[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Tārīkh-i Firishta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta) › [History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs) › 78.5 # Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 78.5 History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 78.5 - **Language:** English ### [78.5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.1) After this achievement, Mahomed Shah having consulted Mullik Hussun Nizam-ool-Moolk, Yoosoof Adil Khan, and Fukhr-ool-Moolk, detached them, together with many other of the foreign officers and troops, composed of the Dowlutabad and Joonere divisions, consisting of about fifteen thousand men, against Nursing Ray. The King himself marched towards Muchly-puttun, a place also belonging to Nursing Ray, which he reduced, with all the dependent country, and then returned to Condapilly. It was at this time that Nizam-ool-Moolk, Zureef-ool-Moolk, and other officers, envious of the favour shown towards the minister, bribed several of the King's confidential personal domestics to throw out occasional hints prejudicial to Khwaja Mahmood Gawan. They lost no opportunity of poisoning the King's mind, by rendering him suspicious of the minister's ambition, and insinuated that great peculations took place in the royal revenue. At length they brought that great man to destruction, by contriving an infamous forgery. Before I enter into the particulars of this transaction, it will be proper to state the causes of the hostility of those nobles who plotted his destruction. The Bahmuny territories having, in the reign of Mahomed Shah, become very extensive, Khwaja Mahmood Gawan thought it desirable to make several alterations in the ordinances established by Alla-ood-Deen Hussun Shah Gungoo, which were calculated for a small state. ### [78.5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.2) Having convinced the King of this necessity, he was permitted to carry his plan into execution. The whole kingdom, which had been originally divided into four turufs, or provinces, and placed under four governors, was now distributed into eight. Berar was subdivided into two governments; viz. Gavul being placed under Futteh Oolla Imad-ool-Moolk, and Mahoor under Khodawund Khan Hubshy. Dowlutabad was conferred on Yoosoof Adil Khan; while a tract from Joonere, including several dependent districts on the south, such as Indapoor, Waee, Man, as well as the forts of Goa and Belgam, were placed under Fukhr-ool-Moolk. Beejapoor, with many districts along the Beema, together with Rachore and Moodkul, were reserved by the minister for himself. Ahsunabad Koolburga, Sagur, Nuldroog, and Sholapore, were entrusted to the Abyssinian eunuch Dustoor Deenar. The country of Tulingana, at one time entirely in the hands of Nizam-ool-Moolk Bheiry, was also divided. Raymundry, Muchly-puttun, Ellore, Oorea, &c. still continued under his charge; while the government of Wurungole was conferred on Azim Khan. Several places in each of the eight divisions were reserved especially to meet the King's private expenses; and distinct collectors were appointed from court to manage them. ### [78.5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.3) From the time of Alla-ood-Deen Shah to the present reign, it had been the custom to leave all the forts in each province, in the hands of the governor, or turufdar, who appointed his own commandant and garrison. In consequence of this arrangement, the governors of provinces had sometimes rebelled, and it had frequently been found difficult to reduce them to subjection. By the new regulation one fortress alone was left in the governor's hands, in which he might, if he chose, reside; but the remainder were entrusted to officers and troops distinctly appointed by the King, and paid from head-quarters. ### [78.5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.4) The mode of paying the army was also altered; formerly the officers of five hundred men had one lack of hoons per annum; of a thousand, two lacks. whether payable in cash or in jageer assignment. Khwaja Mahmood, after the entire conquest of Tulingana, in order to conciliate the army, increased the pay of an officer of five hundred to one lack and twenty-five thousand hoons, and an officer of a thousand to two lacks and fifty thousand. In the jageer assignments it was understood, if the revenues fell short of the estimate even by one hoon, the balance was payable out of the royal treasury: at the same time, if the officers kept one soldier less than the complement, a sum equal to his pay was deducted from the allowances. By these excellent rules order every where prevailed, the government acquired strength, and justice was done to all parties; but this rigid scrutiny gave offence to many ambitious chiefs, who, in consequence, entertained hatred to the minister. ### [78.5.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.5) Khwaja Mahmood perceived their discontent; but as all his views were directed to the public interest only, he disregarded it, feeling confidence in himself and his friends. Among the most sincere of these was Yoosoof Adil Khan, his adopted son. The enemies of the minister also felt that while these two chiefs remained together no attempt could be made against either. Yoosoof Adil Khan, having, as we have seen, gone on the expedition against Nursing Ray, the two friends were separated, and a number of Deccanies and Abyssinians who had been raised to high offices entirely at the recommendation of Khwaja Mahmood, entered into a conspiracy with Nizam-ool-Moolk Bheiry against their patron, recommending that advantage should be taken of Yoosoof Adil Khan's absence to effect the destruction of the minister. Zureef-ool-Moolk Deccany, and one Muflih an Abyssinian, were the two persons selected to execute the plot. Having laid themselves out for the purpose, they became intimate with the Abyssinian slave who kept the minister's seal, and were in the habit of drinking with him. On one occasion, when the slave was much inebriated, they asked him to affix the minister's seal to a paper, which they said was an account of one of their friends, to which the signet of several of the departments was already attached, and which only required the minister's. The slave, intoxicated with liquor, complied, and without even unfolding the paper stamped the seal on the part pointed out to him. ### [78.5.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.6) The two wretches, overjoyed at their success, went the same night to Nizam-ool-Moolk, who wrote a letter on the paper, as if from Khwaja Mahmood to the Ray of Orissa, in these words: "I am weary of the debaucheries and cruelty of Mahomed Shah: the Deccan may be conquered with little trouble. On the Rajmundry frontier, there is no officer of any character; and that tract lies open to invasion from your quarter. As most of the officers and troops are devoted to my interests, I will join you with a powerful army. When we have, in conjunction, reduced the kingdom, we can divide it equally between us." Zureef-ool-Moolk and Mifta Hubshy were instructed to deliver this letter to the King, in the presence of Nizam-ool-Moolk. Mahomed Shah, seeing the seal, was incensed beyond measure, and Nizam-ool-Moolk availed himself of the moment to criminate the minister more deeply by false insinuations. The King, losing all command over his reason, and without weighing the probability of the circumstance, sent for Khwaja Mahmood, without even asking to see the messenger, who, it was pretended, had been intercepted carrying the letter. The minister's friends warned him against going, and recommended him to frame some excuse for not obeying that day, but to wait till the King's frenzy should abate; by which time the authors of the forgery might be detected, and brought to punishment. ### [78.5.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.7) Khwaja Mahmood resolved to meet the danger, repeating, in reply, certain verses to the following effect: — "He who dies a martyr in the fulness of devotion has his reward here and hereafter; happy, then, would it be for me to meet with so enviable a destiny. "My beard has grown grey in the service of the father, it will surely be honourable that it be dyed red in that of the son." Many of the chiefs attached to the minister sent messengers to him, saying, that they had heard alarming reports, but they had each a thousand horse ready, and that if he chose to fly to Guzerat, they would attend him, and sacrifice their lives for him. He replied, he had for many years enjoyed an honourable station in his master's service, during which he had been guilty of no crime; that he relied with confidence on the justice of the King, who would certainly not punish a faithful servant on the bare accusations of his enemies; but if impelled by Providence to do so, it was befitting in him to submit to the decree. He concluded by observing, that the measure they proposed, out of duty and friendship, would on his part be ingratitude and rebellion. Having made up his mind to the worst, he went to court. Mahomed Shah sternly asked him, "When any one is disloyal to his sovereign, and his crime be proved, what should be his punishment?" The Khwaja undauntedly replied, "Let the abandoned wretch who practises treason against his lord meet with no mercy." The King then showed him the letter; ### [78.5.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.8) upon seeing which, the minister, after repeating the verse of the Koran, "O God, verily this is a great forgery," said, "The seal is mine, but not the letter, of which I have no knowledge." He concluded, by repeating the following verse: "By that God whose commands have been fulfilled by the just, even at the expense of their blood, false as the story of Yoosoof and the wolf is that which my enemies have forged against me." The King being at the time intoxicated with wine, had resigned his reason to fury, and as the decline of the house of Bahmuny was also to be soon completed, he went into no further examination, but rising from his seat, ordered his Abyssinian slave Jowhur to put the minister to death on the spot. Khwaja Mahmood, addressing the King, said, "The death of an old man like me is, indeed, of little moment, but to your Majesty it will be the loss of an empire, and the ruin of your character." The King, without attending to him, went abruptly into his haram. The slave then drawing his sabre advanced towards the Khwaja, who, kneeling down facing the Kibla, said, "There is no God but God, and Mahomed is the prophet of God." As the sabre descended he exclaimed, "Praise be to God," and thus resigned his soul to the divine mercy. Asud Khan Geelany, an officer of high rank, and a friend of the Khwaja, happening to be present, was put to death by the slave also, without orders. Thus died Khwaja Mahmood Gawan, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. ### [78.5.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5.9) A little before his death he completed a poem in praise of his master, Mahomed Shah. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.78.5) · Pramāṇa