Page images
PDF
EPUB

by one of the conspirators, and Assud-ood-Deen was condemned to death. Whether Moobarik had found proofs that his brothers were concerned in this transaction is not known; but at that time he sent an executioner to Gualiar, and caused the Princes to be put to death. He also caused Dewul Devy, the wife of his elder brother Khizr Khan, to be brought to the royal haram.

Moobarik, now in quiet possession of Guzerat, the Deccan, and most parts of northern India, gave a loose to the most unbridled excesses. He grew more perverse, proud, vindictive, and tyrannical, than ever; despising all council, ill treating his friends, and inflicting the most sanguinary and unjust punishments, merely in conformity with his obstinate and arbitrary will. Zuffur Khan, the governor of Guzerat, among others, fell a victim to his caprice, as also Wufa Beg, upon whom he had heaped such favours; both suffered death without even an accusation. The King became infamous for every vice that can disgrace human nature, and condescended so far as to dress himself often like a common actress, and go with the public women to dance at the houses of the nobility. At other times, he would lead a gang of abominable prostitutes, half naked, along the terraces of the royal palaces, and oblige them to exhibit themselves before the nobles as they entered the court. and other indecencies too shocking to mention, were the constant sources of his daily amusement. After the death of Zuffur Khan, Hissam-ood-Deen, uncle to Mullik Khoosrow, obtained the government of Guzerat. He had not long been esta

These,

blished, when in conjunction with a few nobles he rebelled. The other nobles of Guzerat, rising in arms, defeated him, and sent him prisoner to Dehly. Here he was not only pardoned, but regained his place in the King's favour, and Mullik Wujee-ood Deen Kooreishy was sent to Guzerat in his stead. About this time news arrived, that Mullik Beg Luky, governor of the Deccan, had rebelled. The King sent a force to suppress that insurrection, which contrived to seize Mullik Beg and his principal adherents, and to send them to Dehly, where the chief had his ears cut off, and the others were put to the torture. Mullik Ein-oolMoolk Mooltany was now raised to the office of governor of the Deccan.

A. H. 719.

Mullik Khoosrow, who had gone to A. D. 1319. Malabar, stayed there about one year. He plundered the country of one hundred and twenty elephants, a perfect diamond, weighing one hundred and sixty-eight ruttys, with other jewels, and gold to a great amount. His ambition was increased by his wealth; and he proposed to establish himself in the Deccan in an independent sovereignty. Being unable to gain over any of the chief officers of his army, he conceived a project for their destruction. To this end, he recalled one Mullik Tubligha from the government of the island of Goa. He also recalled Mullik Teimoor and Mullik Gool, Afghans, who were on different services, and gave out that he had orders to return to Dehly. Dehly. These nobles, having intelligence of his designs, disobeyed his commands, and wrote a remonstrance to court, accusing

Mullik Khoosrow of treason. The King commanded him to be seized, and to be sent prisoner to Dehly, which order the officers found means to execute. When Khoosrow came before the King, he pleaded his own cause so successfully, and retorted on his accusers with such plausibility, that the King believed the whole accusation originated in envy and disgust at being commanded by his favourite. He immediately recalled his accusers, and though they gave undoubted proofs of their assertions, he not only shut his ears against the defence which they brought forward, but disgraced them, confiscated their estates, and reduced them to poverty. Other nobles, seeing that the enemies of Mullik Khoosrow, right or wrong, were destined to destruction, made excuses, in order to obtain leave to retire to distant parts of the empire. A few sycophants adhered to the favourite, who had now become the object of universal dread, as well as the source of all honours and promotion. This slave, in the mean time, cherished his own ambitious views, and began again to form measures for his own advancement to the throne.

To accomplish this purpose, he told the King, that as his fidelity had been so generously rewarded, and as the King might still have occasion for his services in the conduct of his military affairs, he begged that he might be permitted to send for some of his relations from Guzerat, on whom he could more certainly depend than officers now in the King's service, who were jealous of his elevation. The King acceded to his request; and Mullik Khoosrow remitted a large sum of money, by.

some of his agents, to Guzerat, who collected about 20,000 of his own cast, the dregs of the people, and brought them to Dehly. Every office of profit and trust was conferred upon those vermin, which bound them fast to Mullik Khoosrow's interest.

A. H. 721.
A. D. 1321.

On one occasion, as the King was going to hunt towards Sursawa, a plot was formed to assassinate him. But this was laid aside on account of a difference of opinion among the conspirators. They therefore resolved to perform their tragedy in the palace. Moobarik returned to Dehly, and, according to custom, gaye himself up to his debauched habits. Mullik Khoosrow, full of his project, took the opportunity of a favourable hour, to beg the King's permission to entertain his friends in the outer court of the palace. The King not only consented, but even issued orders to give them free access at all times; by which means the courts of the palace became crowded with the followers of the favourite. plot for the King's assassination was not even kept secret, many people in the city heard of it from the incautious and profligate band which was employed by Mullik Khoosrow; but such was his influence over the King's mind, that none dared to mention it. At length Kazy Zeea-ood-Deen, one of the most learned men in the city, and who had been the King's tutor in his youth, gained access, and told him plainly that such a plot was notorious throughout the town. He recommended immediate measures to be taken for seizing Khoosrow, and for instituting an enquiry into the truth; observing, if

The

it should be clearly proved to be unfounded, it would only be the cause of an increase of the King's favour towards his minister. At this identical moment Mullik Khoosrow, who had been listening, entered in a female dress, with all the affectation of a girl. The King, on seeing him, got up, embraced him, and forgot all that Kazy Zeea-ood-Deen had said.

On the following night, the Kazy, still suspicious of treason, could not go to rest, but walked out about midnight, to see whether the guards were watchful. In his rounds, he met Mundul, Khoosrow's uncle, who engaged him in conversation. In the mean time, one Jahirba came behind him, and with one stroke of a sabre laid him low on the ground, leaving him only strength to cry out, "Treason! treason! murder and treason are on foot." Two or three servants who attended him ran off, screaming aloud that the Kazy was assassinated. The guards started up in confusion, but were instantly attacked by the conspirators, and massacred before they could prepare for defence.

The King, alarmed at the noise, asked Mullik Khoosrow, who lay in his apartment, the cause. The villain arose as if to enquire, and going out on the terrace, stood for some time, and returning, told the King, that some of the horses belonging to the guard had broken loose and were fighting, while the people were endeavouring to secure them. This satisfied Moobarik for the present, but soon after, the conspirators ascended the stairs and got upon the terraces which led to the royal sleeping apartment. Here they were stopped by Ibrahim

« PreviousContinue »