Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq

Mausoleum of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq at Tughluqabad

Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq (Urdu: غیاث الدین تغلق, real name Ghazi Malik; died in 1325) was the founder and first ruler (1320 – 1325) of the Turkic Muslim Tughluq dynasty in India. He has been the founder of the third city of Delhi called Tughluqabad.

About the close of his reign Alauddin Khilji had prepared an expedition of 10,000 men under Ghazi Malik to go to Debalpur to fight with the Chagatai Khanate Mongols. Ghazi Malik was thus enabled to go and secure Multan, Uch and Sindh for himself, especially as Aláuddín’s sons proved incapable and caused confusion in the affairs of the kingdom, which ultimately took away the kingdom, from the possession of the house of Khiljí. Alauddin Khilji’s son Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah was a mad man and was soon removed from the throne of Delhi by the hand of a murderer. The nobles of the state then put Khusro Khan on the throne. The latter began to bestow undue favors on mischievous people and to waste public money. The Hindus began to join him in large number. Seeing this state of things, Ghazi Malik’s son Fakhr Malik left Multan secretly and joined his father, informing him of what was happening at Delhi. Then, father and son, being both brave soldiers, collected the forces of Sindh and Multan and hastened to Delhi to help the Muslims against the Hindus. Arriving near Delhi with 3,000 veteran soldiers, they engaged in battle with the army of Khusro Khan, and defeated them. Then making their way into Delhi they again defeated Khusro Khan in battle and he fled away. About midnight the ministers and the headmen of the place came to Ghazi Malak and his son in their camp and gave up the keys of the fort. Early in the morning Ghazi Malik entered the city with all the pomp and glory of a King. Then he went into mourning for 3 days for the death of Alauddin Khilji and his son Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah. After these ceremonies were over he issued a proclamation with the view of finding out any member of the family of those princes in order that he might put him on the throne of Delhi. But as no such person could be found on search, the nobles, the troops, the learned men, the Syeds and other subjects united in selecting Ghazi Malik for the vacant post, as it was he who had removed all the cause of quarrel and disturbance in the country. Thus in 1320 (720 A.H.) Ghazi Malik was crowned as the Sultan of Delhi with the title of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq and his son Fakhr Malik was given the title of Muhammad Shah Tughluq.

When, soon after this, Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq proceeded from Multan to Delhi, the tribe of Soomro revolted and took possession of Thatta. Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq appointed Tajuddin Malik as governor of Multan and Khwájah Khatír as governor of Bhakkar and he left 'Malik Ali Sher in charge of Sehwan. In 1323 he appointed his son Muhammad Shah his heir and successor and took a written promise or agreement to the arrangement from the ministers and nobles of the state. In 1324-1325 (720 A.H.) he died of heat apoplexy.

He had established himself as a great ruler. He removed corrupt officials from his administration. He reformed the judiciary and all existing police departments. He also reduced the land revenue to 1/10th of the produce. He was an efficient administrator and a capable military commander. He introduced a number of reforms for his welfare of his subjects and suppressed revolts in distant provinces.He restored peace and stability in the Delhi Sultanate. Ghiyath al-Din was succeeded by his son Muhammad bin Tughluq.

Sources

• Atlas of World History, General Editor Prof. Jeremy Black Dorling Kindersley Publishing
• Futuh-us-Salatin by Isami, edited by Agha Mahdi Husain and was also published from Aligarh in three volumes (1967-77 ce)
• A Critical Study of Futuh-us-Salatin by Aziz Bano, Head of the Persian Department, Moulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, India
• Lucy Peck. Delhi - A thousand years of building, Roli Books, ISBN 81-7436-354-8