air of probability to the accusation was, that at this time the Queen was very urgent to procure one of Aluf Khan's daughters to be married to her son Shady Khan. Mullik Kafoor did not fail to take advantage of this circumstance, so that the King at length being suspicious of treachery, ordered the Prince Khizr Khan to Amroha, there to continue till he himself should recover from his indisposition. Though Khizr Khan was full of the follies of youth, his father's order made a deep impression on his mind, and he felt conscious of having neglected him. At his departure, he therefore took an oath privately, that if God should spare the life of his father, he would return all the way on foot to the capital; and when he heard that his father's health began to recover, he steadily fulfilled his vow, before he waited on him. The traitor, Mullik Kafoor, turned this act of filial piety entirely against Khizr Khan. He insinuated that his behaviour, by such a sudden change, could be imputed to nothing but hypocrisy; and ascribed his disobedience of coming without his father's leave, to an intention, on his part, of intriguing with the nobles, in order to excite a revolution. Alla-ood-Deen did not give entire credit to these insinuations; but sending for Khizr Khan, embraced him to try his affection, and seeing him weep, seemed convinced of his sincerity, and ordered him into the seraglio, to see his mother and sisters. Unhappily for this prince, the giddiness of youth made him deviate again into his former wild habits. He neglected for several days to visit his father, during which time his subtle enemy gained over some of the

King's private domestics, and induced them to support his aspersions against Khizr Khan.

At length, by a thousand wiles and artifices, Mullik Kafoor accomplished his purpose, and prevailed on the King to imprison his two sons, (Khizr Khan and Shady Khan) in the fort of Gualiar, and their mother in the old fort of Dehly. He at the same time procured an order to seize Aluf Khan, whom he unjustly put to death. Aluf Khan's brother, Nizam Khan, Soobadar of Jalwur, was also assassinated by Kumal Khan, who succeeded to his office. Thus far the schemes of Mullik Kafoor succeeded. At this time, also, the flames of universal insurrection, which had long been smothered, began to burst forth, and were first apparent in Guzerat, which rose into insurrection, To suppress this rebellion, Kumal Khan was sent thither, but the adherents of the late Aluf Khan defeated him with great slaughter. Kumal Khan was taken prisoner, and suffered a cruel death. while the rajpoots of Chittoor threw the Mahomedan officers over the walls, and asserted their independence, while Hurpal Dew, the son-in-law of Ram Dew, stirred up the Deccan to arms, and expelled a number of the Mahomedan garrisons.

Mean

On receiving these accounts, the King bit his own flesh with fury. His grief and rage only tended to increase his disorder, which seemed to resist the power of medicine; and on the evening of the 6th of Shuval, in the year 716, he gave up the ghost, but not without suspicion of being poisoned by the villain whom he had raised from the dust to

Shuval 6. A. H. 716.

Dec. 19. A. D. 1316.

power. Alla-ood-Deen Khiljy reigned 20 years

and some months. The household servants of this monarch amounted to 17,000, including artificers, for whom he always found employment. His wealth and power were never equalled by any prince who sat before him on the throne of Hindoostan, and they surpassed by far the riches accumulated in the ten campaigns of Mahmood Ghiznevy, all of which were left for others to enjoy.

OOMUR KHILJY.

Mullik Kafoor produces a spurious testament of the King, nominating his youngest son, Oomur Khan, his successor, and appointing Mullik Kafoor protector, during his minority.Mullik Kafoor procures the King's eldest sons, Khizr Khan and Shady Khan, to be blinded, and another son, Moobarik, is imprisoned for the same purpose. Mullik Kafoor espouses the mother of the young King. - Plot of the officers of the guards to kill the protector. - Mullik Kafoor is assassinated. The Prince Moobarik is raised to the throne. The young King, Oomur Khan, is deprived of eyesight, and confined for life in the fort of Gualiar.

In the history of Sudr Jehan of Guzerat, we are informed that the day after the death of Alla-oodDeen Khiljy, Mullik Kafoor assembled the omras, and produced a spurious testament of the deceased King, in which his youngest son, the Prince Oomur Khan was appointed his successor, and Mullik Kafoor regent, during his minority; setting aside altogether the right of primogeniture of Khizr Khan and of the other princes. Oomur Khan, then in the seventh year of his age, was accordingly placed on the throne, and Mullik Kafoor began his administration. His first measure was to send a person to Gualiar, to put out the eyes of the Princes Khizr Khan and Shady Khan. His orders were inhumanly executed; and the Sooltana, their mother, was put into closer confinement, and her property seized. Moobarik Khan, the third son of Alla-ood

Deen, was also taken into custody, for the purpose of having his eyes put out. However ridiculous it may appear, Mullik Kafoor, though an eunuch, married the mother of the Prince Oomur, the late Emperor's third wife. But the mother of the Prince Moobarik, the late King's second wife, having heard that the regent intended to put out

A. D. 1316.

the eyes of her son, acquainted Sheikh A. H. 716. Nujm-ood-Deen, and he gave her some hopes that the threatened misfortune should be prevented.

Meanwhile, Mullik Kafoor, as a cloak to his designs, placed the young King every day upon the throne, and ordered the nobles to pay their respects as usual. He sent one night a band of assassins to cut off the Prince Moobarik Khan; but when they entered his apartment, he conjured them to remember his father, whose servants they had been. He then untied a string of rich jewels from his neck, which probably had more influence than his entreaties, and gave it them. They abandoned their purpose; but when they got out, they quarrelled about the division of the jewels, which they at last agreed to carry to the chief of the footguards, and acquaint him with what the Prince had said, and with their instructions from Mullik Kafoor. Mullik Musheer, the commander of the foot-guards, and his lieutenant, who both owed every thing to the favour of the deceased king, shocked at the villany of Mullik Kafoor, and finding their men willing to second them, conspired against the eunuch. They accordingly entered his apartment a few hours after, and assas