the attacks of the Mughals. He was therefore compelled to summon Maliku-s Shark Nasíru-l Mulk from Karra and Mahoba, and to send him to Multán, in order to put down and punish the assaults of these accursed foes. The fiefs (ikta's) of this quarter were conferred upon him, and the fief of Hindustán, that is to say Karra and Mahoba, was also ordered to be confirmed to Maliku-s Shark Shamsu-d dín Sulaimán, son of Malik Mardán Daulat. After the murder of Dámaghání, the fief of Gujarát was granted to Malik Mufarrih Sultání, who received the title of Farhatu-l Mulk.

In the year 781 н. (1379 A.D.), the Sultán made a progress towards Sámána, and when he arrived there, Malik Kabúl Kurán Khwán, amir of the privy council and chief of Sámána, presented his tribute, and the Sultán showed him great favour. Passing from thence through Ambála and Sháhábád, the Sultán entered the hills of Saháranpúr, and after taking tribute from the Rais of Sirmor and the hills, he returned to his capital. Just at this time information came of the rebellion of Khargú, the Hindu chief (mukaddam) of Katehr. This Khargú had invited Saiyid Muhammad, who held the fief of Badáún, and his brother Saiyid 'Aláu-d dín, to a feast at his house, and had then basely murdered them. In 782 H. (1380 a.D.), the Sultán proceeded there to avenge this murder, and ravaged the district of Katehr. Khargú fled, and took refuge in the mountains of Kamáún, in the country of the Mahtas. The Sultán also attacked them. Every year he used to proceed to Katehr, ostensibly to hunt, and that country became so devastated that nothing but game lived there.

* *

In 784 H. (1382 A.D), he built a fortress at Beolí, seven kos from Badáún, and called it Fírozpúr, but the people named it Pur-i akhirin (the last town). The Sultán now grew old and feeble, for his age was nearly ninety years, and Khán-i Jahán, the wazir, exercised unbounded authority. All the affairs of the

1 See note infrà, p. 49.

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مهتکان :

State were in his hands, and the maliks and amirs were entirely subservient to him. If any one opposed him, he got him removed from the presence of the Sultán in any way he could. Some he killed, others he put in confinement. At length it came to this, that whatever Khán-i Jahán said the Sultán used to do. So the affairs of the kingdom fell into disorder, and every day some loss occurred. One day Khán-i Jahán represented to the Sultán that Prince Muhammad Khán had allied himself to certain nobles such as Daryá Khán, son of Zafar Khán, amir of Gujarát, Malik Ya'kúb Muhammad Hájí, master of the horse [etc., etc.], and was on the point of raising a rebellion. As the Sultán had given over everything to the charge of the Khán, he, without thought or consideration, gave the order that they should be taken into custody. When the prince heard this, he did not come to the palace for several days, and although Khán-i Jahán sent for him, he made excuses. Then the Khán, upon the pretext of a balance of accounts, kept Daryá Khán, son of Zafar Khán, amir of Mahoba, confined in his house. This alarmed the prince still more, and he made a statement of his position to his father. The Sultán gave orders for the dismissal of Khán-i Jahán, and for the release of Daryá Khán. The prince having done this, Malik Ya'kúb Beg, master of the horse, brought out all the royal horses, and Malik Kutbu-d dín Farámurz, keeper of the elephants, brought out the elephants with their howdas and armour, and took them to the prince. The slaves of Sultán Fíroz, the amirs, and other people of the city, also joined the prince.

In the month of Rajab, 789 (July, Aug., 1387 A.D.), being fully prepared, the prince proceeded late one night, with a large body of men, to the house of Khán-i Jahán. When the Khán heard of their approach, he took Daryá Khán, son of Zafar Khán, out of prison and put him to death. Then he came out with a few chosen followers, and was attacked by the prince. Being defeated, he fled to his house, and received a wound as he was entering. Unable to make further resistance, he again left his

house with a few followers and fled into Mewát, where he sought refuge with Koká Chauhán, at Mahárí. The prince plundered Khán-i Jahan's house of all its gold and wealth, and arms, horses and effects; he then returned with his followers to the palace. Next he caused Malik Bihzád Fath Khán, [and several other adherents of] Khán-i Jahán, to be brought to the palace and to be beheaded. When these proceedings were reported to the Sultán, he gave over his authority to Prince Muhammad Khán, and the maliks and amirs and slaves of Sultán Fíroz, and the people in general, rallied round the prince. The Sultán was old and feeble, so of necessity he gave over to the prince the reins of government, with all the horses and elephants, wealth and state. He conferred upon him the title Násiru-d dín Muhammad Shah, and then he retired to his house to serve his God. In all the chief mosques throughout the dominions the khutba was repeated in the names of the two sovereigns, and in the month of Sha'bán of the same year Muhammad Khán took his seat upon the throne in the palace of Jahán-numá. The titles and offices, fiefs, and allowances, pensions and gifts, and whatsoever had been enjoyed by any one during the late reign, were confirmed. Malik Ya'kúb, master of the horse, was made Sikandar Khán, and received the fief of Gujarát. * *He was then sent with an army to Mahání against Khán-i Jahán. When this force reached Mahárí, the accursed Koká seized Khán-i Jahán and sent him prisoner to Sikandar Khán, who killed him, and carried his head to Court. Sikandar Khán then departed to his fief of Gujarát, and the prince devoted himself to the duties of government.

In the month of Zi-l ka'da of the same year, he went to the mountains of Sirmor, and there spent two months in hunting the rhinoceros and elk.1 While thus engaged, information was brought to him of the death of Sikandar Khán, whom Malik Mufarrih, amir of Kambay, and the new amirs of Gujarát, had risen against and slain. The retinue that had marched with

He pro

him from Court, some of them wounded and some of them despoiled, returned home with Saiyid Sálár. When Prince Muhammad Khán heard this intelligence, he became thoughtful and anxious, and returned to his capital. But he was young and inexperienced, and he gave himself up to pleasure. For five months longer the old rules and arrangements kept the affairs of the kingdom in order, but at length great irregularities arose. The slaves of the late Government of Fíroz Sháh, of whom there were about a lac in Dehlí and Fírozábád, stirred up by the opposition shown by Malik Samáu-d dín and Malik Kamálu-d dín, abandoned the prince, and joined themselves to the late sovereign; hence arose contention and strife. When the prince became aware of the facts, he sent Malik Zahíru-d dín Loharí to parley with the insurgents, who had assembled in the maidán; but they pelted him with bricks and stones, and after wounding him they made a display of their force and rejected all propositions for peace. Zahíru-d dín returned wounded to the prince, who was ready for action. ceeded with all his force of horse and foot, and elephants, to the maidán against the rebels; and when he attacked them, they fled to the palace and sought refuge with the old Sultán. Fighting went on for two days, and on the third the prince was prepared to renew the struggle, when the insurgents brought out the old Sultán from the palace. The soldiers and elephantdrivers, directly they saw the face of their Sultán, deserted the side of the prince and joined themselves to their old master. Finding that he could no longer maintain the struggle, the prince turned and fled with a small band of followers to the mountains of Sirmor. The insurgents plundered his house, and those of his adherents. That day tranquillity was restored, and the people were satisfied. The Sultan then appointed Prince Tughlik Shah, his grandson, son of Fath Khán, to be his heir, and delivered over all the affairs of Government to him. Amír Husain Ahmad Ikbál, son-in-law of the Sultán, who had separated from the party of the prince, was made prisoner, and

VOL. IV.

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the prince had him beheaded before the entrance of the palace. Orders were also sent to the new amirs of Sámána directing them to seize 'Alí Khán, the amir, and bring him to Court. When he was brought in, the prince sent him away to Bihár, and granted the fief of Sámána to Malik Sultán Sháh.

On the 18th Ramazán, 790 н. (26th September, 1388 A.D.), Sultán Fíroz died, worn out with weakness. Veracious historians and truthful chroniclers of venerable age have recorded that since the days of Násiru-d dín, son of Shamsu-d dín Altamish, who was a second Naushírwán, there has been no king in Dehlí so just and merciful, so kind and religious, or such a builder. His justice won for him the hearts of his subjects. If any poor traveller, by the visitation of God, fell in the road and died, the feudal chiefs, the officers, and the mukaddams having called together the kázis and all Musulmáns, they examined the body, and drew up a report under the seal of the kází, certifying that no mark of a wound was discernible upon the body, and after that they buried it. Thus by inquiries of the kázis, all the injunctions of the law were fulfilled, and it was in no way possible that during the reign of this Sovereign, any strong man could tyrannize over the weak. God Almighty took this gentle, beneficent, and just king to his everlasting rest, after a reign of thirty-seven years and nine months.1

Reign of Tughlik Shah, son of Fath Khán, son of Firoz Sháh, the late Sultán.

This Sultán, with the concurrence of several of the amirs and maliks and servants of the late Sultán, took his seat upon the

1 He was ninety years of age. "He was buried by the side of the Hauz-i kháss; a splendid dome (gumbad) was erected over his grave, and it has become famous."-Badáúní. The Tabakát-i Akbarí gives a summary of his public works, which Firishta has adopted, with some alterations. It is as follows:-"5 Canals (band-i júí), [Firishta says "50"]; 4 Mosques [Firishta says "40"]; 30 Colleges; 20 Monasteries (khánkáh); 100 Palaces (kúshk); 200 Caravanserais (rabát); 300 Towns; 5 Tanks (hauz); 5 Hospitals; 100 Mausolea; 10 Baths; 10 Monumental Pillars (minára); 150 Wells; 100 Bridges; and gardens beyond number." The text of Firishta omits the "300 towns," but the translation states them as "200." With the exceptions noted, the two lists agree; but there are some discrepancies between the text of Firishta and Briggs's translation.