Ahmed Shah I

Early life

Ahmad Shah was born to Muhammad Shah I aka Tatar Khan who was a son of Muzaffar Shah I. Muhammad Shah I was probably killed by his uncle Shams Khan in favour of his grandfather Muzaffar Shah when he imprisoned him.

According to Mirat-i-Ahmadi, he abdicated the throne in favour of his grandson Ahmad Shah in 1410 due to his failing health. He died five months and 13 days later. According to Mirat-i-Sikandari, Ahmad Shah was going to an expedition to quell the rebellion of Kolis of Ashawal. After leaving Patan, he convened an assembly of Ulemas and asked a question that should he took retribution of his father's unjust death. Ulemas replied in favour and he got the written answers. He returned to Patan and forced his grandfather Muzaffar Shah to drink poison which killed him. Ahmad Shah succeeded him at the age of 19 in 1411.

Áhmad succeeded with the title of Násir-ud-dunya Wad-dín Abúl fateh Ahmed Shah.

Reign

Soon after assuming power, his cousin Moid-ud-dín Fírúz Khán, governor of Vadodara, allying himself with Hisám or Nizám-ul-Mulk Bhandári and other nobles, collected an army at Nadiad, and, laying claim to the crown, defeated the king’s followers. Jívandás, one of the insurgents, proposed to march upon Patan, but as the others refused a dispute arose in which Jívandás was slain, and the rest sought and obtained Ahmed Shah’s forgiveness. Moid-ud-dín Fírúz Khán went to Khambhat and was there joined by Masti Khán, son of Muzaffar Sháh, who was governor of Surat; on Ahmed Shah’s advance they fled from Khambhat to Bharuch, to which fort Ahmed Shah laid siege. As soon as the king arrived, Moid-ud-dín’s army went over to the king, and Masti Khán also submitted. After a few days Ahmed Shah sent for and forgave Moid-ud-dín, and returned to Asáwal (future Ahmedabad). Moid-ud-dín was moved from Vadodara to Navsari.

Ahmed Shah, while camping on the banks of the Sabarmati river, saw a hare chasing a dog. The sultan was intrigued by this and asked his spiritual adviser for explanation. The sage pointed out unique characteristics in the land which nurtured such rare qualities which turned a timid hare to chase a ferocious dog. Impressed by this, the sultan, who had been looking for a place to build his new capital in the centre of his domain. In the following year (1413–14 AD) Áhmed Sháh defeated Ása Bhíl, chief of Asáwal. Ahmad Shah laid the foundation of the city at the site of Asáwal on 26 February 1411 (at 1.20 pm, Thursday, the second day of Dhu al-Qi'dah, Hijri year 813) at Manek Burj. He chose it as the new capital on 4 March 1411. Ahmad Shah, in honour of four Ahmads, himself, his religious teacher Shaikh Ahmad Khattu Ganj Baksh, and two others, Kazi Ahmad and Malik Ahmad, named it Ahmedabad. The new capital was surrounded by Bhadra Fort.

He built Ahmed Shah's Mosque and Jama Mosque (1424) in Ahmedabad.

During 1414, Moid-ud-dín Fírúz Khán and Masti Khán again revolted, and, joining the Rao of Idar State, took shelter in that fortress. A force under Fateh Khán was despatched against the rebels, and finally Fírúz Khán and the Rao of Idar were forced to flee by way of Kheralu. Moid-ud-dín now persuaded Rukn Khán governor of Modasa, fifty miles north of Áhmedábád, to join. They united their forces with those of Badri-ûlá, Masti Khán, and Ranmal-the Rao of Ídar and encamped at Rangpura, an Ídar village about five miles from Modása and began to strengthen Modása and dig a ditch round it. The Ahmed Shah camped before the fort and offered favourable terms. The besieged bent on treachery asked the Ahmed Shah to send Nizám-ul-Mulk the minister and certain other great nobles. The Sultán agreed, and the besieged imprisoned the envoys. After a three days’ siege Modása fell. Badri-ûlá and Rukn Khán were slain, and Fírúz Khán and the Rao of Ídar fled. The imprisoned nobles were released unharmed. The Ráo seeing that all hope of success was gone, made his peace with the king by surrendering to him the elephants, horses and other baggage of Moid-ud-dín Fírúz Khán and Masti Khán, who now fled to Nágor, where they were sheltered by Shams Khán Dandáni. Áhmed Sháh after levying the stipulated tribute departed. Moid-ud-dín Fírúz Khán was afterwards slain in the war between Shams Khán and Rána Mokal of Chittor. In 1414–15 AD, Uthmán Áhmed and Sheikh Malik, in command at Pátan, and Sulaimán Afghán called Ázam Khán, and Ísa Sálár rebelled, and wrote secretly to Sultán Hushang of Malwa Sultanate, inviting him to invade Gujarát, and promising to seat him on the throne and expel Áhmed Sháh. They were joined in their rebellion by Jhála Satarsálji of Pátdi and other chiefs of Gujarát. Áhmed Sháh despatched Latíf Khán and Nizám-ul-Mulk against Sheikh Malik and his associates, while he sent Imád-ul-Mulk against Sultán Hushang, who retired, and Imád-ul-Mulk, after plundering Málwa, returned to Gujarát. Latíf Khán, pressing in hot pursuit of Satarsál and Sheikh Malik, drove them to Sorath. Ahmad Shah returned to Áhmedábád.

Sorath was ruled by Chudasama king Ra Mandlik. Muzzafar Khan had won his capital Junagadh in 1395-96. So he had moved to Vanthli. In 1414, he regained Junagadh and also gave refuge to some of rebels. This irked Ahmad Shah and he imposed siege of Junagadh in 1414. Ra retired to the hill fortress of Girnár. Áhmed Sháh, though unable to capture the hill, gained the fortified citadel of Junágaḍh. Finding further resistance vain, the chief tendered his submission, and Junágaḍh was admitted among the tributary states. Several other Sorath chief also submitted. Sayad Ábûl Khair and Sayad Kásim were left to collect the tribute, and Áhmed Sháh returned to Áhmedábád.

The partially damaged Rudra Mahalaya Temple of Siddhpur was further destroyed and the western part of it converted into a congregational mosque (Jami mosque) by him in 1415. From Siddhpur, he advanced to Dhár in Málwa. Hindu kings believed that he is attacking Hindu pilgrimage places to bolster his image. So they formed an alliance in 1416 which included Idar, Champaner, Zalod and Nandod. Sultan Hushang Shah of Malwa also agreed to help them.

In 1399, Ahmad aka Malek II, the ruler of Khandesh died. He had divided his kingdom in his princes. Nasir was given east part while Iftikhar aka Hasan was given west. Nasir established Burhanpur in 1400 and also won nearby fort of Asir from Hindu king. Hasan settled in Thalner. Nasir won Thalner from Hasan and imprisoned him, with help of his relative Hushang Shah of Malwa, before he receive help from Ahmad Shah. Nasir attacked and imposed siege of Nandarbar and Sultanpur of Gujarat Sultanate in 1417. Áhmed sent an expedition against Nasír of Asír under Malik Mahmúd Barki or Turki and left for Modasa. When the Malik reached Nándoḍ he found that Gheirat Khán had fled to Málwa and that Nasír had retired to Thálner. The Malik advanced, besieged and took Thálner, capturing Nasír whom Áhmed forgave and dignified with the title of Khán.

The alliance of Hindu kings rebelled knowing that Ahmad Shah is busy in his expedition against Nasir. As Ahmed Shah returned quickly and went to Modasa, the rebellion broke and all kings returned to their states including Hushang Shah. After quelling these rebellions Áhmed Sháh despatched Nizám-ul-Mulk to punish the ruler of Mandal near Viramgam, and himself marched to Málwa against Sultán Hushang in 1418. He reached Ujjain where both armies fought battle. Ahmad Shah won and Hushang Shah took refuge in Mandu. In November 1419, he imposed siege on Champaner (Pavagadh) but later the king Trimbakdas of Chámpáner relented and agreed to give annual tribute in February 1420. Ahmad Shah later attacked and ravaged Sankheda-Bahadurpur in March 1420. He built a fort at Sankheda and a mosque within the fort; he also built a wall round the town of Mángni, and then marched upon Mándu. On the way ambassadors from Sultán Hushang met him suing for peace. Áhmed Sháh later forgave Hushang Shah. On returning towards Chámpáner, again laid waste the surrounding country. He returned to Ahmedabad in May 1420.

In 1420-21, he started building and repairing forts and establishing military outposts to strengthen state from attacks. He built the forts of Dahod on the Málwa frontier and of Jítpur in Lunawada. In 1421 he repaired the fort in the town of Kahreth, otherwise called Meimún in Lúnáváḍa, which had been built by Ulugh Khán Sanjar in the reign of Sultán Alá-ud-dín Khilji and changed the name to Sultánpur. In December 1421, he advanced against Málwa and took the fort of Mesar. He attacked and received tributes from other border states before he reached Mandu in March 1422. Hushang Shah was Jajnagar (Orissa) at that time. After 48 days of unsuccessful siege and several clashes, Ahmad Shah had to moved to Ujjain in May due to incoming monsoon. He again imposed siege in September 1421 but Hushang Shah had returned to Mandu with large number of war elephants from Orissa. Ahmad Shah left Mandu knowing that it would be difficult to win. He moved and camped Sarangpur when he was reached by ambassadors sent by Hushang Shah for treaty of peace. Ahmad Shah agreed but, on the night of 26 December 1421, an army of Hushang Shah attacked the camp. Ahmad Shah repelled the attack but had to endure heavy casualty. Hushang Shah took refuge in fort of Sarangpur. Áhmed Sháh again laid siege to Sárangpur. Failing to take the fort, Ahmad Shah decided to return Ahmedabad on 7 March 1423 but he was chased by an army of Hushang Shah. Both armies met and after fierce battle, Ahmad Shah won. He returned to Ahmedabad on 23 May 1423.

He spent next two years without any wars and focused on administration and agriculture development. He had known that Rao Punja of Idar State had held talks with Hushang Shah during the last battles. He attacked Idar in 1425. Rao Punja left to hills but the state was ravaged. To keep permanent check on Idar, Ahmad Shah established town of Ahmadnagar (now Himatnagar), on the banks of the Hathmati river, eighteen miles south-west of Idar in 1426 and completed its fort in 1427. Rao Punja left in hiding but kept attacking soldiers and supplies of Sultanate. In 1428, Rao Punja died in ambush with soldiers. In 1428, Ahmad Shah ravaged Vishalnagar (now Visnagar) and ordered to capture all domains of Idar. He later made peace with Harrai, son of Punja, and reverted his state to him on condition of tribute. Ahmad Shah had to again attack and capture Idar in November 1428 when Harrai did not pay tribute. He took the fort and built also an assembly mosque.

Fearing that their turn would come next the chief of Zalawad and Kánha apparently chief of Dungarpur fled to Nasír Khán of Asír. Nasír Khán gave Kánha a letter to Áhmed Sháh Báhmani, to whose son Alá-ud-dín Násír’s daughter was married, and having detached part of his own troops to help Kánha they plundered and laid waste some villages of Nandurbár and Sultánpur. Sultán Áhmed sent his eldest son Muhammad Khán with Mukarrabul Mulk and others to meet the Dakhanis who were repulsed with considerable loss. On this Sultán Áhmed Báhmani, under Kadr Khán Dakhani, sent his eldest son Alá-ud-dín and his second son Khán Jehán against the Gujarátis. Kadr Khán marched to Daulatabad and joining Nasír Khán and the Gujarát rebels fought a great battle near the pass of Mánek Púj, six miles south of Nándgaon in Nasik. The confederates were defeated with great slaughter. The Dakhan princes fled to Daulatábád and Kánha and Nasír Khán to Kalanda near Chálisgaum in south Khandesh.

In 1429, on the death of Kutub Khán, the Gujarát governor of the island of Mahim (now neighbourhood of Mumbai), Áhmed Sháh of Bahmani Sultanate smarting under his defeats, ordered Hasan Izzat, otherwise called Malik-ut-Tujjár, to the Konkan and by the Malik’s activity the North Konkan passed to the Deccans. On the news of this, Áhmed Sháh sent his youngest son Zafar Khán, with an army under Malik Iftikhár Khán, to retake Máhim. A fleet, collected from Diu, Ghogha and Khambhat sailed to the Konkan, attacked Thane by sea and land, captured it, and regained possession of Máhim.

In 1431, Áhmed Sháh advanced upon Champaner, and Áhmed Sháh Bahmani, anxious to retrieve his defeat at Máhim, marched an army into and Baglan, and laid it waste. This news brought Áhmed Sháh back to Nandurbár. Destroying Nándod he passed to Tambol, a fort in Báglán which Áhmed Sháh Báhmani was besieging, defeated the besiegers and relieved the fort. He then went to Thane, repaired the fort, and returned to Gujarát by way of Sultánpur and Nandurbár. In 1432, after contracting his son Fateh Khán in marriage with the daughter of the Rái of Máhim to the north of Bassein (now Vasai), Áhmed Sháh marched towards Nágor, and exacted tribute and presents from the Rával of Dúngarpur. From Dúngarpur he went to Mewad, enforcing his claims on Bundi and Kota, two Hára Rájput states in south-east Rájputána. He then entered the Delváda country, levelling temples and destroying the palace of Rána Mokalsingh, the chief of Chittor. Then he invaded Nágor in the country of the Ráthoḍs, who submitted to him. After this he returned to Gujarát, and during the next few years was warring principally in Málwa, where, according to Farishtah, his army suffered greatly from pestilence and famine.

Death

Áhmed died in 1442 in the fifty-third year of his life and the thirty-third of his reign and was buried in the mausoleum, Badshah no Hajiro, near Manek Chowk, Ahmedabad.

His after-death title is Khûdaigán-i-Maghfûr the Forgiven Lord. His queens were buried at Rani no Hajiro, just opposite his mausoleum.

Image

He is honoured for his bravery, skill, and success as a war leader as well as for his piety and his justice. His piety showed itself in his respect for three great religious teachers: Sheikh Rukn-ud-dín, the representative of Sheikh Moinuddin Chishti, the great Khwájah of Ajmer; Sheikh Áhmed Khattu who is buried at Sarkhej Roza, Ahmedábád; and the Bukháran Sheikh Burhán-ud-dín known as Kutbi Álam the father of the more famous Sháh Álam.

Of Áhmed’s justice two instances are recorded. Sitting in the window of his palace watching the Sábarmati in flood Áhmed saw a large earthen jar float by. The jar was opened and the body of a murdered man was found wrapped in a blanket. The potters were called and one said the jar was his and had been sold to the headman of a neighbouring village. On inquiry the headman was proved to have murdered a grain merchant and was hanged. The second case was the murder of a poor man by Áhmed’s son-in-law. The Kázi found the relations of the deceased willing to accept a blood fine and when the fine was paid released the prince. Áhmed hearing of his son-in-law’s release said in the case of the rich fine is no punishment and ordered his son-in-law to be hanged.