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AUGUST, 1899.)
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
215
Ullah obtained the title of Malik-ul-Musha,ikhl and Kaz Ahmad Kabûl became Malik-ul. 'Ullamå73 and Sadr-i Jahan; and Kazi Nizâm-ad-Din Sharifi - grandson of Saiyid Sharif - was exalted to the title of Sharaf-i Jahân; and Saiyid Abd-ul-Mů, min - grandson of Saiyid Jalâl Bukhart - became entitled Saiyid Ajal Jalal Khan.
In the midst of these affairg arrived news of the death of Shah Ni'mat-Ullah, and the Sultan was much distressed thereby. According to the custom of India he instituted a fair to be held in his honour at his (the saint's) tomb. He assembled all the saiyids and theologians, shekhs and darvishes and waited on them himself: the king with his own blessed hand poured water on the hands of the saiyids and shekhs; and exalting Malik-ul-Mushaikh Mirza Núr. Ullah above all the nobles and chiefs, stretched out the hand of two-fold friendship to that family, and the same liberality which Sultan Ahmad Shah showed towards the sons of Shah Nûr-ud-Din Ni'mat-Ullah was also extended to the descendants of the saint; and each member of that illustrious dynasty who ascended the throne used to unite in marriage & princess with one of the descendants of Ni'mat-Ullah.
After theso occurrences a dispute once more arose with the Walf of Mandû about the fort of Khêrla. At last after much disputing and fighting peace was established and the aborementioned fort was restored to the Wall of Mandú, and it was agreed that the country on this side of the fort should be in the Sultan's dominions. This stipulation was confirmed on both sides, allowing no deviation from the highway of sincerity and agreement. After that, each of the sovereigns marched to his own capital; but the mutual friendship established between them was not of the same quality as that which existed between the Bahmani and Gujarati Sultans as will afterwards be related.
The Sultan proceeds to take several forts and towns. When in the latter dnye of the late king, Firüz Sbah, on account of the weakness which arose in the affairs of the country owing to the frequent wars, the disobedient and rebellious of all parts triumphing in the circumstance, and thinking it a favourable opportunity broke into rebellion and had retaken from the agents of government most of the forts and towns of the kingdom and its frontiers. When Sultan Ahmad Shah ascended the throne, owing to the disputes which arose between him and the Sultans of Gujarat and Malwå, till those affairs were over he bad not found leisure to retaliate on the rebellious ones in the various parts of the country and chastise the infidels. Moreover, while the Sultan was engaged in repelling his enemies the infidels, even withoat fighting, bad succeeded in getting possession of varions districts of Telingana. But now that the mind of the Sultan was entirely at rest from contention with the Sultans of Gujarat and Malwa, he turned his attention to the reconquest of those districts which had come into possession of the infidels; and having assembled a countless force he proceeded towards the country of Telingana.
When the Sultan, spreading the wings of victory and conquest, threw the shadow of triumph over the regions of Telingana the people of some of those towns and forts, traversing the road of obedience and submission, made peace by agreeing to pay revenue as security for good behaviour; but some who having bound the fillet of opposition to lawful authority on the forehead of rebellion and impudence, took the rond of unbelief, were sent to the house of perdition by the blows of the death-dealing swords of the troops. By the aid of God and the good fortone of the Sultan strong fortresses were taken, the strongest of which was the fort of Ramgir. This celebrated fortress, which in strength resembled Alexander's rampart, and all the other forts and strong fortresses of that district having been taken by the royal army, the symbols of infidelity were overturned.
The wali of the fort of Warangal, who was the most intelligent of the infidels of thet country, saw that in whatever direction the victorious army turned they levelled with the ground the forts and towns and used to plunder and devastate the country and eradicate the inhabitante, 11 King of the Shekhs.
12 Prince or king of the Theologiane.
