vanced with an army to besiege Hansy. Kootbood-Deen marched with his forces to relieve it, compelled him to raise the siege, and pursued the Guzeraties to their own frontier. In the year following he crossed the Jumna, and took the fort of Kole by assault, wherein he found a thousand fine horses, and much spoil; and being informed of Mahomed Ghoory's approach towards Kunowj, he proceeded as far as Pishawur to meet him, and presented him with a hundred fine horses, besides two elephants, the one loaded with gold and the other with silver. At Pishawur, he mustered before the King 50,000 horse, and being honoured with a dress, was preferred to the command of the advance of the royal army. He commanded that division when it defeated the Raja of Benares, who, on seeing his army retreat, urged on his elephant in despair. Kootbood-Deen, who excelled in archery, came in contact with Raja Jye-chund, and with his own hand shot the arrow which, piercing his eye, cost the Raja his life. The number of slain on this day was so great, that it was long ere the body of the Raja could be found by his friends, who were permitted to search for it; till at length his corpse was recognised by his artificial teeth*, which were fixed in by golden wires. Mahomed Ghoory, following with the body of the army into the city of Benares, took possession of the country as far as the boundaries of This is a great proof of the progress luxury had made in India at that period. Bengal, without opposition, and having destroyed all the idols, loaded four thousand camels with spoils. Kootb-ood-Deen on this occasion presented the King with above three hundred elephants taken from the Raja of Benares. The drivers, ona signal given, made the elephants bow down when brought before the King, excepting one white elephant which refused. This animal was reckoned a great curiosity, and though extremely tractable at other times, had on this occasion almost killed his rider, when he endeavoured to force him to make his obeisance. The King, when leaving India, sent the white elephant back, as a present to Kootb-ood-Deen, styling him son in his letter. Kootb-ood-Deen ever afterwards rode this animal; and at his death the elephant is said to have pined away with visible sorrow, and to have expired on the third day. This was the only white elephant of which I have heard in Hindoostan, though it is said, that the King of Pegu* has always two white elephants, and that when one dies, orders are issued to search the woods for another to supply his place. Kootbood-Deen, after the departure of the King, remained some days at Asny, where the Raja's treasure was found; thence returning to Dehly, he received advices that Hemraj, the cousin of the discomfited Prince of Ajmeer, issuing from the mountains of Alwur, had driven Gola Ray, the reigning Prince, towards Runtunbhore, and that * See a description of white elephants in Siam, in Finlayson's Mission to Siam and Hue, p. 151. Hemraj's General, Chutr-Ray, was moving with another army towards Dehly. Kootb-ood-Deen marched to oppose him; and separating twenty thousand horse from the rest of his army, engaged the enemy, and put them to flight. Some days after, however, having collected their scattered troops, they retreated in good order towards Ajmeer, pursued during the whole way by the Mahomedans. Hemraj being joined by his General gained confidence and gave battle; but in spite of his own exertions on this occasion he was slain and his army routed. Thus Ajmeer was restored to the Mahomedan government, and was afterwards ruled by its laws. A. H. 591. A. D. 1194. In the year 591, Kootb-ood-Deen marched towards Nehrwala, the capital of Guzerat. Jeewun Ray, the General of Bheem Dew, who was encamped under the walls, fled at his approach; but on being closely pursued, he drew up his army, and fought till he lost his life, when his army resumed its flight. Bheem Dew, hearing of this defeat, fled from his dominions; and Kootb-ood-Deen having ravaged the country at leisure obtained much booty. He marched from thence to the fort of Hansy, which he repaired, and having visited Kohram returned to Dehly. Meanwhile advices reached him from the governor of the districts near Runtunbhore, that the brother of Gola Ray of Ajmeer, who lived in the hills, threatened to invade his territories. This news induced Kootb-ood-Deen to move to his relief, on which the enemy retired; and Kootb ood-Deen paid a visit to Gola Ray, who entertained him magnificently, and at his departure, presented him with some fine jewels, and two tents of gold tissue. He soon after returned to Dehly; and it is related in the Taj-ool-Maasir, a work dedicated to Kootb-ood-Deen, that he wrote to the King a particular account of his conquests, which so pleased his sovereign, Mahomed Ghoory, that he ordered his attendance at Ghizny, for which place he set out, and was received with every demonstration of joy and respect. Kootb-ood-Deen, some time after, having obtained permission to return to his government, espoused the daughter of Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz, governor of Kirman in Pishawur, and celebrated the marriage-festival with great splendour after his arrival at Dehly. He soon after engaged in the siege of the fort of Byana; but hearing that the King his master had taken the route of Hindoostan, Kootb-ood-Deen went as far as Hansy to meet him. Both now returned to Byana; which place was taken. Mahomed Ghoory gave charge of it to Baha-oodDeen Toghrul, one of his trusty slaves, and then proceeded to Gualiar, where the Raja, having agreed to pay tribute, purchased the forbearance of the King for the time with a considerable sum of money and jewels. Immediately after these transactions Mahomed Ghoory returned to Ghizny, leaving Kootb-oodDeen as before, viceroy of all the conquered provinces of India. At this time news arrived that the Raja of Nagoor and many other Hindoo rajas had entered into an alliance with the Meres, a race of people in that country, and, together with the Raja of Nehrwala, had formed a design to wrest Ajmeer from the Mahomedans. The army of Kootb-ood-Deen being dispersed over his provinces, he was forced to march in person against these confederates with the few troops present in Dehly, in order to prevent, if possible, the junction of the forces of Nehrwala; but he was defeated. After having been frequently dismounted in the action, and having received six wounds, he still fought with his wonted courage, till being forced at length by his attendants off the field, he was carried in a litter to Ajmeer. The Meres, rejoicing at this victory, now formed a junction with the forces of Guzerat, and sat down before Ajmeer. Intelligence of this event coming to the ears of the King, he sent a strong reinforcement from Ghizny to the relief of Kootb-oodDeen. Ajmeer held out till the arrival of the succours, and the enemy raised the siege. Kootbood-Deen having recovered from his wounds pursued the besieging army to Nehrwala, taking in his way the forts of Baly and Nadole. He there received advices that Wallin and Darabarz, in alliance with the Raja of Nehrwala, were encamped near the fort of Abooghur, in the province of Sirohy, to defend the passes into Guzerat. Kootb-ood-Deen, notwithstanding the difficulties of the road, and the disad A. H. 593. *I have been unable to determine the first of these names; the latter, according to Colonel Tod, was the last of the Powar dynasty of Abooghur. |