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Ulugh Khan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused withMuhammad bin Tughluq,who was known as Ulugh Khan before ascending the throne.
Not to be confused withAlp Khan,who has been wrongly mentioned as Ulugh Khan in the writings ofJames Macnabb Campbell.

Almas Beg(died c. 1302), better known by his titleUlugh Khan,was a brother and a general of theDelhi SultanaterulerAlauddin Khalji.He held theiqta'ofBayanain present-day India.

Ulugh Khan played an important role in Alauddin's ascension to the throne of Delhi in 1296. He lured the former SultanJalaluddintoKara,where Alauddin assassinated Jalaluddin. He successfullybesieged Multan,governed by Jalaluddin's eldest son Arkali Khan, and subjugated the surviving members of Jalaluddin's family.

In 1298, Ulugh Khanrepulsed a Mongol invasionfrom theChagatai Khanate,which greatly increased Alauddin's prestige. The next year, he andNusrat Khanraidedthe wealthy province of Gujarat, obtaining a huge amount of wealth for Alauddin's treasury. He led the reinforcement unit in theBattle of Kili(1299) against the Mongols, and held command in the initial phases of theSiege of Ranthambore(1301). He died a few months after the Ranthambore campaign ended.

Early life

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Ulugh Khan was originally known as Almas Beg. His father, Shihabuddin Mas'ud, was the elder brother of theKhalji dynasty's founder SultanJalaluddin.Besides his elder brother Alauddin (originally known as Ali Gurshasp), he had two other brothers Qutlugh Tigin and Muhammad.[1]

Both Alauddin and Ulugh Khan married Jalaluddin's daughters. After Jalaluddin became the Sultan of Delhi, Alauddin was appointed asAmir-i-Tuzuk(equivalent toMaster of ceremonies), while Almas Beg was given the post ofAkhur-beg(equivalent toMaster of the Horse).[2]

Role in Alauddin's ascension

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In 1291, Jalaluddin appointed Alauddin as the governor ofKaraprovince. Over the next few years, Alauddin hatched a conspiracy to overthrow Jalaluddin. In 1296, Alauddinraided Devagiri,but did not surrender the loot to Jalaluddin in Delhi. Instead, he returned to Kara, and then sent a letter of apology to Jalaluddin.[3]Ulugh Khan assured Jalaluddin that Alauddin was loyal to him, and convinced him to visit Kara and meet Alauddin, saying that Alauddin would commit suicide out of guilt if Jalaluddin didn't pardon him personally. A gullible Jalaluddin visited Kara, where Alauddin killed him on 20 July 1296.[4]

When Alauddin became the Sultan of Delhi in 1296, he made his brotherbarbegwith the title Ulugh Khan ( "GreatKhan".[5]).

Military career

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Ulugh Khan was an able general, and played an important role in Alauddin's military conquests. According toZiauddin Barani,Alauddin once thought of establishing a new religion, and compared his four generals (Ulugh,Nusrat,ZafarandAlp) toMuhammad's fourRashiduncaliphs.[6]

Siege of Multan

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Main article:Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Multan

After usurping the throne of Delhi, Alauddin decided to eliminate the surviving family of Jalaluddin. In November 1296, he sent a 30,000-40,000 strong army led by Ulugh Khan andZafar KhantoMultan,which was governed by Jalaluddin's son Arkali Khan. Faced with certain defeat, the leaders of the defending forces deserted Arkali Khan and defected to the Delhi forces after two months of siege.[7][8]

Arkali Khan and his younger brother Ruknuddin Ibrahim visited Ulugh Khan's camp to negotiate a truce. Ulugh Khan received them with dignity, and promised not to harm them. However, after occupying Multan, he did not keep this promise, and imprisoned them, their family members, and their loyal officers.[7][8]The captives were later blinded and/or killed byNusrat Khanon Alauddin's orders.[7][8]

1298 victory over the Mongols

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Main article:Mongol invasion of India, 1297-98

In the winter of 1297, theMongolsled by anoyanof theChagatai KhanateraidedPunjab,advancing as far asKasur.Alauddin dispatched Ulugh Khan (possibly supported byZafar Khan) to check the Mongol advance.[9]According to the Delhi courtierAmir Khusrau,Ulugh Khan covered the distance of two marches in a single day to face the Mongols, and reached the banks of theSutlej Riveron 6 February 1298. There, he ordered his soldiers to cross the Sutlej River without the boats, and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Mongols.[10]Khusrau states that 20,000 Mongols were killed in the battle, and many more were killed in Delhi after being brought there as captives.[11]The victory increased Alauddin's prestige, and stabilized his position on the throne of Delhi.[12]

Gujarat

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Main article:Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Gujarat

In early 1299, Alauddin sent an army led by Ulugh Khan andNusrat Khanto invade the wealthyVaghela-ruled kingdom of Gujarat. According to theJainchronicler Jinaprabha Suri, Ulugh Khan's forces defeated the army of the defending kingKarnaatAsapalli(present-dayAhmedabad).[13]Karna fled from the battlefield, after which Ulugh Khan's army thoroughly sacked the wealthy city ofAnahilavada(Patan).[14]According to Jinaprabha, Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan destroyed hundreds of other towns, including Asapalli,VanmanthaliandSurat.They also looted several monasteries, palaces, and temples.[15]This account is also confirmed by the Muslim chroniclersZiauddin BaraniandIsami.[16]

The Delhi army left Gujarat with a huge amount of wealth and several prisoners. During a halt nearJalore,Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan punished some of the soldiers for not remitting thekhums(one-fifth share of the loot) to the imperial treasury. This resulted in a mutiny, mainly by the Mongol (Mughal) soldiers, who had converted to Islam recently. The mutineers murdered Ulugh Khan's secretary and Nusrat Khan's brother Malik A'izzudin.[17]The next day, around 2000-3000 of them attacked Ulugh Khan's camp. The attackers misidentified a nephew of Alauddin as Ulugh Khan, and killed him. Ulugh Khan, who was in alavatoryat the time of the attack, escaped to Nusrat Khan's tent, where the loyal soldiers assembled and forced the rebels to retreat.[17]After the army reached Delhi, severe punishments were meted out to the family members of the rebels.[18][19]

Battle of Kili

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Main article:Battle of Kili

While Ulugh Khan and Nusrat Khan were in Gujarat,Zafar Khanrepulsed aMongol invasion in Sindh.This victory established Zafar Khan's reputation as a brilliant general, and according to the near-contemporary chroniclerZiauddin Barani,made both Alauddin and Ulugh Khan jealous of Zafar Khan's newly acquired fame. Barani also claims that the two brothers made plans to blind or poison Zafar Khan.[20]HistorianBanarsi Prasad Saksenadoubts the truthfulness of Barani's allegations.[9]

At the 1299 Battle of Kili against the Mongols, Ulugh Khan led the reinforcement unit of the Delhi army.[21]During the battle, Zafar Khan attacked a Mongol contingent without Alauddin's permission, and was killed after inflicting heavy casualties on the Mongols. According to the 17th-century historian Hajiuddabir'sZafarul-vali,Ulugh Khan did not come to Zafar Khan's rescue because he maintained an ill-will towards Zafar Khan.[22]The Mongols ultimately retreated from the battlefield.[23]

Siege of Ranthambhore

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Main article:Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Ranthambore

In 1299,Hammira,theChahamanaruler of Ranthambore, had granted asylum to the Mongol fugitives who had led the mutiny against Ulugh Khan at Jalore.[18]Ulugh Khan, who was the governor ofBayananear Ranthambore, urged Hammira to kill these fugitives as a friendly ruler or face an invasion. When Hammira refused to kill or surrender the fugitives, Alauddin ordered Ulugh Khan to invade Ranthambore in 1301.[24]

Ulugh Khan marched up to theBanas River,where he defeated and killed Hammira's general Bhimasimha.[25]Subsequently, the Delhi army suffered a defeat at a mountain pass called Hinduvata.[26]Alauddin dispatchedNusrat Khanin support of Ulugh Khan, and the reinforced Delhi army once again marched towards Ranthambore. According to theHammira Mahakavya,this time, Ulugh Khan pretended that he was coming to negotiate a truce with Hammira, and therefore, Hammira allowed him to cross the Hinduvata mountain pass.[27]The Delhi army capturedJhain,and then reached Ranthambore, where Nusrat Khan was killed during the siege. Taking advantage of the mourning in the invaders' camp, Hammira's army attacked them, and forced Ulugh Khan to retreat to Jhain.[24]

When Alauddin learned about Ulugh Khan's defeat, he personally led a stronger army to Ranthambore. While he was at Ranthambore, an officer called Haji Maula took control of Delhi, prompting Alauddin to send his general Malik Hamiduddin to Delhi. Some days later, Alauddin received the news that Haji Maula had appointedIltutmish's descendant Alavi as apuppet monarchin Delhi. Alauddin then sent Ulugh Khan to Delhi. By the time Ulugh Khan reached Delhi, Hamiduddin had already quelled the revolt.[28]Ulugh Khan ordered all the surviving rebels to be killed. The grandsons of Haji Maula's former master Fakhruddin were also killed, although they had not played any part in the rebellion.[29]

Alauddin captured the fort in July 1301, and placed it under Ulugh Khan's charge. However, the local public hated Ulugh Khan so much, that he decided not to go beyond the suburbs of Ranthambore.[30]

See also:Rebellions against Alauddin Khalji § Rebellion of Haji Maula

Death

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After hisconquest of Ranthamborein 1301, Alauddin ordered Ulugh Khan to prepare for a march to theKakatiyacapitalWarangal.[31]Ulugh Khan assembled a large army, but died a few months later.[32][33]

According to the 14th-century chroniclerZiauddin Barani,his death greatly depressed Alauddin, who gave a lot of money away in charity for the salvation of his soul.[32]However, Barani's contemporary chroniclerIsamiclaims that Alauddin had ordered Ulugh Khan's killing by poisoning. During Alauddin's march to Ranthambore, his nephew Akat Khan made anattempt to assassinate him.When Alauddin fell unconscious, Akat Khan wrongly believed him to be dead, and spread the news. According to Isami's account, a servant of Alauddin told the Sultan that on hearing this news, Ulugh Khan had remarked that he was ready to fill the vacant throne. This made Alauddin suspicious of Ulugh Khan, leading to Ulugh Khan's murder. The 16th-century chronicler Husam Khan, in hisTabaqat-i-Bahadur Shahi,also attributes Ulugh Khan's death to poisoning, a claim repeated by the later chronicler Haji-ud-dabir.[34]

Historian Banarsi Prasad Saksena dismisses Isami's account as false.[32]However,Kishori Saran Lalbelieves, without citing any evidence, that given Alauddin's temperament, it is not impossible that he had his brother killed.[34]

In 1304, Alauddin sent another army to Gujarat, and annexed it to the Delhi Sultanate. According toAmir Khusrau'sAshiqa,which is of little historical value, Ulugh Khan led this invasion. However, this claim is of doubtful accuracy, and is not supported by other sources.Isaminames the commander of the second Gujarat campaign as Malik Jhitam, not Ulugh Khan. The 16th-century historianFirishtaalso suggests that Ulugh Khan was already dead by this time.[35]The 18th century textMirat-i-Ahmadiclaims that Ulugh Khan governed Gujarat for 20 years, and was later executed as a result of a conspiracy byMalik Kafur.However, the author has obviously confusedAlp Khanwith Alauddin's brother Ulugh Khan.[36]

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He was portrayed by Ashwin Dhar in Bollywood moviePadmavatwhich was based on poem ofMalik Muhammad Jayasiwritten on background ofSiege of ChittorgarhbyAlauddin Khilji.

References

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  1. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 326.
  2. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 41.
  3. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 323.
  4. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 324.
  5. ^Sunil Kumar 2013,p. 61.
  6. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,pp. 336–337.
  7. ^abcBanarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 331.
  8. ^abcKishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 79.
  9. ^abBanarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 336.
  10. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 332.
  11. ^Peter Jackson 2003,p. 221.
  12. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 153.
  13. ^Asoke Kumar Majumdar 1956,p. 188.
  14. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 84.
  15. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 85.
  16. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 86.
  17. ^abKishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 87.
  18. ^abKishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 88.
  19. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 335.
  20. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 155.
  21. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 339.
  22. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 160.
  23. ^Peter Jackson 2003,pp. 221–222.
  24. ^abBanarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 342.
  25. ^Dasharatha Sharma 1959,pp. 109–110.
  26. ^Dasharatha Sharma 1959,p. 111.
  27. ^Dasharatha Sharma 1959,p. 112.
  28. ^Kishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 110.
  29. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 347.
  30. ^Dasharatha Sharma 1959,p. 115.
  31. ^Banarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 366.
  32. ^abcBanarsi Prasad Saksena 1992,p. 348.
  33. ^Peter Jackson 2003,p. 197.
  34. ^abKishori Saran Lal 1950,p. 114.
  35. ^Asoke Kumar Majumdar 1956,p. 191.
  36. ^Edward Clive Bayley 1886,p. 39.

Bibliography

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  • Asoke Kumar Majumdar (1956).Chaulukyas of Gujarat.Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.OCLC4413150.
  • Banarsi Prasad Saksena(1992). "The Khaljis: Alauddin Khalji". In Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami (ed.).A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526).Vol. 5 (Second ed.). The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House.OCLC31870180.
  • Edward Clive Bayley(1886).The Local Muhammadan Dynasties - Gujarát.The History of India as Told by Its Own Historians. W.H. Allen and Co.
  • Dasharatha Sharma(1959).Early Chauhān Dynasties.S. Chand / Motilal Banarsidass.ISBN9780842606189.
  • Kishori Saran Lal(1950).History of the Khaljis (1290-1320).Allahabad: The Indian Press.OCLC685167335.
  • Peter Jackson(2003).The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-54329-3.
  • Sunil Kumar (2013)."The Ignored Elites: Turks, Mongols and a Persian Secretarial Class in the Early Delhi Sultanate".In Richard M. Eaton (ed.).Expanding Frontiers in South Asian and World History.Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-1-107-03428-0.
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