Indian Antiquary Vol 49

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

Page 90

86
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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
( MAY, 1920
against the infidels of Telingâna, the prince not being with him, the ill-disposed, finding Malik Näib deprived of the prince's support and assistance, took advantage to fasten some accusation on that wise minister, and to soouse him to the king of base acts and wicked deeds, and urged the king to issue orders for his execution. The king harkened to their counsel and issued orders for the minister's death-orders which led not only to remorse, but to the ruin of his kingdom.
When Malik Naib became aware of the plots of his enemies, he fled from the king's camp, but since fate had decreed his martyrdom, the screen of negligence was placed before his eyes, so that he did not take the way of safety, which lay in the direction of the prince's protection, but, reposing confidence in Pasand Khân, governor of the city of Bidar, who was one of his own protégés, he went to Bidar, and the wretch, Pasand Khân, whose temerity in committing an atrocious act has earned for him the title of haram 'dr, made him a martyr and sent his head to the king.
When the news of Malik Naib's martyrdom reached Ashraf-i-Humâyûn, Sultan Ahmad Bahri, he mourned for him and wept bitterly, and all his amírs and all his army participated in his grief.
After this calamity the prince displayed greater anxiety than ever regarding the plots of his enemies, and paid more attention than formerly to collecting troops, and to preparing for revenge on his enemies.
Some say that the prince, after the murder of Malik Naib, left the king's camp with 1,500 horse, all valiant soldiers, and went to JunnAr and strengthened the fortress of Shivner, which had hitherto not been a fortress of any great strength, and increased his forces until he had a most numerous and powerful army.
When the news of the prince's assembling of his forces reached his enemies and opponents, they took counsel together as to the best means of resisting him before he should become too powerful to be resisted, and devoted all their attention to his over. throw. They continued to slander him to the king more than ever, now saying that he had been alarmed for his own safety on hearing of Malik Naib's death, and that he had withdrawn from his allegiance, and was collecting such an army as would enable him to declare himself independent, and that it was necessary to overpower and disarm him before matters became worse. As has already been mentioned, Sultan Mahmud Shah Bahmani had, in the later days of his reign, very little power in the state, and was a king only in name, the amirs managing all public business, the most powerful of them for the time being making himself regent until he was overcome by a combination of the others, and another was set up in his place. Thus the king, as he was too weak to manage any important affair, was induced to issue a farmán to the prince's enemies, giving them authority to take such action as they might deem best in the interests of the state. Accordingly, these lovers of strife agreed among themselves that a force should be sent, under the command of some of the boldest officers of the royal army, against Sultan Ahmad, in order that his power might be broken, and his well-wishers and faithful servants might be dispersed. They therefore selected Shaikh Mu'addi, the Arab, entitled Nadir-uz-Zamân, who was distinguished abave all the officers of the royal army for his valour and intrepidity, to take command of the army to be sent against Sultan Ahmad Nizâm-ul-Mulk Babri, and he accepted that arduous task, while those who appointed them plumed themselves on the courage and