Ashruf Khan, reduced to great distress, applied once more for assistance to Mahmood Shah of Gu­zerat; promising, if he would relieve him from the attacks of Ahmud Nizam Shah, to read the public prayers at Dowlutabad in his name, and to pay him annual tribute. Mahmood Shah tempted by these offers, returned with a large army to the bank of the Tapty, upon which Ahmud Nizam Shah raising the siege retired to his capital. Ashruf Khan, agreeably to his promise, read the Khootba in the Kootb-ood-Deen mosque at Dowlutabad in the name of Mahmood Shah of Guzerat; and going to his camp made him valuable presents, which he agreed to renew every year as his vassal; and Mah-mood Shah, after collecting tribute from Adil Khan of Boorhanpoor, returned to his own dominions. His retreat was no sooner communicated to Ahmud Nizam Shah than he again marched to Dowlutabad, where he found the garrison so indignant at the idea of becoming tributary to the King of Guzerat that they sent word to Ahmud Nizam Shah of their devotion to him, of which they would soon afford him a convincing proof. He received this intima­tion when he reached the Godavery; upon which, having made a forced march with three thousand men, he surrounded Dowlutabad by daylight on the following morning. Mullik Ashruf, on dis­covering the disaffection of his troops (who were principally Marrattas), appeared deeply affected, and being taken suddenly ill, died in five days; when the garrison delivered up the keys into the hands of the King of Ahmudnuggur. He now entered the fort, gave orders for the necessary re­pairs, and established therein a garrison of his own troops. On his return to Ahmudnuggur, he built a citadel round the Bagh Nizam, in which he erected a palace of red stone. During this year, also, he reduced the forts of Antoor and other places in Kandeish, and compelled the rajas of Galna and Buglana to pay him tribute.

A. H. 913.
A. D. 1507. In the year 913, Dawood Shah Fa-rooky of Boorhanpoor dying, disputes arose concerning the succession. Mullik Hissam-ood-Deen, one of the principal officers of his government, solicited the aid of Ahmud Nizam Shah in favour of Alum Khan, while Mahmood Shah Guzeratty had resolved to place his nephew, Meeran Adil Khan, the son of Hussun Khan Farooky, on the musnud; for which purpose the King of Guzerat marched towards Kandeish. In the mean time, Mullik Larun, a third competitor for the throne, having possession of the fort of Aseer, refused to acknowledge the supremacy of either of the Farooky princes. Ahmud Nizam Shah and Imad-ool-Moolk Gavully had just reached Boorhanpoor, when they discovered the real state of affairs; and having heard that Mahmood Shah Guzeratty, with a considerable force, had abso­lutely arrived at Talnere on the Tapty, the allies consented to leave four thousand cavalry each to assist Alum Khan, and themselves fell back on Gavulgur. These troops, however, soon after de­serting the cause of Alum Khan, the campaign ended by the Deccan allies retreating to their capitals; and Ahmud Nizam Shah was shortly after joined by Alum Khan, who came thither to crave his protection. On the return of Mahmood Shah to Guzerat, Ahmud Nizam Shah advanced with an army to the frontier, and demanded of Mah-mood Shah of Guzerat that he should give a por­tion of the Kandeish dominions to Alum Khan; but Mahmood Shah treated the ambassadors with indignity, and asked them what right a slave of the Bahmuny king had to write to him as an equal, or meddle with affairs beyond his own threshold? He told them, also, that if their master did not shortly alter his conduct he should be compelled to punish him. Ahmud Nizam Shah, notwith­standing this insulting behaviour, deemed it im­prudent to push the matter farther, and returned quietly with Alum Khan to Ahmudnuggur.

A. H. 914.
A. D. 1508. In the year 914, Nusseer-ool-Moolk, the Vizier, dying, his office was con­ferred on Mookumil Khan Deccany; and two or three months afterwards, the King him­self being taken dangerously ill, he appointed his son Boorhan Nizam, an infant of seven years of age, his successor, and shortly afterwards died.

Though the virtues of this prince exceed all description, yet in compliance with the custom of historians, the author will attempt to relate a few. Among his great qualities were continence and modesty. When he rode through the streets of the city he never looked aside to the right or left, lest his eyes should fall on another's wife. When he was a young man, and marched to reduce the fort of Gawulgur, there was taken among the cap­tives a young lady of exquisite beauty, who was presented as an acceptable gift to him by one of his officers. Ahmud Nizam Shah was charmed with her person, but being told by her that she had a husband, who, with all her family, was among the prisoners, he restrained his desire, and restored her uncontaminated to her friends, with a present. It was his custom, when any of his officers were back­ward on the day of battle, to reward instead of reproaching them. One of his courtiers once taking the liberty of enquiring the cause of this unusual line of conduct, he replied, that he should have an explanation of his motives at some other time. Nor was it long before an officer of this description distinguished himself very much; and having received honorary marks of the King's favour, Ahmud Nizam Shah said to the courtier, “ Princes like masters of the hunt, alone know “how to train for the chase.”

The practice of yekung * (single-stick) was also introduced by this prince, who was himself well skilled in the sword, and delighted much in the exercise; accordingly, as is ever the custom, the people being eager to copy the prince, both high and low devoted themselves to it, and instead of colleges, as is usual in Mahomedan cities, schools for single-sword and wrestling were established in all quarters of the city of Ahmudnuggur. Nothing was talked of but this art in every assembly, till at length things grew to such a pitch in the strife-engendering climate of the Deccan, that people vaunted over their neighbours; and brawls arising between rash young men, they frequently begged to make good their cause before the King, who used to see them combat with swords in his presence; and he who gave the first wound was considered the victor. In consequence of this encouragement, a crowd of young men were in the habit of assembling daily at the palace for the purpose of displaying their skill, till at length a day seldom passed without one or two persons being killed. The King, think­ing it time to discountenance this practice, gave orders, that no more exhibitions of this sort should take place in his presence, though the combatants were at liberty to settle their disputes on the out­side of the town; and it was commanded, that if either party were killed in fair combat, no retali­ation should be required. This vile custom is so congenial to the Mahomedans of the Deccan, that it has spread far and wide from Ahmudnuggur; and it is so fashionable at the present day, that even learned divines and philosophers, as well as nobles and princes, practise duelling; and if their children show any backwardness in this way they do not esteem them as lads of proper spirit. As an in­stance of which, the writer of these pages (Mahomed Kasim Ferishta) saw the following transaction occur in the streets of Beejapoor. Syud Moortuza and Syud Hussun, two brothers whose beards were grey, and who were in high estimation at court, had a trifling dispute with three Deccanies, who were also brothers, who frequented the court, and were also respectable grey-headed men. First, the son of Syud Moortuza, a youth of twenty, en­gaged one of the Deccanies, but was immediately killed. The father and uncle engaged the other two Deccanies, and they were also killed; and before their bodies could be removed and buried, the three opponents died of the wounds they had received, so that, in a few minutes, six respectable persons, who had no real animosity towards each other, were lost to their relatives and to society. The Mahomedans of the Deccan are certainly very expert in the use of the sword, and particularly in single combat; but as they generally practise on foot, and do not accustom themselves to throwing the lance on horseback, they are inferior as cavalry; and their skill is of no avail when acting in masses of infantry, though in private quarrels, and street contentions, they fight like lions.

Since the extinction of the dynasty of Bahmuny this practice has rather been encouraged than dis­couraged by other princes of the Deccan, excepting by Ibrahim Adil Shah II. of Beejapoor, who seems to set his face against the custom; and it is to be hoped, that this abominable habit, which is un­known in any other civilised country in the world, will, by the happy exertions of wise princes like him, be altogether abolished.