Khizr Khan

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This article is about the Indian monarch. For the father of the deceased American soldier, see Khizr and Ghazala Khan.

Khizr Khan
Supreme Sultan
The loyal Governor of Mongol
Khizr Khan (4).jpg
Silver Tanka of Khizr Khan INO Muhammad Bin Firoz
25th Sultan of Delhi
Reign28 May 1414 – 20 May 1421
Coronation28 May 1414
PredecessorNasir-ud-Din Mahmud Shah Tughluq
SuccessorMubarak Shah
Servicing RulerShah Rukh
Timurid - Governor of Multan
Reign? - 31 December 1398
Timurid - Governor of Delhi
Reign31 December 1398 - 18 February 1405
CoronationTimur Invasion of Delhi Sultanate
Servicing RulerTimur
Bornunknown
Died20 May 1421
Burial
Delhi, India
HouseSayyid dynasty

Sayyid Khizr Khan (reigned 28 May 1414 – 20 May 1421) was the founder of the Sayyid dynasty, the ruling dynasty of the Delhi sultanate, in northern India soon after the invasion of Timur and the fall of the Tughlaq dynasty.[1]

Khan was Governor of Multan under the Tughlaq ruler, Firuz Shah Tughlaq, and was known to be an able administrator. He did not take up any royal title due to fear of Amir Timur (better known historically as Tamerlane) and contended himself with the titles of Rayat-i-Ala (Sublime Banners) and Masnad-i-Aali or (Most High Post). During his reign, coins were continued to be struck in the name of previous Tughlaq rulers.[2] After his death on 20 May 1421, he was succeeded by his son Mubarak Khan,[3] who took the title of Muizz-ud-Din Mubarak Shah.

Ancestry and early life[]

A contemporary writer Yahya Sirhindi mentions in his Tarikh-i-Mubarakshahi that Khizr Khan belonged to an Arab[4][5] family and was a descendant of prophet Muhammad. However, Yahya Sirhindi based his conclusions on unsubstantial evidence, the first being a casual recognition by the famous saint Sayyid Jalaluddin Bukhari of Uch Sharif of his Sayyid heritage,[6] and secondly the noble character of the Sultan which distinguished him as a Prophet's descendant.[7] According to Richard Eaton, Khizr Khan belonged to a Punjabi chieftain of Multan.[8] Malik Mardan Daulat, the Governor of Multan, adopted Khizr Khan's father, Malik Sulaiman, as his son. Sulaiman succeeded Malik Shaikh, another son of Malik Mardan, to the governorship. After his death, Firuz Shah Tughlaq appointed Khizr Khan as governor. But in 1395, he was expelled from Multan by Sarang Khan, brother of Mallu Iqbal Khan. He fled to Mewat and later joined Timur. It is believed that before his departure, Timur appointed Khizr Khan his viceroy at Delhi although he could only establish his control over Multan, Dipalpur and parts of Sindh. Soon he started his campaign and defeated Mallu Iqbal Khan. After defeating Daulat Khan Lodi, he entered Delhi victoriously on 6 June 1414.[9]

Reign[]

After his accession to the throne, Khizr Khan appointed Malik-us-Sharq Tuhfa as his wazir and he was given the title of Taj-ul-Mulk and he remained in office until 1421. The fief of Saharanpur was given to Sayyid Salim. Abdur Rahman received the fiefs of Multan and Fatehpur. In 1414, an army led by Taj-ul-Mulk was sent to suppress the rebellion of Har Singh, the Raja of Katehar. Raja fled to the forests but finally was compelled to surrender and agree to pay tributes in future. In July, 1416 an army led by Taj-ul-Mulk was sent to Bayana and Gwalior where it plundered the peasants in the name of realizing the amount equivalent to the tributes to be paid.[3] In 1417, Khizr Khan obtained permission from Shah Rukh to have his own name also suffixed to that of Shah Rukh.[9] In 1418, Har Singh revolted again but was defeated completely by Taj-ul-Mulk.[3]

References[]

  1. ^ Sen, Sailendra (2013). A Textbook of Medieval Indian History. Primus Books. pp. 122–123. ISBN 978-9-38060-734-4.
  2. ^ Nelson, Wright [1974], The Coinage & Metrology of the Sultans of Dehli, New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., pp. 239.
  3. ^ a b c Mahajan, V. D. (2007) [1991], History of Medieval India, New Delhi: S. Chand, ISBN 81-219-0364-5, pp. 237–9.
  4. ^ Porter, Yves; Degeorge, Gérard (2009). The Glory of the Sultans: Islamic Architecture in India. Though Timur had since withdrawn his forces , the Sayyid Khizr Khān , the scion of a venerable Arab family who had settled in Multān , continued to pay him tribute: Flammarion. ISBN 978-2-08-030110-9.
  5. ^ The Cambridge History of India. The claim of Khizr Khān , who founded the dynasty known as the Sayyids , to descent from the prophet of Arabia was dubious , and rested chiefly on its causal recognition by the famous saint Sayyid Jalāl - ud - dīn of Bukhārā .: S. Chand. 1958.
  6. ^ The Cambridge History of India. The claim of Khizr Khān , who founded the dynasty known as the Sayyids , to descent from the prophet of Arabia was dubious , and rested chiefly on its causal recognition by the famous saint Sayyid Jalāl - ud - dīn of Bukhārā .: S. Chand. 1958.
  7. ^ Ramesh Chandra Majumdar. The History and Culture of the Indian People: The Delhi sultanate.
  8. ^ title= India in the Persianate Age: 1000–1765 |author= Richard M. Eaton | isbn=978-0520325128 isbn= 0520325125 |pg 117|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aIF6DwAAQBAJ
  9. ^ a b Majumdar, R.C. (ed.) (2006). The Delhi Sultanate, Mumbai: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, pp. 125–8

Further reading[]

  • Muntakhab-ul Lubab, Muḥammad Hāshim Khāfī Khān, Sir Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson, 2006.
Preceded by Shah of Delhi
1414-1421 		Succeeded by
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