Review - The Great Bahamani Wazir Mahmud Gawan
By K. Sajun Lal
Summary
This review summarises H. K. Sherwani’s biography of Mahmud Gawan, the powerful minister (wazir) of the Bahmani Sultanate in the 15th century. Sherwani, an authority on Bahmani history, assembles scattered and scanty sources to produce a comprehensive account of Gawan’s life and times. The reviewer notes that the book opens with an overview of 15th‑century India and then covers the kingdoms of Delhi, Gujarat, Malwa and the Bahmani state. Eight chapters, supplemented by footnotes, trace Gawan’s rise to power, his reforms and his diplomatic and military activities. The author meticulously cites contemporary chronicles and Persian sources and presents both sides of controversial issues. The reviewer praises Sherwani’s clarity and thoroughness but regrets that the famous madrasa founded by Gawan receives only a page and that the book lacks a map illustrating the empire. Nonetheless, the volume is considered a well‑produced and informative contribution to medieval Indian biography.
Conclusion
The reviewer concludes that Sherwani’s book provides a nuanced and well‑documented portrait of Mahmud Gawan. Despite minor shortcomings, it stands as an important reference on the Bahmani Sultanate and the career of one of its most influential statesmen.