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V.-The Tarikh-i-Mubarak Shahi

By Prof. Kamal Krishna Basu, M.A., T. N. J. College,
Bhagalpur

Introduction

Táríkh-i-Mubarak Shahi, called after Mubárak Shah (r. 14211435 A.D.) of the Saiyid dynasty of Delhi, is the work of Malík Ghulánı Yahya, the son of Ahmad Abdullah Sirhindí and is admitted to be the chief and original source of our knowledge relating to the Saiyids. Professor J. Dowson, the editor of the posthumous papers of Sir H. M. Elliot, relates1 that there was a copy of this work in Elliot's library, but it was defective inasmuch as it had lost a leaf here and there. This manuscript, we are further informed, was a small octavo consisting of 263 pages of thirteen lines in a page.

Professor J. N. Sarkar has a copy of Táríkh-i-Mubárak Shahi. In size it is 9"x5", consisting of 295 pages with fifteen lines in a page. We learn from the concluding portion of this MS. that, its transcription was completed in midday on the 21st Ramzán, 1037 H. corresponding to 1629 A.D2 Excepting the opening page, which has been lost, all other pages of the work are intact, and as such, is of more interest and value to the historian than Elliot's copy, the missing portions of which have been supplied, as the translator himself admits, from Tabakát-i-Akbaris Professor Sarkar's MS. is in clear and bold handwriting, but its only defect lies in its being eaten up at places by white ants, occasionally rendering the text 1 History of India, Elliot, Vol. IV. p. 7.

تمت هذ الكتاب تواريخ مبارك شاهي تصنيف شيخ يحي سرهنهي بوقت ظهر تاريخ بيست و و یکم رمضان المبارک سنه ١٥٣٨ تمام شد .

History of India, Elliot, IV. p. 7.

unintelligible. We have in our work closely followed the MS. as far as it is possible in translating into one language from the other. The sense has been maintained throughout and at places it is a close translation, so far as the English style and idiom did permit. Besides, the transcription of this MS. having taken place so early as 1629 A.D., more reliance has been placed on it than on the translation of Dowson.

Of himself and his whereabouts the author is totally reticent, mentioning in the opening pages nothing more than the name of his father, a native of Sirhind. Reluctant though the writer was to reveal himself and let us know of his antecedents, we shall not be far from the truth in our surmise that, he was in some way connected with the court of Mubárak Shah, after whom the book has been named and in whose praise he is so eloquent. The opening lines of the work are full of high sounding and big phrases, and verily, as Elliot has suggested, Yahiyá was no historian but a chronicler, narrating merely the events as they happened, and giving a bare record of sieges and campaigns.

The first few lines of the book which have been lost, probably begins, as is the wont with Persian writers and their writings, with the eulogy of the Prophet; the second page of the M.S. opens with the benedictions upon Amir-ul-mu-min' Amr, Ali, the son of Ali Talib, and lastly upon Hasan and Hussain. The author then passes on, relates a very insignificant and meagre account of his own self, till he informs us as to how and why the book had been composed.

duction

It is represented by Malik Ghulam Yahya, the well-wisher of all mortals, the humblest slave (of the Author's Intro- king), and the son of Ahmad Abdullah of Sirhind (who was noted for his) knowledge of religion and law and obedience to God, the Protector of the sinful that, when the Great and Glorious God granted the sovereignty of Hindustan and the divinely blessed authority (over it) to Mu'izzu dunya wa ud-din Mubārak Shah, the powerful lord of the universe, the ruler over the sons and daughters of Adam, the lord of the Persian and Arabian kings

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2 Res. J.

the potent royal personality befriended by the Merciful, the magnifier of the world and of religion, the father of conquest and the son of Khizr Khan of revered memory, the great and the bountiful, the protector of the country and the faith, the illustrious and the innocent, the builder of heavenly mansionshe (Mubarak Shah) installed himself upon the throne of Delhi, which had been the chief seat of many a great and noteworthy ruler. The world and its denizens, owing to the immense benignity and justice of the heavenly exalted king, were honoured with the gift of law and order. The recalcitrants and the infidels for fear of the sharp-edged sword and the vast army (of His Majesty), walked into the corner of ruin and wretchedness. May God, the Great and the Glorious, cast perpetually, till the continuance of the progeny of Adam, the shadow of the state and of the imperial umbrella, and may he protect it from misfortunes and disasters.

Verse

O! that thou mayest avail yourself of the throne, fortune, prosperity and youth,

(And) as a good king, thou mayest scatter wealth to fulfil your desires.

This well-wisher had the intention of being honoured by kissing the ground of His Auspicious Majesty, but owing to the dearth of any suitable present worthy of the royal dignity, let him narrate the history of the late emperors, the light of God, who obtained from Him the guardianship over events (i.e., whose period of sovereignty is reminiscent of various incidents).

The facts (of this work) have been gathered from various histories and trustworthy historians and recorded up to the coronation of the powerful Firoz Shah, the deceased (Emperor); and after that period whatever was witnessed (by the author) has been related.

Verse

What gift can the earth make to the sky?
What service can a beggar render to the king?

This book has been called "The Mubárak Shahi." If it be accepted by His Majesty, it is hoped that, the slave (the author himself) will be sufficiently pitied for and sympathised. May good fortune bestow adequate wealth and prosperity (upon the king).

Thus closes the introductory portion of the "Tārikh-iMubarak Shahi", a close and faithful rendering of which only we have attempted in the present issue. The author, then, proceeds with the reign of Mu'iz-ud-duniyá-ud-din Mahmud bin Sám Ghori and afterwards narrates the events of the rule of Kutub-ud-din Aibek (the slave of Mu'iz-ud-din Sám and the founder of the slave dynasty) and of his successors, and

so on.

Timur's invasion of India

India on the death

The closing years of the benevolent and weak rule of the ninety-year-old Sultan Firoz, showed of Firoz Tughlik symptoms of decay in the central government. It required no renowned oracle or expert soothsayer to read the signs of the day or foresee the inevitable future. The nomination to the throne of Prince Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Shah even during the lifetime of the aged Sultan clearly manifested how unworthy were the hands to which the sceptre had been transferred. Lack of statesmanship and love of gaiety made the new successor incur the displeasure of the nobility--the most powerful factor to be reckoned with in the body-politic of the day.

On the death of Firoz, (18th Ramzán, 790H) 26th September 1388 A.D., Tughlik Shah, the son of Fath Khan and the grandson of the late Sultan, wielded the sceptre for a brief span of six months, when he fell a victim to the passions of the nobles and was done away with. Then came Sultan Muhammad Shah (acc. 25th Rabi-ul-akhir, 23rd April 1389 A.D.), the paternal uncle of the deceased and the younger son of Sultan Firoz, and though he had to contend with his rival Abu Bakr Shah for the sovereignty, he was fortunate enough to enjoy it for a period of six years and seven months. On his demise, 15th January 1394 A.D., there followed in quick succession, his two

sons Alauddin Sikandar Shah and Mahmud, the latter reigning for 18 years and the former for an insignificant period of one month and sixteen days.

Thus, though, Mahmud enjoyed the longest reign after Firoz, yet the wheel of decline went on without intermission. The amirs and the maliks set up their nominee Nusrat Khan, the son of Fath Khan and the grandson of Firoz. Henceforth the sovereignty of Delhi was conducted by two joint sovereigns, Mahmud and Nusrat Khan, the former reigning at old Delhi and the latter at Firozabad. Neither the tie of friendship, nor the affinity of blood, nor the impulse of gratitude was a barrier to the play of the lower passions; brother fought against brother and friend against friend. To quote the words of Yahia bin Ahmad, the author of Tarikh-e-Mubarakshahi, “The Musalmans shed the blood of their own kith and kin; there ensued every day conflict between Delhi and Firozabad; neither of the parties could gain a complete victory. Sometimes the people of Firozabad came off with flying colours and successfully invested the fort of Delhi, and on occasions again, the table was turned, Delhi laid siege to Firozabad and paid its people back in their own coin. The districts between the Doab and the fiefs of Sambhal, Panipath, Jhajher and Rohtak were owned by Sultan Nasiruddin while to Sultan Mahmud belonged nothing else save the above-mentioned fortresses. The grandees and the nobles of the realm set themselves up as independent rulers and levied tribute and taxes from the people."

Such was the gloomy picture of India after the death of Firoz Shah Tughlik, and the impending ruin of his dynasty was further accelerated by the irruption of Timur, the terrible chieftain from central Asia, who by his violence, rapine and wanton bloodshed gave a deathblow to the reigning power and the populace.

The following lines giving an account of the invasion of India by Timur and his grandson Pir Muhammad are mainly taken from the pages of the Tarikh-i-Mubarakshahi, a Persian history named after Mubarak Shah of the Saiyid dynasty of Delhi.

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