he had enemies at court, who might, in his absence, defame his character, and deprive him of his Majesty's favour, he and the chiefs who accompanied him in the expedition (in which he was sensible he had acted without orders) were apprehensive of punishment. He, therefore, requested to have a letter of grace, assuring him and his followers of their safety, and of the royal protection.

The King was deceived, and credited all the assertions of his nephew, who, on his part, made preparations for going off to Luknowty; for which purpose he despatched Zuffur Khan towards Oude, to secure the boats on the Surjoo, so that in case the King should come to Kurra Manukpoor, he might be able to cross the river, and proceed at once to Bengal, where he resolved to establish an independent sovereignty. The King, unsuspicious of his designs, wrote kind letters to Allaood-Deen, which he sent by two trusty messengers. These messengers, on their arrival at Kurra, perceiving how matters stood, endeavoured to return, but they were seized, and had no opportunity of writing the true state of affairs to court. The King, concluding the apprehensions of Allaood-Deen were still unremoved, endeavoured to satisfy his mind through Almas Beg, the brother of the latter. Alla-ood-Deen, meanwhile, wrote to Almas Beg, that it was now a matter of notoriety at Kurra, that the King intended certainly to take his life for proceeding to Dewgur without orders. That he sincerely repented of what he had done, and had taken his Majesty's displeasure, which to him was worse than death, so

much to heart, that he was afraid excess of sorrow would put an end to his melancholy life. He, therefore, begged of his brother to inform him of the King's real design, in order that he might either take poison, or look out for a place of security. Letters to this effect were day after day received by Almas Beg, who, being in the plot to deceive the King, showed them to him, and professed at the same time to be apprehensive lest his brother should lay violent hands on himself, or fly his country. He used a thousand delusive arts to inveigle the King to Kurra, who conceived, that the final possession of the treasure depended on the preservation of his nephew's life. The old man at last embarked with a thousand horse and a small retinue, on the Ganges, ordering Ahmud Hubeeb to follow with the army by land.

Alla-ood-Deen, hearing of the King's departure from Dehly, crossed the Ganges, and encamped Rumzan 17. near Manukpoor, upon the opposite

A. H. 695.

July 19.

A. D. 1295.

tence of

bank. On the 17th of Rumzan, the royal canopy appeared in sight. Allaood-Deen drew out his troops on predoing honour to the King, deputing his brother, Almas Beg, who had come on before, to concert measures for his reception. This artful traitor represented to the King, that if he should take so large a retinue as a thousand horse with him, Alla-ood-Deen might be alarmed; for that some bad people had confirmed him so strongly in his fears, that all he could say was insufficient entirely to allay his suspicions.. The King, still unsuspicious of treachery from so near a

relative, whom he had cherished from his infancy, acceded to the proposal, and having ordered a few only of his select attendants to follow him into his barge, caused the fleet to remain at some distance behind. When the royal party came near the camp, Almas Beg again told the King, that his brother, seeing so many men in armour, might possibly be alarmed; that, therefore, as he had taken such ridiculous notions into his head, which no one could remove, it were better to avoid the least appearance of state. The King, consequently, directed his attendants to unbuckle their armour, and lay their weapons aside. Mullik Khoorum, the chief secretary, opposed this step with great vehemence, for he now began to suspect treachery; but the traitor Almas Beg, had such a winning and plausible tongue, that he, too, at last yielded, though with great reluctance.

The King reached the landing-place, and Allaood-Deen appeared upon the bank with his attendants, whom he ordered to halt. He advanced alone, met his uncle, and fell prostrate at his feet. The old man, in a familiar manner, tapped him on the cheek, and raising him up, embraced him, saying, "How could you be suspicious "of me, who have brought you up from your "childhood, and cherished you with a fatherly "affection, holding you dearer in my sight, if pos"sible, than my own offspring?" Then taking him by the hand, he was leading him back into the royal barge, when Alla-ood-Deen made a signal to his guards, who were behind. Mahmood Bin Salim, rushing forward, wounded the King with

his sword over the shoulder. The unfortunate monarch ran forward to gain the barge, crying, "Ah! thou villain, Alla-ood-Deen;" but before he had reached the boat, another of the guards, Yekhtyar-ood-Deen, coming up, seized the feeble old man, and throwing him on the ground, cut off his head. The rebels then fixed the venerable head of their sovereign on the point of a spear, and carried it through the camp and city.

The day before this event took place, Alla-oodDeen visited a reverend sage, named Sheikh Karrik, who is buried at Kurra, and whose tomb is still held sacred. That holy man, rising from his pillow, repeated the following extempore verse : "He who cometh against thee shall lose his head "in the boat, and his body shall be thrown into "the Ganges." Which, they say, was explained a few hours after, by the death of the unfortunate King, whose head fell into the boat upon this occasion. Mahmood Bin Salim, one of the assassins, about a year after, died of a horrid leprosy, which dissolved the flesh, piece-meal, from his bones. Yekhtyar-ood-Deen, the other assassin, fared no better; for he became mad, crying out incessantly, that Julal-ood-Deen Feroze was cutting off his head. Thus this wretch also suffered a thousand deaths, in imagination, before he expired.

Almas Beg, the brother of Alla-ood-Deen, and the others concerned in this horrid tragedy, fell into such a course of misfortunes, that in the space of four years no traces of them remained on the face of the earth, though the recollection of their

crimes long survived the event. And even Allaood-Deen himself, though fortune smiled on him at first, yet in the end he suffered great distress of mind, being obliged to imprison his own children, and to put to death, one after another, the friends. whom he loved most, and in whom he most confided. Julal-ood-Deen Feroze Khiljy reigned for a period of seven years and some months.