Short Note on Malik Kafur

Short Note on Malik Kafur:

Malik Kafur was the slave general of Alauddin Khilji, who had won for him the Deccan territories of Devgiri, Warangal, Dwarsamundra, Madura, etc. He was originally a Hindu slave, who fell into the hands of Muslims at Cambay after the conquest of Gujarat. Alauddin general Nusrat Khan bought him for 1000 dinars and that is why Malik Kafur is sometimes called the “Hazar Dinari”. Because of his abilities and service, he won the confidence of the Sultan, who raised him to the position of the vizir or the Chief Minister. Soon he was made the commander-in-chief of the royal forces that were sent for the conquest of the South. He proved a great general and brought the whole of the South under the feet of the Sultan of Delhi. He also brought a large amount of booty in cash, jewels, gold, and silver for his master. Within a period of six years i.e. (1305-1311 A.D.), he won the Deccan states of Devgiri, Warangal, Dwarsamundra, Madura, etc. He reached upto Rameshwaram in the extreme south and freely plundered its temples. Having subdued the whole of the south Malik Kafur returned to Delhi. he brought with him no less than 612 elephants, 20,000 horses, and a great quantity of precious stones and pearls, and about 1500 tons of gold and silver. The conquest of the Deccan was the greatest achievement of Malik Kafur. His influence over the Sultan increased abnormally and nobody dared to oppose him. He warned the Sultan that his wife and sons were conspiring against him. He got Malika Jahan and her two sons Khizer Khan and Shadi Khan imprisoned. He also got his rivals heavily punished under the orders of the Sultan. His chief opponent Alp Khan was executed.

Malik Kafur was very ambitious and intriguing. After Alauddin’s death, he tried to get the throne for himself and for this purpose, he put the minor son Shihabuddin Umar on the throne. Then he began to get rid of the Khilji Sultan one by one. Malika Jahan was robbed of all her jewellery and thrown behind bars. Both Khizir Khan and Shadi Khan were blinded and their supporters were dismissed. He also tried to lay his hand on Mubarak who luckily escaped. But such acts made him most unpopular and a conspiracy was organized against him. Exactly after 36 days after the death of the Sultan (February 6th, 1316 A.D.), he was murdered. Though ambitious and intriguing, he proved himself to be a great general, who carried the banner of Islam to the Deccan states of the country by conquering the southern states.