Malik Kafur
Malik Kāfūr | |
---|---|
Other name(s) | Tāj al-Dīn 'Izz al-Dawla, Malik Nā'ib, Hazār-Dīnārī, al-Alfī[1] |
Died | February 1316 Delhi |
Allegiance | Delhi Sultanate |
Rank | Na'ib (viceroy) |
Battles/wars |
|
Malik Kafur (died 1316), also known as Taj al-Din Izz al-Dawla, was a prominent slave-general of the Delhi Sultanate ruler Alauddin Khalji. He was captured by Alauddin's general Nusrat Khan during the 1299 invasion of Gujarat, and rose to prominence in the 1300s.
As a commander of Alauddin's forces, Kafur defeated the
(1311). From these campaigns, he brought back many treasures, and many elephants and horses for the Delhi Sultanate.From 1313 to 1315, Kafur served as Alauddin's governor of
Early life and career
Kafur is described as of
Kafur was captured from the port city of Khambhat by Alauddin's general
Military career
In 1306, Alauddin sent an army led by Kafur to the
The 16th-century chronicler
Kafur was then sent to the
Alauddin took measures to raise Kafur above all other officers. The royal canopy and the royal pavilion were sent with Kafur, and the officers were directed to pay their respects to Kafur daily and to take their orders from him.[20] Kafur easily subjugated the Yadavas. Along with rich spoils, Kafur brought Ramachandra back to Delhi, where the Yadava king acknowledged Alauddin's suzerainty.[21][22][1]
In 1309, Alauddin sent Kafur on an expedition to the
In Warangal, Kafur had learned that the southernmost regions of India were also very wealthy. He obtained Alauddin's permission to lead an expedition there.
At court, Kafur seems to have excited the enmity of a faction led by Mahru, Alauddin's second wife; Khizr Khan, his eldest son by her; and Alp Khan, Mahru's brother, who was also Khizr Khan's father-in-law and the governor of Gujarat.[1][32] In 1313, probably at his own request,[1][32] Kafur led another expedition to Devagiri, when Ramachandra's successor Singhana (or Shankaradeva) refused to continue the tribute payments. Kafur subdued him, and annexed Devagiri to the Delhi Sultanate. Kafur remained in Devagiri as governor of the newly annexed territory for two years, until he was urgently summoned to Delhi when Alauddin's health began deteriorating.[33][1] He had administered the territory with sympathy and efficiency.[33]
As viceroy
Kafur ultimately rose to the position of Na'ib (viceroy),[34] although the date of his appointment to this position is not known.[10] In 1315, when Alauddin fell seriously ill, Kafur was recalled from Devagiri to Delhi.[33] Kafur handed over charge of Devagiri to Ayn al-Mulk Multani.[35]
During Alaudidn's last days, Kafur held the executive power.[34] During this period, Alauddin became very distrustful of his other officers, and started concentrating power in the hands of his family and his slaves. He removed several experienced administrators, abolished the office of wazir (prime minister), and even executed the minister Sharaf Qa'ini. It appears that Kafur, who considered these officers his rivals and a threat, convinced Alauddin to carry out this purge.[36] Alauddin had greater trust in Kafur than other officers because, unlike the other officers, Kafur had no family or followers.[37] According to Isami, during the final days of Alauddin's reign, Kafur allowed no one to see the sultan, and became de facto ruler of the Sultanate.[12]
Relationship with Alauddin
Kafur had been captured by Khalji forces in 1299, and had caught the fancy of Alauddin.[38] A deep emotional bond developed between the two.[6] During his reign (even before his illness), Alauddin was infatuated with Kafur, distinguishing him above all his other friends and helpers, and Kafur held the highest place in his esteem.[39] Regarding the time when Alauddin was ill, the chronicler Ziauddin Barani (1285–1357) states:[7]
In those four or five years when the Sultan was losing his memory and his senses, he had fallen deeply and madly in love with the Malik Naib. He had entrusted the responsibility of the government and the control of the servants to this useless, ungrateful, ingratiate, sodomite.
— Barani
Based on Barani's description, several scholars including Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai among others believe that Alauddin and Kafur were in a homosexual relationship.[40][41][42] Historian Banarsi Prasad Saksena states that Alauddin was infatuated with Kafur during the last years of his reign, but believes that the closeness between the two was not sexual.[43]
Murder of Alp Khan
Kafur's hold on power was threatened by Alp Khan, an influential noble whose two daughters were married to Alauddin's sons, Khizr Khan (the heir apparent) and Shadi Khan. Kafur convinced Alauddin to order the killing of Alp Khan in the royal palace.[36] He also had Khizr Khan first banished from court to Amroha, and then imprisoned in Gwalior, and had Khizr's brother Shadi Khan imprisoned. According to stories that circulated as far as Persia, Khizr Khan, his mother and Alp Khan had hatched a conspiracy to poison Alauddin, so that Khizr Khan could be appointed as the new Sultan, but Alauddin was able to execute them all before he died. This story was corroborated to some extent by Ibn Battuta. The story may just have been Kafur's propaganda.[36]
Next, Kafur convened a meeting of important officers at Alauddin's bedside. At this meeting, Alauddin's six-year-old son
The officers supportive of Kafur included Kamal al-Din "Gurg", whose family came from Kabul. It appears that Kafur and other officers of non-Turkic origin allied to counter the Khalaj establishment of the Sultanate.[45]
As regent
When Alauddin died, on the night of 4 January 1316, Kafur brought his body from the Siri Palace and had it buried in the mausoleum that had been built before Alauddin's death.[44] Barani claims that, according to "some people", Kafur murdered Alauddin.[7]
The day after Alauddin's death, Kafur convened a meeting of important officers and nobles in the palace. There, he read out a will of the late sultan that named Shihabuddin as his successor while disinheriting Khizr Khan, and then seated Shihabuddin on the throne as the new Sultan.[44][12] As regent, Kafur held power for a short time—35 days, according to Barani; 1 month, according to Isami; and 25 days, according to the 16th-century historian Firishta.[46][47] During this period, he held a daily ceremonial court in the morning at the Hazar Sutun Palace. After the short ceremony, Kafur would send Shihabuddin to his mother, and dismiss the courtiers. He would then meet the officers in his chambers on the ground floor, and issue various orders. He ordered the ministries of revenue, secretariat, war, and commerce to maintain the laws and regulations established by Alauddin.[48] The officers of the ministries were asked to consult Kafur on all policy matters.[35]
Kafur took several actions to maintain his control over the throne. Before burying Alauddin, he had taken the royal ring from the Sultan's finger. He gave this ring to his general, Sumbul, and asked him to march to
Alp Khan's murder had led to a rebellion in Gujarat, and Kafur had sent
Death
Alauddin's former bodyguards (paiks) disapproved of Kafur's actions against the family of their deceased master. Led by Mubashshir, Bashir, Saleh, and Munir, these bodyguards decided to kill Kafur. When Kafur became suspicious of a conspiracy against him, he summoned Mubashshir to his room. Mubashshir, who had been permitted to carry arms in the royal quarters since Alauddin's day, wounded Kafur with his sword. His associates then entered the room and beheaded Kafur, also killing two or three gatekeepers who had attempted to protect him.[51] This event took place sometime in February 1316.[47]
According to an account cited by the 16th-century chronicler Firishta, Kafur had sent some paiks to blind Mubarak Shah, but the captive prince gave them his jeweled necklace and convinced them to kill Kafur instead.[52] Another legend attributes Kafur's death to his mother's prayers to the mystic Shaikhzada Jam. These accounts are latter-day fabrications. According to Barani's near-contemporary account, the paiks decided to kill Kafur on their own initiative.[53]
Kafur's killers freed Mubarak Shah, who was appointed as the new regent.[54] A few months later, Mubarak Shah usurped control by blinding Shihabuddin.[11] Kafur's killers claimed credit for making him king, and began demanding high positions in the royal court.[35] Instead, Mubarak Shah had them executed.[1][35]
The chronicler Barani was severely critical of Kafur. Historian
Tomb
The location of Kafur's grave is unknown today. His mausoleum existed in the 14th century, when it was repaired by Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq (r. 1351–1388).[35] Firuz Shah's autobiography Futuhat-i-Firuzshahi states:[56]
Tomb of Malik Taj-ul-Mulk Kafur, the great wazir of Sultan Ala-ud-din. He was a most wise and intelligent minister, and acquired many countries, on which the horses of former sovereigns had never placed their hoofs, and he caused the
Khutbaof Sultan Ala-ud-din to be repeated there. He had 52,000 horsemen. His grave had been levelled with the ground, and his tomb laid low. I caused his tomb to be entirely renewed, for he was a devoted and faithful subject.
Popular culture
In the 2018
.References
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- ^ a b Hermann Kulke & Dietmar Rothermund 1998, p. 160.
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- ^ a b Wendy Doniger 2009, p. 420.
- ^ a b Peter Jackson 2003, pp. 175–177.
- ^ a b c Shanti Sadiq Ali 1996, p. 35.
- ^ a b c R. Vanita & S. Kidwai 2000, p. 132.
- ^ Kishori Saran Lal 1950, p. 86.
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- ^ a b Abraham Eraly 2015, pp. 178–179.
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- ^ Kishori Saran Lal 1950, p. 168.
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- ^ a b Abraham Eraly 2015, p. 177.
- ^ a b c Shanti Sadiq Ali 1996, p. 38.
- ^ a b Iqtidar Alam Khan 2008, p. 84.
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- ^ a b c Peter Jackson 2003, p. 176.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, p. 421a:"...since Kafur, unlike all other officers, had no family or followers, the Sultan had a greater trust in him."
- ^ Shanti Sadiq Ali 1996, p. 35a:"As a young slave he was snatched away [...] by Nusrat Khan, one of Alauddin's generals, in the year 1299. Malik Kafur, an attractive man, then caught the fancy of the Sultan."
- ^ Abraham Eraly 2015, p. 177a:"...Ala-ud-din, according to Barani, ‘was infatuated with Malik Kafur, and made him the commander of his army and vizier. He distinguished him above all his other helpers and friends, and this eunuch and minion held the chief place in his regards.’"
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- ^ Nilanjan Sarkar (2013). "Forbidden Privileges and History-Writing in Medieval India". The Medieval History Journal. 16 (1): 33–4, 48, 55.
- ^ Gugler TK (2011). "Politics of Pleasure: Setting South Asia Straight". South Asia Chronicle. 1: 355–392.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, p. 421:"During the last four or five years of his reign, Alauddin was infatuated with Malik Naib... There was no element of homosexuality in Alauddin's character; and though Kafur was a eunuch, there was nothing wrong in Alauddin's relations with Kafur, apart from the fact that since Kafur, unlike all other officers, had no family or followers, the Sultan had a greater trust in him."
- ^ a b c d e Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, p. 425.
- ^ Peter Jackson 2003, p. 177.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, p. 428.
- ^ a b Kishori Saran Lal 1950, p. 322.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, pp. 425–426.
- ^ Iqtidar Alam Khan 2008, p. 85.
- ^ I. H. Siddiqui 1980, p. 105.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, p. 427.
- ^ Kishori Saran Lal 1950, p. 321.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, pp. 428–429.
- ^ Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992, pp. 427–428.
- ^ Abraham Eraly 2015, p. 178:"Barani is severely critical of Kafur, but his excoriations are not quite credible, for he was deeply prejudiced against Malik Kafur, whom he invariably described as a 'wicked fellow', presumably because he was not a Turk but an Islamised Hindu and a eunuch."
- ^ S. R. Bakshi & Suresh K. Sharma 1995, p. 276.
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