Ahmud Shah retains his predecessor's ministers — assigns to the late King's son a palace for his residence — collects an army of observation on his northern frontier, and marches south against Dew Ray, Raja of Beejanuggur. — The Raja of Wurungole makes common cause with Dew Ray, but subsequently withdraws his army. — Dew Ray attacked by surprise — is taken prisoner, but effects his escape. — Ahmud Shah lays waste the territory of Beejanuggur.—A band of Hindoos vow to assassinate him — he is surrounded, and narrowly escapes with his life. — Grievous famine in the Deccan. — The King takes Wurungole, and slays the Raja. — A diamond mine discovered at Kullum. — The King of Malwa attacks the Raja of Kehrla, who applies for aid to Ahmud Shah Bahmuny. — War with the King of Malwa, in which the latter is defeated. — Peace concluded. — The King of Malwa renews the attack on Kehrla — the Raja is killed in action. — War renewed by Ahmud Shah. — Peace mediated by the Ruler of Kandeish. — The King dies.
AHMUD SHAH understood well the administration of civil and military affairs. Following the policy of his brother, he paid great deference to Syuds, and to all learned and holy men, neglecting nothing for their benefit and advantage. In the early part of his reign, on account of the predictions made by Syud Mahomed Geesoo-duraz, he showered favours on that venerable personage; and as the people generally follow the example of their King, the inhabitants of the Deccan chose him for their guide in religious affairs, so that his residence became a place of pilgrimage to all sects. The King withdrew his favour from the family of Sheikh Siraj-ood-Deen, and conferred it on that of the holy Syud, to whom he granted in perpetuity several towns, villages, and extensive lands near Koolburga, and built for him a magnificent college not far from the city; and in the present day, though the country has passed from the family of Bahmuny to that of the kings of Beejapoor, yet most of the estates given by the former princes are still in possession of the Syud's descendants. The people of the Deccan have such a respect for the saint, that a Deccany, on being once asked whom he considered the greatest personage, the Prophet Mahomed or the Syud, replied, with some surprise at the question, that although the Prophet was undoubtedly a great man, yet Syud Mahomed Geesoo-duraz was a far superior order of being.
From the moment Ahmud Shah ascended the
throne, he turned all his attention to improve his
army, in order to be revenged of the Ray of Bee-
The late King's son, Hussun Khan, though legal heir to the sovereignty of the Deccan, was (contrary to the opinions of the King's ministers, who advised his being strictly confined or put to death,) appointed an ameer of five hundred; and the palace of Ferozabad was assigned to him for his residence, with an ample estate; permission was also granted for him to hunt or take his pleasure within eight miles round his palace, without being restricted as to time or ceremony. As this Prince was entirely devoted to his pleasures, he was more satisfied with the liberty of indulging in them than with the charge of the government. While his uncle lived, he enjoyed his ease, and no difference ever occurred between them; but he was afterwards blinded and kept confined to the palace of Ferozabad.
When Ahmud Shah had by his virtues impressed on the minds of his people an attachment to his government, he stationed a strong force on the northern frontier of his dominions, in the direction of Guzerat, to prevent invasions from that quarter, and then marched towards the Carnatic with forty thousand horse. Dew Ray, without delay, collected his troops; and inviting the Ray of Wurungole to come to his assistance, marched with a numerous army to the banks of the Toongbudra, in the hope of extirpating the Mahomedans.
Ahmud Shah, arriving on the opposite bank, surrounded his camp with carriages, according to the Turkish practice, to prevent the enemy's infantry from making night-attacks, and halted there for forty days; during which time his light troops laid waste all the country of Dew Ray on the north bank of the river. By these manœuvres the King hoped to tempt the Hindoos to cross the stream and give him battle on the ground where he had taken post, which he regarded as advantageous, but all his efforts to this end failed. At length, weary of delay, the King called a council of war, and finding his officers unanimous for crossing the river, and attacking the enemy on their own ground, he resolved on doing so the next morning. It is proper to mention that the Ray of Wurungole had previously deserted his ally, and withdrawn his troops. Lody Khan, Adam Khan, and Dilawur Khan, marched during the night, and fording the river at a distance, reached the environs of the enemy's camp at day-light. The Ray was then sleeping, attended only by a few persons, in a garden, close to which was a thick plantation of sugar-cane. A body of the Mahomedans entered the garden for plunder, and Dew Ray, being alarmed, fled, almost naked as he was, into the sugar-cane plantation. Here he was found by the soldiers, who taking him for a villager, loaded him with a bundle of canes, and obliged him to run with it before them. Dew Ray, perceiving he was undiscovered, took up the burden readily, hoping that he should be released when he reached the enemy's camp, or be able to effect his escape.
They had not gone far, when an alarm spread through the camp of the Hindoos, that Ahmud Shah had crossed the river, and that the Ray was missing. The King entered the lines without opposition; and the soldiers who had taken Dew Ray, hoping to obtain more valuable plunder than sugar-cane, hastened to join their comrades, leaving him to shift for himself. Dew Ray fled, unnoticed, and about noon came up with some of his officers, by whom he was recognised, and received with great joy. His army now began to re-assume some kind of order; but as he regarded the late accident as an ill omen, he laid aside all idea of engaging in the field, and fled to Beejanuggur.
Ahmud Shah, without waiting to besiege the
Hindoo capital, overran the open country; and
wherever he went put to death men, women,
and children, without mercy, contrary to the compact
made between his uncle and predecessor,
Mahomed Shah, and the rays of Beejanuggur.
Whenever the number of slain amounted to
twenty thousand, he halted three days, and made
a festival in celebration of the bloody event. He
broke down, also, the idolatrous temples, and
destroyed the colleges of the bramins. During
these operations, a body of five thousand Hindoos,
urged by desperation at the destruction of their
religious buildings, and at the insults offered to
their deities, united in taking an oath to sacrifice
their lives in an attempt to kill the King, as the
author of all their sufferings. For this purpose,
they employed spies to observe his motions, that
they might seize the first opportunity of accomplishing
their end. It happened that Ahmud Shah
while one day hunting, in the eagerness of the
chase separated from his attendants, and advanced
nearly twelve miles from his camp. The devoted
infidels, informed of the circumstance, immediately
hastened to intercept him, and arrived in sight of
him when even his personal attendants, about two
hundred Moguls, were at some distance. The
King, perceiving his enemies, galloped on in hopes
of gaining a small mud inclosure, used as a fold
for cattle, which stood on the plain; but he was
so hotly pursued, that some broken ground intervening,
he was unable to cross it before his
pursuers came up. Luckily for the King, some
of his archers arriving at this instant, the enemy
were checked, and the King had time to reach the
enclosure. The infidels attempted to enter, and a
sharp conflict ensued: the faithful repeated the
creed of Islam, and swore to die rather than submit.
On this occasion, Syud Hussun Budukhshy, Meer
Ally Seestany, Meer Ally Kabully, and Abdoolla
Koord, distinguished themselves greatly, and became
entitled to the King's lasting gratitude. The little
band being mostly killed or wounded, the assailants
advanced close to the wall, which they began
to break down with pickaxes and crowbars, so that
the King was reduced to the last extremity of distress.
At this critical juncture Abdool Kadur, the
King's armour-bearer, made his appearance, with
a body of troops, with whom he had left the
camp in search of his master. The infidels by this
time had effected a wide breach, and were fighting
hand to hand, when they found their rear suddenly
attacked. The King now sallied from his position
with his retainers, and after a severe conflict defeated
the enemy, with the loss of a thousand men.
Of the Mahomedans about five hundred were slain.
Thus Ahmud Shah, by the providential aid afforded
by Abdool Kadur, was raised, as it were, anew
from the abyss of annihilation to the enjoyment
of sovereignty. It is a remarkable coincidence,
and worthy of observation, that both the Hindoo
and Mahomedan sovereigns, at the head of
armies opposed to each other, should fall into
such danger during the same campaign, and
that both should escape uninjured. Ahmud Shah,
on his return to camp, raised Abdool Kadur to
the rank of an officer of two thousand, and made
him governor of Berar, — he also conferred on
him the title of Khan Jehan; to which he added
the appellations of life-bestowing brother, and
faithful friend. Abdool Luteef, his brother, was
also raised to the same rank, with the title of Azim
Khan. All those persons who had any share in
the King's deliverance were amply rewarded with
titles and gifts. As the Mogul archers had been
of great use on this occasion, he gave orders to
Mullik-oot-Toojar to form a body of three thousand,
composed of the natives of Irak, Khorassan, Mawur-