Chajju, Malik 'Ala al-Din Muhammad

   He was the son of Sultan Ghiyas al-Din Balban's brother Kishli Khan and was counted among the powerful nobles of Mu'izz al-Din Kaiqubad (1287-1290). Malik Firuz Khalji (later Sultan Jalal al-Din Firuz Khalji, 1290-1296) asked him in 1290 to act as the regent of boy king Kaimurs, who had been brought to the throne after removing Kaiqubad, but the offer was refused by Malik Chajju. On Kaimurs' removal, Jalal al-Din Firuz Khalji, while assuming kingship, agreed to Malik Chajju's request for the governorship of Kara and also allowed the surviving members of Balban's family to repair to that location.

   In the very first year of Jalal al-Din Firuz Khalji's reign (1290-1296), Malik Chajju revolted at Kara. He was joined by Amir Ali Hatim Khan, the governor of Awadh and other nobles of the old regime. Responding to Malik Chajju's appeal, a large number of Hindu chiefs of the trans-Gangetic region joined him with their foot soldiers (paiks) and archers. Malik Chajju and his allies advanced toward Delhi along the left bank of the Ganges River. At Bahlana (near Badaun), an army commanded by Jalal al-Din Firuz Khalji's son Arkali Khan forced the rebels to cross to the right side of Ram Ganga. Simultaneously, Jalal al-Din Firuz, crossing the Ganges at Bhojpur (near Kanauj), overtook the rebels at Ram Ganga. In the battle that ensued, the rebels were defeated, and many of their lead-ers were killed or made prisoners. Malik Chajju himself escaped to the territory of rebellious Hindu chiefs but was captured a few days later. Captured rebels were treated very harshly. Many of them were executed or sold into slavery. Malik Chajju disappeared from the po-litical scene after he was imprisoned at Multan on this occasion.