Page:History of India Vol 3.djvu/197

 PKOVIXCIAL DYNASTIES 1388-1451 A.D. THE long and prosperous reign of Firoz Shah had assuaged the troubles of the people, but it had not strengthened the authority of the crown. Firoz was loved, and perhaps respected, but certainly not feared. A generation had grown up who knew nothing of the inexorable despotism of a Balban, an Ala-ad-din, or a Mohammad Taghlak, and the dread of the sovereign was like a forgotten dream. The people did not rebel, because they were contented and had nothing to gain by revolution. The success of the reign was due to the personal character of the Sultan and his prudent vizir: there was nothing to warrant the expectation that sim- ilar tranquillity would follow the accession of a new ruler. On the contrary, there were elements of the Sultan's own creating that made for disintegration. The system of depending upon a powerful body of slaves for civil and military service led to far-reaching consequences. Many of these slaves were converted or nominally converted Hindus, and to some of these renegades were assigned the great fiefs of the empire. 169