________________
"MAY, 1918]
explained, for Amad's invasion of Klândesh brought him no glory and he was ignominiously expelled from the country. From a comparison of the Zafar-al-Walih with Firishta it appears that Hisâm-al-din, an amir of Khandesh who was one of Dâ'ûd Khân's principal opponents, invited Amad Niêm Shah to aid him in overthrowing Dâ'ûd. Aḥmad invaded the country, bringing nis protégé, Alam chân, with him, and laid it waste. Dâ'ûd, who probably dared not appeal to Mamûd Baikarah of Gujarât, lest he should bring another pretender into the field, applied for aid to Nasir-al-din Shah of Malwa who, in 1504, sent a force under Iqbal ân, one of his amirs, to aid him. Iqbal Khân expelled Ahmad Ni âm Shah, but betore leaving the country insisted that the Khubah should be recited in Burhanpûr in the name of his master, Na,ir-al-din Shah, with which humiliating demand Dâ'ûd was forced to comply. Alam Khân had fled with his protector, Aḥmad Ni.âm Shah, and for the remaining four years of his life Dâ'ûd Khân reigned in peace, dying on Aug. 28, 1508.
THE FARUQI DYNASTY OF KHANDESH
121
After the death of Dâ'âd his son Ghazni Khan was, according to Firishta, raised to the throne by Malik risam-al-din and the other amirs, but was poisoned by them after ten days. According to the Zafar-al-Walik Ghazni Khân had been poisoned during the lifetime of his father, but the discrepancy is of little consequence, for Ghazni Klân never actually reigned and almost immediately after the death of Dâ'âd Aḥmad Nizam Shah reappeared in Klândesa wita as protegé, 'Alam Klân.
The desount of this Alam Khan is not precisely known, but there is nowhere a hint that he was an impostor. According to Firishta he was " of the offspring of the Fârâqi Sulans"; the Zafar-al-Wâlin calls him "a relation of Da'ûd"; and the author of the Burhan-i-Ma'ar says that he was "of the stock of the rulers of Asir." It is probable that he was tar nearer in blood to Dâ'âd than was the other Alam Kân, who was protected by Ma, mûd Baikarah. It will be convenient to distinguish the two pretenders as 'Alam Klan of Gujarat and. 'Alam Khan of Ahmadnagar,
Alam ân of Gujarat now thought that it was time to assert his claim to the throne of Klândean and his mother applied to her father, Ma mûd Baikarah, for assistance, which was readily givea. In November or December, 1508, only three or four months after the death of Da'adan, Mamad Baikarah set out from Châmpânîr for Thalner, then held for Ahmad's protege, styling himself 'Alam Shah.
The position in Andean was now as follows:-- Alam Khân of Ahmadnagar and Malik Hishm-al-din the Mughul, the leader of the Ahmadnagar party in K ândesh, were at Burhanpur, where they were joined by Amad Ni âm Shah of Amadnagar and Alâ-al-dîn Imad Snah of Berar, whom disâm-al-din had summoned to his aid; Malik Ladan, the leader of the Gujarat party in Kandesh, had shut himself up in Asi garh, where he was besieged by the partisans of Alam Kan of Ahmadnagar; and Mahmûd Shah Baikarah and his protégé, Alam Klan of Gujarat, were advancing on Thainer. Thalner surrendered, and on hearing of its fall Aḥmad Ni âm Shâh and 'Ala-al-din 'Imad Shah fled for refuge to Gâwilgarh, leaving 4,000 troops in Burhanpur to support their candidate for the throne. Ma mûd then sent two of his am ra, Sayyid Asaf Khan and Aziz-al-Mulk against Ḥisâm-al-din and Alam Khan of A'madnagar, and the troops of A madnagar and Berar fled from Burhanpûr so that Hisam-al-din was obliged to provided for his own safety by sending the pretender off to the Dakan and making his submission to Ma mûd Baikarah. Malik Lådan had forestalled him, and there was now no obstacle in the path of 'Alam K' ân of Gujarât to the throne. On April 1, 1509, Ma mud Baikarah held a court at Taalner and installed nis protégé 'Alan. Khan, who now took the title of Adil Khan III, as ruler of Khandesh, eonfacring on him,