History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c10.11

c10.11

"Ghiyas-al-Din Damghāni is the present ruler of Ma'bar. He was formerly employed in the service of Malik Mujir bin Abu Rajā, a trooper in the army of Muhammad Tughluq. Afterwards he entered the service of Amir Haji, son of Sultan Jalal-al-Din, and subsequently assumed kingship under the title of Sultan Ghiyas-al-Din. Ma'bar was formerly included in the empire of Dihli, but my father-in-law Jalal-al-Din Ahsan Shah rebelled and ruled unmolested for five years. He was followed by 'Ala-al-Din Udaiji who after one year attacked a Hindu Raja and captured much booty. Next year, he led an expedition against the Hindus and defeated them, but he was himself killed by an arrow in the fight when he took off his helmet to drink water. He was succeeded by his son-in-law Qutb-al-Din, but the latter turned out a worthless man and was slain after 40 days. After him Ghiyas-al-Din became king."¹³ This account is corroborated by numismatic evidence. We have coins of 'Ala-al-Din Udaiji Shah dated 740 A.H., of Qutb-al-Din Firuz Shah dated 740 A.H. and of Ghiyas-al-Din Damghān Shah dated 741 A.H. and of his successor Nāsir-al-Din Mahmud Ghazi Damghān Shah dated 745 A.H. Ibn Batūtah's order and chronology are completely confirmed. If we accept 741 A.H. as the date of Ahsan Shah's rebellion, Ghiyas-al-Din Damghān Shah would come to the throne after nearly seven years that is in 747-48 A.H. which is not the case, for Ibn Batūtah found him ruling in Madura in 745 A.H. and stayed at his court for sometime.¹⁴ Besides, Dr. Hultzsch has a coin of Ghiyas-al-Din Damghān Shah which is dated 741 A.H. The name of the Sultan and the year of issue, 741 A.H. are legibly inscribed on the coin. Ahsan Shah must have proclaimed his independence early in 735 A.H., for Ibn Batūṭah says that on hearing the news of this revolt the Sultan started for Ma‘bar on the 9th Jamad-al-awwal (he does not give the year).¹⁵ The date 735 A.H. is further supported by the evidence of inscriptions. There is an inscription at Panaiyur in the Tirumeyyam Taluk of the Pudukotta state which refers to the ninth year of “Muhammadi Sultan” (Sultan Muhammad). This would mean that in 1334 A.D. reckoning from 725 A.H. (1325 A.D.) the date of Muhammad’s accession to the throne, the authority of Muhammad was recognised in the south.¹⁶