and dancers to proceed with Jumsheed Kootb Shah to Golconda, to whom he gave large quantities of the jewels of the Bahmuny family, which had fallen into his hands.

Upon his arrival at Golconda the King gave himself up entirely to the luxuries of the table. He continued within the seraglio, and nothing was seen of him for months together. At length he was seized with a severe illness, which

A. H. 957.

A. D. 1550.

increasing, ended in his death in the year 957,- and he was buried alongside of his illustrious father, after a reign of nearly seven years.

390

SOOBHAN KOOLLY KOOTB SHAH.

Soobhan Koolly succeeds his father on the throne at the age of seven years. - Jugdew Row rebels is reduced by the Regent, Seif Khan. The King's uncle, Ibrahim, assisted by Ramraj of Beejanuggur, sets up his pretensions to the throne - is supported by Jugdew Row, and arrives at Golconda.-The young King is deposed.

On the death of Jumsheed, the nobles of the court elevated his son, Soobhan Koolly, a child of seven years of age, to the throne; but as he was unable to wield the sceptre, his mother, the Dowager-queen, in concert with the chiefs, resolved to recall Seif Khan Ein-ool-Moolk from his exile at Ahmudnuggur, whither he had been sent by the late king.

Jugdew Row, who was the first officer in the state, thought it would be best to elevate Dowlut Khan, the younger brother of the late king, to the throne, and he accordingly made overtures to Bheiry Khan and Juggut Row to that effect. These officers, disapproving of this step, and being envious of his high rank and reputation, proclaimed Jugdew Row a rebel. He immediately left the capital, and collecting troops, marched towards Bhowungeer, wherein the Prince Dowlut Khan was confined. After procuring his release, and gaining over all the Naigwaries in the neighbourhood, many of the districts contiguous to Bhowungeer acknowledged the Prince's authority.

Meanwhile Seif Khan, arriving from Ahmudnuggur, assumed the office of regent and protector, and collecting the army, marched against Jugdew Row. The latter, unable to cope with the force under the Protector, sent messengers and presents to Toofal Khan, the Regent of Berar, imploring his assistance in favour of Dowlut Khan. To this Toofal Khan readily consented, and joined Jugdew Row; when a severe action took place between Seif Khan and the rebels at the village of Singram, which terminated in the total discomfiture of Dowlut Khan's party, and the loss to Toofal Khan of all his elephants and heavy baggage. Jugdew Row and Dowlut Khan fled to the fort of Bhowungeer, whither they were pursued and besieged. This mode of attack continued for a whole month, during which Jugdew Row headed several sallies that penetrated into the trenches, and the besiegers lost many valuable officers and men. At length Seif Khan proposed terms, to which the garrison would by no means listen, till they were eventually compelled by starvation to surrender themselves and the fort into the Regent's hands. The Prince Dowlut Khan was replaced, as before, in confinement in Bhowungeer, and Jugdew Row was conveyed to the capital.

Seif Khan, who was now in effect King of Tulingana, soon began to give real offence to most of the officers, many of whom he removed from their stations; and there were but few he did not in some way or other contrive to insult by his haughty conduct. The nobles, thus driven to desperation, wrote secretly to the Prince Ibra

him, the late king's younger brother, who, we have before seen, resided at Beejanuggur, under the protection of Ramraj. On receipt of the letters, his two friends in adversity, Syud Hye and Humeed Khan, advised him to proceed instantly to the capital, and proclaim himself king. He consulted his friend Ramraj, but he would by no means consent to his quitting his service to set up vague pretensions (as he termed them) to the throne of Golconda. At last, however, Ramraj not only acceded to Ibrahim's wishes, but even offered to send his brother Venkatadry, with ten thousand cavalry and twenty thousand infantry, to support him. Syud Hye and Humeed Khan advised the Prince to decline taking this large force, which might in his name effect any thing to favour the views of their master, and even usurp the government if it chose for Ramraj. Prince Ibrahim, therefore, having left Beejanuggur without any Hindoo auxiliaries, proceeded as far as the town of Pangul, where he was met by many of the Kootb Shahy officers, and in a short time was joined by about three thousand horse and five thousand infantry. He also received promises from the Naigwaries who formed the garrison of Kovilconda, to deliver up the fort into his hands, and to take the oaths of allegiance to him. The Prince Ibrahim immediately proceeded to that place, and was met by the chief officers of the garrison with presents. Having halted some time, he was joined by most of the principal nobles from Golconda, who now daily flocked to his standard, and he had collected in two months

The

four thousand of the regular cavalry. By this time Seif Khan, the Protector, marched to oppose him, and reached the town of Gunpoora without opposition. The Prince, hearing of his advance, sent one of the Naigwaries of Kovilconda to carry on an intrigue at the capital, and to enter into a league with the Naigwary garrison of Golconda to release Jugdew Row from confinement, and bring him to Kovilconda. The Naigwaries were easily gained over: they released Jugdew Row, and proceeded to the palace of Juggut Row (the governor during the Protector's absence), whom they seized and put in irons, in the fort of Golconda. Thence proceeding to the houses of the chief nobles of the young king, Soobhan Koolly's party, they put them to death, and confined him. After these measures they wrote to the Prince Ibrahim of their success, and invited him to the capital. The moment the Protector heard of the failure of his plans for the safety of the capital, he wrote a submissive address to the Prince Ibrahim, begging to receive, under his own signature, a letter of orgiveness. The Prince replied, that he would make no promises until he ascended the throne of his father at Golconda. Seif Khan *, concluding that this was a prelude to his seizure and execution, enriched himself with great part of the treasury of the late king, and proceeded by the route of Kowlas with five thousand cavalry and some of his dependents,.

*The life of Seif Khan Ein-ool-Moolk is most interesting. He was at once the bravest, but the most unfortunate, man of