Jalaluddin
Firozshah Khalji
 |
Jalaluddin
Firozshah Khalji
|
Died - 19 July 1296, Kora
Successor - Alauddin Khalji
Spouse - Malika-i-Jahan
Jalaluddin Khalji
was a Turk of Khalji tribe and his forefathers were the inhabitants of
Turkistan. Members of his family settled down in India long ago and they served
in the reign of Iltutmish and Balban. Jalaluddin was appointed Sar-i-Jandar due
to his ability and capability, he rose to this prize post by his merit. Later
on, he was appointed governor of Samana. He fought many battles against the
Mongols. Being pleased, Kaiqubad invited him to Delhi after the assassination
of Nizamuddin and appointed him Ariz-i-Mamalik. The title of Shaista Khan was
also bestowed upon him at this occasion. Soon his influence enhanced in the
army and administration. He organized all the Khalji nobles, officers and
soldiers under his leadership. He also got the cooperation and support of
Turkish nobles and officers. Thus the power of the Khaljis went on increasing.
After killing the sultan Kaiqubad Jalaluddin became the regent of infant Kayumars
for some days. Later on, Kayumars was also put to death and Jalaluddin occupied
the throne himself.
Jalaluddin
ascended the throne on 13th of June, A.D. 1290 and assumed the title
of Firoz Shah Khalji. He was seventy at the time of his enthronement. He dared
not enter the capital Delhi after his accession because he was afraid of Amirs,
nobles and people of Delhi. He, therefore, had his coronation ceremony
performed at Kilughari near Delhi. The construction of the palace of Kilughari
was started by Kaiqubad but it could not be completed during his lifetime.
Jalaluddin Firoz Khalji got it completed after his accession. He also ordered
his Amirs and nobles to get their houses built near the palace of Kiloghari and
to live therein permanently. He also asked the merchants and commercial people
to build a commercial complex there. Thus he inhabited Kiloghari or Shar-i-Nau
and began to rule from there.
Although the
Sultan was unpopular in the beginning, yet soon he earned confidence of the
people by his benevolence, justice and religious contemplation. Barani remarks,
“The excellence of his character, his justice, generosity and devotion
gradually removed the aversion of the people and hope of grant of lands
assisted in conciliation, through grudgingly and unwillingly, the affections of
his nobles.”
After the
accession of Firoz Shah Khalji, he adopted a liberal policy towards his
political opponents. He offered higher posts to the descendants of Balban and the
young Khaljis Malik-ul-Umara, Fakhruddin, the Kotwal of Delhi, Khwaja Khatir,
the wazir and Malik Chhajju, the Governor of Kara and Manikpur, were confirmed
on their old posts. He also appointed some of his relatives on other posts. He
appointed his eldest son Ikhtiyaruddin, the ruler of the region adjacent to
Delhi and bestowed the title of Khan-i-Khana on him.
He was a sultan
of very polite nature and he adopted a liberal policy. He ruled for six years
but always expressed his inability to carry on the work of Sultanate as he
dared not sit on the throne of Balban. He considered himself a humble servant
of Balban. People of Delhi praised him for his faithfulness to the erstwhile
Sultan but the nobles who helped him in getting the throne were discouraged and
frustrated by his Chicken-hearted policy. They knew well the results of his
liberal policy and requested their master again and again to give up this
policy but Jalaluddin continued in his ways. His supporters ultimately swung to
his nephew and son-in-law, Alauddin Khalji, as they considered the Sultan a
physical and mental wreck who was unfit to rule over Delhi under the
contemporary circumstances.
Firoz Shah Khalji
was the first Turkish ruler who kept before him the principle of benevolent
despotism. He was himself a successful commander and a powerful company was
under his commands, however he gave up the policy of militarism which harassed
his predecessors for about a century.
Jalaluddin Khalji
was not a liberal ruler. Like his predecessor he was intolerant towards the
religion of the Hindus. He desecrated the temples and broke the idols in Jhain.
He punished the Muslim saint Sidi Maula. It is unfortunate that Barani had
referred only to those incidents of his life which threw bad light on his character.
In fact the internal and external policy of
Jalallulddin Firoz Khalji was a failure. He not only failed in establishing law
and order and suppressing the rebels and thieves but also proved unsuccessful
in conquering Ranthambhor. Moreover, his behavior towards the Mongols was not
an honourable deal of the Sultan. By giving his daughter to them in marriage,
he accepted their superiority. Hence Dr. K.S. Lal has remarked, “Never was a
man more unsuited to wear the crown them the founder of the Khalji Dynasty.”
The age of Jalaluddin Khalji might not be regarded as a glorious age from the point of
view of administrative achievements but he was also a successful ruler. Besides
establishing his control over the infant Muslim kingdom, he successfully solved
the problems of the Sultanate. During his reign education and literature
flourished. He patronized the artists and men of letters. As he hated
terrorism, wildness and useless bloodshed, he adopted a liberal policy. He
might have proved a successful ruler and his policies might have proved quite
fruitful but the conspiracy of Alauddin hindered his smooth path of progress
and he became a victim of his ambitions.
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