第6章

To conclusively establish the fact that this account can only refer to Muhammad Taghlaq of Delhi,who reigned from 1325to 1351,it is necessary that we should look into the known character of that monarch and the events of his reign.

Nuniz states that his "Togao Mamede"conquered Gujarat,was at war with Bengal,and had trouble with the Turkomans on the borders of Sheik Ismail,I.E.Persia.[16]To take these in reverse order.Early in the reign of Muhammad Taghlaq vast hordes of Moghuls invaded the Panjab and advanced almost unopposed to Delhi,where the king bought them off by payment of immense sums of money.Next as to Bengal.Prior to his reign that province had been subdued,had given trouble,and had again been reduced.In his reign it was crushed under the iron hand of a viceroy from Delhi,Ghiyas-ud-din Bahadur "Bura,"who before long attempted to render himself independent.He styled himself Bahadur Shah,and issued his own coinage.In 1327(A.H.728)the legends on his coins acknowledge the overlordship of Delhi,but two years later they describe him as independent king of Bengal.[17]In 1333Muhammad issued his own coinage for Bengal and proceeded against the rebel.He defeated him,captured him,flayed him alive,and causing his skin to be stuffed with straw ordered it to be paraded through the provinces of the empire as a warning to ambitious governors.With reference to Gujarat,Nuniz has been led into a slight error.Muhammad Taghlaq certainly did go there,but only in 1347.What he did do was to conquer the Dakhan.Firishtah mentions among his conquests Dvarasamudra,Malabar,Anegundi (under the name "Kampila,"for a reason that will presently be explained),Warangal,&c,and these places "were as effectually incorporated with his empire as the villages in the vicinity of Delhi."[18]

He also held Gujarat firmly.If,therefore,we venture to correct Nuniz in this respect,and say that "Togao Mamede"made war on the "Dakhan"instead of on "Gujarat,"and then advanced against Anegundi (wrongly called "Vijayanagar,"which place was not as yet founded)we shall probably be not far from the truth.The history of "Togao Mamede"so far is the history of Muhammad Taghlaq.

Then as to the extraordinary stories told of him.True or not,they apply to that sovereign.Muhammad is described by contemporary writers as having been one of the wonders of the age.He was very liberal,especially to those learned in the arts.He established hospitals for the sick and alm-houses for widows and orphans.He was the most eloquent and accomplished prince of his time.He was skilled in many sciences,such as physic,logic,astronomy,and mathematics.He studied the philosophies and metaphysics of Greece,and was very strict in religious observances.