Rebellions against Alauddin Khalji
Alauddin Khalji, the ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in India, faced three rebellions in 1301 while engaged in the conquest of Ranthambore.
The first rebellion was led by his nephew Akat Khan, who tried to assassinate him during a hunting expedition at Tilpat and was beheaded as a punishment.
The second was also led by his nephews, this time Malik Umar and Mangu Khan, who started recruiting soldiers to overthrow Alauddin's rule in Awadh.
A slave named Manik (or Nayak) threw himself in front of Alauddin, and received four arrow wounds.
Despite these efforts and his heavy winter clothing, Alauddin received two deep arrow wounds in his arm and fell unconscious.
When Akat Khan tried to enter the harem, Malik Dinar asked him to present Alauddin's head as evidence of his claim of having killed him.
[1] Meanwhile, Alauddin regained consciousness, and decided to flee to Ulugh Khan's camp, suspecting a deeper conspiracy by many nobles.
Bayazid Tirmizi, who succeeded Ala al-Mulk as the kotwal of Delhi, had become very unpopular in the city because of his harshness.
He had earlier served Malikul Umara Fakhruddin, a former kotwal of Delhi, and enlisted the support of the Mamluk-era kotwali staff.
[5] Haji Maula then produced a firman before the public, claiming that Alauddin had issued an order to kill Bayazid.
[7] Haji Maula and his soldiers then took control of the royal Red Palace, the treasury, the armory, the horse stables and the prison.
He kept the news a secret from his soldiers at Ranthambore, but sent his loyal officer Malik Hamiduddin to quell the rebellion Delhi.
[8] Hamiduddin, who held the post of amir-i-koh, arrived in Delhi the next day, and entered through the Ghazni Gate.
By the time Ulugh Khan reached Delhi, Hamiduddin had already quelled the revolt,[9] defeating Haji Maula's forces after two days of fighting.
[10] While engaged in siege of Ranthambore, Alauddin held meetings with his council (majlis-i khas) to determine the causes of these rebellions.
According to 14th-century chronicler Ziauddin Barani, the council listed the four main causes of rebellions:[11] After returning from Ranthambore, Alauddin stayed in the suburbs of Delhi, where he spent a month on hunting expeditions.
[10] Contemporary chroniclers state that he was unhappy with the residents of Delhi, who had displayed their disloyalty during the recent rebellions.
However, historian Kishori Saran Lal theorizes that Alauddin did not enter the city, because he was distressed as a result of the rebellions.
Amir Khusrau also claims that Alauddin forced prostitutes to get married, although the veracity of this statement is doubtful.
[14] According to Barani, Alauddin issued an order preventing the nobles, aristocrats and important officials from visiting each other's houses and gathering at banquets.
[14] According to Firishta, if a noble wanted to put up a guest or arrange a marriage, he had to obtain the Sultan's permission by writing to Sayyid Khan Wazir.
The villages that had earlier been granted as milk, inam or waqf were re-designated as khalisa (a territory whose revenues go directly to the royal treasury).
