Note 14 — PART I.—DESCRIPTION.

In a.d. 1398 Alp Khán, son of Diláwar Khán, annoyed with his father for entertaining as his overlord at Dhár Mehmúd Tughlak, the refugee monarch of Dehli, withdrew to Mándu. He stayed in Mándu for three years, laying, according to Farishtah, the foundation of the famous fortress of solid masonry which was the strongest fortification in that part of the world.14 On his father’s death in a.d. 1405 Alp Khán took the title of Sultán Hoshang, and moved the capital to Mándu. The rumour that Hoshang had poisoned his father gave Diláwar’s brother in arms, Muzaffar Sháh of Gujarát (a.d. 1399–1411), an excuse for an expedition against Hoshang.15 Hoshang was defeated at Dhár, made prisoner, and carried to Gujarát, and Muzaffar’s brother Nasrat was appointed in his place. Nasrat failed to gain the goodwill either of the people or of the army of Málwa; and was forced to retire from Dhár and take refuge in Mándu. In consequence of this failure in a.d. 1408, at Hoshang’s request Muzaffar set Hoshang free after a year’s confinement, and deputed his grandson Ahmed to take Hoshang to Málwa and establish Hoshang’s power.16 With Ahmed’s help Hoshang took Dhár and shortly after secured the fort of Mándu. Hoshang (a.d. 1405–1431) made Mándu his capital and spread his power on all sides except towards Gujarát.17 Shortly after the death of Muzaffar I. and the accession of Ahmed, when (a.d. 1414) Ahmed was quelling the disturbances raised by his cousins, Hoshang, instead of helping Ahmed as requested, marched towards Gujarát and created a diversion in favour of the rebels by sending two of his nobles to attack Broach. They were soon expelled by Ahmed Sháh. Shortly after Hoshang marched to the help of the chief of Jháláváḍa in Káthiáváḍa, Appendix II. The Hill Fort of Mándu. History The Málwa Sultáns, a.d. 1400–1570. and ravaged eastern and central Gujarát.18 To punish Hoshang for these acts of ingratitude, between a.d. 1418 and 1422, Ahmed twice besieged Mándu, and though he failed to take the fort his retirement had to be purchased, and both as regards success and fair-dealing the honours of the campaign remained with Ahmed.19 In a.d. 1421 Hoshang went disguised as a horse-dealer to Jájnagar (now Jájpur) in Cuttack in Orissa. He took with him a number of cream-coloured horses, of which he had heard the Rája was very fond. His object was to barter these horses and other goods for the famous war elephants of Jájnagar. An accident in the camp of the disguised merchants led to a fight, in which the Rája was taken prisoner and Hoshang was able to secure 150 elephants to fight the Gujarát Sultán.20 During Hoshang’s absence at Jájnagar Ahmed pressed the siege of Mándu so hard that the garrison would have surrendered had Hoshang not succeeded in finding his way into the fort through the south or Tárápur Gate.21 For ten years after the Gujarát campaign, by the help of his minister Malik Mughís of the Khilji family and of his minister’s son Mehmúd Khán, Málwa prospered and Hoshang’s power was extended. Hoshang enriched his capital with buildings, among them the Great Mosque and his own tomb, both of which he left unfinished. Hoshang’s minister Malik Mughís (who received the title of Ulugh Aâzam Humáyún Khán) appears to have built the assembly mosque near the Ságar Lake in Hoshang’s life-time, a.d. 1431. Another of his buildings must have been a mint, as copper coins remain bearing Hoshang’s name, and Mándu Shádiábád as the place of mintage.22 In a.d. 1432, at Hoshangábád, on the left bank of the Narbada, about 120 miles east of Mándu, Hoshang, who was suffering from diabetes, took greatly to heart the fall of a ruby out of his crown. He said: A few days before the death of Fírúz Tughlak a jewel dropped from his crown. Hoshang ordered that he should be taken to Mándu. Before he had gone many miles the king died. His nobles carried the body to the Madrasah or college in Shádiábád or Mándu, and buried him in the college on the ninth day of Zil Hajjah, the twelfth month of a.h. 838 = a.d. 1434. The year of Hoshang’s death is to be found in the letters