SOOLTANA RUZEEA BEGUM.

Punjab

Sind

Bengal.

Character of the Queen - her qualifications to reign superior to those of her brothers. The confederated army at Lahore marches against the Queen - her conduct on this occasion. Sows dissensions among the confederates they begin to suspect each other, and separate — are attacked by the Queen's forces-many of the chiefs overtaken and executed. - Khwaja Mehdy created minister, with the title of Nizam-ool-Moolk. Territorial limits The Queen confers on Jumal-ood-Deen Yakoot, an Abyssinian officer, the dignity of Ameer-ool-Omra, chief of the nobles. — Familiarity between the Queen and Yakoot. - Jealousy of the chieftains. The governor of Lahore raises troops. The Queen marches to oppose him. He submits and is pardoned. Mullik Altoonia, governor of Bituhnda, revolts. Queen proceeds to put down the insurrection. The Toorky chiefs mutiny. The favourite is slain, and the Queen delivered into the hands of her enemy, Mullik Altoonia. The Toorky officers return with the army to Dehly, and raise the Queen's brother Beiram to the throne. The Queen prevails on Mullik Altoonia to marry her, and defend her rights-they march towards Dehly, but are defeated by the new King's forces. The Queen and Mullik Altoonia again in the field — are defeated at Keituhl, by Mullik Eiz-ood-Deen Bulbun, and are both seized by the inhabitants of the country, and put to death. - Reflections, by the author, on the fate of Sooltana Ruzeea Begum.

The

RUZEEA BEGUM was possessed of every good qua lity which usually adorns the ablest princes; and those who scrutinise her actions most severely will find in her no fault but that she was a woman. She read the Koran with correct pronunciation,

and in her father's lifetime employed herself frequently in the affairs of the government; a disposition which he rather encouraged in her than otherwise, so that during the campaign in which he was engaged in the siege of Gualiar, he appointed her regent during his absence. When asked by his officers, why he appointed his daughter in preference to any of his sons, he replied, that he saw his sons gave themselves up to wine and every other excess, so that he thought the government too weighty for their shoulders; but that Ruzeea Begum, though a woman, had a man's head and heart, and was better than twenty such sons. Ruzeea Begum, on her accession, changed her apparel, assumed the imperial robes, and every day gave public audience from the throne, revising and confirming the laws of her father, which had been abrogated in the last short reign, and dispensing justice with impartiality.

The confederates, consisting of the Vizier Nizam-ood-Moolk Jooneidy, Mullik Alla-ood-Deen Khany, Mullik Seif-ood-Deen Koochy, Mullik Eiz-ood-Deen Salar, and Mullik Kubeer Khan, who had united their forces at Lahore, now advanced to Dehly, and, encamping without the city, commenced hostilities. They at the same time sent letters to all the officers of the empire, inviting them to join their party. This news reaching Mullik Nuseer, Jageerdar of Oude, he raised troops, and hastened to the support of the Queen; but on crossing the Ganges, being attacked by the confederates, he was defeated and taken prisoner, in which condition he soon after died, from old age

and infirmity. The Queen, meanwhile, was busily engaged in sowing dissension among the rebel chiefs, and with such success, that, distrusting each other, they shortly after broke up their camp, each retreating to his own government. The Queen's troops, availing themselves of this event, pursued them. Mullik Seif-ood-Deen Koochy and his brother were taken and put to death. Mullik Alla-ood-Deen Khany was slain near Babool, and his head brought to Dehly, but the Vizier Nizamool-Moolk Jooneidy contrived to escape to the Surmore hills, where he died.

The Queen now conferred the vizarut on Khwaja Mehdy Ghiznevy, deputy to the former vizier, with the title of Nizam-ool-Moolk, and gave the chief command of her forces to Mullik Seif-ood-Deen Eibuk, with the title of Kootloogh Khan. Kubeer Khan, having submitted to her authority, was allowed to resume the government of Lahore, while the countries of Luknowty on the south-east, and of Debul and Sind on the southwest, were also confirmed to their respective lieutenants, on promise of future obedience.

Kootloogh Khan, General of the Queen's armies, soon after died; and Kootb-ood-Deen Hussun, being appointed to succeed him, was sent with a force to relieve the fort of Runtunbhore then invested by some independent Indian princes, who, at the approach of the royal forces, raised the siege, and retreated. After Kootb-ood-Deen Hussun's departure from Runtunbhore, Mullik Yekhtyar-ood-Deen Aluptugeen was created Ameer Hajib, and Jumal-ood-Deen Yakoot, an Abyssinian,

who was in great favour, was raised from the office of master of the horse, to that of Ameer-oolOmra. * The nobles, highly offended at this proceeding, were disposed to examine narrowly the cause of so much favour. A very great degree of familiarity was observed to exist between the Abyssinian and the Queen; so much so, that when she rode he always lifted her on her horse by raising her up under the arms. This intimacy, the great favour which he had suddenly attained, and his rapid elevation to the first rank in the realm, might naturally have excited envy had it happened to any individual; but it became the more mortifying, when the favourite was merely an Abyssinian slave.

A.H.637.

A. D. 1239.

The first person who began openly to evince these feelings was Mullik Kubeer Khan, viceroy of Lahore, who in the year 637 cast off his allegiance, and increased his army. The Queen, collecting her forces, marched against him; and the viceroy being deserted by some of his colleagues, was obliged to make concessions, by which he obtained pardon. He conducted himself with so much art on this occasion, that the Queen, on her departure, either believing him sincere, or desirous of binding him to her interest by gratitude, not only permitted him to retain his office as governor of Lahore, but added to it that of Mooltan, which had been lately vacated by the removal of Mullik Kurra-gooz.

In the same year, Mullik Altoonia (of the Toorky

* Chief of the nobles. This was the highest station next to princes of the blood.

tribe of Chelgany), governor of Bituhnda, revolted, on the plea of the Queen's partiality to the Abyssinian. On hearing this intelligence, she marched towards Bituhnda; but about half way, all the Toorky chiefs in her army mutinied. A tumultuous conflict ensued, in which the Abyssinian favourite was killed; and the Queen being taken, was sent to the fort of Bituhnda, to Mullik Altoonia.

The army now returned to Dehly, where the Toorky officers elevated her brother, the Prince Beiram, a son of the late Shums-ood-Deen Altmish, to the throne. Meanwhile Mullik Altoonia having espoused the empress, was enabled, in a short time, through her influence, to raise an army, composed of Gukkurs, Juts, and others of the neighbouring tribes, which was also joined by many officers of distinction, with whom they marched towards Dehly. Beiram, the new king, sent Mullik Eiz-oodDeen Bulbun (afterwards called Aluf-Khan), sonin-law of the late Shums-ood-Deen Altmish, with his forces to oppose the Queen. The two armies met near Dehly: an obstinate conflict ensued, in which the Queen was defeated, and fled to Bituhnda. She some time after re-assembled her scattered forces, and was in a condition to make another bold effort for the crown, and advanced towards Dehly. Mullik Eiz-ood-Deen Bulbun, who was again sent to oppose her, gave the Queen's Rubbee-ool- army a second defeat at Keituhl, on the 4th of Rubbee-ool-A wul, in the same year. She and her husband were seized by the Zemeendars in their flight, and

Awul 4. A. H. 637. Óctober 24. A. D. 1239.