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AUGUST, 1899.]
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY. (Founded on the Burhán-i Ma, ágir.)
BY J. 8. KING, M.B.A.S. (Continued from p. 192.) CHAPTER IX.
Tabakah II.
Rulers of the Dakhan whose capital was Bidar.
209
Account of the Bahmant
THE period of their rule, which began on the 5th Shawwal, A. H. 825 (22nd September, A. D. 1422) and ended on the 18th Sha'bân, A. H. 926 (4th August, A. D. 1520) was one hundred and one years, two months and eleven days.59
Reign of Abu-l-Ghasi Sultan Ahmad Shah,
son of Aḥmad Khan,
son of Sultan Ala-ud-Din Hasan Shah Bahmani.50
On the date already mentioned Sultan Ahmad Shah took his seat on the royal throne of Kalburga, assuming the above-mentioned excellent titles. The great men and saiyids, the shekhs, learned men, nobles and grandees plighted their fealty to the Sultan, rubbing the forehead of profound reverence on the dust of humility, and were eager and eloquent in their congratulations and praises. The Sultan distinguished them all with ungrudged favours, and they obtained honours and rewards. The nobles who had suffered much from the ascendancy of the worthless Hushyâr and Bidar gave thanks night and day, and cheerfully submitted to the Sultan's irresistible mandates: the army and all the subjects, from the copiousness of their sovereign's liberality and justice were happy and free from oppression.
Sultan Ahmad Shah had seven sons, and on the elder ones he bestowed special tokens of affection. The eldest of his sons, who was Zafar Khan, he honoured with the title of Khân Khânân; to another he gave the title of Mahmad Khan, and to another that of Muhammad Khân; and Khalf Hasan, the cream of sincerity, fidelity and bravery, received many marks of favour and kindness, and was distinguished by the title of Malik-at-Tijar (king of the merchants).
In the midst of these affairs the bird of the spirit of Saiyid Muhammad Gisa-darás took flight to the realms of bliss. May the Most High God hallow his grave !60
Sultan Ahmad Shah, who took great pleasure in the society of shekhs and holy men, and had himself attained a high degree of perfection in the external sciences, did not put much faith in the shekhs of the Dakhan; but having heard that there resided in the city of Kirmân a most eminent saint named Shah Ni'mat-u-Llah, celebrated for his miracles and his profound knowledge, the Sultan therefore ordered Shekh Khajan who was one of the disciples of that saint in conjunction with Kagt Mûsa Nûlkihi who was the tutor of Prince Mahmûd Khân- and Malik-ash-Shark Kalankar Khân, with innumerable presents, to go to the saint and implore his blessing. They accordingly set out for Kirmân, and paid their respects to the saint, and from the blessing of his holy utterances having obtained their desires, returned, taking with them the cap of discipleship and the garment of approval for Sultan Ahmad Shab. When the news of their arrival reached the Sultan he ordered a chabútarah to be erected at Antûr,60a which is distant one stage from Kalburga, and the Sultan went out on a pilgrimage to that place, and there received the garment and cap of the incomparable saint.
In this period the author includes the reign of Ahmad II., the nominal successor of Sultan Mahmûd; but he gives no account of his reign, because the dynasty practically expired on the death of Mahmûd.
5 This is widely different from Sultan Ahmad's genealogy as given by Firishtah.
se He died as already stated on the 16th of Zi-ul-Ka'dah, A. H. 825 (1st November, A. D. 1422). coa Atnûr between Kalburga and Afzalpur.
