Bahram Shah

Bahram Shah

Mughal Empire

Sultan of Delhi

Reign - A.D. 1240-1242

Father - Iltutmish

Bahram Shah was the third son of Iltutmish. He became the Sultan of Delhi with the help of Turkish slaves. Raziya’s removal from the throne and enthronement of Bahram Shah was a clear indication of the victory of Turkish slaves. They also received a lesson from the policy of Raziya and reached the conclusion that the Sultan could not be trusted. In order to weaken the position of the sultan they created a new post of Naib-i-Mamlakat and gave away all executive powers to him. Bahram Shah was installed on the throne with the clear indication that he would not make use of the power of the Sultan. He also accepted Aitigin as his Naib. He enhanced his power and prestige by marrying a sister of the Sultan. He also started enjoying the prerogatives of the Sultan such as keeping the Naubat beating and tying the elephant at the gate of his palace.

Bahram Shah was also no doubt, a puppet in the hands of the Shamsi nobles and promised not to make use of the executive powers of the Sultan, but he could not tolerate the impertinence of Aitigin who began to enjoy the prerogatives of the Sultan. Hence in a bid to liberate himself from the influence of the Turkish slaves, Bahram Shah got his Naib Aitigin, murdered.

The incident should have roused a feeling of harmony and resentment among the nobles but they could not take any step against the Sultan, as they had no unity among themselves. In the meantime, nobody was appointed on the post of Nabi, so Badruddin Sunqar, Amir-i-Najib usurped all the powers of Nabi. It annoyed Bahram Shah all the more. Sunqar conspired against his life with the support of his Wazir Muhazabuddin. But the secret was disclosed to the Sultan by his Wazir. He arrested the conspirators but failed to take a stern action against them due to his weak position. He exiled some of them and transferred Badruddin to Badaun. As he returned from Badaun without seeking permission of the Sultan, Bahram Shah got him killed along with a noble Tajuddin who had a great reputation.

The murder of Aitigin had already created dissatisfaction among the Turkish nobles but the assassination of Sunqar and Tajuddin terrorized them. Wazir Muhazubuddin endeavored to take advantage of the dissatisfaction of the Turkish nobles and Ulemas. As Bahram got murdered one of the Qazis, the Ulemas were also against him. The Wazir hatched a plot against the life of the Sultan at the time of Mongol invasion in A.D. 1241. He was sent against the Mongols for the security of Lahore which was besieged by the Mongols. On the way he told and convinced the Turkish nobles that he was directed by the Sultan to kill all of them. It made the Turkish nobles angry and they being afraid and conscious of his evil designs took another step to depose the Sultan. A battle was fought among the citizens of Delhi and the Turkish nobles but the rebels achieved victory. They captured and killed sultan Bahram Shah in May, A.D. 1242.

Milan Tomic

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