Conquests & Intrigue- Rise of Khalji Empire

By Arnav Bansal

Circa 1100s, the battles for survival was tough. Many small and large kingdoms were just happy, in their own world and flourishing, many were struggling to keep the enemy at bay. Our hero barely survived his childhood trauma and his sheer grit and determination carried him through to rise and build the greatest empire and witness an upheaval and revolution of Hindustan. An interesting journey of his conquests and intrigue, of trials and tribulations, of loyalty and deceit, of love and hate, of development and distraction, of courage and fear, of fights and flights….The reader is going to enjoy the thrill of absorbing twists and turns of this Medieval Indian story of a great Emperor…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Jan 18, 2024

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

On My Death Bed

The dark fangs of death can come at times in myriad ways, even for the most formidable warrior ever born. Born to live valiantly and die a pitiful death. The dance of its tentacles were ready to embrace me today, silently and slowly, as I lay alone on the bed once warmed by the most beautiful wives. Incense burned around, the stench of the Death Queen was not afar no one visited me, other than an occasional Hakim, who would come and give me some concoctions they call medicines. He knew and so did I, only a step away that these mixtures would probably keep away death from my door, buying me some time, but it will enter soon, I no more had the power to defy it. At times a trusted servant would come to feed me, and tell me about the world outside tales of how the invincible empire I had built with my flesh and blood was being torn apart by the rifts and battles between my heirs and generals.

I often shed a tear of loss, the one that I had so long never shed, even in the height of pain and violence in the battlefield, or as a child. I had achieved the impossible. Everyone around me wanted me to fail, but I proved them all wrong. They laid out my future as a nobody, but I rose from the embers to become one of the greatest emperors that the world had ever seen. And it was not sheer luck that brought me the throne, rather it was my cunning intelligence, my die-hard spirit, my sheer perseverance and the drive to never give up, that sailed me through tough times, even times when I thought I would never see the light of day again.

But I survived. In this world, fear and survival instincts rule us all. People are scared of losing their reputation and social standing and will do anything to protect it. The society since childhood places these preconceived fears within us. Just to maintain our false standings in this so-called civilized society, we unknowingly kill our talents, instinctive natural skills. We forget we were born to do something bigger and self-destroy ourselves, just to preserve the imaginary pseudo social class.

I know this destructive pattern all too well. I was one of the richest emperors of this land, achieving the impossible by my might, no one handed me the empire on a golden platter. Yet, today I lie on my deathbed alone, a strange realisation of fatigue and hopelessness grips me. In the end money and social status are all but a myth. I couldn’t even love myself, enjoy my exploits, let alone find someone who would love me endlessly. What was the use then of my wealth and power that I accumulated over decades? It did not give me the peace I had searched for all my life, the love that I tried to snatch from women, my soldiers, my subjects. They gave me scared respect for the time being out of fear, but in the bottom of their hearts, they despised me. I still could have conquered more lands, but I am tired, utterly tired and am ready to trade every bit of what I achieved, all my wealth, just for a little haven of peace, and tranquillity, love and happiness to live a few more days in this beautiful world, away from killings and violence, from cunning deals and hunger for power. There is nothing as a social class or stature, in the end what matters is how you see and what you see about yourself.

Despite all my achievements, and being the Emperor of the formidable land of Hindustan, I am scared today, frightened of losing all that I acquired, of how I am today forgotten by the very people who had once upon a time surrounded me, showed me reverence. I have punished so many for defying me, and I still feel the need to punish many, for they never loved me and were never trustworthy. Whatever reverence they showed, it was because they feared me, they were scared of my might. I hope someday, someone will understand me and my actions, what I tried to build all these years, though ruthless in my reprimands. They will understand the measures I brought for the state welfare, for the people. But now, as I am breathing my last, do I have any life power left in me to communicate? People’s perception is that I am a tyrant and a soul-less ruler, but they missed the soft heart within me that had hardened over the years, thanks to the abandonment and violence I grew up with and the innumerable times I had to save my breath from all those who were always out there to annihilate me. This is the price I had to pay for my survival in the middle of enemies, and also for the proper administration of this vast empire that I built.

I had always thought that everyone and everything in this world is judged by financial prowess and physical might. That our lives are governed by money and defined by the instinct to survive. While some are happy just surviving, others like me crave for more. It starts with vices. Our vices can only be satisfied by money, and we humans are greedy by nature to fuel these vices. I have noticed that we humans are never satisfied with how much we have, but we wish for more and more. As we grow and acquire more, the intoxication of success grips us so much that when we reach a milestone, we set another one. I know my unending dream of ruling more and more lands won’t come true in this birth, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting even more.

As I look back, I realise what I had done to reach this level, where today I stand alone, battered and bruised within, repenting every breath I take. In order to achieve my goals, I had to remove many worthy men from the council and send them away or have them killed, a result of my suspicion or a threat to my power. Now there is no clear successor to my throne, and everyone is out there competing and conspiring like a bunch of vultures feeding on the dead carcass. Their only aim is to usurp my throne and get their hands on my wealth. Most of my children turned out to be weaklings, they wasted their lives on wine and women. They killed people just for the fun of it, but never learnt how to be just and able rulers.

I still believe any form of rebellion needs to be crushed ruthlessly, and I had even made a ‘Tower of Heads’ at my castle gate to hang the heads of the rebels killed, to inflict a sense of terror amid all. I paraded those to be punished/ killed around the city and on major routes connecting to the city, and I made sure the families of these rebels were either enslaved or killed. Yes, cruelty at its height, I know, I had to be heartless, inhuman, but I had no other means, this was the only effective path to reach to the pinnacles of power, the only way in which I had successfully crushed rebellions or even the idea of rebellions in the last decade. I taught people to focus on economic aspects that would make the land and their homes prosperous and wealthy. Yet, my subjects always blamed me, their leader, as they never realised how dedicated I was to their welfare. As they only saw my darker side, never realizing, that it had led to prevention of frequent rebellions, battles, wars. It is always easy to place the blame/ malign someone else and feel better about one’s own standings. In the end, it is up to the leaders to ensure peace, and thereby the well-being of people and to make sure that everyone is happy. And that all comes at a cost.

I know that my time is coming to an end. I want to attend one last council meeting, to tell everyone what they need to do after my death and work collaboratively. But in absence of a clear successor, I fear the empire will crumble after I am gone and a bloody infighting will soon ensue. And I shall on my death bed still yearn for love, to be loved and not just feared. I want to rest in peace, not overcome by the guilt of gruesome death and destruction. My achievements made me happy, but they never gave me peace. I hope someday, someone will understand why ‘I did, what I did’. I did what I did to survive, build an empire, leave a legacy, ensure economic prosperity for all, end hunger, and most importantly, deal with the tyranny of the feudal class of Hindustan who were exploiting the poor.

For all this, I had to become a tyrant myself, at times….

As the din and deceit continue outside, I recall how my life unfolded once upon a time. I, Allauddin Khalji, was born during one of the most dire times, in the hilly terrain of Khurasan, a time when the barbaric Mongols swept through our lands, our homes, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. They decimated our farmlands, took away and enslaved our people, torturing them to no end and blocked our finest trade routes, leaving us with no means of survival. Their control over the vast Steppes of Mongolia gave them a steady supply of wealth and horses needed for transport and war, while we were left starving and struggling to survive after they ravaged us mercilessly. Women and families were left childless, and most children who survived didn’t even make it to adolescence. They died from starvation and malnutrition.

While our people were struggling to stay alive, on the other side of the mountains lay the lush fertile lands of Hindustan, thriving and prospering in its ancient glory. Food was abundant there, and one out of four children survived till adulthood. Women were fertile, they had multiple children and demand for horses was high due to the threat of Mongol invasion. The Hindustani Sultanate was nervous and were trying to strengthen their armies due to fear of Mongol invasions and the demand for horses went high. Thus, came a golden opportunity for us, through trading of our sturdy and superior horses. We could supply Hindustan with war-ready Khalji horses, that were as good and tenacious as the stunted Mongol horses.

Meanwhile, the Mongols had banned the trade of horses, to maintain their dominance, but we found a way out to carry on with our horse trade --- the only risky but remunerative bread earning occupation we were left with to save our souls. Those of our clan who were able to trade survived, while others sold themselves and got enslaved or did whatever menial jobs they found just for one square meal. The desperation to survive led us to inter-breed smuggled horses and sell them to Indians and occasionally to the western market. Someone daringly once smuggled a Mongolian horse to our side. Since then, we have been breeding horses in the endless valley of Khurasan and selling them to the world. Our horses were the best war horses available in those times.

Multan was then a major trading centre and was our destination for selling horses all year round. The Hindustani market proved to be a lifeline for our people. We were not only surviving by making brisk trade with the Indians, but our businesses were thriving and we were at last getting a foothold. The Mongols had a monopoly over the horse trade, until the rise of Khaljis and Afghans. Our horses were better trained, and our tribe was more war-ready than any other tribe in Afghanistan. We believed in ourselves and told everyone that we were the best, we had far less resources than Mongols but we had unmatched courage. Each Khalji trader was able to trade up to four horses. We used to take six horses from Khurasan per Khalji trader for selling them, but some died along the harsh terrain, while some got lost and many were stolen in the Sindh valley by Sindhis, Khokers, Punjabis and various tribes inhabiting the region. In the end on an average, each trader could sell only four horses. Similarly, in the West, we would take six horses per trader, but only one survived - raids and harsh climate killed the well-bred beautiful gentle animals, and in the end there was only one left to pay for all these horses. Entire region was plundered, and even in the far West there were Mongols guarding outposts while crossing the Hindukush Mountains. This was a big risk. The only golden thread of hope was that our Indian buyers who loved our horses and were willing to pay high prices for them. They called our horses Jung ka Unth, the ‘Camel of War.’ There was an endless demand in Hindustan for our horses, with unlimited resources and wealth to buy them at any price that we quoted. Many Hindustani traders hired us on a permanent basis to supply them with quality horses regularly.

The demand for our horses increased due to the burgeoning Muslim settlements and constant threat of the Mongols. All Indian rulers had started to strengthen their armies that led to a short supply of horses. We had competition from well-bred Arabian horses which reached from across the sea, on which Sindhis and Gujaratis charged heavy customs duties. But the Arabian horses could only be bought by limited buyers as they were extremely expensive. Not just that, they were fast but not war-ready and sturdy like our horses. They were more used for sports and in royal processions as status symbols, but not for war. Battlefields had specific demands for well trained horses. However, some rulers used the Arabian horses as a backup. At war, the best horses were Khalji horses, as they had extreme level of endurance, they were strong and brave, the training we gave them allowed these horses to stay calm during war. They could survive long tedious journeys with limited food and water. With so many qualities, they were in high demand, many Hindustani traders in the subcontinent from Multan to Sindh and from Lahore to Delhi, hired us permanently to supply them with our horses regularly. And we made sure that Hindustanis didn’t open their own breeding centres. So, we had to castrate our horses before selling them, to keep our trade secret alive.

It was not just horses but ….

Providing a formidable force and horses was our way of bringing hope to the world against Mongol tyranny and I always saw the Khaljis as protectors from barbarians. Our soldiers started to take part in military expeditions in the area, and our men received recognition for their daring habits and well-built bodies. Even though we were in the minority, the Hindu Rajas of Hindustan recognized our religion and gave us special treatment. Many Hindustani traders in the subcontinent hired us. These trading activities soon turned into conquests and smaller kingdoms of lesser-known Rajas of Hindustan were taken over by the Khaljis, the bigger Rajas gave us their lands (Iqtas) to feed our forces and train our horses, who we had infiltrated within and got to know the tricks of their warfare. We won over them easily. We became feudal lords in certain pockets of Hindustan.

Even though much smaller in numbers, the Khalji forces had an edge over the Hindustani armies. Firstly, feeding an army in Hindustan proved to be a challenge due to their dietary habits. Foot soldiers had to carry big loads, sometimes on their backs or on horses while walking beside them, because their food was not as frugal as ours. Hindustani soldiers were always treated to elaborate meals. Secondly, the majority of the Hindustani army was foot soldiers, which made our conquests easy. Our fast-moving army on horses would dash forward, and one rider would take on a large number of foot soldiers. We on horses easily killed the Indian soldiers on foot. Though the Elephant corps of Hindustani rulers provided good defence, but due to the size and slower speed of the beasts, their use was limited.

Sultan Balban of Delhi and one of the strongest powers in Hindustan at the time found our presence oddly comforting. Balban had successfully consolidated power from his former ruler and made sure that he was the sole authority on the land. He was determined to build a huge force against possible Mongol invasion. Khaljis shared the same language and religion which gave comfort to Sultan Balban and he hired us in large numbers changing our fortune forever. He didn’t understand a single word of Hindustani and having men who spoke his language gave him a sense of security and comfort. He knew how valuable we were as soldiers and trusted our loyalty. The other surrounding Rajas who hired us from Patan to Bengal did not know our history but employed us anyway. Gradually the foundation of our Empire was laid, and those in Hindustan were unaware of our subtle infiltration and big ambitions….

I was born into poverty, a child of a low-born mother and a father who was killed by my own uncle. Left to fend for ourselves, my mother, my brothers and I had no choice but to rely on the generosity of my uncle, Jallal. He took us in, not out of kindness, but to avoid suspicion of murdering my father and to prevent us from becoming a threat to his rule. My mother was now just another woman in my uncle’s harem, she had lost her charm, she was mother of 3 and in her mid-30s. While my father was one of the greatest Khalji warriors, who was cunningly killed by Jallal for the seat of power and he now became the ruler of our tribes. Jallal's ambition had ruined my family, our future and I was determined to avenge the atrocities he had committed against my family in future. The flame of revenge had already taken a seat within me and I told myself I would see an end to it.

Life under my uncle's protection was far from easy, it was more of a prison than protection. We were treated like slaves, given little to survive on, forced to eat leftovers, wear used clothes of Jallal and his children, sleep in a dilapidated shack in the worst of conditions. Education and training in warfare were out of the question. We were reminded every day that Jallal was doing us a favour by keeping us alive and providing us with the bare minimum. In Afghanistan, the Khaljis are a proud race who value independence. Traditional system of ruling never existed in our land. Though we have a lord, we see him as a brother who guides us in wars and towards a life of glory. Every tribe serves under this lord, but they are still independent and have their own followers. The ruler or Lord needs the support of all the tribes to assert his control.

My tribe, the Khaljis, was divided into forty clans and we belonged to one of the poorest of those clans, though politically most influential and geographically placed in the middle of Afghanistan. My father was the former Sultan of Afghanistan, which gave our tribe a lot of respect. All tribes in the region recognised my father’s authority. After his murder, the scene changed dramatically. Jallal who took over, made frequent trips to Hindustan and gave away most of the wealth. Fertile lands were doled away as charity for his political career. We were left with the worst of lands while Jallal and his close aides enjoyed the best food and goodies bought with Hindustani money. After killing my father, Jallal tried to garner support from other tribes to increase our strength in numbers and fight united against the Mongols who often invaded our land. But most tribes were now involved in petty conflicts and unity of tribes was lost with death of their able leader, my father. Unfortunately, our lands fell on the route through which the Mongols passed on their way to invade Hindustan, causing a huge loss to our resources – including crops and human lives.

My mother taught me the history of our tribe, the Khaljis. She told me that we were not a ruling clan, but we were the kingmakers. For generations, we had provided rulers with arms and horses, and were regarded by every ruler as the bravest and most loyal tribe. Without our support, no one could rule in Afghanistan. My mother's ambition was to gain power in the harem and have influence on Jallal just like she had on my father. But the situation after my father's death was so precarious that she had to fight a hopeless battle with no position or scope to win. To safeguard us, her children, she