Mahmood, the son of the Prince Luteef Khan, and who had been confined in Aseer for many years, is raised to the throne — is basely assassinated by his minion Boorhan.
ON the death of Meeran Mahomed Shah, there
remained no heir to the crown of Guzerat excepting
Mahmood Khan the son of Luteef Khan,
nephew of the late Bahadur Shah, by whose order
he had been confined under Meeran Mahomed
Khan Farooky at Boorhanpoor, because during his
uncle's reign he once aspired to the crown. In this
state of affairs, the Guzerat nobles deputed Mokbil
Khan, the brother of Yekhtiar Khan, to Boorhan-
Zeekad 10.
A. H. 944.
April 5.
A. D. 1538.
Boorhanpoor for Guzerat on the 10th of
Zeekad, in the year 944, and was formally
crowned at Ahmudabad, and Yekh-
A. H. 947.
A. D. 1540.
Ahmudabad. In the year 947, Duria
Khan, on learning that Imad-ool-Moolk
was again raising troops, marched against
him, and the latter being defeated fled to Aseer,
and placed himself under the protection of Meeran
Moobarik Khan Farooky, who espoused his cause.
Mahmood Shah Guzeratty now marched into Kan-
The King, perceiving his degraded condition,
made his escape one night to Dundooka, the
jageer of Alum Khan Lody, who espousing his
cause, collected a force of four thousand cavalry,
while Duria Khan, in concert with Mohafiz Khan
and some other of his relations, elevated a poor
creature of low origin to the throne under the title
of Moozuffur Shah, exercising authority in his
name. In order to conciliate the nobility, their
estates were enlarged, the salaries of public officers
were increased, and the pretender with his minister
marched with an army to Dowluka, where they
were opposed by Alum Khan, who making a desperate
charge on the advance of the enemy dispersed
it; but on penetrating to the main body, after
a bloody action he was obliged to retreat, not
having more than five horsemen left with him. In
this dilemma, however, he had presence of mind to
escape without notice, and reaching the fort of
Dowluka, circulated a report that Duria Khan
being defeated had fled to Ahmudabad, but that
as part of his army still remained firm, it became
necessary to secure the gates of the fort. Duria
Khan's officers hearing he had fled, lost no time
in going over to the opposite party; and he,
who conceived he had gained a victory, was surprised
to discover that many of his officers had
joined the King. Finding affairs had taken this
unfavourable turn, Duria Khan conceived it prudent
to retire to Boorhanpoor, from whence he
eventually joined Sheer Shah at Dehly. Alum
Khan, seeing himself without rivals, thought of
nothing else than of usurping the crown of Guzerat;
but the King, penetrating his design, obliged
him to fly, and he also joined Sheer Shah. The
King having now recovered his authority, caused
a city to be built within twelve coss of Ahmud-
In this reign the fort of Surat, on the shore of the
sea of Ooman, was completed by Suffy Agha Toork,
commonly called Khoodabunda Khan, before which
time the Europeans were in the habit of attacking
the Mahomedans along that coast. They made
several attempts to prevent the building of the
fort of Surat, and even brought armed vessels
to effect their purpose, but they were generally defeated.
The work is strong and well constructed.
On the two sides opposed to the land is a ditch
sixty feet wide; and the curtain, which is sixty
feet high, has a rampart thirty-five yards in
width. The whole of the masonry is connected
either by bars of iron or lead. Within the town is
a beautiful building four stories high, which the
Hindoos call Chowkunda, and the Europeans
compare it to a Portuguese palace. Finding they
could not prevent by force the construction of
the fort, the Portuguese offered large sums of
money to induce Khoodabunda Khan not to
fortify Surat, but their gold was rejected. Mah-
year 961, when he was put to death by Dowlut, at the instigation of one Boorhan, while reposing on his couch. The cause which led to this transaction will be found in the following account of the life and adventures of Boorhan: —
Boorhan was the Pesh Nimaz (private chaplain)
of Mahmood Shah. The King having reason to
be offended with him caused him to be built up in
a mud-wall, leaving his head only exposed, with the
intention of allowing him to be starved to death.
Shortly after, the King passing the place, his eyes fell
on Boorhan, and being still alive he made a bow,
which induced the King to order him to be
dug out; but the contraction of the clay and
long fasting had reduced him, and bruised him
to that degree that it became necessary to preserve
him for a considerable time in cotton, during
which the King's physicians attended him until he
recovered. In spite of the King's mercy, however,
Boorhan always bore malice against his sovereign,
and secretly sought his life. Sometime
after, during a hunting excursion, the King again
became offended with Boorhan. As it is customary
in the courts of all monarchs to be in favour at one
time and in the back-ground at another, Boorhan
was again submitted to degradation, and a second
time pardoned. On his return from hunting
one day the King lay down on a couch, and it
occurred to Boorhan that the present afforded a
favourable opportunity for revenge. This officer
while in favour at court was intrusted with the
command of a band of two hundred men, called
the Tiger-killers, no man being embodied in that
corps who had not killed a tiger. With this band
he hoped to have his revenge, and suggested to his
own nephew, Dowlut, that it would be easy to
kill the King while asleep, and by that means Boor-
Dowlut assenting to the proposal, and being in
the habit of combing the King's hair, which he
wore very long, he made preparations for fumigating
it according to custom; but finding that
the King slept soundly, he tied his locks to the bedpost,
and severed his head from his body. The
deed being done, Boorhan conceiving he might
now reach the throne, took measures accordingly;
and having ordered, in the King's name, ten of the
tiger-killers into a private apartment, gave them
instructions to put to death all who came in. The
first persons summoned were Khoodabunda Khan
and Asuf Khan, who the moment they entered
were put to death. The executioners supposed
they acted by the King's orders, and the nobles
imagined they were going to a private audience.
Many officers thus fell victims to the snare, till at
length Etimad Khan being sent for, he refused to
go, as also Afzul Khan, an old nobleman, upwards
of seventy years of age. Boorhan pretending that
the King was offended with Khoodabunda Khan
and Asuf Khan, had ordered them to be executed,
and stated that Mahmood Shah had appointed
Afzul Khan prime minister. To support this
assertion he sent Afzul Khan an honorary dress;
but the old man, suspecting treachery, refused to
wear it till he saw the King. On this, Boorhan,
taking him into the private apartment, where the
King lay weltering in his blood, said, “Thus have I
“slain him, and thus have I killed many of the
“most powerful nobles, but I now appoint you my
“minister.” Afzul Khan was so affected and
shocked at the spectacle, that he burst indignantly
into the most virulent curses and imprecations on
the head of the wretch who addressed him; and
Boorhan, stung with shame, and boiling with rage,
drew his sword, and slew that venerable nobleman
on the spot. The wretch then addressing the executioners,
gave them large presents and titles,
and himself sat on the throne, apparently glorying
in the bloody scene; after which he continued
to lavish large sums of money till the following
morning. Next day he gave the elephants and
horses of the royal stables to fellows of the lowest
description, endeavouring by this means to obtain
popularity. The death of the King was no sooner
known at the capital than Imad-ool-Moolk, Anwur
Khan Abyssinian, and many other officers, assembled
a force, and marched to dethrone Boorhan,
who came forth to oppose them, having the white
canopy borne over his head, and followed by the
populace on whom he had bestowed the royal
treasures. The conflict was short but sanguinary.
On the first charge of the cavalry the mob was
dispersed; and the assassin, who styled himself
Boorhan Shah, was among the slain; after which his
body was dragged through the streets at the foot
of an elephant. The reign of Mahmood Shah lasted
eighteen years, three months, and some days. In
the same year, also, died Sulim, the son of Sheer
Shah of Dehly, and Nizam Shah, the King of Ah-
Mahmood Shah was considered a just prince, fond of encouraging literature, particularly punctual in keeping public festivals, and liberal in the distribution of charity.
The most remarkable work of his age is the park wall, * fourteen miles in circumference, on the banks of the Kary, in which was plenty of game, and many pleasure-houses. Mahmood carried his fancy to such lengths, in the embellishments in this park, as to clothe the trunks of many of the trees round the pleasure-houses with green and scarlet velvets. He left no heir, having given positive instructions to all the attendants in the seraglio, that when any of the ladies became pregnant, medicines should be administered to produce abortions, rather than incur the necessity of infanticide after birth; for he conceived this to be the only means of securing himself from the attacks of his children. It is worthy of remark, that he permitted Etimad Khan, originally a Hindoo slave, who persuaded the King he had destroyed his virility by the use of camphor, to reside within the seraglio without restraint.
The following lines, commemorating the date of the death of the three kings who died in this year, were written by the author's father, Gholam Ally Hindoo Shah: —
Three kings met with destruction in the same year,
By whose wise rule Hind was the abode of prosperity.
The first was Mahmood Shah of Guzerat,
Who like his own state was in his full prime.
The second was Islam Shah, King of Dehly,
Who in his vast domain was a type of Alexander.
The third was Nizam-ool-Moolk Bheiry,
Who in the territory of the Deccan was an example to other
princes.
As to the period when these three sovereigns died,
Why ask it of me? “It was the destruction of kings.”*