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MAHMOOD TOGHLUK.

The minister, Khwaja Jehan, proceeds to Joonpoor, and establishes his independence.- Sarung Khan, viceroy of Mooltan, defeats the Gukkurs -recovers Lahore out of their hands, and becomes independent at Depalpoor.-His brother, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, creates a revolt in the capital. The inhabitants take opposite sides. Three parties in Dehly, each supporting a king.- Civil war in the capital for three years.All the provinces become independent. - Invasion of India by Teimoor (or Tamerlane).

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HOOMAYOON having yielded to the power of fate, violent disputes arose among the nobles regarding the succession. They at length fixed on Mahmood, a youth, the son of the late King, Nasirood-Deen Mahomed, whom they placed on the throne. Khwaja Jehan retained the office of vizier; Mookurrib-ool-Moolk, having received the title of Mookurrib Khan, became Vukeel-oos-Sultanut, and was created Ameer-ool-Omra; Sâdut Khan was appointed Barbik; Sarung Khan was made governor of Depalpoor, and Dowlut Khan was nominated to the office of chief secretary.

The apparent weakness of the government, arising out of the King's minority and the dissensions of the nobles, encouraged the surrounding chiefs to revolt. For instance, Khwaja Jehan, the minister, having assumed the title of Mullik-oos-Shurk, founded an

independent kingdom at Joonpoor*, and even forced the King of Bengal to pay him tribute. In the opposite direction, Sarung Khan, governor of Depalpoor, collected the troops of the province of Mooltan, and the north-west divisions of the state, and advanced against the Gukkurs, who waited for him at Ajoodhun, about 24 miles from Lahore. A battle ensued, and the Gukkurs being defeated, their chief, Sheikha, took refuge among the mountains of Jummoo. Sarung Khan, after this victory, left his younger brother, Adil Khan, in Lahore, and returned himself to Depalpoor, where he established his head-quarters. In this year, the King, leaving Dehly in charge of Mookurrib Khan, marched towards Gualiar and Byana, accompanied by Sâdut Khan Barbik, and many

A H. 796.

other chiefs. Having arrived in the A. D. 1394. neighbourhood of Gualiar, Moobarik Khan, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, the brother of Sarung Khan, and Mullik Alla-ood-Deen Dharwala, conspired against the life of Sâdut Khan, who having timely information of the plot, slew Moobarik Khan and Alla-ood-Deen, but Mulloo Yekbal Khan escaped to Dehly. Though this conspiracy was thus checked for the time, the contentions which arose in consequence obliged Sâdut Khan to return to the capital. On his approach, Mookurrib Khan, the Ameer-ool-omra, had prepared to come out to pay his respects; but learning that Sâdut Khan had sworn vengeance against him for

*This dynasty was called Shurkeea, in contradistinction to that of Bengal, whose capital was at Luknowty, and was called Poorbeea the terms both signify eastern.

affording protection to Mulloo Yekbal Khan, he returned to the city, and shutting the gates, prepared to make a resolute defence. The city was now besieged for three months, till the King's party, convinced that the war not only originated, but was prosecuted solely on account of Sâdut Khan, accommodated matters with Mookurrib Khan, and in the month of Mohurrum 797 the King was admitted

Mohur:um,
A. H. 797.
October,
A. D. 1394.

into Dehly.

Mookurrib Khan, encouraged by this event, marched out the next day with all his force against Sâdut Khan, but was defeated with great loss. The rains having set in, and it being impossible for Sâdut Khan to keep the field, he struck his tents, and marched into Ferozabad. He then sent for Noosrut Khan, the son of the Prince Futteh Khan, the eldest son of the late Feroze Toghluk, from Mewat, and set him up in opposition to Mahmood Toghluk, under the title of Noosrut Shah. But a new faction breaking out in Mewat disconcerted his measures. The household troops of the late Feroze Toghluk had joined Sâdut Khan; but incensed at his conduct towards them, they prevailed on the keepers of the elephants to join them, and having seized the Prince Noosrut, placed him on an elephant, and advanced against Sâdut Khan, and expelled him from the city of Ferozabad. Being thus deserted by his followers, Sâdut Khan sought protection with Mookurrib Khan, by whom he was put to death. The misfortunes of the state daily inA. D. 1394. creased. The omras of Ferozabad, and

A. H. 797.

some of the provinces, espoused the cause of Noosrut Shah. Those of Dehly and other places supported the title of Mahmood Toghluk. The government fell into anarchy: civil war raged every where; and a scene was exhibited, unheard of before, of two kings in arms against each other residing in the same capital. Tartar Khan, the son of Zuffur Khan of Guzerat, and Fuzl-oolla Bulkhy, entitled Kootloogh Khan, joined the Prince Noosrut at Ferozabad. Mookurrib Khan and other chiefs espoused the cause of Mahmood Toghluk; while Bahadur Nahir and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, with a strong body of troops, occupied the fort of Siry*, and remained neuter, but were prepared to join either party according to circumstances. Affairs remained in this state for three years, with astonishing equality; for if one monarch's party had at any time the superiority, the balance was soon restored by the neutral chiefs.

The warfare thus continued as if it were one battle between the two cities, wherein thousands were sometimes killed in a day, and the casualties occasioned by the slain were supplied by fresh reinforcements from different parts. Some of the governors of the provinces took little share in these civil dissensions, hoping to make advantage of them, by becoming independent in

the end.

A. H. 798.

In the year 798, Sarung Khan, the A. D. 1395. governor of Depalpoor, having some

*This appears to have been the name given to the citadel of Dehly.

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differences with Khizr Khan, governor of Mooltan, made war against him. After several engagements with various success, victory declared for Sarung Khan, who, seizing on Mooltan, aggrandised his power, and in the following year advanced to the capital, and reduced Samana. Noosrut Shah directed Tartar Khan, then governor of Paniput, and Almas Beg, to oppose him. They engaged and defeated Sarung Khan, on the 1st of Mohurrum, 799, and compelled him to fly to

Mohurrum 1.
A. H. 799.
Oct. 4.

A. D. 1396.

Mooltan.

On his arrival in that city, intelligence reached him that the Prince Peer Mahomed Jehangeer, the grandson of Teimoor, having laid a bridge of boats over the Indus, had crossed, and invested Oocha. Sarung Khan instantly despatched his deputy, Mullik Taj-ood-Deen, and the greater portion of his troops, to reinforce Mullik Ally, the governor of Oocha. Mirza Peer Mahomed Jehangeer, hearing of this movement, advanced to the Beea, and falling on the Mooltanies by surprise, just as they crossed the river, defeated and drove them into the stream, so that more were drowned, perhaps, than fell by the sword. A few of the discomfited army only made good their retreat to Mooltan. Mirza Peer Mahomed Jehangeer pursued the fugitives, arrived about the same time with them, and obliged Sarung Khan to confine himself to the fort. After a siege of six months, he was reduced, from want of provisions, to surrender at discretion, and Mirza Peer

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