Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 283: MAHMOOD SHAH SHURKY
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 283
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MAHMOOD SHAH SHURKY
283.1
Attacks Kalpy, which is evacuated by its governor.— The King of Malwa resents the injury.— Peace concluded. — Mahmood Shah attacks Dehly — is compelled to retreat, and loses a great portion of his baggage and elephants during the operation. — War continued with Bheilole Lody, King of Dehly. — Death of Mahmood Shah Shurky. AFTER the death of Ibrahim Shah, he was succeeded by his eldest son Mahmood. In the year 847, he sent an envoy to the court of Malwa to inform Sooltan Mahmood Khiljy that Nuseer Khan, the son of Kadur Khan of Kalpy, had, within the last two or three years, disgraced the Mahomedan name by encouraging the Hindoo faith, and had carried his views of toleration so far as to permit Mahomedan females to dwell with infidels. He deemed it (he said) necessary to inform him of these proceedings, considering Nuseer Khan a dependent of Malwa since the reign of Sooltan Hooshung. In conclusion, he observed, that the scandal to Mahomedism was such, that if the King of Malwa did not deem it politic or convenient to send troops in order to restore the religious observances of the faithful at Kalpy, he would himself march to effect that object. Sooltan Mahmood replied, that he had heard of the proceedings of Nuseer Khan;
283.2
but that his armies being at present employed against the infidels of Mewar and Kota, he was unable to spare them to operate against Nuseer Khan, and sanctioned the advance of Mahmood Shah Shurky to bring Nuseer to a due sense of his obligations as a true believer: Mahmood Shah, pleased with the reception of his envoy, immediately put his army in motion, having, in the mean time, sent twenty-nine elephants as a present to the King of Malwa. On his approach towards Kalpy, Nuseer Khan wrote petitions to Sooltan Mahmood Khiljy, soliciting his protection; and on ascertaining the plea for the attack of the Shurky troops, he promised to cause a reform in his administration, and to afford no reason for further complaint; reminding Sooltan Mahmood that his predecessor, Sooltan Hooshung, had made over the estate of Kalpy in perpetuity to his father, Kadur Khan, from whom it had descended to him. Sooltan Mahmood, moved by the penitence evinced by Nuseer Khan, wrote to Mahmood Shah Shurky, saying, that as Nuseer Khan had promised in future to conduct himself in a more cautious manner, he trusted that the King of Joonpoor would abstain from adopting any measures against him. Which communication was sent by an express courier. In the mean time, Mahmood Shah Shurky having reached Kalpy, sacked the town, and obliged Nuseer Khan to fly to Chundery, to which place Sooltan Mahmood of Malwa proceeded, in the year 848, with his army.
283.3
On his approach, Mahmood Shah Shurky marched to Eerich, where a partial engagement took place; when, through the mediation of Sheikh Jumal-ood-Deen Sudda, a peace was concluded, by which it was agreed that Nuseer Khan for the present should occupy the towns of Eerich and Rahut, and that four months after the return of the respective forces the district of Kalpy and its dependencies should be restored to him. Mahmood Shah Shurky, having recruited his army, took the field again for the purpose of reducing some refractory zemindars in the district of Chunar, which place he sacked, and from thence he proceeded into the province of Orissa, which he also reduced; and having destroyed the temples and collected large sums of money, returned to Joonpoor. In the year 856, Mahmood Shah besieged the city of Dehly; but Bheilole Lody returning from Depalpoor, whither he had proceeded for the purpose of conquest, Mahmood Shah was compelled to retire, as he discovered that Duria Khan Lody, who had formerly deserted the King of Dehly and joined him, was now prepared to abandon him also. The retreat, however, was delayed till the last moment, which enabled Bheilole Lody to pursue the King of Joonpoor so closely, as to intercept and destroy his baggages on which occasion Futteh Khan Hirvy, who commanded the Shurky rear-guard, was killed, and seven war-elephants were taken.
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In the year 861, Bheilole marched to reduce Etawa, where he was opposed by Mahmood Shah Shurky; a particular account of which transaction has been given in the Dehly history. The two armies having encamped near the town of Shumsabad, Kootb Khan Lody, first cousin to the King of Dehly, made a night-attack on the Shurky lines, which failed, and he was made prisoner. Affairs remained in this state, when, in the year 862, Mahmood Shurky was seized with severe illness, and died in camp, after a reign of twenty years.