Ahmad Shah I, born Ahmad Khan, was a ruler of the
Muzaffarid dynasty, who reigned over the
Gujarat Sultanate
The Gujarat Sultanate (or the Sultanate of Guzerat), was a Medieval Indian kingdom established in the early 15th century in Western India, primarily in the present-day state of Gujarat, India. The dynasty was founded by Sultan Zafar Khan Mu ...
from 1411 until his death in 1442. He was the grandson of Sultan
Muzaffar Shah who has been variously described as a Tank
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
or a
Khatri
Khatri is a caste of the Indian subcontinent that is predominantly found in India, but also in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the subcontinent, they were mostly engaged in mercantilistic professions such as banking and trade, they were the d ...
convert from
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
who had founded the Gujarat Sultanate in 1407.
Early life
Ahmad Shah was born to
Muhammad Shah I
Muhammad Shah I, born Tatar Khan, was a ruler of the Muzaffarid dynasty, who reigned over the Gujarat Sultanate briefly from 1403 to 1404 disposing his father Muzaffar Shah I.
Early life
About 1396, Zafar Khan's son Tatar Khan, leaving his bag ...
alias Tatar Khan who was a son of
Muzaffar Shah I
Muzaffar Shah I, born Zafar Khan, was the founder of the Muzaffarid dynasty who reigned over the Gujarat Sultanate from 1391 to 1403 and later again from 1404 to 1411. Originally from Punjab,
he was appointed as the governor of Gujarat by Tug ...
. Muhammad Shah I was probably killed by his uncle Shams Khan in favour of his father Muzaffar Shah when he imprisoned him.
According to ''Mirat-i-Ahmadi'', he abdicated the throne in favour of his grandson Ahmad Shah in 1410 due to his failing health. He died five months and 13 days later. According to ''Mirat-i-Sikandari'', Ahmad Shah was going to an expedition to quell the rebellion of
Kolis
The Koli is an Indian caste found in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir states in India. Koli is an agriculturist caste of Gujarat but in coastal areas the ...
of Ashawal. After leaving Patan, he convened an assembly of Ulemas and asked a question that should he took retribution of his father's unjust death. Ulemas replied in favour and he got the written answers. He returned to Patan. Ahmad Shah succeeded him with the title of Nasir-ud-dunya Wad-din Abul fateh Ahmad Shah at the age of 19 in 1411.
Reign
War of succession
![008Ahmad shah1-5](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/008Ahmad_shah1-5.JPG)
Soon after assuming power, his cousin Moid-ud-din Firuz Khan, governor of
Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capita ...
, allying himself with Hisam or Nizam-ul-Mulk Bhandari and other nobles, collected an army at
Nadiad
Nadiad is a city in the state of Gujarat, India and the administrative centre of the Kheda district. The city is managed by the Nadiad Municipality. It is known for the Santram Mandir, the Mai Mandir, , and, laying claim to the crown, defeated the king's followers. Jivandas, one of the insurgents, proposed to march upon Patan, but as the others refused a dispute arose in which Jivandas was slain, and the rest sought and obtained Ahmad Shah's forgiveness. Moid-ud-din Firuz Khan went to
Khambhat
Khambhat (, ), also known as Cambay, is a city and the surrounding urban agglomeration in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once an important trading center, but its harbour gradually silted up, and the maritime trade moved ...
and was there joined by Masti Khan, son of Muzaffar Shah, who was governor of
Surat
Surat is a city in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The word Surat literally means ''face'' in Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of the river Tapti near its confluence with the Arabian Sea, it used to be a large seaport. It is now ...
; on Ahmad Shah's advance they fled from Khambhat to
Bharuch, to which fort Ahmad Shah laid siege. As soon as the king arrived, Moid-ud-din's army went over to the king, and Masti Khan also submitted. After a few days Ahmad Shah sent for and forgave Moid-ud-din, and returned to Asawal (future
Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad ( ; Gujarati: Amdavad ) is the most populous city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. Ahmedabad's population of 5,570,585 (per t ...
). Moid-ud-din was moved from
Vadodara
Vadodara (), also known as Baroda, is the second largest city in the Indian state of Gujarat. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Vadodara district and is situated on the banks of the Vishwamitri River, from the state capita ...
to
Navsari
Navsari is the ninth biggest city in the state of Gujarat in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Navsari District. Navsari is situated between Surat & Mumbai. Navsari is a twin city of Surat. It is located 37 km south of Sura ...
.
Foundation of Ahmedabad
Ahmad Shah, while camping on the banks of the
Sabarmati river, saw a hare chasing a dog. The sultan was intrigued by this and asked his spiritual adviser for explanation. The sage pointed out unique characteristics in the land which nurtured such rare qualities which turned a timid hare to chase a ferocious dog. Impressed by this, the sultan, who had been looking for a place to build his new capital in the centre of his domain.
In the following year (1413–14 AD) Ahmad Shah defeated Asha Bhil, chief of Asawal.
Ahmad Shah laid the foundation of the city at the site of Asawal on 26 February 1411
(at 1.20 pm, Thursday, the second day of
Dhu al-Qi'dah
Dhu al-Qa'dah ( ar, ذُو ٱلْقَعْدَة, ', ), also spelled Dhu al-Qi'dah or Zu al-Qa'dah, is the eleventh month in the Islamic calendar.
It could possibly mean "possessor or owner of the sitting and seating place" - the space occupied w ...
,
Hijri year
The Hijri year ( ar, سَنة هِجْريّة) or era ( ''at-taqwīm al-hijrī'') is the era used in the Islamic lunar calendar. It begins its count from the Islamic New Year in which Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Yathrib ...
813
) at
Manek Burj
Manek Burj, also spelled Manek Buraj () is the foundation bastion of Bhadra Fort in the old city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The Burj is associated with legendary saint Maneknath.
Etymology
Manek Burj is named after the legendary 15th centu ...
. He chose it as the new capital on 4 March 1411. Ahmad Shah, in honour of four Ahmads: himself, his religious teacher Shaikh Ahmad Khattu Ganj Baksh, and two others, Kazi Ahmad and Malik Ahmad, named it Ahmedabad.
The new capital was surrounded by the
Bhadra Fort.
He built
Ahmad Shah's Mosque and
Jama Mosque (1424) in Ahmedabad.
Consolidation of Sultanate
During 1414, Moid-ud-din Firuz Khan and Masti Khan again revolted, and, joining the Rao of
Idar State
Idar State, also known as Edar, was a princely state located in present-day Gujarat state of India. During the British era, it was a part of the Mahi Kantha Agency, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency.
History
Idar State was a pr ...
, took shelter in that fortress. A force under Fateh Khan was despatched against the rebels, and finally Firuz Khan and the Rao of Idar were forced to flee by way of
Kheralu
Kheralu is a city and a municipality in Mehsana district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is a little north of Mahesana Proper town and it is approximately half the size of
Mehsana.
History
A Bodhisattva sculpture from 3rd-4th century CE was ...
. Moid-ud-din now persuaded Rukn Khan governor of
Modasa
Modasa is a town and a municipality in Aravalli district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Modasa was named after the Bhil chieftain Malaji Bhil, who ruled in Modasa during 1466.
Modasa became headquarters of new Aravalli district, carved out ...
, fifty miles north of Ahmedabad, to join. They united their forces with those of Badri-ula, Masti Khan, and Ranmal-the Rao of Ídar and encamped at Rangpura, an Ídar village about five miles from Modasa and began to strengthen Modasa and dig a ditch round it. The Ahmad Shah camped before the fort and offered favourable terms. The besieged bent on treachery asked the Ahmad Shah to send Nizam-ul-Mulk the minister and certain other great nobles. The Sultan agreed, and the besieged imprisoned the envoys. After a three days’ siege Modasa fell. Badri-ula and Rukn Khan were slain, and Firuz Khan and the Rao of Ídar fled. The imprisoned nobles were released unharmed. The Rao seeing that all hope of success was gone, made his peace with the king by surrendering to him the elephants, horses and other baggage of Moid-ud-din Firuz Khan and Masti Khan, who now fled to Nagor, where they were sheltered by Shams Khan Dandani. Ahmad Shah after levying the stipulated tribute departed. Moid-ud-din Firuz Khan was afterwards slain in the war between Shams Khan and Rana Mokal of
Chittor
Chittorgarh (also Chittor or Chittaurgarh) is a major city in Rajasthan state of western India. It lies on the Berach River, a tributary of the Banas, and is the administrative headquarters of Chittorgarh District. It was a major stronghold ...
. In 1414–15 AD, Uthman Ahmed and Sheikh Malik, in command at Patan, and Sulaiman Afghan called Azam Khan, and Ísa Salar rebelled, and wrote secretly to Sultan
Hushang
Hushang Help:IPA/English">hʊ'ʃəŋ.html" ;"title="Help:IPA/English.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Help:IPA/English">hʊ'ʃəŋ">Help:IPA/English.html" ;"title="nowiki/>Help:IPA/English">hʊ'ʃəŋor Hōshang (in ), Middle Persian 𐭤𐭥𐭱𐭭𐭢 ...
of
Malwa Sultanate
The Malwa Sultanate ( fa, ) (Pashto: ; ''lit: Mālwā Salṭanat'') was a late medieval Islamic sultanate in the Malwa region, covering the present day Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and south-eastern Rajasthan from 1392 to 1562. It was fo ...
, inviting him to invade Gujarat, and promising to seat him on the throne and expel Ahmad Shah. They were joined in their rebellion by Jhala Satarsalji of Patdi and other chiefs of Gujarat. Ahmad Shah despatched Latif Khan and Nizam-ul-Mulk against Sheikh Malik and his associates, while he sent Imad-ul-Mulk against Sultan Hushang, who retired, and Imad-ul-Mulk, after plundering Malwa, returned to Gujarat. Latif Khan, pressing in hot pursuit of Satarsal and Sheikh Malik, drove them to Sorath. Ahmad Shah returned to Ahmedabad.
;Sorath and Junagadh
Sorath was ruled by
Chudasama
The Chudasama are a Rajput clan found in the state of Gujarat in India. They are offshoot of the Samma tribe of Sind. The Chudasama dynasty of Junagadh once ruled Thatta of Sind and Chudachandra laid foundation in Gujarat with Junagadh
...
king Ra
Mokalasimha
Ra Mokalasimha, also known as Muktasimha, was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1384 CE to 1396 CE ( VS 1440 to VS 1452). He ruled from Junagadh and later moved his capital to Vanthali when Saurashtra came ...
. He had to move the capital from Junagadh to
Vanthali
Vamansthli (Vanthli)is a city and a municipality in Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Demographics
India census, Vanthali had a population of 21,891. Males constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Vanthali has an avera ...
due to order from the
Governor of Gujarat
The governor of Gujarat Is a nominal head and representative of the president of india In the state of Gujarat. The governor is appointed by the president for a term of five years and resides in Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar. Acharya Devvrat took ...
Zafar Khan (grandfather of Ahmad Shah) on behalf of
Delhi Sultan Firuz Shah Tughluq
Sultan Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1309 – 20 September 1388) was a Muslim ruler from the Tughlaq dynasty, who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388. . Zafar Khan had occupied his capital
Junagadh
Junagadh () is the headquarters of Junagadh district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Located at the foot of the Girnar hills, southwest of Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar (the state capital), it is the seventh largest city in the state.
Literally t ...
in 1395-96. In 1414, his son
Meliga
Ra Meliga, also known as Melaga or Maleka, was a Chudasama king of Saurashtra region of western India who reigned from 1400 CE to 1416 CE ( VS 1456 to VS 1472). He remove his capital from Vanthali back to Junagadh, from which place he expelled t ...
regained Junagadh and also gave refuge to some of rebels (probably Jhala chief Satrasal). This irked Ahmad Shah and he attacked Sorath. Ahmad Shah won pitched battle at Vanthali in 1413. Later he imposed siege of Junagadh in 1414. Meliga retired to the hill fortress of
Girnar
Girnar is an ancient hill in Junagadh, Gujarat, India.
Geology
Mount Girnar is a major igneous plutonic complex which intruded into the basalts towards the close of the Deccan Trap period. The rock types identified in this complex are ga ...
. Ahmad Shah, though unable to capture the hill, gained the fortified citadel of Junagaḍh. Finding further resistance vain, the chief tendered his submission, and Junagaḍh was admitted among the tributary states. Several other Sorath chief also submitted. Sayad Abul Khair and Sayad Kasim were left to collect the tribute, and Ahmad Shah returned to Ahmedabad.
[ ][ ]
![Ruins of the Rudra Mala at Siddhpur, Gujarat, retouched](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Ruins_of_the_Rudra_Mala_at_Siddhpur%2C_Gujarat%2C_retouched.jpg)
The partially damaged
Rudra Mahalaya Temple
The Rudra Mahalaya Temple, also known as Rudramal, is a destroyed/desecrated Hindu temple complex at Siddhpur in the Patan district of Gujarat, India. Its construction was started in 943 AD by Mularaja and completed in 1140 AD by Jayasimha S ...
of
Siddhpur was further destroyed and the western part of it converted into a congregational mosque (Jami mosque) by him in 1415.
From Siddhpur, he advanced to Dhar in Malwa. Hindu kings believed that he is attacking Hindu pilgrimage places to bolster his image. So they formed an alliance in 1416 which included
Idar
Idar may refer to:
People
* Idar Andersen (born 1999), Norwegian road racing cyclist
* Idar Kreutzer (born 1962), Norwegian businessperson
* Idar Kristiansen (1932–1985), Norwegian poet, novelist, short story writer and non-fiction writer
* ...
,
Champaner,
Zalod
Jhalod (also written as Zalod) is a large town of historical and commercial importance.Also it is second largest City after Dahod.Jhalod serves as administrative headquarters of Jhalod Taluka in Dahod District, Gujarat, India. It is situated on ...
and
Nandod
Nandod is one of the 182 Legislative Assembly constituencies of Gujarat state in India. It is part of Narmada district and is reserved for candidates belonging to the Scheduled Tribes. The seat came into existence due to the delimitation exer ...
. Sultan Hushang Shah of
Malwa
Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also syno ...
also agreed to help them.
In 1399, Ahmad aka Malek II, the ruler of
Khandesh
Khandesh is a geographic region in Central India, which includes parts of the northwestern portion of Maharashtra as well as Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh.
The use of Khandeshi Language (a.k.a. the Ahirani Language) is prevalent in t ...
died. He had divided his kingdom in his princes. Nasir was given east part while Iftikhar aka Hasan was given west. Nasir established
Burhanpur
Burhanpur'' is a historical city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the administrative seat of Burhanpur District. It is situated on the north bank of the Tapti River and northeast of city of Mumbai, southwest of the state's capi ...
in 1400 and also won nearby fort of Asir from Hindu king. Hasan settled in Thalner. Nasir won Thalner from Hasan and imprisoned him, with help of his relative Hushang Shah of Malwa, before he receive help from Ahmad Shah. Nasir attacked and imposed siege of Nandarbar and Sultanpur of Gujarat Sultanate in 1417. Ahmed sent an expedition against Nasir of Asir under Malik Mahmud Barki or Turki and left for Modasa. When the Malik reached Nandoḍ he found that Gheirat Khan had fled to Malwa and that Nasir had retired to Thalner. The Malik advanced, besieged and took Thalner, capturing Nasir whom Ahmed forgave and dignified with the title of Khan.
The alliance of Hindu kings rebelled knowing that Ahmad Shah is busy in his expedition against Nasir. As Ahmad Shah returned quickly and went to Modasa, the rebellion broke and all kings returned to their states including Hushang Shah. After quelling these rebellions Ahmad Shah despatched Nizam-ul-Mulk to punish the jhala rajput ruler of
Mandal
A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
near
Viramgam
Viramgam is a town and former princely state in the Indian state of Gujarat. The town is located in the Ahmedabad district, which contains the city of Ahmedabad, the state's largest city. Gateway Distriparks notably flagged off the first export ...
, and himself marched to Malwa against Sultan Hushang in 1418. He reached
Ujjain
Ujjain (, Hindustani pronunciation: d͡ːʒɛːn is a city in Ujjain district of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the fifth-largest city in Madhya Pradesh by population and is the administrative centre of Ujjain district and Ujjain ...
where both armies fought battle. Ahmad Shah won and Hushang Shah took refuge in
Mandu. In November 1419, he imposed siege on
Champaner (
Pavagadh
Pavagadh is an ancient Triassic Period location with Enriched History from periods of Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga.
In present day, Pavagadh is a municipal operated region in Panchmahal district about away from Vadodara in Gujarat state in wes ...
) but later the king Trimbakdas of Champaner relented and agreed to give annual tribute in February 1420. Ahmad Shah later attacked and ravaged
Sankheda
The town of Sankheda in Chhota Udaipur district is known for its lacquer work. The work is done on country wood which, being brown, gives darker shades.
It is known for its handcrafted furniture, which is made from teak wood. This furniture ...
-Bahadurpur in March 1420. He built a fort at Sankheda and a mosque within the fort; he also built a wall round the town of Mangni, and then marched upon Mandu. On the way ambassadors from Sultan Hushang met him suing for peace. Ahmad Shah later forgave Hushang Shah. On returning towards Champaner, again laid waste the surrounding country. He returned to Ahmedabad in May 1420.
In 1420-21, he started building and repairing forts and establishing military outposts to strengthen state from attacks. He built the forts of
Dahod
Dahod is a city on the banks of the Dudhimati River in Dahod District in the State of Gujarat, India. It is said that it has taken its name from Saint Dadhichi, who had an Ashram on the bank of Dudhumati river. The city serves as District ...
on the Malwa frontier and of Jitpur in
Lunawada. In 1421 he repaired the fort in the town of Kahreth, otherwise called Meimun in Lunavaḍa, which had been built by Ulugh Khan Sanjar in the reign of Sultan
Ala-ud-din Khalji
Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrativ ...
and changed the name to Sultanpur. In December 1421, he advanced against Malwa and took the fort of Mesar. He attacked and received tributes from other border states before he reached Mandu in March 1422. Hushang Shah was in Jajnagar (
Orissa
Odisha (English: , ), formerly Orissa ( the official name until 2011), is an Indian state located in Eastern India. It is the 8th largest state by area, and the 11th largest by population. The state has the third largest population of S ...
) at that time. After 48 days of unsuccessful siege and several clashes, Ahmad Shah had to moved to Ujjain in May due to incoming monsoon. He again imposed siege in September 1421 but Hushang Shah had returned to Mandu with large number of war elephants from Orissa. Ahmad Shah left Mandu knowing that it would be difficult to win. He moved and camped Sarangpur when he was reached by ambassadors sent by Hushang Shah for treaty of peace. Ahmad Shah agreed but, on the night of 26 December 1421, an army of Hushang Shah attacked the camp. Ahmad Shah repelled the attack but had to endure heavy casualty. Hushang Shah took refuge in fort of Sarangpur. Ahmad Shah again laid siege to Sarangpur. Failing to take the fort, Ahmad Shah decided to return Ahmedabad on 7 March 1423 but he was chased by an army of Hushang Shah. Both armies met and after fierce battle, Ahmad Shah won. He returned to Ahmedabad on 23 May 1423.
Idar and Ahmadnagar
He spent next two years without any wars and focused on administration and agriculture development. He had known that Rao Punja of
Idar State
Idar State, also known as Edar, was a princely state located in present-day Gujarat state of India. During the British era, it was a part of the Mahi Kantha Agency, within the Gujarat Division of Bombay Presidency.
History
Idar State was a pr ...
had held talks with Hushang Shah during the last battles. He attacked Idar in 1425. Rao Punja left to hills but the state was ravaged. To keep permanent check on Idar, Ahmad Shah established town of Ahmadnagar (now
Himatnagar
Himatnagar or Himmatnagar is a municipality in Sabarkantha district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the district. The city is on the bank of the river Hathmati.
History
Himatnagar was founded in 1426 b ...
), on the banks of the
Hathmati river
The Hathamati River is a river of western India, in Gujarat, whose origin is in the Aravali Range hills. It is one of the left-bank tributaries of the Sabarmati River. The Hathmati river system includes the Hathamati Dam near Himatnagar. The Gu ...
, eighteen miles south-west of Idar in 1426 and completed its fort in 1427. Rao Punja left in hiding but kept attacking soldiers and supplies of Sultanate. In 1428, Rao Punja died in ambush with soldiers. In 1428, Ahmad Shah ravaged Vishalnagar (now
Visnagar
Visnagar is a city and a municipality in Mehsana district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Visnagar is also a taluka capital.
History
"Visnagar" named after its founder king Visaladev from Ajmer Dynasty was founded in 953 on the auspicious day ...
) and ordered to capture all domains of Idar. He later made peace with Harrai, son of Punja, and reverted his state to him on condition of tribute. Ahmad Shah had to again attack and capture Idar in November 1428 when Harrai did not pay tribute. He took the fort and built also an assembly mosque.
Fearing that their turn would come next the jhala rajput king of
Zalawad and Kanha apparently chief of
Dungarpur
Dungarpur is a city in the southernmost part of Rajasthan, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dungarpur District. It is the fastest developing town in the southern part of Rajasthan, alongside Aspur ''tehsil''.
History
Dungarpu ...
fled to Nasir Khan of Asir. Nasir Khan gave Kanha a letter to Ahmad Shah Bahmani, to whose son Ala-ud-din Nasir's daughter was married, and having detached part of his own troops to help Kanha they plundered and laid waste some villages of Nandurbar and Sultanpur. Sultan Ahmed sent his eldest son Muhammad Khan with Mukarrabul Mulk and others to meet the Dakhanis who were repulsed with considerable loss. On this Sultan Ahmed Bahmani, under Kadr Khan Dakhani, sent his eldest son Ala-ud-din and his second son Khan Jehan against the Gujaratis. Kadr Khan marched to
Daulatabad and joining Nasir Khan and the Gujarat rebels fought a great battle near the pass of Manek Puj, six miles south of Nandgaon in
Nasik. The confederates were defeated with great slaughter. The Dakhan princes fled to Daulatabad and Kanha and Nasir Khan to Kalanda near Chalisgaum in south
Khandesh
Khandesh is a geographic region in Central India, which includes parts of the northwestern portion of Maharashtra as well as Burhanpur District of Madhya Pradesh.
The use of Khandeshi Language (a.k.a. the Ahirani Language) is prevalent in t ...
.
Mahim and Baglan
In 1429, on the death of Kutub Khan, the Gujarat governor of the island of
Mahim (now neighbourhood of
Mumbai
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
),
Ahmad Shah of
Bahmani Sultanate smarting under his defeats, ordered Hasan Izzat, otherwise called Malik-ut-Tujjar, to the
Konkan
The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...
and by the Malik's activity the North Konkan passed to the Deccans. On the news of this, Ahmad Shah sent his youngest son
Zafar Khan, with an army under Malik Iftikhar Khan, to retake Mahim. A fleet, collected from
Diu,
Ghogha
Ghogha is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the state of Gujarat, India. It is situated on the mid-western bank of the Gulf of Khambhat. It was an important historical commercial port on the Arabian Sea until the development of nearby Bha ...
and
Khambhat
Khambhat (, ), also known as Cambay, is a city and the surrounding urban agglomeration in Anand district in the Indian state of Gujarat. It was once an important trading center, but its harbour gradually silted up, and the maritime trade moved ...
sailed to the Konkan, attacked
Thane
Thane (; also known as Thana, the official name until 1996) is a metropolitan city in Maharashtra, India. It is situated in the north-eastern portion of the Salsette Island. Thane city is entirely within Thane taluka, one of the seven taluk ...
by sea and land, captured it, and regained possession of Mahim.
In 1431, Ahmad Shah advanced upon
Champaner, and Ahmad Shah Bahmani, anxious to retrieve his defeat at Mahim, marched an army into and
Baglan, and laid it waste. This news brought Ahmad Shah back to Nandurbar. Destroying Nandod he passed to Tambol, a fort in Baglan which Ahmad Shah Bahmani was besieging, defeated the besiegers and relieved the fort. He then went to Thane, repaired the fort, and returned to Gujarat by way of Sultanpur and Nandurbar. In 1432, after contracting his son Fateh Khan in marriage with the daughter of the Rai of Mahim to the north of Bassein (now Vasai), Ahmad Shah marched towards Nagor, and exacted tribute and presents from the Raval of Dungarpur. From Dungarpur he went to
Mewad
Mewar or Mewad is a region in the south-central part of Rajasthan state of India. It includes the present-day districts of Bhilwara, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Rajsamand, Udaipur, Pirawa Tehsil of Jhalawar District of Rajasthan, Neemuch and Man ...
, enforcing his claims on
Bundi
Bundi is a city in the Hadoti region of Rajasthan state in northwest India and capital of the former princely state of Rajputana agency. District of Bundi is named after the former princely state.
Demographics
According to the 2011 Indian cens ...
and
Kota, two Hara Rajput states in south-east Rajputana. He then entered the Delvada country, levelling temples and destroying the palace of Rana Mokalsingh, the chief of Chittor. Then he invaded Nagor in the country of the Rathoḍs, who submitted to him. After this he returned to Gujarat, and during the next few years was warring principally in Malwa, where, according to ''Farishtah'', his army suffered greatly from pestilence and famine.
Death
![Ahmed Shah, Mausoleum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Ahmed_Shah%2C_Mausoleum.jpg)
Ahmed died in 1442 in the fifty-third year of his life and the thirty-third of his reign and was buried in the mausoleum,
Badshah no Hajiro, near
Manek Chowk, Ahmedabad.
His after-death title is ''Khudaigan-i-Maghfur'' the Forgiven Lord.
His queens were buried at
Rani no Hajiro, just opposite his mausoleum.
Legacy
He is honoured for his bravery, skill, and success as a war leader as well as for his piety and his justice. His piety showed itself in his respect for three great religious teachers: Sheikh Rukn-ud-din, the representative of Sheikh
Moinuddin Chishti
Chishtī Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan Sijzī (1143–1236 CE), known more commonly as Muʿīn al-Dīn Chishtī or Moinuddin Chishti, or by the epithet Gharib Nawaz (),Blain Auer, "Chishtī Muʿīn al-Dīn Ḥasan", in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, TH ...
, the great Khwajah of
Ajmer
Ajmer is one of the major and oldest cities in the Indian state of Rajasthan and the centre of the eponymous Ajmer District. It is located at the centre of Rajasthan. It is also known as heart of Rajasthan. The city was established as "' ...
; Sheikh Ahmed Khattu who is buried at
Sarkhej Roza
Sarkhej Roza is a mosque and tomb complex located in the village of Makarba, 7 km south-west of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, India.
Although there are many ''rozas'' across Gujarat, the Sarkhej Roza is the most revered. Sarkhej was once a ...
, Ahmedabad; and the Bukharan Sheikh Burhan-ud-din known as Kutbi Alam the father of the more famous Shah Alam.
Of Ahmed's justice two instances are recorded. Sitting in the window of his palace watching the
Sabarmati in flood Ahmed saw a large earthen jar float by. The jar was opened and the body of a murdered man was found wrapped in a blanket. The potters were called and one said the jar was his and had been sold to the headman of a neighbouring village. On inquiry the headman was proved to have murdered a
grain merchant
The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...
and was hanged. The second case was the murder of a poor man by Ahmed's son-in-law. The Kazi found the relations of the deceased willing to accept a blood fine and when the fine was paid released the prince. Ahmed hearing of his son-in-law's release said in the case of the rich fine is no punishment and ordered his son-in-law to be hanged.
Notes
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmad Shah I
1442 deaths
Gujarat sultans
1389 births
15th-century Indian monarchs