Mandao, Region

1652. Cosmographie in four bookes by Peter Heylyn.

THe Kingdome of MANDAO is bounded on the North, with Pengab; on the South, with the Realm of Agra; on the East, with Delly; and on the West, with the River Indus. So called from Mandao, the chief City of it.

The Country more mountainous and rugged than the rest of these Provinces, by reason of the many branches of Mount Bittigo, the Southern part of the Imaus, which do overrun it: in other things partaking of the riches of India. The men, as most of those who live in such mountainous tracts, of a warlike temper; comparatively with the rest of the Indians: the women here antiently as valiant as the men in other places; riding astride, and practised in the Arts of Horsemanship: for that cause called Amazons; some of which are said to be still remaining. Insomuch as it is written in the stories hereof, that the King of this Countrey not long since going to the warres, was accompanied by the Queen his Wife marching in the Front of two thousand women all well mounted and prepared for service.

Chief Cities hereof▪ 1. Mandao, seated on the bankes of the River Mandova, (the Manda of Ptolomy and the Antients) whence it had the name. A City of great note, said to be 30 miles in compass; yet so well fortified, and furnished with all necessaries so: defence and resistance, that it held out twelve years against Mirumudius, or Merhamed, the Great Mogul, who then besieged it. Surrendred at the last, and with it the Kingdome. Memorable for the great battail fought before it betwixt the said Merhamed, then comming to the relief thereof; and Badurius King of Cambaia who had then distressed it: in which fight Badurius lost his tents and Treasures, and was fain to fly disguised unto Diu, to crave aid of the Portugals. 2. Moltan, once the chief City of a Kingdome, or a Kingdome rather of it self, but of no great note: the women whereof though not so good Souldiers as their Ancestors of the female sex, yet to come as neer them as they can, use boots and spurs when they take a journey, and so fitted fit astride the saddle. 3. Scernus, on the River so called, of more Antiquity than greatness; as is also▪ 4. Polymbothie, the Palibothra of Ptolomy and others of the antient writers, then the chief Town of the Palibothei (by Pliny and Strabo, called Prasii) a People of as great authority and power as any in India.

This once a Kingdom of it self of great power and wealth, till Badurius King of Cambaia having conquered the Realm of Citor, and therewith a great part of Sanga, made an attempt upon this also. Galgee then King of Mandao finding himself too weak for so strong an Enemie, craved aid of Merhamed (of Miramudius as the Latines) the Mongul Tartar, then reigning in Chabul or Arachosia, and possessed of some parts of India also since the times of Tamerlane. Who compounding an Army of his own subjects, some mercinary Persians, and a great body of Zagathaian Tartars, from whom originally descended, came in accordingly: discomfited the vast Anny of Badurius, consisting of of 150000 horse, and 500000 foot, in two set battails, the first at Doceti, the next at Mandao; and following his blow possessed himself of the whole Kingdome of Cambaia. But not content with that success, quarrelled the Mandoan King in whose aid he came; besieged him in his principal City, which at last he won, and therewithall the Kingdome also: the wretched King shewing hereby a fair both evidence and example to succeeding ages, that the easiest way for a Prince to ruin his own estate, and endanger his neighbours, is to admit a Forrein power into his own Dominions, which he cannot as easily thrust out, as he hath brought them in.