The Hindú chronicles record that in the year 802 of Bikramájit, corresponding with A. H. 154* Saráj* kindled the torch of independence and Gujarát became a separate state. Rájá Sri Bhor Deva ruler of Kanauj put to death one of his dependants, named Sámat Singh for his evil disposition, disloyalty and disorderly conduct, and seized his possessions. His wife was pregnant at the time, and urged by dis­tress, she fled to Gujarát and in an uninhabited waste gave birth to an infant. It happened that a Jain* devotee named Saila Deva passing that way took compassion on the child and committed it to the charge of one of his disciples who took it to Rádhanpúr, and brought it up with tender solicitude. When he grew to manhood, associating with wicked reprobates. he fell to outrage and highway robbery and a gang of free­booters was formed. He plundered the Gujarát treasure on its way to Kanauj, and through the good fortune that attended him, he was joined by a grain merchant* called Chámpá. Wisdom guided his sword and from works of evil he inclined to deeds of good till in the fiftieth year of his age, he acquired the sovereignty of the state, and founded Paṭṭan. It is said that he long deliberated regarding the site of his capital and was diligent in search of a suitable place. A cowherd called Anhil informed him that he knew an excellent site which he would show on condition that the king would call the city after his name. His offer being accepted, he directed them to a wooded spot where a hare, he narrated, had grappled with a dog and by sheer strength of limb had got away. The Rájá founded the city there and named it Anhilpúr. Astrologers have predicted that after the lapse of 2,500 years, 7 months, 9 days, and 44 gharis, it shall be in ruins. Through the corruption of language and syllabic change it came to be called Nahrwálah, but as in the tongue of that country ‘chosen’ is rendered ‘Paṭṭan,’ it became universally distinguished by that name.

Rájá Sámant Singh gave his daughter in marriage to Sri Ḍanḍak Solanki, a descendant of the Delhi princes. She died when on the point of giving birth, but a son was by a surgical operation taken from her womb. The moon at the time was in the sixteenth* mansion termed by the Hindús Múl, and hence he was named Múlráj. Rájá Sámant Singh adopted him as his own son and watched over his education. When he grew up, he entered into a conspiracy with some evil-disposed persons. The Rájá in a fit of drunkenness abdicated in his favour, but on becoming sober recalled his promise which so infuriated this miscreant that he slew his bene­factor and assumed the sovereignty. During the reign of Rájá Chámand A. H. 416 or 1064 of the era of Bikramájít,* Sulṭán Maḥmúd of Ghazni conquered this country, but on leaving, he found no fitter person on whom he might confer the government than a descendant of the royal line, and having arranged for the annual payment of a tribute, he returned by way of Sind. What is remarkable is that at the desire of this prince he carried with him captive another scion of the same family. After a time, either through fear or foresight, the captive's restoration was solicited by the same prince who went out to meet him as he approached his territory in order that intriguers might not secure his favour. On the day that they were to meet, the Rájá fell asleep for a short space under a tree, when an animal of prey tore out an eye. At that time a blind man being incapacitated from reigning, the ungrateful soldiers substituted the cap­tive prince in his place and placed the Rájá in confinement.*

Kumárpál Solanki through fear of his life lived in retirement, but when the measure of Jai Singh's days became full, he came forth from the wastes of disappointed ambition and seated himself on the throne and considerably enlarged his dominions. Ajaipál wickedly poisoned his sovereign and for a fleeting gratification has acquired eternal abhor­rence.

Lakhmúl having no issue, the worthiest representative of the Baghélah tribe was chosen as sovereign.

During the reign of Karan, the troops of Sulṭán Alá u'd dín overran Gujarát. Karan, defeated in the field, fled to the Deccan. Although previous to this time Muizz u'd dín Sám* and Kuṭb u'd dín Eibak had made expeditions into the country, it was not until the reign of Alá u'd dín that it was formally annexed to Delhi.

In the reign of Muḥammad, son of Fírúz Sháh, Nizám Mustakhráj, called also Rásti Khán,* was appointed to the government of Gujarát, but his injustice becoming oppressive, he was removed and the viceroyalty was conferred on Zafar Khán son of Wajíh u'l Mulk Tánk. The former governor disloyally rebelling, was killed in the field. The events of this time may be gathered from the history of the Delhi sovereigns. His son Tátár Khán was a man of base character and in whom wicked­ness was ingrained. At this period after the death of Sulṭán Muḥam­mad when the throne of Delhi devolved on Sulṭán Maḥmúd, consider­able anarchy prevailed. Zafar Khán withdrew from affairs and Tátár Khán assumed royal state and marched against Delhi, but was poisoned at the instigation of his father* who coming forth from his retirement had the Khuṭbah read and the coin struck in his own name, and was proclaimed under the title of Sulṭán Muzaffar.* Gujarát thus became an independent kingdom and the government of the province was established in the Tánk family. The father of Zafar, Wajíh u'l Mulk had been a Brahman and was converted to Islám. Aḥmad the son of Tátár Khán conspired against the life of his grandfather and took possession of the throne thus garnering eternal perdition. Aḥmadábád was founded by him. With deep design and meditated hypocrisy he with­drew himself from all worldly pageantries till at a festival when all suspicion was laid asleep in the midst of universal enjoyment, he put to death twelve of his uncles. Subsequently he applied himself with earnestness to the duties of his government and was filled with continual remorse, and to his last breath set himself to a just and capable adminis­tration of the state.

When Dáúd Khán* was deposed on account of his incapacity, Faṭḥ Khán son of Muḥammad Sháh was raised to the throne and was proclaimed as Sulṭán Maḥmúd (I). He distinguished himself by his recognition of merit* and by his justice, and girt himself with the fence of munificence and liberality. Malik Shạbán who held the title of Ịmád u'l Mulk was of the utmost service to him.* In the beginning of his reign some of the wealthy favourites conspired against the life of their lord and in the first instance plotted the overthrow of this judicious and sincere counsellor. Like intriguers as they were, they conveyed false allegations to the king, and as the worldly-minded are suspicious of each other, he imprisoned this peerless denizen of the world of faith and purposed putting him to death. He was on the point of being condemned when Malik Abdu'llah the superintendent of the elephants who had the royal ear, revealed the innocence of his faithful minister and the designs of the conspirators. The king skilfully contrived his escape and, the veil of their pretence being rent asunder, the miscreants took to arms. The royal guard and the slaves together with the officers in charge of the elephants made a stand against them, and the elephants themselves proved of service in chastising the rebels. Disgracefully routed, these disloyal subjects met with just retri­bution. At Maḥmúd's death, his son Muzaffar Sháh, with the assistance of the nobles, ascended the throne and assumed the title of Sulṭán Muzaffar (II). His reign was beneficent. Sháh Ismạíl of the Súfi dynasty of Persia sent him as presents the choicest goods of Iráḳ* and he in turn courteously reciprocated his acknowledgments. On his decease, his son succeeded him under the title of Sulṭán Sikandar. In a short time he was wickedly done to death by Ịmád u'l Mulk who raised his brother Naṣír Khán to the throne. The nobles plotted to displace him. The king appealed for succour to His Majesty Báber and engaged to surrender to him the port of Díb (Diu) with its dependencies and several krórs of tankahs, if he would advance in aid with his victorious troops. On account of his former ungrateful con­duct, his offer was refused.* At this juncture, Báhadur the son of Sulṭán Muzaffar came from Delhi at the invitation of the Bábriyas* and the nobles joined his standard. During his father's reign he was unable to remain at court through the envy borne towards him by his brother (Sikandar) He, therefore, betook himself to Sulṭán Ibrahim Lodi at Delhi and was received with favour. The nobles of Jaunpúr invited him to be their king, and his intentions were inclined that way, when at this time his partisans wrote to him from Gujarát and entreated his acceptance of the throne. He willingly set out for the capital and being successful, he made his administration prosperous by his justice and liberality. Carried away by the intoxication of worldly success, he imprudently engaged in a war with Humayún, and being defeated, sullenly withdrew in discomfiture.*

At his death, Mirán Muḥammad ruler of Khándesh, his nephew, whom during his lifetime he had constituted his heir, was in his absence pro­claimed in the khutbah by the nobles, but died shortly before reaching Gujarát. Maḥmúd, grandson of Sulṭán Muzaffar, who was then in con­finement, succeeded him. A miscreant called Burhán with some of his adherents put him to death* and under pretence of establishing a rightful succession, massacred twelve of the nobles. Ịtimád Khán prudently absented himself on the occasicn, and next morning collecting his followers, attacked him and put him to the death he deserved. He then set up one Razí u'l Mulk by name a descendant of Sulṭán Aḥmad, I, under the title of Sulṭán Aḥmad (II) as a nominal sovereign and took the government into his own hands. But when the boy grew to manhood, he altered his purpose and carrying him to the house of one of his adherents, he slew him and then leading some unknown minor by the hand, swore upon oath that he was the son of the last Sulṭán Maḥmúd (II). By fraudful allegations, he bestowed on him the sovereign authority and giving him the title of Sulṭán Muzaffar, he himself assumed the reins of power, until his present Majesty threw the shadow of justice over the province and annexed this prosperous country to the imperial dominions.