256

13. Purani Asam Buranji , p. 39. 14. S. K. Bhuyan, op . c/7„ p. 50. 15. Purani Asam Buranji , p. 41. 16. S. K. Bhuyan, Anglo-Assamese Relations , Gauhati, 1974, p. 48. 17. Ibid. 18. For details see. L. Devi, Ahom-Tribal Relations , Gauhati 1968, pp. 158, 173. 19. The Daflas used to carry off the Assamese people on their border ana irequently raid their villages. When king Udayaditya Sinha wanted to lead an expedition, he was warned by his Premier : "The Dafla miscreants can be captured only if an elephant can enter into a rat hole"; Asam Buranji obtained from the family of Sukumar Mahanta, p. 124. 20. S. K. Bhuyan, op. cit., p. 38. 21. R. B. Pamberton, Report on the Eastern Frontier of British India , Uauhati, isk> p. 83.

22. Mackenzie, op . cit., p. 15. - _ i «/-/- 23. Cited in P.C. Choudhury, History of Civilization of Assam, uaunau, im pp. 356 f. 24. Robinson, op. cit., p. 244; A. J. Moffatt Mills, Report on the Province oj Assam, Calcutta, 1854, Appendix M. 25. Robinson, op. cit., p. 242. 26. Ibid, pp. 244, 387. ^ 4 * A 27. Ibid, p. 415, F. Hamilton, An Account of Assam, Lraunati, lyw, p. w. 28. Mills, op. cit.. Appendix M. 29. L. Devi, op. cit., p. 271. 30. Mackenzie, op. cit.t p. 10. 31. S. K. Bhuyan, Anglo- As sámese Relation, p. 42. 32. Mackenzie, op. cit., p. 369.

SULTAN AHMED SHAH KHALJI OF - A NEW RULER OF KHALJI DYNASTY OF

S. K. Bhatt

There is hardly any contemporary chronicle which gives the detailed history of the north-eastern region of medieval Malwa during ; II Khalji's reign. Whatever information we get about this ruler is from the sources of the Surs, the Mughals and the Sultans of Gujarat, and that, too, is scanty as well as incomplete. Therefore, for the study of the history of this region one has to rely

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more on numismatic and epigraphical sources. As a result of their study a new ruler of the Khalji dynasty of Malwa has been brought to light.

On Nasir Shah Khalji's death, his third son Mahmud II ascended the throne of Malwa. His accession was challenged first by his eldest brother Shahabuddin and on his death, by shahzada Sahib Khan who assumed the title of Sultan Muhammad, giving rise to a fital civil war in the Sultanate. Consequently, in 917 A. H. rebellious Prince Muhammad succeeded in capturing the fort of Mandu, by setting aside temporarily Sultan Mahmud II Khalji. Thus in 917 A. H. Malwa had two rulers, both claiming authority over the Sultanate, issuing at the same time their own independent currencies 1 Mahmud II Khalji, in his turn sought the help of Medni Rai, the powerful Purbia Chief, and recovered within a few month the lost throne of Malwa. Muhammad II, the rebel Prince, now fled towards Gujarat to seek help from Sultan Muzaffar Shah against Sultan Mahmud II Khalji of Malwa but in vain. Therefore, Muhammad Shah II sought the help of Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of Delhi and with his support re-occupied Chanderi by 920 A. H.2 But within a few weeks he was defeated and driven out of Chanderi by Sultan Mahmud II Khalji's forces. But in view of imminent danger of an attack on Malwa from Sultan Muzaffar Shah II of Gujarat and also from the Lodi rulers of Delhi, Mahmud II Khalji adopted a farsighted policy of patching up differences with Prince Muhammad. But the deceptive attitude of Bihjat Khan seems to have made it futile.3 Thereafter what happened to Muhammad II is not described by contemporary sources. But we do get copper coins of Muhammad II bearing dates 921 and 922 A. H. with a mint mark which has been generally ascribed to the coins issued from Chanderi. From this numismatic evidence we may surmise that Muhammad II continued his hold over Chanderi region upto 921-22 A. H.

The year 923 A. H. witnessed a clash between Sultan Mahmud and his minister Medni Rai. The Sultan went to Gujarat to seek help of Muzaffar Shah against Medni Rai. Consequently Medni Rai went to Rana Sanga to seek his help against Sultan Mahmud II. This clash in which Medni Rai defeated Sultan Mahmud, resulted in the establish- ment of influence in Malwa. It also led to the dismember- ment of the Malwa Kingdon whereby most of the Rajput Chiefs of

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Malwa including Medni Rai and Rai started assuming independence.4

Research works done by M. M. G.H. Ojha followed by Dr. Raghubir Sinh, Dr. G. N, Sharma and Dr. U. N. Day have led us to believe that at this time (924-25 A. H.) Chanderi was occupied by Rana Sanga and was handed over to Medni Rai. M. M. Ojha in support of his view has quoted a reference from Nama 5 which describes the position of India in 1526-28 A. D. and not 1519 A. D. Dr. Raghubir Sinh relying solely on M. M. Ojha's view has reproduced it verbatim.* Dr. Day has also expressed similar views but failed to quote the source of his information.7

The study of contemporary historical sources like Babur Nama Tabqat-i-Akbari , Tarikh-i-Firishta and Tar ikh-i- Badami reveals that in the first quarter of the 16th century Chanderi became the most vulnerable part of the Malwa Kingdom. It attracted the attention of the Lodi rulers of Delhi. The rebellious attitudes of the Shahzadas of Malwa gave opportunities to the Lodis to interfere in Malwa politics. In 913 A. H. Shahabuddi'n, the son of Nasiruddin Khalji, rebelled and went to the court of Sikandar Lodi to seek help against his father and Sikandar Lodi promised all sort of help provided Shahabuddin would surrender Chanderi to the Lodies in return.8 Two years later, in 915 A. H., Muhammad Khalji, the grandson ofNasir Shah, being affraid of his grandfather sought Sikander Lodi's protection and the Sarkar of Chanderi was assigned as Jagir and an order was issued to Shahzada Jalal Khan that he should help and support Muhammad II so that Muhammed II might not suffer any injury from the armies of Malwa Sultan.9 In 916 A.H. Bahjat Khan, the Governor of Chanderi, whose ancestors had been the subjects of the Badshah of Malwa, on account of the weakness Sultan Mahmud Malwi and the decay of the government, came into relation with the Sultan by sending presents. The Sultan sent Imad-ul-Mulk Badah towards Chanderi that, he, in concert with Bahjat Khan, might have the public prayers read in Sultan's name in Chanderi and its neighbourhood.10 Later, on the orders of the Sultan, Shahzada Muhammad Khan, the grandson of Sultan Nasir-ud-din Malwi, was interned in the city; and the domi- nion of the territory was confirmed to him as before, but all the powers passed into their hands.11 After the death of Sikandar, Ibrahim

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Lodi appointed Shaikhzada Manjhu (Muhammad Farmuli) to take charge of and protect the fort of Chanderi and to be the Peshwa (Guardian or Minister) of Shahzada Muhammad, the grandson of Sultan Nasir-ud-din Malwi.12 Thus by 923-24 before the advent of the in Malwa, Chanderi was more or less under the influence of the Lodis.

A recently discovered inscription from Piranpur dated 926 A. H. provides further information about the history of Chanderi not menti- oned in any contemporary chronicle. The epigraph contains the name of the then reigning Sultan of the land, Piranpur Chanderi, Ahmed Shah son of Muhammad II the descendant of the Khalji rulers reigaing at Mandu Fort. The epigraph bears the date Monday 1. Dhu'l-Qa'da 926 - (13th Oct., 1520 A.D.).13 The inscription thus supplies new information about existence of a sovereign principality on the northern border of the Malwa Kingdom. The inscription is fixed into the left side of the step-well of Gachaw Baori , situated to the north west of the village Piranpur, about three miles east of Chanderi.14 Similarly another epigraph from Chanderi dated 9 Ramadan 930 A. H. provides the information that during Ibrahim Lodi's reign Shara- fu'l Mulk was the Muqta of the Chanderi Shiq. He must have succeeded to part, if not whole, of the Chanderi jagir of Miyan Husain Farmuli.15

The recent discovery of some numismatic data from D. L. Johari's collection at Indore has further added information about the history of Chanderi for the years 931-933 A.H. Copper coins in the traditional square pattern of Malwa coinage with a legend on the obverse, Sultan bin Sultan* and on the reverse, 'Ibrahim Shah bin Sikandar Lodi, bear the date 931 and 933 A. H. The study of these coins makes it clear that between 931-933 A.H. Chanderi region was under Ibrahim Lodi. 16 Thus the study of numismatic and epigraphical data reveals that after the advent of Rana Sanga in Malwa to help Medni Rai against Mahmud IE Chanderi seems to have passed on to Ahmad Shah Khalji in 926 A.H. (or may be slightly earlier) who established an independent sovereign rule in north east of Malwa in Chanderi region. Earlier, 923-24, the Lodis had systematically established their hold over this region. In 930 A. H. (or may be earlier) Chanderi came into the posse- ssion of Ibrahim Lodi and on the basis of coins found in the region,

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it appears that it remained under the Lodis from 931 to 933 A. H. After the death of Ibrahim Lodi in the battle of Panipat, Chanderi seems to have come into the possession of Rana Sanga who gave it to Medni Rai. In 934-35 A. H. (1528 A. D.), when Babur attacked Chanderi Medni was there and was killed in the battle. Babur gave Chanderi back to Ahmad Shah the grandson of Sultan Nasir-ud-din Khalji. This view has been fully supported by Babur Nama where Babur has written, "Chanderi had formerly belonged to the Sultans of Mandu. After the death of Sultan Nasir-ud-din one of his sons Sultan Mahmud, who is now in Mandu, got possession of Mandu and the neighbouring countries; another of his sons, Muhammad Shah, seized on Chanderi, and applied to Sultan Sikandar for protection. Sultan Sikandar sent several large armies and supported him in his dominion. After Sultan Sikander's demise, in Sultan Ibrahim's reign, Muhammad Shah died, leaving a young son of the name Ahmad Shah. Ibrahim carried off Ahnlad Ahah, and established one of his own people instead ... I gave Chanderi to Ahmad Shah ... the grandson of Sultan Nasir-ud-din . . . "17 In the light of the above evidence the myth that after the battle of Gangraon Chanderi came into the posse- ssion of Rana Sanga who handed it over to Medni Rai and that it remained in his possession till 1528 A. D. when Babur attacked Chanderi and conquered it from Medni Rai should be taken as baseless.

REFERENCES

1. Silver coins dated 917 A. H. and copper coins dated 917» 921 and 922 ? A. H. have been noticed by H. Nelson Wright, vide «Numismatic Chronicle', Fifth Series Vol. XII, 1932, pp. 40-41, coin nos. 83a, 84, 84b and 84c, Also refer to C. R. SinghaPs article, in Numismatic Supplement No. XLVII, coin no. 99, p. 133. 2. Tabqat-i-Akbari, Vol. II, p. 392 (De's Tr.) 3. U. N. Day, Medieval Malwa , p. 284. 4. Tabqat-i-Akbari , Vol. Ill, p. 608 speaks of Sarangpur, Bhilsa and Raisin being taken away by Rajput Chiefs but provides no information about Chanderi. 5. A. S. Beveridge's, Tuzak-i-Baburi, p. 593 cited by M. M. Ojha at p. 666 Rajputana Ka Itihas Vol. II (Ajmer, V. S. 1983). 6. Nagari Pracharini Patrika , Vol. no. 64, Pt. Ill & IV, Vikram Samvat 2016» p. 167. 7. U. N. Day, p. 303. 8. Tabqat-i-Akbari , Vol. I, p. 378 (Tr. by B. De).

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9. Ibid, p, 379; Mun takhabu- T-T a w ari kh, Vol., I p. 423 (Tr. G. A. Ranking), 10. Ibid , p. 381; Badaoni, Vol. I, p. 424. 11. Ibid, p. 382. 12. Ibid, p. 400. 13. Epigraphia índica (Arabic & Persian Supplement) 1970, p. 4 The writer of this papēris extremely thankful to Dr. Z. A. Desai for giving details ofPiranpur Inscription long before its publication in E.I. 14. Ibid, pp. 4-5. 15. EIAPS, 1955-56, pp. 122-23 cited from EIAPS, 1970 p. 8. 16. Edward Thomas has ascribed coins of this type to Chanderi and on his identi- fication, these coins have been ascribed to Chanderi region. Chronicle of the Pathan Kings of Delhi, p. 377-Coin no 321. 17. Babur Nama, pp. 275-78, cited from Elliot & Dowson, Vol. IV (1964).

SOME ASPECTS OF THE POLITY AT THE TIME OF 'S ACCESSION

G. D. Sharma

The accession of Maharana Pratap Singh to the gaddi of Mewar in March 1572 marked the prevalence in the Rajput states of the practice that the most competent member of the royal family had a rightful claim on the gaddi. The dynasty of Chittor then could hardly claim definite territorial boundaries. This was so in spite of the con- cept of Bhai-bandh according to which the territory conquered by the Rajput ruler or his sardars (chiefs of the sub-clan who held terri- tories) with the co-operative efforts of the whole clan, was considered to be a kind of a joint state. If properly channelized, it could offer effective resistence for the defence of the Sisodia country.1 However, some basic changes had taken place since the death of Rana Sanga which in turn had infused a structural change in the Sisodia country. Maharana Sanga had successfully maintained the concept of Bhai- bandh, although he had made the sardars feel that they were obliged to serve the interest of the Rana.* The Mewar sardars were granted territories in lieu of their services to the State.3 However, it seems, Rana Sanga made no fundamental change in the character of the nobility as

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