Amir Khusrau (1253-1325)

by Prajakti Kalra (See Chinese translation)

Amir Khusrau (alternative names) was a court poet, governor, and scribe who lived in the Delhi Sultanate in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Born in Patiala, Punjab, Hindustan, he was sent to a maktab to study from a very early age. After the death of his grandfather, he started his career of seventy years as ‘arid-i-mamalik’ in 1273 with Malik Alaudin Kishli Khan (Juhjhu), the chief chamberlain. He left the service of Kishli Khan after an incident, and joined Burgha (Nasiruddin) Khan, governor of Samana. When Burgha Khan was moved to Bengal, Khusrau left his service and moved to Delhi. Then he moved to Multan in the service of Sultan Ghiyas ud-Din Balban’s favourite son, Prince Muhammad Khan.

Multan, second only to Delhi as a court that attracted scholars and poets, was in the path of the Mongol onslaughts. It was a strategically important city, a literary centre and a prosperous trade city. Khusrau was the ‘mushafdar’, or keeper, of the Qur'an, in Multan, thus he was exposed to sufi saints and other important personages. As the city was always being harangued by the Mongols, Khusrau wrote many poems and odes to Prince Muhammad, who was killed in battle while fighting the Mongols. The incident is mentioned in Ghurrat-al-kamal.

On the basis of his works, which date from 1289 to 1320/1325, he was given the title of ‘Tuti-i Hind’, or the Parrot of India. He wrote five diwans (divans), all with introductions, in Persian, with some Hindustani words added. Jami says that Khusrau wrote 99 works, while others contend he wrote more than 4,000 verses, and still others claim he wrote 199 works. For a list of 45 of his works, see Mirza (1935), p. 148. According to Hardy, Khusrau completed four risalas by 1319.

He wrote four works dealing with history and historical facts: the Qiran al-Sa’dayn, completed in 1289; the Miftah-ul-futuh on the four victories of Jalalaldin Khalji, completed in 1291; the Khazain ul-Futuh for Alauddin Khalji or the Tarikh-i Alai, competed in 1312; and Duwal Rani Khizr Khan, completed in 1316. His last work was the Tughlaq Nama for Giyath al Din Tughlaq who took the throne in 1320.

Amir Khusrau recorded the events of the Delhi Sultanate largely in the form of poems and ghazals from the time of Balban (1266-1287) to the seizure of power by Ghiyas-ud Din Tughlaq (1321-1325). His works give us a unique insight into the second half of the 13th century and the first two decades of the 14th. He was at the very centre of the action in the Delhi Sultanate, in the court in Delhi and in cities like Multan.

He was present at the precise moment in history when the Mongols from Central Asia were attacking the Delhi Sultanate, which occurred nearly every year. His information on the Mongols is full of details that a historian or scribe may not care to convey. Although his works are numerous, they do not constitute a comprehensive history. His writing is simple, evocative and descriptive. He has been characterised as charming, romantic and imaginative. The descriptions of the campaigns, battles and victories of the Delhi Sultanate kings against the Mongols are eulogies to the Delhi Sultans, their military prowess and genius, rather than tactical, technical or strategic tales of military encounters. The Sultan requested him to write these accounts to commemorate important events in his reign as their witness. Interestingly, he wrote about individuals: not only kings (Jalaludin Khalji, Alaudin Khalji) but also religious figures like Nizamuddin Auliya, a Sufi saint; Khusrau became the latter's disciple in the 1290s.

Amir Khusrau recorded the victories of the Delhi Sultan against the Mongols, along with the campaigns against the Rais and Rajas of other parts of Hindustan, especially Ranthambore, Gujarat and Malabar. In Ranthambore the Mongols from the Delhi court played an important role, thus the campaign is significant. The two main accounts which deal with the Mongol campaigns are the Miftah-ul-futuh (The Key to Successes or Initial Victories) and the Khazain-ul-futuh. The Miftah-ul-futuh was completed in 1291 after Jalaludin Firuz Khalji’s victories (1290-1296) and accession to the throne. The historical work is written in a simple style and the rubrics are in verse. It tells of Khalji’s victories over the Mongols, along with other enemies like Malik Jujhu, king of Awadh and Jhain, and appears in Khusrau’s Kulliyat. The poem forms part of the Ghurrat-al-kamal and contains passages describing palaces and details of campaigns. It also includes the author’s hope for a better future under the king and the king's place in history.

The Khazain-ul-futuh has been valued as the only history extant written in the reign of Sultan Alauddin Khalji (1296-1320). It supplies us with dates which other historians like Zia-ud Din Barni leave out, especially of the Mongol campaigns into Hindustan, namely in Khazain-ul-futuh and ‘Ashiqa. In his work, the ‘Ashiqa, Khusrau gives advice to Alaudin Khalji, who fought the Mongols on numerous occasions. The Tarikh-i-Alai (another name for Khazain-ul-futuh) is possibly the only complete history of the reign of Alaudin Khalji. It was completed in 1311, and includes Alaudin’s successful campaigns against the Mongols and the punishments to which he subjected the Mongols. It appears in Folios 16-22 in the Indian Office manuscript. It is divided into short sections, and includes the author’s note on the character and scope of the work. He describes four victories in this work, including one against the Mongols. These victories are described without allusion to strategic or tactical moves. Instead they focus on the achievements, successes and victories of Alaudin Khalji. The work begins with praise for God and the Sultan, and even includes verses from the Qur'an. He then describes Alaudin’s campaigns, starting with Deogir (1296), the Mongol conquests, and the conquest of Gujarat and Ranthambore. He also gives a general account of Alaudin’s rule, talking about his merits and personality, leadership skills and ability to fill the treasury and curb rowdy behaviour.

He lists the religious buildings erected during Alaudin’s reign and expresses the hope that the king will leave behind a name for himself and a prosperous kingdom. The ‘Ashiqa, which was also written for Alauddin Khilji, is a very different poem, showing Khusrau’s love and devotion to his ruler. It is dedicated to Alauddin’s son, Khizr Khan.

Amir Khusrau's five diwans are as follows: Tuhfat-us-Sighar, Wast-ul-hayat, Ghurrat-ul-Kamal, Baqiya Naqiya and Nihayat-ul-Kamal.

Historical poems- Qiran-us-Sa’dain, Miftah-ul-futuh, ‘Ashiqa, Nuh Siphir, Tughlaq Nama

The Khamsa: Matla’-ul-Anwar, Shirin-o-Khusrau, Aina-i-Sikandari, Hasht Basht and Manjnun-o-Leyli.

Prose works: Tarikh-i-Alai or Khazain-ul-futuh, Afal-ul-fawaid and I’jaz-i-Khusrawi.