With reference to Mahmud Gawan, the brilliant Prime Minister of the Bahmani Kingdom, consider the following statements:
1. He divided the empire into eight provinces (Tarafs) to decrease the power of individual governors (Tarafdars).
2. He introduced land measurement and fixed the state demand to regularize revenue collection.
3. He was an 'Afaqi' (foreign noble) who was executed by the Sultan due to a forged treasonous letter planted by the rival 'Deccani' nobles.
How many of the above statements are correct?

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Accepted Answer

All three statements are correct. Mahmud Gawan was a Persian merchant who rose to become the Wazir. He introduced profound military, administrative, and agrarian reforms. His growing power and foreign origin (Afaqi) led to jealousy among the native Deccani nobles, who conspired to have him wrongly executed by Sultan Muhammad Shah III in 1481.

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