SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Khusrau was born in Patyali, a small town (otherwise known as Muminabad) in the district of Etah in 651 A.H./1253 A.D. He belonged to the Turkish Hazaras of Lachin who migrated to India during the time of the Mongol upheaval from their ancestral home in Transoxiana or Khorasan. His father, Amir Saifuddin Mahmud, held a high position in the court of Iltutmish and married a daughter of Imad-ul-Mulk, a great noble of the time. Khusrau was the second of three sons born of this union and displayed very early signs of a great poetic talent. After his father's death, about the year 658 H. he was brought up by his grand-father Imad-ul-Mulk. When his grandfather died Khusrau attached himself to Ala'uddin Kish-lu Khan, a nephew of Balban and a great noble, famed far and wide for his generosity. Later he went to Saman with Balban's son Bughre Khan and had to travel with that prince to Oudh where Balban marched to quell a rebellion. On his return he was invited by Frince Muhammad. Bughra Khan's elder brother, to go to Multan with him. The Poet consented and remained in Multan till the prince's death in a battle against the Mongols. He then returned to Delhi and went later to Oudh with Amir Ali Sarjandar. Subsequently he was made a court poet by Kaikobad and held office under Jalaluddin, Ala'uddin, Mubarak Shah, and Ghiyathuddin Tughlaq. He became a disciple of Nizamuddin Auliys in his later life and died in the year 725 H./1325 A.D. His poetical and prose works consist of five diwans, five historical mathnawis, a Khamsa, some Hindi verses, Tarikhi-'Alai, Ij'az-i-Khusravi and Afzal-ul-Fawaid. Some works ascribed to him have apparently been lost. He was a great musician too, and introduced several new melodies into Indian music, earning for himself the title of Nayak.