https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Ayn_al-Mulk_MultaniAyn al-Mulk Multani - Revision history2026-07-30T06:20:18ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Ayn_al-Mulk_Multani&diff=471080&oldid=prevUPMTaj45723 at 16:50, 25 January 20262026-01-25T16:50:25Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|General of Delhi Sultanate}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}<br />
{{Distinguish|Ayn al-Mulk Mahru}}<br />
{{Infobox military person<br />
| name = Ayn al-Mulk Multani<br />
| death_date = <br />
| death_place =<br />
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Sultan of Delhi Flag according to the Catalan Atlas (1375).png}} [[Delhi Sultanate]]<br />
| branch = [[Khalji dynasty]]<br>[[Tughlaq dynasty]] <br />
| serviceyears = {{circa}} 1296–{{circa}} 1325<br />
| battles = {{plainlist|<br />
* [[Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Malwa]] (1305)<br />
}}<br />
| children = <br />
}}<br />
'''‘Ayn al-Mulk Mūltānī''' was a military commander and official who served the [[Khalji dynasty|Khalji]] and [[Tughluq dynasty|Tughluq]] dynasties of the [[Delhi Sultanate]] in present-day India. He served as [[Alauddin Khalji]]'s governor of [[Malwa]] and [[Devagiri]], and after Alauddin's death, suppressed a revolt in [[Gujarat]].<br />
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== Early life ==<br />
'Ayn al-Mulk Multānī belonged to a [[Punjabis|Punjabi]] community of traders known as [[Multanis]], who controlled long-distance trade during the era of Delhi Sultanate.{{sfn|Iqtidar Alam Khan|2008|p=107}} His actual name is unknown: "`Ayn Al-Mulk" is a title (also transliterated as `Ain ul-Mulk), while Multani is a [[nisba (onomastics)|nisba]] indicating that he hailed from the city of [[Multan]].{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}} The 15th century chronicler [[Yahya bin Ahmad Sirhindi]] calls him "`Ayn Al-Mulk-i Shihab", which suggests that his father's name was Shihab.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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== Career ==<br />
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=== In Alauddin's service ===<br />
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Multānī started his career during the reign of [[Alauddin Khalji|Sultan ‘Ala’ al-Dīn Khaljī]] ({{reign|1296|1316}}), as a secretary (''dabir'') to ‘Ala’ al-Dīn's brother [[Ulugh Khan]].{{sfn|Peter Jackson|2003|p=173}} According to Alauddin's courtier [[Amir Khusrau]], he was a learned statesman and a veteran military general. The later chronicler [[Ziauddin Barani]] describes him as a widely-travelled well-experienced man, who was known for his wise counsel and his ability to tackle complex problems. Barani also mentions that, like Khusrau, he was skilled with both the sword and the pen.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}} <br />
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In 1304-05 (704 AH), [[Alauddin Khalji|‘Ala’ al-Dīn Khaljī]] sent an army to [[Malwa]], likely headed by Mūltānī who was subsequently appointed governor of the province.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=395}} Multani played an important role in consolidating Alauddin's rule in Malwa. He forced the Paramara vassals of [[Ujjain]], [[Dhar]], and [[Chanderi]] to acknowledge Alauddin's suzerainty.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=134}} Subsequently, he invaded [[Mandu, Madhya Pradesh|Mandu]], where the Paramara king Mahalakadeva had taken shelter.{{sfn|Kishori Saran Lal|1950|p=133}} His army defeated the Paramaras, and killed Mahalakadeva and his son.{{sfn|Banarsi Prasad Saksena|1992|p=395}}<br />
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When the [[Devagiri]] governor [[Malik Kafur]] was recalled to Delhi as the viceroy during Alauddin's sickness, Multani was made the governor of Devagiri.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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{{see also|Alauddin Khalji's conquest of Malwa}}<br />
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=== In Mubarak Shah's service ===<br />
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After Alauddin's death, Kafur asked Multani to come to Delhi, but while he was en route, Kafur directed him to [[Gujarat]]. Kafur had executed [[Alp Khan]], the governor of Gujarat, leading to a revolt in the province, and another general [[Kamal al-Din Gurg]] had been killed while trying to suppress the revolt. While Multani was on the way to Gujarat, Kafur was killed and Alauddin's son [[Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah]] ({{reign|1316|1320}}) seized the throne of Delhi. As a result, the nobles accompanying Multani refused to proceed further, and his entourage had to halt at [[Chittor]]. After a few days, Mubarak Shah ordered them to proceed to Gujarat and end the rebellion, and Multani resumed his march.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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In Gujarat, Multani tried to resolve the situation diplomatically. He wrote letters to the rebel leaders, pointing out that Alp Khan's murder had been avenged with Kafur's murder. He asked them to end the rebellion, and warned them of serious consequences if they refused to do so. Most of the rebels agreed to join his camp. Two of the rebels -- Haydar and Zirak -- refused to oblige, and were easily defeated. Multani returned to Delhi after establishing peace and order in Gujarat.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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In 1318, the Devagiri governor Yak Lakhi staged a rebellion, and Multani was sent to subjugate him. Around this time, he was appointed as the [[vizier|wazir]].{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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=== In Khusrau Khan's service ===<br />
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After Mubarak Shah was killed in 1320, the new Sultan [[Khusrau Khan]] {{reign|1320}} honoured Multani with the title "Alam Khan" to win him over. Subsequently, [[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq|Ghazi Malik Tughluq]], the ''muqta'' of [[Depalpur, India|Depalpur]], tried to persuade Multani and other nobles to rebel against Khusrau Khan and avenge Mubarak Shah's death. When Multani received Tughluq's letter, he was concerned about the presence of Khusrau Khan's agents. Therefore, he took the letter to Khusrau Khan and assured the Sultan of his loyalty. However, when Tughuq wrote a second letter to him, he expressed sympathy with Tughluq's cause. Multani stated that he was surrounded by Khusrau's allies, and therefore, would not take sides in the upcoming battle.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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=== In Tughluq's service ===<br />
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Ghazi Malik Tughluq killed Khusrau after a battle, and ascended the throne of Delhi with the title "[[Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq|Ghiyath al-Din]]" ({{reign|1320|1325}}). He appears to have retained Multani in the royal service.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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According to the chronicler [[Isami (historian)|Isami]], Multani joined Ulugh Khan (who later ascended the throne of Delhi as [[Muhammad bin Tughluq]], {{reign|1325|1351}}) on the 1322 expedition to [[Warangal]]. Several of Ulugh Khan's officers revolted against him during the prolonged siege, but Multani remained loyal to him.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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No information about Multani's later life is available. Some medieval chronicles attempt to provide such information, but they have confused Multani with another noble `Ayn al-Mulk Mahru (called `Ayn al-Din by Isami). Isami and Barani clearly distinguish between the two men.{{sfn|I. H. Siddiqui|1980|p=105}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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=== Bibliography ===<br />
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{{ref begin}}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Iqtidar Alam Khan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iGSKTttoa3IC&pg=107 |title=Historical Dictionary of Medieval India |publisher=Scarecrow |year=2008 |isbn=9780810864016 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Banarsi Prasad Saksena |author-link=Banarsi Prasad Saksena |chapter=The Khaljis: Alauddin Khalji |editor=Mohammad Habib and Khaliq Ahmad Nizami |title=A Comprehensive History of India: The Delhi Sultanat (A.D. 1206-1526) |volume=5 |edition=Second |year=1992 |orig-year=1970 |publisher=The Indian History Congress / People's Publishing House |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9cmAQAAMAAJ |oclc=31870180 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=I. H. Siddiqui |editor1=C. E. Bosworth |editor-link=Clifford Edmund Bosworth |editor2= E. van Donzel |editor3= Charles Pellat |editor3-link=Charles Pellat |title=The Encyclopaedia of Islam |edition=New |volume=Supplement |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=95Q3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA105 |year=1980 |publisher=E. J. Brill |location=Leiden |isbn=90-04-06167-3 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Kishori Saran Lal |author-link=K. S. Lal |title=History of the Khaljis (1290-1320) |year=1950 |publisher=The Indian Press |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XXqAQAACAAJ |oclc=685167335 }}<br />
* {{cite book |author=Peter Jackson |title=The Delhi Sultanate: A Political and Military History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lt2tqOpVRKgC&pg=PA174 |year=2003 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-54329-3 }}<br />
{{ref end}}<br />
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{{Alauddin Khalji}}<br />
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[[Category:Alauddin Khalji]]<br />
[[Category:14th-century Indian Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:14th-century Indian people]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]<br />
[[Category:Year of death unknown]]<br />
[[Category:Generals of the Delhi Sultanate]]<br />
[[Category:People from Multan]]<br />
[[Category:Punjabi Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:Khalji dynasty]]<br />
[[Category:Tughlaq dynasty]]</div>UPMTaj45723