Ziauddin Barani was a Muslim historian and political thinker of the Delhi Sultanate located in present day North India during Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Firuz Shah"s reign.
Background
Barani was born to an aristocratic Muslim family in 1285 in which his father, uncle, and grandfather all working in high government posts under the Sultan of Delhi. His maternal grandfather Husam-ud-Din, was an important officer of Ghiyas ud din Balban and his father Muwayyid-ul-Mulk held the post of naib of Arkali Khan, the son of Jalaluddin Firuz Khalji.
Career
His family were natives of Meerut and Bulandsahar. During this period he was very close to Amir Khusro. After Tughlaq was deposed, he fell out of favor.
In "Exile" he wrote two pieces dealing with government, religion, and history, which he hoped would endear him to the new sultan, Firuz Shah Tughluq.
His gravestone lies in the courtyard of Nizamuddin Auliya"s dargah in Delhi, at the entrance of the dalan of Mirdha Ikram, and near the tomb of Amir Khusrau. Elliot, H. M. (Henry Miers), Sir.
John Dowson. "15. Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Ziauddin Barani".
The History of India, as Told by Its Own Historians. The Muhammadan Period (Volume(s) 3).
London: Trübner & Company