Twilight of the Sultanate c12.s1.66

c12.s1.66

⁵³ *Makhzan*, 41 (b) and Dorn, 44 do not give the date, but describing the events chronologically place his death here. A little difficulty has been experienced in deciding upon the year of Sultan Muhammad's death owing to the conflicting dates given by various historians. Nizāmuddīn clearly says: "At length, in the year 847 H (A.D. 1443), Sultan Muhammad Shāh died", but then wrongly adds "After a reign of ten years and some months". (T.A., I, 292 and De's trans., 329 n. 2). We know, on Yahyā's authority, that Muhammad Shāh ascended the throne on 9 Rajjab, 837 H (T.M.S., 236). Ferishta also clearly has 837 H as the year of Muhammad's accession and 849 H as that of his death (Ferishta, I, 169, 171). He also adds that Muhammad Shāh reigned for twelve years and some months (*Ibid.*, 171). Badaonī also has 847 H as the year of Muhammad's death, but he credits him with a reign of fourteen years and some months (Badaonī, I, 300, 304) which is manifestly wrong. As Prof. Hodivala suggests, these discrepancies in the MSS. are due to the bewildering similarity between سبع و اربع and تسع in the semitic script (Hodivala, 410). Col. Ranking was in favour of 849 H, the date given by Ferishta, on the ground that it was "plain and coincident" (Badaonī, Ranking, I, 399-400 note). Numismatic evidence also supports Ferishta's dates as Muhammad Shāh's billon and copper coins of every year from 837 to 849 H are known (J.A.S.B., 1921, Numismatic supplement XXXV; N. Wright, 236, 241). Thomas was inclined to agree with 847 H (*Chronicles*, 336 n.) but the coins of Muhammad Shāh after the year of 847 H were not available to him. Therefore, 849 H as the date of Muhammad Shāh's death is correct and he ruled for a little over twelve years.