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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1899.
Note to Chapter IX. [The following brief account of the reign of Sultan Al mad is taken from the Tazkarat-ulMultk.) Reign of Sultan Ahmad Wall Shah Bahmaut in the city of Muhammadabad,
which is now known as the city of Bidar. After the murder of Sultan Firüz, Sultan Ahmad ascended the throne.
One day when he went ont hunting in the neighbonrhood of Muhammadabad a dog seized a hare by the tail. The bare turned round and fighting with the dog, overcame him. Sultan Ahmad on seeing this snid :-The climate of this country seems to be conducive to bravery, seeing that a bare beats a dog. If I shonld found a city here and make it my capital, the men who shall be born here and grow and thrive in the climate of this region will certainly be braver and more manly."1 Besides, in the city of Ahsanâbâd the Sultan had hæmorrhage, and it was not a fortunato place for his capital. For this reason, in a propitious hour, he laid the foundation stone of the city of Muhammadabad, and in a short time he approved of its completion; and he passed the period of his life in that city in pleasure and the grntification of his desires.
During his reign Makhdam Khwajah Jahan came from Khurasan for the purpose of trading; and showing great ability in political affairs he served four Bahmani kings, always faithfully and with good will, till in the latter end of the reign of Muhammad Shah, son of Humayun, be suffered martyrdom, and left bebind him a good reputation in the world.82
Sulan Ahmad ascended the throne in A. H. 880 (A, D. 1426), and in the same year founded the city of Muhammadabad, and for twelve years, nine months and twenty four days lived in peace and happiness and with a good reputation. He died in A, H. 842 (A. D. 1438), but God only knows ! Khwajah Jahan comes to the Dakhan, enters the service of the kings
and attains high distinction, It is related that Makhdům Khwajah Jabân was a wise, good and experienced man who chanced to arrive in the port of Dhabol, now known as Maimun Mustafa, abad; and the various kinds of people he saw there seemed to him wonderful and strange. One day in the búzár he was sitting in the shop of a merchant, wben the governor of the said port, with the utmost pomp and grandeur passed through the bázár seated on a throne (singh asan) and playing with a bulbul which he had on his band. The Khwajah was astonished at this circumstance, and said to himself: "It is evident that the people of this country are simple-minded and playful : one might pass one's life very pleasantly among such people and find much enjoyment ju their society, and attain high diguity. He then wished to proceed to tho seat of government nt Bidar, but Sultan Ahmad had given orders that any foreigners or foreign merchants, from wherever they might come, should transact their business at the port of their arrival and were not to be permitted to proceed to the court. Khwajah Jahan therefore waited on the governor of the port with valuable presente, and begged permission to proceed to the seat of yovernment. The governor explained the abovementioned excuses for refusing his request. The Khwajah said: "I have travelled in many countries, such as Ram, Syria, Egypt, Khurisan, Turkistan, etc. I have travelled through all these countries, and collected in them rarities of various kinds fit for kings, and it would be a pity if the king should not see them." He added : -"I have written on the subject to the king and the ministers of state, and am sending them various presents: do you also write a few words to the ministers of state, and perhaps my business may thus be brought to a successful issue." The governor of the port
1 Compare Burhani Maanir, Fol. 170 a, I. O. MS., where the same story is told of Abmad Nixam Shah, the founder of the Nigam Shabf dynasty and the city of Ahmadnagar.
n In the Burhan-i Ma,asir the first mention of Khwajah Jaban is in the reign of Humay la.
