Ghiyath Shah
| Ghiyath Shah | |
|---|---|
| Malwa Sultanate | |
| Reign | 1469–1500 |
| Predecessor | Mahmud Shah I |
| Successor | Nasir-ud-Din Shah |
| House | Khilji |
Ghiyath Shah, popularly known as Ghiyas-ud-Din Shah or Ghiyasuddin, was a Sultan of the Malwa Sultanate in the fifteenth century.
The eldest son of Mahmud, he served his father as a military leader. According to Firishta, shortly after his accession, he held a grand feast at which he announced that after thirty-four years on the field he was yielding his military rule to his son. He then retired to a life of ease.
Ghiyath enjoyed many pleasures, but was devoutly religious. He abstained from intoxicating drink and foods forbidden on religious grounds. According to Firishta, he gave instructions to his attendants that he should always be woken at the hour of prayer and that they were known to pull him out of bed while he was asleep.
He was a follower of Moinuddin Chishti and is believed to have erected a 23-metre (75 ft) high ceremonial gateway named Buland Darwaza at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah in honour of the scholar.
He was known as an eccentric lover of art. For example, Nimatnama (Book of Delights) is a cookery book produced between 1495 and 1505 for the sultan that is richly illustrated in a fusion of Persian and pre-Islamic Indian style. The book contains fifty images, including the sultan, servants, landscapes and buildings as well as food preparation.
There were 12,000 women in Ghiyasuddin's court, including musicians, dancers and wrestlers. Ghiyath was interested in female education and set up a Madrasa in Sarangpur to teach the women of his court. Tutors were engaged to teach the royal princesses and over 70 women were well versed in the Quran.
Towards the end of his life, there was conflict between his eldest son Nasir-ud-Din Shah, who had commanded the army, and his youngest son Ala-ud-Din. Nasir-ud-Din was chased from the capital Mando in 1499, but ultimately triumphed, returning to the palace on 22 October 1500. Nasir-ud-Din then executed his brother, along with his children and the rest of his family, and was formally crowned. Ghiyasuddin was found dead four months later, widely believed to have been poisoned by his son and successor.
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