Page:The Seven Cities of Delhi.djvu/239

Delhi before the Moghal Conquest affairs could have but one end, in the shape of revolt. Shaista Khan, Governor of Samana and prime minister, advanced on Delhi, and at this moment the king succumbed to his bad habits, and became paralyzed. An infant son was placed on the throne, but the sons of Shaista Khan boldly cut their way through the royal army,and carried off the young prince. The avenging force, issuing through the Budaon Gate, was restrained from pursuit by fear of his assassination by his captors. Meanwhile an assassin had been sent to Kilokri, and Kai Kubad had been murdered ; his body was thrown out of the palace window on to the sands of the river below. Shaista Khan ascended the throne, and the infant prince was put to death soon afterwards; this happened in A.D. 1290.

Shaista Khan was one of the Khiljis, a tribe occupying part of Central Asia, in the vicinity of Ghor, and the dynasty which now follows is known by this name. He was seventy years of age when he mounted the throne in the White Palace, and assumed the name of JALAL-UD-DIN. After the murder of the young prince, and the removal of a possible rival, he ruled with great lenity, his only other reprehensible act being the murder of a mulla. The mulla appealed to him for mercy, but he hesitated to pardon him; as a 183