Ascends his father's throne — assists the King of Berar to wage war with the King of Ahmudnuggur — is defeated, with the loss of all his military train, including elephants — obtains the aid of his uncle, Bahadur Shah of Guzerat — attends Baha­dur Shah throughout the campaign against Ahmudnuggur. — Termination of the war. — Meeran Mahomed Khan assists Bahadur Shah in the campaign in Malwa — is present at his final overthrow at Mundsoor — retires to Kandeish — assists the governor of Malwa to recover that country from the Moguls. — Bahadur Shah of Guzerat dies. — Meeran Ma-homed Khan is raised to the throne of Guzerat, under the title of Meeran Mahomed Shah — his death.

AFTER the death of Adil Khan II. he was succeeded by his son Meeran Mahomed Khan. Shortly after his accession to the government, Imad Shah, King of Berar, and Boorhan Nizam Shah of Ahmudnuggur, were engaged in war with each other; and the former having lost his country, came to Boorhanpoor; when both Imad Shah and Meeran Mahomed Khan of Kandeish wrote to Bahadur Shah of Guzerat, requesting his interference in adjusting the differences with the King of Ahmudnuggur. Bahadur Shah, in consequence, deputed Ein-ool-Moolk, the governor of Puttun, to proceed to Boorhanpoor, and en­deavour to mediate a peace. Boorhan Nizam Shah consented to an amicable adjustment of affairs for the present, in order to meet the wishes of the court of Guzerat; but shortly after the return of Bahadur Shah's ambassador, he attacked and took the fort of Mahoor, and reduced several other districts in Berar. In consequence of

A. H. 934.
A. D. 1527.

this, in the year 934, Imad-ool-Moolk entered into a league with Meeran Ma-homed Khan of Kandeish, who marched with all his army and elephants to the assistance of Imad-ool-Moolk, and joined him near the Godavery river. In a few days after an action took place with Boorhan Nizam Shah, in which the latter was defeated; but Imad-ool-Moolk, elated with his success, permitted his troops to disperse in search of plunder. This afforded the enemy an opportu­nity to rally; and Boorhan Nizam Shah, charging with a body of three thousand cavalry among the confederates, not only recovered the public property he had formerly lost, but captured several of the Kandeish elephants. Many of the Kandeish troops, too, were killed; and the late victorious army of Imad-ool-Moolk being routed, was closely pursued for upwards of eight miles. Meeran Ma-homed Khan took the route of Aseer, while his ally, Imad-ool-Moolk, fled to Gavulgur, from whence they both wrote an account of their disaster to Bahadur Shah of Guzerat. After repeated solici­tations, the King of Guzerat marched in person to Boorhanpoor, and from thence, accompanied by Meeran Mahomed Khan and Imad-ool-Moolk, en­tering the Deccan, penetrated as far as Jalna with­out resistance. On arriving there Bahadur Shah took measures for occupying Berar for himself, and threatened, by removing Imad-ool-Moolk, to place his own officers in the government. Imad-ool-Moolk, on discovering his intentions, consulted with Meeran Mahomed Khan what was to be done. The latter said, “This is the natural consequence of “calling in foreign aid at all; and the only remedy “to be now pursued is to read the prayers, and to “coin money, in the name of the King of Guzerat, “and to style yourself a tributary and servant of his “government.” However humiliating the proposal, Imad-ool-Moolk did not hesitate to adopt Meeran Adil Khan's advice. He therefore proposed it to Bahadur Shah, and recommended him to march immediately to Ahmudnuggur for the same pur­pose. This pleased Bahadur Shah so much that he agreed to the whole arrangement, and pro­ceeded, accompanied by the Berar and Kandeish troops, towards Ahmudnuggur, where (as has been formerly related in the Guzerat history) the public prayers were read in the name of the King of Guzerat. After this campaign Bahadur Shah proceeded to Baroach, and Meeran Mahomed Khan and Imad-ool-Moolk retired to their respec­tive capitals.

A. H. 939.
A. D. 1532. In the year 939, Bahadur Shah marched towards Malwa for the purpose of subjugating that kingdom, in which campaign Meeran Mahomed Khan was present at the reduction of the fort of Mando; after which he returned to Boorhanpoor. Boorhan Nizam Shah of Ahmudnuggur, alarmed at the occupa­tion of the kingdom of Malwa, deputed an ambas­sador to Meeran Mahomed Khan, professing great regard for him, and requesting his interference with the King of Guzerat, to reconcile some dif­ferences which existed between them.*

Bahadur Shah, in the following year, marched to Boorhanpoor, where he was met by Boorhan Nizam Shah, on whom he conferred the white canopy and scarlet pavilion; after which the latter returned to Ahmudnuggur and the former to Malwa. Meeran Mahomed Khan also accompanied the King of Guzerat in his expedition against Chittoor, and was with him in his retreat before the arms of Hoo-mayoon Padshah to Mando. After the occupation of Guzerat by Hoomayoon, that monarch sent one of his principal officers, called Asuf Khan, to levy contributions in the Deccan, and was himself on his march towards Boorhanpoor, which he no doubt intended to occupy: but the sudden irruption of Sheer Shah from Bengal into the Dehly territory obliged Hoomayoon to return through Malwa to­wards Agra. At that time Bahadur Shah made an effort to recover Guzerat, and requested Meeran Mahomed Khan to invade Malwa at the same time, and expel the Dehly officers. Meeran Mahomed Khan did so; and in concert with Mulloo Khan, the late Guzerat governor of Malwa, took pos­session of Mando. While Meeran Mahomed Khan was there, information reached him that Bahadur Shah * had sipped of the cup of martyrdom from the hands of the infidel Portuguese at Diù, and that his mother, in concert with the nobles of Guzerat, had proclaimed Meeran Mahomed Khan of Kandeish king. A deputation shortly after arrived at Mando for the purpose of escorting him to Guzerat. Meanwhile he was formally crowned at Mando, and assumed the title of Meeran Ma-homed Shah; but his reign was of short duration; for on the journey to Ahmudabad he was taken

Zeekad 13.
A. H. 942.
May 4.
A. D. 1535.

dangerously ill, and died suddenly on the 13th of Zeekad, A. H. 942. His body was conveyed to Boorhanpoor, and interred in the vault of his father, Adil Khan II.