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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[JULY, 1899.
Reign of Mujahid Shah Balwant Bahmani. After his father's death Mujahid Shah ascended the throne. In the idiom of the Dakhan he was called "Balwant," that is, strong-bodied : he used to eat at one meal thirty sérs, each sér being equal in weight to seventy-two dirhams,35 and he used to eat three meals a day, which makes ninety sérs a day; bat God only knows the truth !
Now the custom of the kings of the Dakhan) was this, that at the time when they ascended the throne of sovereignty Shekh Muhammad Siraj-ud-Din used to present a piráhan and turban which they put on, and then in an auspicious hour took their seat on the throne; and the same custom was observed at the ascension of Mujahid.
Mujahid used daily to repair to the monastery of the shekh, and discuss with him the affairs of state. One day he told the shekh that he contemplated waging a jihád against the infidels in order to add splendour to the faith of Islam. The shekh recited the fatihat and expressed his approval. Mujahid daily busied himself in organising his army, and then proceeded against the fort of Adoni with a large force, and laid siege to it for a year, when the garrison running short of water asked for quarter; and the governor of the fort came out and after obtaining a written treaty, returned to the fort with Majâhid Shah's deputy in order to evacuate and surrender the fort.
It is said that one of the servants of the shekh said to the latter: "MujAhid Shah has taken from you an assurance of victory, and from others also has obtained the glad tidings of victory." The shekh replied: -“I have withdrawn my assurance of victory." This servant then took a letter from the shekh to this effect to Mujahid Shah, and repeated to him what the shekh had said. When Majâhid understood the contents of the letter he produced it in court and said :-"My ancestors were void of understanding when they gave regal power to these fakirs who are always hungry and thirsty: what affinity have we with them? Ask the shekh what he means by this presumptuous talk. I shall teach him better manners." The servant replied: "If this be your intention you will never attain this victory."
On that same night heavy rain fell, and the fort became well supplied with water. The garrison regretted baving made peace, and applied themselves to strengthening the fort. They cut off the bead of Mujahid Shah's deputy, and putting it into a gun, fired it towards the army of Mujahid Shah.
When MojAhid heard of the resistance of the garrison he returned to the city of Ahsankbad, and encamped outside in order that he might enter it on the following day at an auspicious hour. He uttered many threats against the followers of the shekh ; and there were many Habshis in the trains of the nobles and others, and they having done something which roused the anger of Mujahid, he attered threats against them also, and they were in much fear of him. Next day Mujahid was found on the throne without his head, and it was believed that this deed was perpetrated by jinns. The disciples of the shekh would not allow the body of Mujahid to be buried in the tomb of the kings, but he was buried near it.
CHAPTER IV.
Reign of Da, ad Shah. According to the most authentic accounts Sultan DA,ad Shah was son of Mahmúd Khan, son of Sultân 'Ald-ud-Din Hasan Shah Bahmani.36
After the martyrdom of Sultan Mujahid Shah, the amirs and ministers and officers of the army nolens rolens plighted their fealty to Dâ,d Shâh, and accepted him as their sovereign; but the widow, or (according to one history) the foster-sister of MojAhid Shah, was determined upon revenge ; 80 she bribed one of the Sultan's slaves with a thousand huns and a promise of
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15 A dirham = 48 grains, 38 According to Firishtah DA,Ad was son - not grand-son of 'Ald-ud-Din Hasan.
