Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji

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Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah Khilji was the son born to Ala-ud-din Khilji. Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah Khilji made his escape from Malik Kafur, after which he became the Sultan of Delhi. This king was the 3rd and the last ruler of Khilji Dynasty. In the year 1320, he had a betrayal kill from one of his reliable persons named Khusro Khan.

Students barely know about this last ruler of Delhi. Hence, the purpose of our content is to make the students generally know about the last ruler before the fall of Khilji Dynasty. Here we will discuss the successor of Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah and will also include Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji death. 

Weakest Leader of his Dynasty

Qutb-ud-din, at an early age of 18 years old, was initially selected as the official to his six-year-old sibling who was the ruler of the state. Within two months, Qutb-ud-din was cruel enough to blind his sibling in order to raise the throne. He started his own rule theory by discharging a large number of detainees and abolishing all the duties and punishments that were forced by his dad. Qutb-ud-din was the weakest leader in the administration. This led to his betrayal and killing by one of his reliable persons called Khusro Khan.  

Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah Khilji Death

History of Khilji Dynasty witnessed the weak administration of Qutbuddin Mubarak. Delhi was very insecurely ruled at his time. The Sultan of Delhi left the fate of his kingdom in the hands of Khusro Khan who in the year 1320 killed Mubarak Shah and grabbed the throne of Delhi.

Successor of Qutbuddin Mubarak Shah 

• After Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah’s death, Khusro Khan accepted the title which was awarded to him as Nasir-ud-din Khusro Khan. He then manhandled his own power in the most inefficient way. Khusro was later defeated and overthrown by Ghiyas-ud-din Tughluq, in 1320 and thereby started the Tughlaq Dynasty.

• In Ala-ud-Din’s reign, Malik Kafur had put the child on the throne of Khilji’s where he transformed himself into the authority. 

• Mubarak Khan, was the third son of Ala-ud-Din, who was then around seventeen or eighteen years of age. He was kept and Malik Kafur sent his men to blind him but he defeated his men and killed Malik Kafur. After his death, Mubarak was assigned to control the state.

• Mubarak then removed and blinded Shihab-ud-Din Umar who had put himself on the throne. This ghastly event happened on 1st April in the year 1316. Mubarak thereafter took up the title of Qutb-ud-Din Mubarak Shah.

Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah Khilji’s Rule

• Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah Khilji tried to win the goodwill of the locals of his kingdom. To gain this goodwill, he even released the prisoners of his kingdom. He scraped off all the merciless regulations of his father.

• The nobles who went for exile according to the direction given by his father, were called back.

• The territories which were being won and taken by his father were returned to their proprietors. Also, he had cut down costs. 

• Nevertheless, even after such goodwill the morals and standard of his kingdom deteriorated as the King was too engrossed in hard drinking and gala times. 

• He was under the influence of Hassan who was previously a shepherd but later in Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah Khilji’s reign he was raised to the position of Prime Minister and later he was awarded the title of ‘Khusro’.

His Walk to Deccan

When he visited Gujarat, he saw disobedience among the people. The pioneer at that time in Devagiri got the chance to be a self-governing government. Ain-ul-Mulk Multani was sent to the kingdom of Gujarat and he was asked to put down the insubordination and Zafar Khan was named as their new Governor. In 1317, Mubarak Shah went to Devagiri to conquer this kingdom. Harapala Deva, who was the pioneer of Devagiri, fearfully fled from his capital. 

Administration of Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah

On the day, Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah got the throne, all the oppressors of Ala-ud-din were revoked and approximately eighteen thousand prisoners were made free and all those who went to exile were called back to the state. Mubarak Shah paid his soldiers the salary of six months in advance. Also, their salaries were enhanced and those whose jagirs were taken were given back. Severe punishments were discarded and the spy system was relaxed. These measures of Mubarak Shah, certainly, brought relief to the people and the king earned goodwill from his people but the administration weakened. Mubarak Shah was too engrossed in merry making and this was followed by the locals in his state thereby, it led to the decline of administration.

Revolts and Conspiracies 

After Mubarak Shah came to power he ascended to his throne and had sent Gazi for assisting Ain-ul-Mulk and they were both asked to proceed to Gujarat. This manner the revolt of Gujarat was thus suppressed. 

Harpala Deva was the pioneer and self governor of Devagiri after the murder of Malik Kafur. In the time of 1318 AD., Mubarak Shah, himself attacked Devagiri. Terrified Harpala Deva fled away, anyway he was later killed. Mubarak then appointed Malik Yaklakhi as the new governor of Devagiri. After this he dispatched Khusrav to attack Madura and then, he returned back to Delhi.

All this while when Mubarak Shah was returning from Devagiri, a plot or conspiracy was formed by Asad-ud-din, he was one of the uncles. It was heard that some of the nobles from Delhi were also involved in it. But fortunately, Sultan was informed about their plot or conspiracy and obviously after this all the conspirators were captured and were put to death.

Malik Yakhakhi, who was appointed as the governor of Devagiri revolted that time and declared himself as an independent ruler of Devagiri. In order to curb him, a strong force was sent from Delhi by Mubarak Shah. He was easily defeated and was sent to Delhi with his ears and nose chopped off and his followers were punished as well.  

After this win over Devagiri, he began to gain overconfidence and the revolt of Asad-ud-din made him grow suspicious. He therefore lost his emotional balance and he grew cruel against his men and indifferent towards his administration.

On one hand, he killed his loyal officers and brothers out of his wrong suspicion, while on the other hand, he immersed himself in hard drinking and gambling. But the greatest mistake that Mubarak Shah committed was that he trusted Khusrav Khan too much and in turn Khusrav Khan conspired to assassinate the Sultan. On 15 April 1320 A.D. His followers attacked his own palace and before Mubarak Shah could know anything they reached his abode. The Sultan tried to escape and elope but he was captured and killed.

So, we learn that Mubarak Shah was not a great ruler. He was an unworthy son of a worthy father. Mubarak Shah inherited a large, extensive and prosperous empire from his father but he ruthlessly lost it only in a span of four years.

Did You Know?

• Mubarak Khilji had his time as a ruler for only about 4 years. During his reign there was peace in the whole country but the Subedar of Gujarat Zafar Khan had revolted against him. Mubarak then suppressed him. When the ruler of Devagiri protested about the same, he got him killed. He returned to Delhi after he had built a huge mosque in Devagiri.

• Mubarak Khilji had also done some good works for his people during his reign. He freed the political prisoners and also started paying the advance salary of the soldiers for six months. He had also returned all the snatched jagirs of scholars and certain people. Apart from this, all the strict punishment systems were abolished, market control systems etc. were equally abolished.

• Mubarak Khilji was spending all his time drinking and enjoying. He made Khusro Khan the Prime Minister as he handed over all the work to him. Khusro Khan was a lower class Gujarati by birth. He had changed religion. He wanted to replace Mubarak and become the Sultan himself. Khusro along with his companion killed Mubarak by stabbing him with a knife.