Ziyauddin Barani
Explanation
The administrative policies of Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq involved appointing officials based on merit rather than lineage. This approach often led to the elevation of individuals from non-aristocratic or humble backgrounds to high administrative posts, which provoked severe criticism from the conservative, aristocratic elite of the time.
Historical Analysis:
- Ziyauddin Barani: In his chronicle Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi, Barani expressed deep disdain for the appointment of "low-born" individuals to high offices. He specifically criticized the Sultan for appointing Aziz Khummar (a wine distiller), Firuz Hajjam (a barber), Manka Tabbakh (a cook), and two gardeners, Ladha and Pira, to high administrative posts. Barani cited these appointments as evidence of the Sultan’s loss of political judgment and the degradation of the court's dignity.
- Minhaj-us-Siraj: He was a chronicler of the earlier Mamluk (Slave) dynasty and wrote Tabaqat-i-Nasiri. He died before the Tughluq period and thus could not have criticized Muhammad bin Tughluq.
- Ibn Battuta: A Moroccan traveler who visited India during Muhammad bin Tughluq’s reign. While he recorded the Sultan’s contradictory nature (generosity and cruelty), the specific criticism regarding the caste or profession of appointees (like wine distillers or barbers) is characteristic of Barani’s aristocratic bias, not Ibn Battuta’s travelogue (Rihla).
- Fakhr-i Mudabbir: He was a contemporary of Qutbuddin Aibak and Iltutmish (early 13th century) and wrote Adab-ul-Harb. He predates the Tughluq dynasty.
Key Takeaway:
Ziyauddin Barani is the primary source for the aristocratic critique of Muhammad bin Tughluq’s administration, famously lamenting the rise of the "low-born" to positions of power.