In 1534 Malwah incorporated with Gujerát kingdom; in 1568 annexed as a province of Akbar's empire.

It is said that two thousand, three hundred and fifty-five years, five months and twenty-seven days prior to this, the 40th year of the Divine Era*, an ascetic named Mahábáh, kindled the first flame in a fire-temple, and devoting himself to the worship of God, resolutely set himself to the consuming of his rebellious passions. Seekers after eternal welfare gathered round him, zealous in a life of mortification. About this time the Buddhists began to take alarm and appealed to the temporal sovereign, asserting that in this fire-temple, many living things were consumed in flaming fire, and that it was advisable that Brahmanical rites should be set aside, and that he should secure the preservation of life. It is said that their prayer was heard, and the prohibition against the said people was enforced. These men of mortified appetites resolved on redress, and sought by prayer a deliverer who should overthrow Buddhism and restore their own faith. The Supreme Justice brought forth from this fire-temple, now long grown cold, a human form, resplendent with divine majesty, and bearing in its hand a flashing sword. In a short space, he enthroned himself on the summit of power, and renewed the Brahmanical observance. He assumed the name of Dhanji and coming from the Deccan, established his seat of government at Málwah and attained to an advanced age.

When Putráj, the fifth in descent from him, died without issue, the nobles elected Aditya Ponwár his successor, and this was the origin of the sovereignty of this house. On the death of Hemarth in battle, Gandharb, the chosen, was raised to the throne. The Hindús believe that he is the same as Hemarth whom the Supreme Ruler introduced among the celestials in the form of a Gandharb* and then clothed in human shape. Thus he became universally known by this name and prospered the world by his justice and munificence. A son was born to him named Bikramájít who kept aflame the lamp of his ancestors and made extensive conquests. The Hindús to this day keep the beginning of his reign as an era and relate wonderful accounts of him. Indeed he possessed a knowledge of talismans and incantations and gained the credulity of the simple. Chan­drapál obtained in turn the supreme power and conquered all Hindústán. Bijainand was a prince devoted to the chase. Near a plant of the Munja* he suddenly came upon a new-born infant. He brought him up as his own son and called him by the name of Munja. When his own inevitable time approached, his son Bhója was of tender age. He therefore appointed Munja his successor, who ended his life in the wars of the Deccan.

Bhója succeeded to the throne in 541st* year of the era of Bikramájít and added largely to his dominions, administering the empire with justice and liberality. He held wisdom in honour, the learned were treated with dis­tinction, and seekers after knowledge were encouraged by his support. Five hundred sages, the most erudite of the age, shone as the gathered wisdom of his court and were entertained in a manner becoming their dignity and merit.* The foremost of these was Barruj, a second was Dhanpál, who have composed works of great interest and left them to intelligent seekers of truth, as a precious possession. At the birth of Bhója, either through a grave miscalculation of the astrologers or some inadvertence on the part of those who cast his horoscope, the learned in the stars in consultation announced a nativity of sinister aspect. They prognosticated hazard to the lives of such as sympathised with him, and these to save their own, cast this nursling of fortune in the dust of des­titution and exposed him in an inhospitable land. He was there nourished without the intervention of human aid. The sage Barruj, who at that time was not accounted among the learned, having recast his horoscope after profound investigation, foretold the good tidings of a nativity linked to a long life and a glorious reign. This paper he threw in the way of the Rájá, whose heart on reading it, was agitated with the impulse oî paternal love. He convened an assembly of the astrologers, and when the nativity was scrutinised, and it was ascertained where the error lay, he went in person and restored Bhója to favour and opened the eyes of his understanding to the strangeness of fortune. They relate that when the child was eight years old, the short-sighted policy of Munja impelled him to desperate measures and he contemplated putting the innocent boy to death. He entrusted him to some of his trusty followers to make away with him secretly, but these ministers of death spared him, and concealing him, invented a plausible tale. On his taking leave, he gave them a letter telling them to read it to the Rájá in case he should inquire regarding him. Its purport ran as follows:—“How doth darkness of soul in a man cast him out of the light of wisdom, and in unholy machinations stain his hands in the blood of the innocent! No monarch in his senses thinks to carry with him to the grave his kingdom and treasures, but thou by slaying me seemest to imagine that his treasures perpetually endure and that he himself is beyond the reach of harm.” The Rájá on hearing this letter, was aroused from his day-dream of fancied security and brooded in remorse over his crime. His agents, when they witnessed the evidences of his sincerity revealed to him what had occurred. He gave thanks to God, welcomed Bhója with much affection and appointed him his successor. When his son Jayachand's* reign was ended, none of the Poṇwár caste was found worthy to succeed. Jítpal of the Toṇwar caste, who was one of the principal landowners was elected to the throne, and thus by the vicis­situdes of fortune the sovereignty passed into this family. When Kuṇ­warpál died, the royal authority passed into the hands of the Chauháns. During the reign of Maldeva, Shaikh Sháh came from Ghazni and acquired possession of Málwah and lived to an advanced age. At his death his son Alá u'd dín was a minor, and his chief minister Dharm Ráj Súd occupied the throne. As soon as Alá u'd dín came of age, he rose in arms to assert his rights and put to death the disloyal usurper. Jítpal Chauhán, a descendant of Mánik Deva* Chauhán, who was in the service of Kamál u'd dín, under the impulse of malice and in pride of wealth compassed the destruction of his master and in the hope of gain, acquired for himself eternal perdition. Under the rule of Tipparsén,* an intriguing Afghán, getting together some desperate characters as his abettors, laying an ambush for the Rájá, slew him while hunting, and assumed the sovereignty with the title of Jalál u'd dín. Tipparsén had married his son Kharaksén into the family of the Rájá of Kámrúp.* The Rájá, for his eminent services, appointed this adopted son his heir, and when the Rájá died, Kharaksén ascended the throne and to avenge his wrongs marched an army against Málwah and Aálam Sháh was killed in battle.

In the reign of Sakat Sing a prince named Bahádur Sháh advanced from the Deccan and having put the Rájá to death, marched against Delhi and was taken prisoner while fighting against Sulṭán Shaháb u'd dín.

From the time of Sulṭán Ghiyáṣ u'd dín Balban (A. D. 1265) to that of Sulṭán Muḥammad son of Fíroz Sháh (A. D. 1387) no serious weakness in the imperial authority betrayed itself, but on his death the empire of Delhi became a prey to distractions. Diláwar Khán Ghori who had been appointed by him to the government of Málwah, assumed independence. The Sulṭán bestowed the government of four provinces upon four individuals who had been faithful to him in his adversity. To Zafar Khán* he gave Gujerát; Khizr Khán was appointed to Multán; Khwájah Sarwar to Jaunpúr and Diláwar Khán to Málwah. After his death, the time being favourable, each* of the four assumed indepen­dence.

Alp Khán the son of Diláwar Khán was elected to the succession under the title of Hoshang. It is said that his father was poisoned by his order whereby he has gained everlasting abhorrence. Sulṭán Muzaffar of Gujerát marched against him and took him prisoner and left his own brother Naṣír Khán in command of the province. But as he was tyrannous in conduct and ignored the interests of his subjects, Músa, cousin of Hoshang, was raised to the throne. Sulṭán Muzaffar released Hoshang from confinement and despatched him to Málwah in company with his own son Aḥmad Khán, and in a short time he was restored to power. On the death of Muzaffar, he perfidiously marched against Gujerát, but meeting with no success, returned. On several subsequent occasions he attacked Sulṭán Aḥmad of Gujerát but was shamefully defeated.

On one occasion cunningly disguised as a merchant, he set out for Jájnagar.* The ruler of that country accompanied by a small retinue visited the caravan. Hoshang took him prisoner and hastened back. While journeying together, Hoshang told him that he had been induced to undertake this expedition in order to procure a supply of elephants and added that if his people attempted a rescue, the prince's life should pay the penalty. The prince therefore sending for a number of valuable elephants, presented them to him and was set at liberty.