IT being the will of God that the faith and laws of the Prophet should be made known, the sovereignty and power of the tribes already noticed came to an end, and were transferred to the supporters of our pure religion and illustrious law, in order that the light of the exalted faith might shine resplendent as the sun, amidst that dark region of infidelity; and we, by publishing the words of truth, and obeying the commandments of that religion, forbidding us to do evil, might turn away the people from the terrible desert of error, and lead them on the high road of salvation.
In fine, the khutba, or public prayer, was read in the name of Sultán Alá-ud-dín, who was sovereign of Dehlí in the year of the Hijra 696, A D. 1296. At this time, an army was sent into Gujarát, under the command of Alif Khán, (who is called, by the people of Gujarát, Alp Khán,)* and Nusrat Khán Jalesrí; and they having plundered the country about Nahrwálah, Rájá Karan Baghílah, who was the last of the Rájás, gave them battle. Not being able, however, to make a stand against them, the Rájá fled to Deogarh, in the Dekhan, while his women, daughters, treasure, and elephants, fell into the hands of the victors. The two commanders plundered the rich merchants of Kambay; and, having destroyed the idol of Somnáth, which had been again set up after the time of Mahmúd of Ghazní, sent all the effects and women of Rájá Karan to Dehlí, and presented them to the Sultán. The daughter of Rájá Karan, who was named Dewalde, having arrived at Dehlí, Khizr Khán, the son of Alá-ud-dín Khiljí, became enamoured of her beauty; and the circumstance being made known to his father, the latter gave her in marriage to his son, whilst he himself formed an unlawful connexion with the mother of the damsel. Amír Khusrao of Dehlí, in his poem of the loves of Khizr Khán and Dewalde, a book celebrated throughout the world, tells us that Alif Khán took care of Dewalde in her infancy; and, having brought her up with his own family, afterwards married her, in compliance with the Sultán's orders, to Khizr Khán. The following stanzas are extracted from the above-mentioned poem:—
“Dewalde Rání, incomparable among the beauties of Hindústán, was named Dewalde, in the Hindí language, by her mother and father; as the first syllable in the name of that peri was Dew, (an angel in Hindí,) the Magie of Hind guarded her from the Devil (Dew, in Persian). On reflection, therefore, I have changed the name from Hindí to Persian; and, by dropping one letter, have converted Dewal into Dawal. The plural of dawal is daolat'há (possessions), and in this her history, many such are embodied. As the Rání is possessed of wealth and affections, I have made her name Dawal Rání; with which, when the name of her husband became united, the heaven received exaltation in the shadow of both. The name of this book is the Ashukí-Bahr, or the advantage of love between Dawal Rání and Khizr Khán.”
After the conquest of Nahrwálah, and the defeat of Rájá Karan Baghílah, Alif Khán was commissioned to govern the country; and from this time, the rulers of the province were appointed by the Sultáns of Dehlí. Alif Khán, moreover, built the Friday mosque of white marble, which remains at the present time, and the pillars of the same work of his, as known to the common people, are so numerous, that one often makes a mistake in counting them. They also relate that it was once an idol temple converted to a mosque; but it is, in short, a wonderful and noble building; which was then in the centre of the city, though now distant from the part inhabited.
Regarding the greatness and extent of the buildings in the city of Patan during former times, there are yet many visible signs; for, from the present inhabited part to the distance of three coss, the bricks and rubbish, strewed in the jungle, give testimony of these; whilst round towers and ramparts, in different places, indicate where once extended the city. Certainly, in the course of ages, there have been many changes; and, by degrees, the vestiges of many former edifices have been obliterated.
During the period the Rájás held power, so much marble was brought from Ajmír and other places, for building the Hindú temples, that on digging it is now found in abundance. All the marble which has been used at Ahmadábád and other places came from the same place.
In short, Alif Khán governed Gujarát, on the part of Alá-ud-dín Khiljí, for the space of twenty years; but, being recalled towards the latter part of that king's reign, because of the enmity and accusation of Malik Náib, the eunuch, and then Wazír, was unjustly put to death.* Khizr Khán, being accused along with him, was imprisoned in the fortress of Gwalior.; succeeding which, the Sultán, after reigning twenty-one years, died of the dropsy, in the 717th year of the Hij., A.D. 1317. Some say that Malik Náib caused the Sultán to be poisoned; and, that having set aside Khizr Khán's right to the sovereignty, he placed a young boy, Shahábu-d-dín,* on the throne, in whose name, wielding the power and authority of the State, he deprived Khizr Khán of sight. After things continuing in this state for a month and five days, several of the nobles belonging to the former government put Malik Náib to death.