Kushlu Khan, 'Izz al-Din Balban

   A slave noble who played an important role in the factional fights that continued during the reigns of Iltutmish's successors down to 1255. To distinguish him from Baha al-Din Balban (later Sultan Ghiyas al-Din Balban), he was often re-ferred to as Balban-iKalan (Elder Balban). Following Bahrain Shah's overthrow (1242), he made an attempt to have himself proclaimed a sultan but was not successful because a majority of the slave nobles supported 'Ala al-Din Mas'ud. During Nasir al-Din Mahmud Shah's reign (1246-1266), Kushlu Khan was considered a rival of Baha al-Din Balban, the na'ib. He played an active role in the removal of Bal-ban from power in 1252-1253 and secured for himself lucrative iqta's in Sind after Sher Khan (Balban's cousin) was removed from there. On Balban's restoration (1253), Kushlu Khan continued to defy the na'ib in Sind, where he was joined by Qutlugh Khan, another influ-encial opponent of Balban, in 1257. The two tried to seize power at Delhi but failed. At this point, Kushlu Khan made common cause with the Mongols and turned Sind into a Mongol encampment. Still later, he is reported to have established himself at Uchch and Multan as an independent ruler. Kushlu Khan died in Sind sometime during Balban's reign (1266-1286).