Sultán Kutbu-d-dín, son of Mohammed Sháh I., was residing at Nariád at the death of his father. He ascended the throne in the month of Muharram, A. Hij. 855, at the request of the ministers and nobles; and, as had been the cus­tom of his ancestors, conferred honorary dresses and presents on the soldiers.

At this time, Mahmúd-Khiljí, king of Málwa, leaving his capital, moved an army towards Gujarát, with the intention of subduing that country. After tarrying some time in the neighbourhood of Sultánpúr, Mahmúd Khiljí advanced by way of Baroda, where he plundered the neighbourhood; and, hearing that Kutbu-d-dín had encamped at Khánapúr, on the banks of the river Mahindrí, advanced on Ahmadábád by way of Kapparwanj. The armies met near the last town, when the king of Málwa,* suffering a defeat, fled. This

A. Hij. 856,
22d Feb.
A.D. 1452.

happened on Friday the first day of Safar, A. Hij. 856, A.D. 1452; and, on the first day of Zú-l-hijjah of that year, the saint Burhán-ud-dín Kutbu-l-Álam died.

When Mahmúd Khiljí advanced to the con­fines of Gujarát, several writers of the civil department, it is said, who had been neglected by Sultán Kutbu-d-dín, went to the presence of the king of Málwa; and he, asking them for the paper containing the divided appropriation of property, in the country of Gujarát, perceived that one-third was assigned over to the military for services, the other was the government share, and the remainder was given in charity to Inamdárs and religious establishments. On this occasion, Mahmúd Khiljí observed that the conquest of Gujarát would be a difficult business, as it has an army always ready to defend it.

Kutbu-d-dín, thus victorious and prosperous, returned to Ahmadábád, and completed the mausoleum of the holy Ganj Bakhsh, which his father, Sultán Mahmúd, had founded. He also completed at that time several other celebrated works: such as the tank (reservoir of water), at Kankriyah, the garden called Nugínah, and the edifice called Ghattámandal.

The author of the Mirát Sikandarí says that, some years previous to the composition of his history, he had seen all these works; but, at the present, the only ones remaining are the reser­voir at Kankriyah and the garden before-mentioned.

Sultán Kutbu-d-dín, having formed a confederacy with Mahmúd Khiljí of Málwa, in the year of the Hijra 861, A.D. 1456-7, advanced with an army against Ráná Kúmbha, who had endeavoured to seize on the territory of Nagore; at which time, the former first conquered the fort of Abú. From thence he advanced to Kúm­bhalmír, with the intention of taking it, but only plundered the neighbouring districts.

The Ráná at this time had gone to Chitore; and, the Sultán having also advanced in that direction, the former came out of Chitore, with forty thousand horsemen, and fought against him for fifty days. Ráná Kúmbha, being at length obliged to fly, took refuge in the fort of Chitore; and sending ambassadors to the Sultán to ask pardon, agreed to pay tribute, and stipulated to not again molest Nagore. The peti­tion of the ambassadors was at last granted; and, the Sultán returning to his capital, Mah­múd Khiljí* went to Málwa.

The Ráná,* soon after, having broken the treaty, advanced with an intention of plundering Nagore, of which Malik Shában Imádu-l-Mulk (the then Wazír) gaining intelligence, sent for­ward the Sultán post haste to Kúmbhalmír; and the Ráná, being apprized of this circum­stance, returned to his own territory.

The Sultán a second time went with his army against Sirohí; and, after attacking and plun­dering the Ráná's country in that direction, returned to Gujarát, and died on the 6th of the

13th May,
A.D. 1459.

month of Rajab, A. Hij. 863, A.D. 1458-9. He was buried in the mausoleum of Sultán Ahmad, and by the side of his father. The length of his reign was eight years, six months, and sixteen days. There are other accounts given regarding the manner of the Sultán's death, which may be found in the Mirát Sikan­darí .