South India and her Muhammadan Invaders c12.36

c12.36

The Dakhan Amirs driven into Revolt.—The Sultan remained sometime in Gujarat conducting a rigorous enquiry into the arrears of revenue, and making arrangements to collect them. As was usual with him he punished those that had shown opposition to his or his governor's actions with his accustomed cruelty, thereby creating a considerable volume of general discontent. He ordered a similar inquiry in respect of the province of Deogir, and entrusted this important commission to two men whom Ziau-d-din Barni refers to with the utmost contempt. The deputation of these two creatures of the Sultan, of whom one had already appeared and the other one was on his way sent a thrill into the hearts of the Musulmans of Deogir. At the same time the Sultan sent two well-known noblemen to Deogir with a military commission to Maulana Nizamu-d-din, who was the governor at the time. The governor was asked to despatch fifteen hundred chosen horse under the two noblemen sent. He was also to send along with them the chief foreign Amirs. Those ‘at Rachoor (Raichur), Moodkul (Mudkal), Koolburga (Gulbarga), Bidur (Bidar), Bejapoor (Bijapur), Gunjouti (Gangavati), Raibagh, Gilhurry, Hookerry, and Berar,’¹ responded to the governor's summons and came with their followers. When these appeared at Deogir they were sent along with the fifteen hundred horse, under the conduct of the two nobles who carried the king's commission. They marched towards Broach, and at the end of the first day's journey, the foreign Amirs suspected that they were being led to their execution. They therefore broke out into open resistance, killed the two nobles under whose conduct they were proceeding and returned to Deogir. They entered the royal palace there, seized Nizamu-d-din the governor, and put him in confinement. They cut to pieces the agent of the king who had already arrived there, and took possession of the treasures kept in the citadel of Dharagir. Distributing the treasures among themselves, they made one of themselves, Ismail Makh Afghan, called Ismail Fath in Ferishta, their leader, placed him on the throne, and distributed the Mahratta country among themselves. These transactions naturally brought them a fresh accession of strength, as all the foreign Amirs of Gujarat, who had survived the massacres and the war, proceeded to Deogir and joined their confreres. The Sultan on hearing of the revolt marched at the head of a large force, and, arriving at Deogir, attacked and defeated them. The newly elected king with his family and treasure immured himself in the fort of Dharagir, and the other Amirs dispersed to their own Jagirs. After plundering Deogir the Sultan sent Imadu-l-Mulk after the insurgents who fled to their Jagirs towards Gulbarga.