Indian Antiquary Vol 49

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 131

127
JULY, 1920}
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
said that he would not budge until Sultan Mahmûd had set out for his own country, for if he did, his retreat would be attributed to cowardice and would be a confession of weakness. A long correspondence on this subject ensued between the Dakanis and the Gujarâtis and at last Masnad-i-'Ali wrote to the Gujarâtis to say that his purpose was to compose and not to foment the strife, and suggesting that the Gujaratis should first march two stages towards Idar, when the Dakanîs would march two stages towards 'Imâd-ul-Mulk's country and both armies could then retire to their own countries. This proposal was accepted and the Gujaratis first marched towards Idar, and the Dakanîs then marched towards 'Imâd-ulMulk's country, and Aḥmad Nizam Shah then returned to his capital. 53
The king of Burhanpûr having thus, by Aḥmad Niâm Shâh's help, been freed from his powerful enemy, was firmly established on his throne in independence, but for the rest of his life he was under an obligation to Aḥmad Nizam Shah and always deferred to him. Afterwards, when Burhan Nizam Shah was on the throne and strife was stirred up between him and Bahadur Shâh of Gujarât by 'Imâd-ul-Mulk, Mahmûd Shâh of Burhanpûr, remembering his obligation to Ahmad Nigam Shah, used his best endeavours to compose the quarrel, and succeeded in converting the enmity of the disputants into friendship, as will be related in the account of Burhân Nizam Shah's reign.
XVI-AN ACCOUNT OF THE BUILDING OF THE FORT OF AHMADNAGAR.
After the conquest of Daulatâbâd, the king determined to erect a fort in his capital of Ahmadnagar, which he had built. Surveyors and architects laid it out in an auspicious hour, and masons and overseers set to work to carry out the king's orders. In a short time this strong lofty fortress was completed, and was surrounded by a deep and wide ditch. The slope which formed a berm between the wall and the ditch was scarped, and the approach to the fort, even should the ditch be crossed, was thus rendered inaccessible. In the interior of the fort dwelling houses and other buildings were built, gardens were laid out and planted with fruit trees, flower gardens were planted with herbs and flowering plants, and
63 This imaginary account of a victory gained over Maḥmad Shah of Gujarat is apparently intended to do duty for the history of Ahmad Nizam Shah's two expeditions into Khandesh. The result of the first, undertaken in 1504, has been given in note 51. The course of the second was briefly as follows :-Dâ'ûd Khân died on the 28th August, 1508, and his son Ghazni Khan was raised to the throne but was poisoned after a reign of ten days. With him the direct line of the Faruqi house expired and two parties were now formed in Khandesh, one under Hisâm-ud-din, already mentioned, supporting 'Alam Khan, Aḥmad Nizam Shah's candidate, and the other under Malik Sadan, another amtr, supporting another Alam Khan, the can. didate of Mahmûd Shah of Gujarat. The latter Alam Khan, who may be called, for distinction, Adil Khan, the title which he afterwards assumed, was a descendant in the fourth generation of Hasan, Malik Iftikhar, younger son of Malik Raja (1382-1399) the founder of the Faruqi dynasty. Malik Iftikhar had taken refuge in Gujarat from his elder brother, Nasir Khan, and his descendants had lived in that country and had intermarried with the royal family. Mahmûd Shah of Gujarat had promised to place Adil Khan on the throne of Khandesh and Adil Khan II had adopted him as his heir.
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Ahmad Nigar Shah, invited by Hisam-ud-din, was first in the field and marched to Burhanpur, where his candidate, Alam Khan, was proclaimed. 'Ala-ud-din 'Imad Shah of Berar also marched to assist him. Meanwhile Maḥmad Shah, with Adil Khan, invaded Khandesh from the west and captured Thalner. Ahmad Nizam Shah with his protégé and 'Ala-ud-din 'Imad Shah fled disgracefully to Gâwilgarh on hearing of Mahmûd Shah's approach and 'Adil Khan was enthroned in Thainer. Ahmad Nizam Shah, who had now reached the frontier of his own territories, wrote to Mahmud Shah suggesting that his protégé, Alam Khan, should inherit at least a share of the territories of Khandesh, but unfortunately for him wrote as one king to another. Mahmud was much enraged and would not deign to answer the letter, but gave the unfortunate envoy a message for his master. How dared the son of a slave of the Bahmant kings, he said, write as though he were a king? A humble petition was the only communication that a slave should address to a king. Let Ahmad see that he did not repeat such insolence, or it would be the worse for him. The unfortunate Ahmad Nizam Shah retired, humiliated and mortified, to Ahmadnagar, taking his protégé with him.
Sayyid 'Alf's unwillingness to give a faithful account of such an event is comprehensible.