After assassination of
Ahmad Shah III, his noble Ítimád Khán raised a youth to the throne, whom he styled Muzaffar Shah III, and who, he asserted, was a posthumous son of
Mahmúd Sháh. According to
Abul Fazl (
Akbarnáma, III. 404; Elliot, V. 730) Muzaffar was a base-born boy of the name of Nathu. Ítimád Khán then marched towards
Pátan to take revenge on the Fauládis for their attack on Fateh Khán Balúch before. The nobles unwilling to crush the Fauládis, fearing lest their turn might come next, entered into secret correspondence with them, and withdrew when battle was joined. The nobles were now independent in their respective jágirs, in which according to the
Tabakát-i-Akbari they allowed no interference though still owning nominal allegiance to the throne. Ítimád Khán, forced to return unsuccessful to
Ahmedabad, with a view of again attacking the Fauládis, summoned Tátár Khán Ghori from
Junagadh. The nobles remained aloof, and even Tátár Khán Ghori made excuses, which so exasperated Ítimád Khán that he sought to slay him. Tátár Khán escaped to
Sorath, and there openly sided with the Fauládis. Sayad Mírán also left Áhmedábád for his estate at
Dholka, and joining Tátár Khán at
Ranpur they both went over to the Fauládis at Pátan. Meanwhile, Ítimád Khán, again collecting an army, marched once more towards Pátan. He was met by the Fauládis near the village of
Jotana, about thirty miles south of Pátan, where he was defeated and compelled to return to Áhmedábád. Sayad Mírán now intervened and made peace. Ítimád Khán still thirsting for revenge on the Fauládis, invited Changíz Khán, son of Imád-ul-Mulk Rúmi, to the capital, and by courteous treatment induced him to join in another expedition against the Fauládis. Like the other nobles Changíz Khán was lukewarm; and as Músa Khán Fauládi died while Ítimád Khán was marching on Pátan, Changíz Khán assigned this as a reason for not proceeding further, averring that it was not fit to war with people in misfortune. Ítimád Khán perforce returned to Áhmedábád. Though Ítimád Khán had disgusted the nobles, both by causing the assassination of Áhmed Sháh and by his enmity with the Fauládis, as he had charge of Muzaffar Sháh and possession of the capital, the government of the country was in his hands. At this time the Mírzás, who were the sons of Sultán Hussain of Khurásán, quarrelling with Jalál-ul-dín Muhammad
Akbar, entered Gujarát, and joined Changíz Khán. Changíz Khán now proposed to Sher Khán Fauládi that they should expel Ítimád Khán and divide Gujarát between them, the capital and the country south of the Sábarmati falling to the share of Changíz Khán, and that to the north to Sher Khán Fauládi. Sher Khán agreed, and Changíz Khán joining him they marched on Áhmedábád. Sayad Mirán induced Sher Khán to stay in
Kadi. But Changíz Khán refused to listen to him, and a battle was fought between him, Ítimád Khán, and the Sayad on the right bank of the Khari river about eight miles south of Áhmedábád. Ítimád Khán was defeated, and fled with the king to
Modasa, while Changíz Khán took possession of the capital. Sher Khán Fauládi now advanced to the Sábarmati, and, after dividing the province as had been agreed, Sher Khán retired to Kadi. Ítimád Khán entreated Mírán Muhammad Sháh, king of
Khandesh, to march to his aid, and Changíz Khán invited Ítimád Khán to return. He came to
Mehmudábád, where hearing that Muhammad Sháh had sustained a defeat and retired to his own country, he took Muzaffar Sháh with him and returned through Modása to
Dungarpur. Changíz Khán remained in Áhmedábád, and Sher Khán withdrew to Kadi. After this success all the chief nobles of Gujarát, including the Habshis, joined Changíz Khán, who was now at the zenith of his power, and began to think of subduing Sher Khán Fauládi, who on his part was anxious and fearful.
Muzaffar Shah III returns Akbar's governors managed the state from 1573 to 1583 with frequent rebellions and disturbances from 1573 to 1583. Akbar jailed Muzaffar in
Agra Fort but he escaped back to Gujarat in 1583. Muzaffar remained for some time in the
Rajpipla, and thence came to one Lúna or Lúmbha Káthi, at the village of Khíri in the district of Sardhár in
Sorath. Finding no rest in Rájpípla, after fighting and losing another battle in the Rájpípla hills, he fled first to Pátan and then to Ídar, and afterwards again repaired to Lúmbha Káthi in Khiri. In reward for these two victories, the emperor bestowed on Mírza Abdúr-Rahím Khán the title of Khán Khánán. Bharuch now submitted, and Muzaffar sought shelter with Amín Khán Ghori at Junagadh, by whom he was allotted the town of
Gondal as a residence. Muzaffar made one more attempt to establish his power. He advanced to
Morbi, and thence made a raid on Radhanpur and plundered that town, but was soon compelled to return to
Kathiawad and seek safety in flight. Amín Khán, seeing that his cause was hopeless, on pretence of aiding him, induced Muzaffar to give him some money, two lakh
Mahmudi. When he had obtained the money, on one pretext or another, Amín Khán withheld the promised aid. The Khán Khánán now marched an army into Sorath against Muzaffar. The Jám of Navánagar and Amín Khán sent their envoys to meet the viceroy, declaring that they had not sheltered Muzaffar, and that he was leading an outlaw's life, entirely unaided by them. The viceroy agreed not to molest them, on condition that they withheld aid and shelter from Muzaffar, and himself marched against him. When he reached
Upleta, about fifteen miles north-west of the fortress of Junágaḍh, the viceroy heard that Muzaffar had sought shelter in the Barda hills in the south-west corner of the peninsula. Advancing to the hills, he halted his main force outside of the rough country and sent skirmishing parties to examine the hills. Muzaffar had already passed through Navánagar and across Gujarát to
Danta in the Mahi Kántha. Here he was once more defeated by the
Prantij garrison, and a third time took refuge in Rájpípla. The viceroy now marched on Navánagar to punish the Jám. The Jám sent in his submission, and the viceroy taking from him, by way of fine, an elephant and some valuable horses, returned to Áhmedábád. He next sent a detachment against Ghazni Khán of
Jalore who had favoured Muzaffar. Ghazni Khán submitted, and no further steps were taken against him. ;Battle of Bhuchar Mori In 1587, the Khán Khánán was replaced by Ismáíl Kuli Khán as a governor. Ismáíl's government lasted only for a few months, when he was superseded by Mírza Âziz Kokaltásh, who was a second time appointed viceroy. In 1591, Muzaffar again returned to Sorath. The viceroy, hearing that he had been joined by the Jám of
Nawanagar State, the
Cutch State chief, and Daulat Khán Ghori the son of Amín Khán, marched with a large army towards Sorath, and, halting at
Viramgam, sent forward a detachment under Naurang Khán, Sayad Kásim, and other officers. Advancing as far as Morbi, Naurang Khán entered into negotiations with the Jám, who, however, refused to accede to the demands of the imperial commander. On this the viceroy joined Naurang Khán with the bulk of his army, and after a short delay marched on Nawánagar. On his way, a plateau called
Bhuchar Mori at the village of
Dhrol near Nawánagar, Muzaffar and the Jám opposed him, and an obstinate battle in which the imperialists were nearly worsted, ended in Muzaffar's defeat. The son and minister of the Jám were slain, and Muzaffar, the Jám, and Daulat Khán who was wounded, fled to the fortress of Junágaḍh. The viceroy now advanced and plundered Nawánagar, and remaining there sent Naurang Khán, Sayad Kásím, and Gújar Khán against Junágaḍh. The day the army arrived before the fortress Daulat Khán died of his wounds. Still the fortress held out, and though the viceroy joined them the siege made little progress as the imperial troops were in great straits for grain. The viceroy returned to Áhmedábád, and after seven or eight months again marched against Junágaḍh. The Jám, who was still a fugitive, sent envoys and promised to aid the viceroy if his country were restored to him. The viceroy assented on condition that, during the operations against Junágaḍh, the Jám should furnish his army with grain. The Jám agreed to provide grain, and after a siege of three months the garrison surrendered.
Last days News was next received that Muzaffar had taken refuge at
Dwarka (also known as Jagat). The viceroy at once sent Naurang Khán and others with an army in pursuit. On reaching Jagat it was found that Muzaffar had already left for a village owned by a Rájput named Sewa Wádhel. Without halting Naurang Khán started in pursuit, nearly surprising Muzaffar, who escaping on horseback with a few followers, crossed to Cutch (now
Kachchh). Sewa Wádhel covering Muzaffar's retreat was surprised before he could put to sea and fought gallantly with the imperial forces till he was slain. Naurang Khán then came to Arámra, a village belonging to Singrám Wádhel, Rája of Dwarka, and after frustrating a scheme devised by that chief to entrap a body of the troops on board ship under pretence of pursuing Muzaffar's family, led his men back to Junágaḍh. The viceroy, hearing in what direction Muzaffar had fled, marched to
Morbi, where the Jám of Navánagar came and paid his respects. At the same time the
Cutch chief, who is called Rao Bháramalji I, sent a message that if the viceroy would refrain from invading his country and would give him his ancestral district of Morbi and supply him with a detachment of troops, he would point out where Muzaffar was concealed. The Khán-i-Ázam agreed to these terms and the chief captured Muzaffar and handed him to the force sent to secure him. The detachment, strictly guarding the prisoner, were marching rapidly towards Morbi, when, on reaching
Dhrol, about thirty miles east of Nawanagar (now
Jamnagar), under pretence of obeying a call of nature, Muzaffar withdrew and cut his throat with a knife, so that he died. This happened in 1592. The viceroy sent Muzaffar's head to the court of Akbar. ==References==