Deen, received the government of Dewgur, and his adopted son, Tartar Khan, the government of Zuffurabad. The King, meantime, stationed troops on the Kabul frontiers, and built forts to protect his dominions from the incursions of the Moguls, which so effectually answered the purpose, as to prevent his being troubled by these invaders during the whole of his reign. In the second year after his accession, the Prince Aluf Khan, the King's eldest son, attended by some of the old nobles, with the troops of Chundery, Budaoon, and Malwa, was despatched towards Tulingana. It appears that Luddur Dew, the Raja of Wurungole, during the late disturbances, had refused to send his tribute, and the province of Dewgur had also relapsed into disaffection. The Prince Aluf Khan advanced accordingly into those countries, and plun dered them in every direction. Ludder Dew opposed the Mahomedans with spirit, but was in the end obliged to retreat into the city of Wurungole, which Aluf Khan immediately invested. The siege was carried on with great loss on both sides; but the works having been lately strengthened, no practicable breach could be effected. The Moslems, meanwhile, on account of the hot winds and severe weather, were seized with a malignant distemper, which swept away hundreds every day. Many became desirous to return home, and to this end spread false reports through the camp, which threw universal consternation over the army. No advices having been received for above a month from Dehly, one A. H. 722. Sheikhzada of Damascus, Oobeid the poet, and some other companions of the Prince Aluf Khan, circulated a report, that the Emperor was dead, and that a revolution had taken place at Dehly. Not content with this, they went to the tents of Mullik Kafoor, seal-keeper, and Mullik Tuggeen, two of the principal officers in camp, and told them the state of affairs at Dehly. They also said that the Prince Aluf Khan, suspecting that they would dispute his right to the throne, had resolved to cut them off. The officers, deceived by this false information, left the camp that night with all their adherents. The Prince Aluf Khan thus deserted, was under the necessity of raising the siege, and retreating in haste and disorder towards Dewgur, whither he was pursued by the enemy with great slaughter. On his arrival there, letters of a late date being received from Dehly, exposed the falsehood of these rumours, on which the Prince halted, and collected his scattered army. The officers who had fled, disagreeing, took separate routes; they were attacked by the infidels, plundered of their elephants, camels, and baggage, and otherwise greatly harassed in their march. Two of them, Mullik Teimoor, and Mullik Tuggeen, both fell victims. The former died, in a prison of one of the Hindoo Rajas; and the other was cut off by the Marattas; while Mullik Gool Afghan, and Mullik Kafoor, were seized by their own troops, and brought back to Dewgur. An enquiry was instituted into their conduct; the authors of the false reports were discovered, seized, and sent prisoners to Dehly. On their arrival there, the King ordered them to be buried alive, with the severe remark, "that as they had buried him "alive in jest, he would bury them alive in "earnest." The Prince Aluf Khan, after his retreat from Dewgur, brought back to Dehly only three thousand horse, of all his great army. In two months, however, he recruited his troops, and again marched to Wurungole. On his way thither, he besieged and took the town of Bedur, belonging to the Raja of Wurungole, on the frontiers of Tulingana, and some other places, wherein he left garrisons. He then advanced to the capital, and renewing the siege of Wurungole, reduced it to surrender. Some thousands of Hindoos were put to death, and Luddur Dew, with his family, were taken prisoners. Aluf Khan sent them, together with their treasures, elephants, and private property, to Dehly, under charge of Kuddur Khan, and Khwaja Hajy, the latter of whom had been second in command under Mullik Naib Kafoor. Upon their reaching the capital, great rejoicings were made in the new citadel at Dehly, which the King had just finished, and to which he gave the name of Toghlukabad. The Prince Aluf Khan appointed officers to govern the country of Tulingana, and caused Wurungole to be called Sooltanpoor*, after which he proceeded in person towards Jajnuggur. On this occasion, he took forty elephants from the Raja, and sent * Wurungole soon lost this Mahomedan title, and to this day bears its ancient Hindoo name. them to his father. Returning to Wurungole, he stayed there a few days, and marched back to Dehly. A. H. 724. A. H. 725. A. D. 1325. In the beginning of the year 724, complaints arrived from Luknowty and Soonargam, of the oppressions committed by the governors of that province, and Gheias-ood-Deen Toghluk, after having appointed his son Aluf Khan to the government of Dehly, marched in person towards Bengal. When he reached Nahib*, Nasir-ood-Deen, Kurra Khan, the son of Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun, and father of Kei Koobad, who had remained in that government since the death of his father, came from Luknowty to pay his respects, bringing with him many valuable presents. He was confirmed in his government of Bengal, and permitted to assume the ensigns of royalty; after which, Gheias-ood-Deen Toghluk prepared for his return. At this time, also, Tartar Khan, the King's adopted son, was nominated to the government of Soonargam, and directed to reduce to subjection Bahadur Shah, an officer of the reign of Alla-oodDeen Khiljy. Bahâdur Shah was defeated, and fled; but Tartar Khan succeeded in seizing him, and sent him to the King. In the Futtooh-oosSulateen†, it is related, that as the King was passing *This name is indistinct in all my MSS. and is probably incorrect. The Futtooh-oos-Sulateen, or the victories of kings, is, I understand, a compilation of little authority, and may be ranked with the Jama-ool-Hikayat, or other collections of historical romances. near the hills of Tirhoot, the Raja appeared in arms, but was pursued into the woods. Finding his army could not penetrate them, the King alighted from his horse, called for a hatchet, and cut down one of the trees with his own hand. The troops, on seeing this, applied themselves to work with such spirit, that the forest seemed to vanish before them. They arrived at length at a fort, surrounded by seven ditches full of water, and a high wall. The King invested the place, filled up the ditches, and destroyed the wall in three weeks. The Raja and his family were taken, and great booty obtained, while the government of Tirhoot was left in the hands of Ahmud Khan, the son of Mullik Tubligha, after which the King returned towards Dehly. On reaching Afghanpoor, he was met by his son Aluf Khan, with all the nobles of the court, who came to congratulate him on his safe return. At this spot Aluf Khan had raised a temporary wooden building, in three days' time, for his father's reception. When the entertainment was over, the King ordered his equipage to proceed every body hastened out, and stood ready to accompany him, when the roof of the building suddenly fell, and the King and five of his attendants were crushed in the ruins. Some authors have attributed this accident to the nature of the building, and think it might have been pushed down by the crowd of elephants that were without. Others refer it to design, of which they accuse the Prince Aluf Khan as the contriver, because, say they, the construction of such a building in a camp was quite unnecessary; |