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Nov., 1920]
HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR
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THE HISTORY OF THE NIZAM SHAHI KINGS OF AHMADNAGAR. BY LIEUT.-COLONEL T. W. HAIG, C.S.I., C.M.G., C.B.E. (Continued from p. 188.)
XXXII--AN ACCOUNT OF THE RISING OF MAULINA PIR MUHAMMAD, AND OF WHAT FOLLOWED.
As the king of the race of Bahman had before this, from the great kindness which he had towards Maulânâ Pîr Muḥammad, sworn that he would never on any account, attempt to injure that foolish man, the Maulânâ escaped the punishment which overtook most of the Sunni doctors. He now came forth with 3,000 horse, ready for war, and encamped before Ahmadnagar, his bigotry having led him to entertain the design of dethroning the king. He therefore entered into an undertaking with the officers of his army to take 2,000 cavalry soldiers into the king's court, and seize and imprison the king, and then to raise the young prince, Mîrân 'Abdul Qadir, to the throne, and to crown him king, while the remaining thousand horse surrounded the dwelling of Shâh Tâhir and put him and his family and followers to death. It is, however, useless to plot against what has been decreed by God, or to attempt to overthrow a king He has chosen. 87
Husain Abdul Rumi, who was a sincere lover of the family of the prophet and was the king's master of the horse, discovered the plot and informed Shâh Tâhir of it. He at once hastened to the king and informed him of the conspiracy, who asked him for his advice in the matter. Shah Tahir said that there was no remedy but the sword, but the king told him of the promise which he had given to Maulânâ Pir Muḥammad. Shâh Tâhir said that it was necessary that the rebel should at least be imprisoned and the king summoned Pir Muḥammad and ordered Zabit Khân, sarpardadar, to arrest him when he appeared. Maulânâ Pir Muḥammad was afterwards confined, under the charge of some trusted officers, in the fortress of Pâlî,88 and the rebellion, owing to the imprisonment of its chief soon subsided.
Maulânâ Pîr Muḥammad remained imprisoned in the fortress of Pâlî for about a year, when the king, having gone to war with Ibrâhîm 'Adil Shah, gained a victory over him in the neighbourhood of Kutal Hatiyâlî and Shâh Tâhir advised him, in gratitude for his victory, to set all prisoners free. The king followed this advice and the prisoners were released, among them Maulânâ Pir Muhammad, who was permitted to attend at court, but was not restored to his former rank. Shortly after this Maulânâ Pîr Muhammad died. XXXIII-AN ACCOUNT OF THE APPOINTMENT OF SHIH TIHIR AS VAKIL, AND MINISTER.
The king considered that it would be to the interest of the kingdom to appoint Shah Tahir minister, and he therefore honoured Shah Tahir by going to his house to make this proposal to him. On entering the house, Shâh Tâhir led him to a private room where they could talk apart, and the king then asked him to undertake the whole administration of the state. Shah Tâhir at first declined the honour, but afterwards, seeing that the king had set his heart on his having the appointment, accepted it.
According to Firishta, Pir Muhammad's rising was much more serious than it is here represented to be, and he had at his disposal 12,000 horse ready to fight in defence of the Sunnf religion while the king had only 400 horse, 1,000 foot and five elephants. Most of the army, however, joined the king when summoned to return to their allegiance, and Pir Muhammad fled to his house accompanied by only a small force.
ss A fort in the Western Ghats, about twenty miles east of Chaul.
