Mahmud Gawan vs Rashid al-Din Hamadani

Mahmud Gawan was appointed as vizier (prime minister) under Bahmani Sultan Humayun Shah. He quickly rose to prominence due to his administrative skills and became the de facto ruler of the sultanate.

Mahmud Gawan reorganized the Bahmani administration by dividing the sultanate into eight provinces and standardizing tax collection. He also modernized the army by introducing firearms and artillery.

Mahmud Gawan led a military campaign to conquer the Konkan coast, including the ports of Goa and Dabhol. This gave the Bahmani Sultanate access to the Arabian Sea and boosted maritime trade.

Mahmud Gawan founded a madrasa (Islamic college) in Bidar, which became a center of learning attracting scholars from across the Islamic world. The madrasa taught theology, law, and sciences.

Mahmud Gawan was executed by Sultan Muhammad Shah III on false charges of treason, instigated by rival nobles. His death led to the decline of the Bahmani Sultanate and its fragmentation into successor states.

Rashid al-Din converted from Judaism to Islam around the age of 50, likely to advance his career under the Muslim convert Ghazan Khan. His conversion allowed him to serve as vizier and demonstrated the fluid religious boundaries in the Mongol Ilkhanate.

Rashid al-Din was appointed vizier to the Ilkhanid ruler Ghazan Khan. He became the chief administrator of the Ilkhanate, overseeing financial reforms, agricultural development, and the implementation of Ghazan's conversion to Islam, which reshaped Mongol rule in Persia.

Rashid al-Din founded the Rab'-i Rashidi, a charitable and scholarly complex in Tabriz. It included a mosque, hospital, library, and academy, where scholars from various cultures worked. The complex served as a center for the production of his historical works and manuscripts.

Rashid al-Din wrote 'Jami' al-tawarikh', a world history commissioned by Ghazan Khan. It covered the history of the Mongols, China, India, Europe, and the Islamic world, making it one of the first universal histories. The work was illustrated with Persian miniatures, influencing Islamic art.

Rashid al-Din was executed on charges of poisoning Sultan