The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c25.62

v3.c25.62

On September 28, 1501, ‘Ādil Khān II died without issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, Dāūd Khān. There was, however, another aspirant belonging to the Fārūqī family, named ‘Ālam Khān, who had enjoyed the protection of the king of Gujarāt. This ‘Ālam Khān was the great-great-grandson of Hasan Khān, who had been expelled from Khāndesh by his elder brother, Nasīr Khān, and had fled to the court of Ahmad Shāh of Gujarāt. All Hasan Khān’s descendants, with the exception of one, who married a daughter of Jām Nizām-ud-dīn of Sind, had married princesses of the royal house of Gujarāt, and ‘Ālam Khān was the grandson of Mahmūd Begarha. It thus came about that Mahmūd induced ‘Ādil Khān II to nominate his youthful kinsman as his heir, to the exclusion of his brother Dāūd, but in 1501 Mahmūd was not in a position to press his grandson’s claim, and Dāūd succeeded without opposition to the throne of Khāndesh. He was a feeble but reckless prince, who contrived to embroil himself with Ahmad Nizām Shāh of Ahmadnagar, who invaded Khāndesh and could not be expelled until Dāūd had purchased the aid of Nāsir-ud-dīn Khaljī of Mālwa by the humiliating concession of causing the *khutba* to be recited in his name. His death on August 28, 1508, ended an inglorious reign, and he was succeeded by his son Ghaznī Khān, who was poisoned after a reign of ten days. Ahmad Nizām Shāh now again invaded Khāndesh with the object of placing on the throne another scion of the Fārūqī house also named ‘Ālam Khān, who had taken refuge at his court. Mahmūd Begarha was at this juncture reminded of his pledge to support his grandson's claim, and he too invaded Khāndesh with the object of placing the other ‘Ālam Khān on the throne. Khāndesh was divided into two factions, the one supporting the Gujarāt claimant and the other the Ahmadnagar claimant. The adherents of the former, under Malik Husain the Mughal, established themselves in Burhānpur, where they were joined by Ahmad Nizām Shāh and the king of Berar, while Malik Lādan, the leader of the Gujarāt party, shut himself up in Asīrgarh, where he was besieged. Meanwhile Mahmūd Begarha, with his grandson, was marching on Thālner, and when news of his arrival reached Burhānpur Ahmad Nizām Shāh and the king of Berar withdrew, leaving a force of 4000 to support the Ahmadnagar candidate and Malik Husain. When they heard that Mahmūd had sent a force to attack them these troops fled from Burhānpur, carrying the pretender with them, and Malik Husain, thus deserted, was obliged to submit to Mahmūd. All opposition being thus removed, the king of Gujarāt held a court at Thālner and installed his candidate on the throne of Khāndesh with the title of ‘Ādil Khān III. After Mahmūd’s return to Gujarāt an envoy from Ahmad's son and successor, Burhān Nizām Shāh, waited on him and demanded that some provision should be made for ‘Ālam Khān, but was compelled to convey to his master the humiliating message that the sultan of Gujarāt recognised no royalty in the rebellious slave of the kings of the Deccan, and that if Burhān dared again to address a king otherwise than as a humble suppliant he should repent it.