When Sulṭán Muḥammad died, Fíróz the son of (Sálár) Rajab his paternal uncle was, according to the will of Muḥammad, raised to the throne. He ruled with capacity and prudence and left many useful works as memorials of his reign. At his death anarchy to some extent prevailed in the empire. A faction set up his grandson (Ghiyáṣu'ddín) Tughlaḳ Sháh (II) but in a short space he was sent to his last sleep by the hands of traitors and Abu Bakr* another grandson succeeded him.

In the reign of Sulṭán Maḥmúd, the direction of affairs devolved on Mallú Khán who received the title of Iḳbál Khán, but his incapacity and ill-fortune were unequal to the burden of state guidance. Internal dis­orders arose. A grandson of Firóz Sháh was acknowledged by some, under the title of Naṣrat Sháh and increased the anarchy. Constant struggles took place in the vicinity of Delhi till in the year 801 A. H. (A. D. 1398) Timúr invaded the country. Sulṭán Maḥmúd fled to Gujarát and every competitor for power was crushed.

When Timúr was on his return march, he left Khizr Khán, whom he had met during this invasion, in the government of Multán and Dípálpúr. For two months Delhi was a waste. Naṣrat Sháh who had fled into the Doáb, took possession of the throne. Iḳbál Khán then marched on Delhi and seized it and the other fled to Mewát. Maḥmúd Khán now came from Gujarát and Iḳbál Khán feigned acceptance of his service. One night the Sulṭán, in desperation of his affairs departed alone to the court of Sulṭán Ibrahím of the Sharḳi dynasty (of Jaunpúr) but met with no encourage­ment nor assistance. He was compelled therefore to return and Iḳbál Khán now opposed him but without success, and subsequently was taken prisoner in an action against Khizr Khán and was slain. Sulṭán Maḥmúd now took possession of Delhi, and was for some time occupied in hostilities, till he was carried off by an illness, and the Khilji dynasty terminated with him.

For a short period allegiance was paid to Daulat Khán (Lodi) Kháṣah Khail, till Khizr Khán marched from Multán and took possession of Delhi. Malik Mardán Daulat Khán, one of the nobles of the Court of Sulṭán Fíróz, had adopted Sulaimán the father of Khizr Khán as his son who subsequently, in default of recognised heirs, succeeded to his govern­ment. * Khizr Khán in gratitude (to Timúr) did not* assume the regal title but styled his Court “The Sublime Standards,” and adorned the Khutbah with the name of that illustrious monarch and afterwards with that of Mírzá Sháh Rukh, but it concluded with a prayer for himself. His son Mubárak Sháh succeeded him in accordance with his will. Sulṭán Ibrahím Sharḳi and Hoshang (of Málwah) being engaged in hostilities, Mubárak intended an attack on Kálpi and the adjacent territories, but he was perfidiously set upon by a band of traitors and slain.* Muḥammad Sháh, who according to some was the son of Faríd the son of Khizr Khán, while another account makes him the son of Mubárak, was raised to the throne. Sulṭán Aláu'ddín (his son and successor) possessed no share of rectitude and abandoned himself to licentious gratification. Bahlól (Lodi) now aspired to greatness. He was the nephew of Sulṭán Sháh Lódi of the Sháhú Khél* tribe (of Afgháns). His father Bahrám in the time of Sulṭán Maḥmúd, came with five sons from the borders of Balót to Mul­tán and subsisted with some difficulty* by traffic. Sulṭán Sháh* obtained service under Khizr Khán. He received the title of Islám Khán, and the revenues of Sirhind were assigned to him. Bahlól, the son of his nephew on his brother's side was prospering ill in Sirhind, but was received into favour by him and adopted as a son. Bahlól was born in Multán and during the month in which his birth was expected, a beam of the house fell and killed his mother. He was extracted by the Cæsarean operation and his destiny proved fortunate. Although he allowed his sovereign (Aláu'ddín) who lived in retirement (at Badáoṇ) to retain nominal power, he boldly assumed the supreme authority.* His reign showed some capacity and his conduct was marked by intelligence and recognition of merit. He was carried off by an illness in his 80th year. It is said that he once happened to meet with a darvesh, having at the time with him but a trifling sum of money. The spiritually enlightened recluse called out, “Who will buy the kingdom of Delhi for such a sum of money?” His companions laughed in mockery at the man, but Bahlól frankly gave him all he had, and paid him reverence and eventually fulfilled the prediction.* He carried on wars with the Sharḳi kings which continued with varying successes, until he took Jaunpúr and this dynasty was overthrown. He left his son, Bárbak at Jaunpúr and returned to Delhi. As he was return­ing to Delhi from an expedition against Gwalior he died near the town of Saketh.* His son Nizám Khán with the concurrence of the nobles, assumed the sovereignty and was styled Sulṭán Sikandar. He ruled with sagacity and appreciation of character and transferred the capital to Agra In the year A. H. 911 (A. D. 1505), a great earthquake occurred and many lofty buildings were levelled. Sikandar was of comely person and mild disposition and popular from his liberality and open-handedness.

On his death, his son Sulṭán Ibrahím ascended the throne of Delhi and his authority was recognised as far as the confines of Jaunpúr, the nobles conferring upon Jalál Khán another son of Sikandar's, the sovereignty of Jaunpúr. Dissensions followed between the brothers, and Jalál Khán abandoned his government and took refuge with the governor of Gwalior but meeting with no success, fled to the court of Sulṭán Maḥmúd of Málwah, and succeeding as little there, he set out for Gondwánah. There the royal partisans* seized him and carried him to the king by whom he was put to death. During his reign various chiefs revolted, such as Daryá Khán Loháni viceroy of Behár, and his son Bahádur Khán had the Khutbah read and the coin minted in his own name. Daulat Khán Lodi fled to Kabul and sought protection at the court of Baber, whom he led to the conquest of Hindustán while affairs resulted in a prosperous issue.