Question

: Mahmud Gawan was killed by the______________ in 1481 A.D
A] Farmers
B] Traders
C] Nobles
D] Priests

Answer 1

Hint: Mahmud Gawan was the Prime minister of the city of Bahmanis in the Deccan plateau for almost 25 years under the rule of the Bahmani sultanate. A well experienced merchant from a very young age, Gawan was able to acquire people’s faith through fair trades which helped people and the economy. He dealt with luxury commodities like slaves, pearls, silks and horses, and had a fair education. Gawan was eventually made into a nobleman due to his power over businesses but his death also came from his own kind as jealousy and competition between the people who were sharing the same positions.

Complete Answer:
Mahmud Gawan, also known as Khawaja Mahmud Gilani was one of the noblemen of higher authority under the rule of the Bahmani sultanate. He was born in the village of Gawan in Persia and brought up in a god-fearing household which turned him into an advocate in Islamic theology, Persian language, and Mathematics. He was also a poet and a prose writer who received a high degree of reputation. Eventually, he became the minister in the court of King Muhammad III (1463-1482). Through successful military expeditions, he became an influential person in the kingdom.
His passion for Islamic studies made him build a madrasa known as Gawan’s madrasa, which still remains in modern-day Bihar. Gawan’s madrasa became the largest one of the times and had the biggest library. Gawan also gave Hindu elites from defeated territories a stake in the Bahmani order, securing the long-term health of the empire.
The death of Muhamad Gawan was heartbreaking and unnecessary. Under the sultanate there were two types of noblemen, The Deccan is (people of the local origin) and the Afaqis (people of Foreign origin). There were conflicts and arguments between the two groups all the time. Mahmud was an Afaqi, hence he had to face many challenges. In a web of plots that were made to dishonor him by the Deccan is, the nobles forged important documents from him. When the incident was reported to the sultan, he ordered him executed in April 1481 under the influence of alcohol.
So, the correct answer is Option C.

Note: As the Sultan heard the truth about the incident, he regretted his hasty decision and gave his Prime Minister an honorable funeral. The treasonable documents submitted by Mahmud Gawan's critics were the letters written by Mahmud to the Vijayanagar ruler, which were stated to have been written. While Mahmud believed that the letter was forged, as Sultan Muhammad Shah III was himself wary of his increasing power and influence, his assertion was not given meaning. One year after the death of Gawan, the Sultan also died at a very young age.