1873.] H. Blochmann —Geography and History of Bengal. 
2G9 
Restoration of the Ilya's Sha'h Dynasty. 
XII. Na'siruddi'n Abul Muzaffar Mahmu'd Sha'h (I). 
The histories agree in describing him as a descendant of Ilyas Shah. 
He seems to have been supported by the old party who were tired of Ahmad 
Shah ; old families are said to have gathered round him ; and Gaur, the old 
capital, was rebuilt by him. The wars between Jaunpur and Dihli, as 
Firishtah correctly observes, gave Bengal rest, and Mahmud Shah, according 
to the histories, reigned in peace for thirty-two years, or according to some 
“ not more than twenty-seven years,” and died in A. H. 862. 
In the histories, he is called by his first name Na^r Shah, instead of 
Mahmud Shall. Bengal history presents several examples of similar 
inversions, if the retention of the familiar name of the king can be called so. 
The chronology of Mahmud Shah’s reign has been considerably cleared 
up by a coin in the possession of Col. H. Hyde, the President of our Society, 
and by the inscriptions received from General Cunningham and Dr. Wise. 
The dates now ascertained are 846; 861 ; 20th Sha’ban, 863; 28th Zil 
Hajjali, 863. Again, the oldest inscription of Barbak Shah, discovered by 
Mr. E. Y. Westmacott, is dated pafar, 865. We are, therefore, certain 
that Mahmud Shah must have reigned at least till the beginning of 864. 
But if the second statement of the histories regarding the length of his 
reign (27 years) be correct, we would get the year 836 as the first year of 
his reign, the very year in which Marsden’s Ahmad Shall! was struck. This 
would make Mahmud Shah an opposition king for the whole length of 
Ahmad Shill’s reign, which the histories say was not the case. We re¬ 
quire, therefore, more evidence to fix the beginning of Mahmud’s reign. 
1. Coin of Mahmud Shah. New variety. Silver. Weight, 165*08 
grains. (Col. H. Hyde.) A. H. 846. No mint-town. The margin contains 
little crosses. 
Obverse.'—aR* j+c aajJA 
Reverse.— yilij t j*\ ^j6J\ j 
He who is assisted by the assistance of God, the evidence of the Khalifali of God 
in this age, Na^iruddunya waddin Abul Muzaffar Mahmud Shah, 
the king. A. H. 846. 
Mahmud Shah’s coins hitherto published are almost valueless. The 
cabinet of the Asiatic Society has only one specimen, without date or mint- 
