vantages of ground, attacked them; and on this occasion above fifty thousand of the enemy are said to have fallen on the field, besides twenty thousand who were taken prisoners. Vast spoils also fell into the hands of the victors. Having given his army some rest, Kootb-ood-Deen pursued his route into Guzerat, ravaged that country without further opposition, and took the city of Nehrwala, where he left an officer with a strong garrison. He now returned to Dehly by the way of Ajmeer, and sent a large quantity of jewels and gold, and also many slaves, to the King at Ghizny, and divided the remainder of the spoils among his fellow-soldiers.

A. H. 599.

A. D. 1202.

In the year 599, he mustered his forces, and marched against Kalunjur, where he was opposed by the Raja of that country, whom he defeated; then, dismounting his cavalry, he laid siege to the fort. The Raja, seeing himself hard pressed, offered Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk the same tribute and presents which his ancestors had formerly paid to Sooltan Mahmood. The proposal was accepted; but the Raja's minister, who resolved to hold out without coming to terms, caused his master to be assassinated, while the presents were preparing. The Hindoo flag being again hoisted on the fort, the siege recommenced, but the place was eventually reduced, owing to the drying up of a spring upon the hill which supplied the garrison with water. The plunder of Kalunjur was great in gold and jewels.

Kootb-ood-Deen now marched to Mahoba, the capital of the principality of Kalpy, which

place he also subdued, together with Budaoon, lying between the rivers Jumna and Ganges. Mahomed Bukhtyar Khiljy, who had been ap pointed governor of Behar by the King, but had for some time back paid little attention to the royal commands, came at this time to pay a visit to Kootb-ood-Deen, conciliating him with rich presents.

At the time when Mahomed Ghoory, after his defeat in Toorkistan, returned to India, he was joined by Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, and Shumsood-Altmish, another of his slaves, by whose valour and fidelity he defeated the Gukkurs in several actions, and recovered Lahore from them. Matters being thus peaceably settled, Kootb-oodDeen returned to his government, and the King was retiring towards Ghizny, when he was assas sinated by the Gukkurs. Mahmood, his nephew, assumed the royal titles at Ghoor, and, on his accession, sent all the insignia of royalty, a throne, a canopy, standards, drums, and the title of King, to Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, desirous of securing his interest, and being by no means able to oppose his power, if he refused to acknowledge him. Kootb ood-Deen Eibuk received these marks of favour with becoming respect at Lahore, where he ascended the throne on the 18th of Zeekad, A. н. 602. He returned from thence in a few days to Dehly.

Zeekad 18.

A. H. 602. July 24.

A. D. 1205.

Meanwhile Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz marched an army from Ghizny, with an intention to take Lahore, which he effected by the treachery of the governor, whom he afterwards expelled. Kootb

A. D. 1205.

ood-Deen hearing of this event, disputed his right, and in the year 608 a war ensued A. H. 603. between these chiefs. At length Tajood-Deen Yeldooz was expelled the city, and obliged to fly towards Kirman and Shivuran ; Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk pursued him as far as Ghizny, in which city he was again crowned, taking that kingdom also into his own hands.

Kootb-ood-Deen, after this, unaccountably gave himself up to wine and pleasure, till the citizens of Ghizny, disgusted with his conduct, sent privately to Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz, acquainting him with the King's negligence, and entreating his return. Taj-ood-Deen raised troops with great secrecy and expedition, advanced towards Ghizny, and surprised Kootb-ood-Deen, who had no intelligence of his design till the day before his arrival. It was now too late to attempt a defence, so that he was compelled to abandon Ghizny and to retire to Lahore. Kootb-ood-Deen now became sensible of his folly, and repented: after which he continued to exercise justice, temperance, and morality; and his kingdom was governed by the best laws till his death, which happened in the year 607, by a fall from his horse, in a match at chowgan.

A. H. 607.

A. D. 1210.

The game of chowgan, like our foot-ball, consists in two opposite parties endeavouring to propel a ball beyond certain bounds. The parties in this game, however, are on horseback, and the players use bats, like our rackets, to strike the ball. The game was, it is supposed, introduced into Southern Asia by the Tartars; but it is lost in India, and is, I believe, now never played even in Persia.

His reign, properly speaking, lasted only four years, though he enjoyed all the state and dignities of a king for upwards of twenty, if we reckon from the period of the capture of Dehly, when he may be said to have become King of India, though he assumed only the title of Commander-in-Chief of his patron Mahomed Ghoory. He was certainly a great captain, and might be classed among the greatest men in history, had not his licentious conduct at Ghizny tarnished the glory of his life. He was famous throughout the East for his generosity, for which he obtained the surname of Lakbukhsh, "Bestower of Laks." When a man is praised for generosity in India, they say to this day, "He is as liberal as Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk.”

LIFE OF TAJ-OOD-DEEN YELDOOZ.

MAHOMED GHOORY having no children excepting one daughter, took pleasure in educating Toorky slaves, whom he afterwards adopted. Four of those slaves, besides Kootb-ood-Deen, became great princes, of whom Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz was one. The King having observed him to be a youth of merit, advanced him gradually, till he conferred on him the government of the provinces of Kirman and Shivuran, which lie between Ghizny and India. His situation gave him an opportunity of frequently entertaining his prince, during his expeditions to and from the latter country, which he always did with great magnificence, making presents to all the King's attendants.

Mahomed Ghoory, in his last expedition to India, conferred on Taj-ood-Deen the privilege of carrying the black standard of Ghizny, an honour which was usually confined to the heir apparent. On the death of that monarch, the Toorky officers espoused the cause of the Prince Mahmood, the son of Gheias-ood-Deen; but Mahmood being unambitious, and naturally indolent, declined the additional cares of the Ghizny government, and remained satisfied with the throne of his ancestors at Ghoor; he, however, assumed the imperial title, and proclaimed Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz King of Ghizny, content to receive homage from that chief.

The first act of Taj-ood-Deen, after his accession, was the invasion of the Punjab, and the seizure of Lahore, as we have seen in the former reign, on which occasion, being defeated by Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, he lost his kingdom, which he, however, soon after regained. At length, in conjunction with the King Mahmood of Ghoor, he sent an army to Herat, which he reduced, as also great part of Seestan. Mahmood also engaged in war with Mahomed Shah, King of Khwaruzm. Mahomed Shah, following up his successes, took Ghizny, and compelled Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz to retire to Kirman. Yeldooz, finding the northern hordes an overmatch for him, recruited his army, and marched, some time after the death of Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, with a view to conquer India. After reducing a few of the northern districts, he was defeated near Dehly by Shums-ood-Deen Altmish, and being taken prisoner, died in confinement. The whole length of his reign was nine years. As we have already