The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c25.10

v3.c25.10

Muzaffar died in June, 1411, and Ahmad was confronted on his succession, by a serious rebellion, headed by his four uncles, Fīrūz Khān, Haibat Khān, Sa‘ādat Khān, and Sher Khān, who resented their nephew’s elevation to the throne. He succeeded, without bloodshed, in inducing them to acknowledge him as their sovereign, and was enabled to turn his arms against Hūshang Shāh of Mālwa, whom he had summoned to his aid but who had determined, instead of assisting him, to profit by his difficulties. Hūshang, who had hoped to find him fully occupied with the rebels, retreated precipitately when he learnt that the rebellion had been extinguished and that Ahmad was marching against him, but his retirement was followed by a fresh rising of the rebels, who were, however, defeated and dispersed. The rebellion of the raja of Jhālāwar then called Ahmad into Kāthiāwār, and during his absence in that region Hūshang, at the invitation of Ahmad’s uncles, again invaded Gujarāt, and Ahmad, returning from Jhālāwar sent his brother Latīf Khān against their uncles and ‘Imād-ul-Mulk Sha‘bān, one of his nobles, against Hūshang, who, finding that he was not supported, retired to Mālwa, while Latīf Khān dispersed the rebels and compelled them to seek refuge with the Chudasama chief of Girnār, in Sorath. Ahmad proceeded to chastise the raja for harbouring them, defeated him in the field, and besieged him in his fort on the Girnār hill. He purchased peace by a promise to pay tribute, and Ahmad, who was suddenly called away by a report of the invasion of Nandurbār, left two of his officers to collect the tribute and returned to his new city of Ahmadābād, which he had built on the site of Asāwal, to assemble troops for the expulsion of the invader.