Question

Elaborate on the life of Mahmud Gawan and the administrative reforms introduced by him.

Answer 1

Instructions:

1. Start by describing the life of Mahmud Gawan.
2. Mention his contributions to the empire in terms of his administrative reforms.
3. Conclude the answer with the conspiracy plotted against him and his subsequent execution.

Solution: Mahmud Gawan was the Prime Minister of King Muhammad Shah III. He was well-versed in Islamic theory, Persian, and Mathematics. He was also a poet and prose writer. Gawan was Persian by birth and contributed immensely to the development of the Bahmani Empire.

• He used the services of Persian chemists and taught the Bahmani army how to prepare and use gunpowder.
  
• Mahmud Gawan divided the existing four provinces of the Sultanate into eight provinces in order to limit the area under the rule of each governor. He also placed some districts directly under the central administration. Further, he curtailed the military powers of the governors.

All these administrative reforms curtailed the powers of the provincial chiefs, who were mostly Deccanis. The rivalry between the Deccanis and the Pardesis led to more conflicts. The Deccani nobles grew jealous of Gawan and his increasing influence, which curtailed their powers.

Thus, they manipulated the Sultan by forging a letter, as a result of which the Sultan ordered Mahmud Gawan’s execution.