When he had entered the palace, he was joyfully received by the citizens, who flocked to pay him their respects. Aboo Bukr closely pursued him, and arrived at Dehly on the same day, when forcing the guards which had been placed at the gates, he attacked the palace, expelled his rival, and recovered the town. The Prince Mahomed again fled to Jalesur, having lost the greater part of his army in this expedition. Some time elapsed without any decisive action occurring, when Moobushir Hajib, commander of the household troops (known by the appellation of Islam Khan), revolted from Aboo Bukr, and wrote to the Prince, Mahomed Khan, promising that if he would make another attempt, he would support him with the greatest part of the household troops. Aboo Bukr, hearing that his rival was again in motion, and having also discovered the disaffection of the household troops and others in his army, left Dehly and fled, with a small retinue to Bahadur Nahir of Mewat. The Prince Mahomed in the month of Rumzan, Rumzan. A. H. 793. entered Dehly, and ascending the August. throne, assumed the title of Nasir-oodA. D. 1390. Deen Mahomed. He conferred the office of vizier on Islam Khan, to whom he owed his restoration. On finding himself firmly established, he ordered all the elephants which had been seized by the household troops of Feroze to be taken from them, and converted to his own use. Most of these troops, provoked at this circumstance, left the city that night, and hastened to join Aboo Bukr. On the following morning, Nasir ood-Deen Mahomed ordered those persons of the household guard, who still remained in the city, to quit it in three days on pain of death, and never to appear there again. Notwithstanding this decree, many of them, unwilling to leave their families, concealed themselves. A search was instituted, and such as were found were put to death. Many persons, taken up on suspicion, declared they were Indians, and not foreigners, of which the household troops consisted. The King directed, that all such as could not pronounce certain words, viz. Kuhry Kuhřy, or Goořa Goořy *, should be put to death; and it is said many foreigners having no connection with the household troops suffered on this occasion. The new King, having recruited his army, deputed his son, Hoomayoon, with a considerable force to attack the ex-King, Aboo Bukr. This Prince, aided by Bahadur Nahir, attempted to surprise the Prince Hoomayoon's camp at Kotla; but Hoomayoon by his own exertions, and those of the Vizier, Islam Khan, drove Aboo Bukr, after the most strenuous efforts, from the field. The new King reached Mewat about this time; and Aboo Bukr being reduced to surrender, was sent prisoner to the fort of Meerut, where he died some years after, *The aspirated h, and the ř pronounced as at Newcastle, and frequently at Paris, are peculiar, in the East, to the inhabitants of Hindoostan, and are not only difficult to be acquired by foreigners, if not children, but frequently altogether unattainable. This difficulty can hardly be understood but by those persons who have heard the sounds, and made the attempt to imitate them. A.H. 793. On the King's return to Dehly, he received advices that Furhut-ool-Moolk, governor of Guzerat, had rebelled. Zuffur Khan*, the son of Wujee-ool-Moolk, was accordingly despatched with an army to suppress the insurrection; but for the details of this expedition the reader is referred to the History of Guzerat, which forms a part of this work. A.H. 794. In the year 794, Nursing Bhan and Sirvodhun, chiefs of the Rahtore Rajpoots, and Bheer Bhan, chief of the Byse Rajpoots, having thrown off their allegiance, the Vizier, Islam Khan, marched with a considerable force against Nursing Bhan, the most powerful of them. He was defeated, made peace, and attended the conqueror to Dehly; and the other two chiefs submitted without a struggle. At this period, the zemindars of Etawa rose in arms, and ravaged Bilgiram and the adjacent districts. Nasir-ood-Deen marched against them in person, and having chastised them, levelled the fort of Etawa with the ground, after which, having proceeded by the route of Kunowj to Jalesur, he built a fort there, which he called Mahomedabad. Advices were now received from Dehly, that the Vizier, Islam Khan, having made preparations to retire to Lahore and Mooltan, intended to create a revolt in those provinces. The King * This officer, in the subsequent reign, established his independence in Guzerat, and, at the same time, the governors of Malwa and Kandeish following his example, their governments became, also, independent kingdoms, and remained so till the reign of Akbur. hastened to the capital, and charged him with his treasonable designs. The Vizier was condemned to death on the evidence of his own nephew, Hajoo, a Hindoo, who swore falsely against him. * Khwaja Jehan, who was thought to have promoted the Vizier's fall, was advanced to his office, and Mullik Mookurrib-ool-Moolk, who makes a figure in the next reign, was at the same time appointed governor of Mahomedabad. A. H. 795. A. D. 1392. In the year 795, Sirvodhun Rahtore, and Bheer Bhan Byse, appeared in arms, and Mookurrib-ool-Moolk was ordered to march with the troops, then at Mahomedabad, against them. The King, also in this year, marched to Mewat, to quell some disturbances in that place. On his return to Mahomedabad, being taken ill of a fever, he became occasionally delirious for some days. While in this feeble state of body news arrived, that Bahadur Nahir had plundered the country to the gates of Dehly: the King, though far from recovered, hastened to Mewat, attacked Bahadur Nahir at Kotla, and totally defeated him, and compelled him to fly to Jhirka. After this victory, he returned to Mahomedabad, in the month of Rub. bee-oos-Sany, of the year 796, and sent his son Hoomayoon to crush Sheikha Gukkur, who had rebelled and occu Rubbee-oos- A. H. 796. * The Vizier must have been a converted Hindoo. He is called Moobushir, and entitled Islam, both Mahomedan terms; but it is stated, his nephew, Hajoo, was a Hindoo, which is apparent from his name; and as the Hindoos do not receive converts, it is evident Islam Khan must have been born in that faith. Rubbee-oos-homedabad. A.D. 1394. pied Lahore. But before the Prince left Dehly, news was brought of his father's decease; for the King having had a relapse of his fever, expired on the 17th of Rubbee-oos-Sany at MaHe reigned about six years and seven months; and his body February 19. was deposited at Dehly, in the same vault with that of his father. Nasirood-Deen Mahomed Toghluk was succeeded by his son Hoomayoon, who, on ascending the throne, assumed the name of Sikundur. He confirmed all his father's ministers in their offices; but being in a few days taken ill of a violent disorder, he was suddenly cut off, after a short reign of only 45 days. |