Espouses the daughter of the Raja of Idur — exacts tribute from the Raja of Dongurpoor — attacks the Raja of Champanere, who obtains aid from the King of Malwa. — Mahomed Shah retreats. — Invasion of Guzerat by the Malwa troops. — The pusillanimity of Mahomed Shah — flies to Diù — is poisoned by his queen at the instance of his officers.

THE Prince Mahomed, the eldest son of the late king, succeeded his father, under the appella­tion of Mahomed Shah, and immediately after, having marched to Idur, espoused the daughter of the Ray, to whom he restored his ancient rights in that district. Thence proceeding to Dongurpoor, he exacted tribute from the Raja, and returned to Ahmudabad.

A. H. 853.
A. D. 1449. In the year 853 he marched towards the fort of Champanere, where being opposed by the Raja Gungadas, he defeated and compelled him to seek refuge in his capital. Gungadas, thus situated, wrote to Sooltan Mahmood Khiljy of Malwa, stipulating for the payment of a lack of tunkas of silver to his army for every march. Sooltan Mahmood, in consideration of the pecuniary subsidy, and smart­ing with resentment under the treatment he had experienced in the beginning of his reign from the late king of Guzerat, assented, and in the end of the same year marched towards Champanere.

Mahomed Shah, having lost many of the carriage-cattle of his army during the campaign, no sooner heard of the advance of Sooltan Mahmood than he set fire to the greater part of his heavy bag­gage, and commenced his retreat to Ahmudabad, in spite of the earnest remonstrances of his officers.

A. H. 855.
A. D. 1451.

Some time afterwards (in the year 855), when Sooltan Mahmood of Malwa, perceiving the timidity of the present sovereign of Guzerat, advanced with a force of one hundred thousand men, with the resolution to conquer and annex it to the kingdom of Malwa, Mahomed Shah, so far from opposing him, en­deavoured to retreat to the island of Diù; but the Guzerat officers, feeling for their character, resolved to cut him off, and instigated his own wife to administer poison to him.*

Mahomed Shah reigned eight years, nine months, and four days, having obtained, during that period, the name of Kurreem, or the Merciful, an appella­tion to which, from his mild nature, he seems to have been entitled.