his own son, Mullik Sheikh, and on his death, Mullik Sooliman, who professed to be a Syud, was appointed viceroy of Mooltan, an office which de scended to his son, Khizr Khan. When Khizr Khan was defeated, as we have already observed, by Sarung Khan, and driven from his country, he waited on Teimoor, after the conquest of Dehly, gained his favour, and was reinstated in his former government, to which Teimoor added Punjab and Depalpoor. This accession of power enabled him, eventually, to pave his way to the throne. As the author of the Towareekh Moobarik Shahy has produced two distinct and (what he calls) strong proofs of Khizr Khan being really a descendant of the Prophet, it seems proper here to notice them, in order that his pretensions to that honour may be examined. The first reason given is, "that on one occasion, when Khizr Khan's fa 6 ther, Mullik Sooliman, brought an ewer and basin, "in common with the other servants of Mullik "Murdan Dowlut, at a feast given by him to Syud "Julal Bokhary, the latter, on perceiving it, said "to his host, Why do you employ this fine Syud "youth in so humble an office?' Such an observa"tion from the mouth of that venerable, holy man (says the author) ought to satisfy us that the youth was really a Syud." The second proof adduced is, "that Khizr Khan possessed the "qualities of charity, courage, mercy, benevolence, "virtue, abstinence, truth, and kindness, in a de 66 gree which rendered him like the Prophet him"self." These are the evidences which the author of the Towareekh Moobarik Shahy has produced to prove the noble origin of Khizr Khan. Suffice it for us to know, that after his accession, Khizr Khan conferred honours upon Mullik Tohfa, entitled Taj-ool-Moolk, and made him vizier, and conferred dignities on Abd-ool-Raheem, the adopted son of his father, Mullik Sooliman. He also gave him the government of Futtehpoor and Mooltan, together with the title of Mullik Allaool-Moolk. But while he distributed his favours among his own officers, he refrained from assuming royal titles, and gave out that he held the government for Teimoor, in whose name he caused the coin to be struck, and the Khootba to be read. After the death of Teimoor, the Khootba was read in the name of his successor, Shahrokh Mirza; to whom he sometimes even sent tribute at his capital of Samarkand.* In the first year of his government, Khizr Khan deputed Mullik Tohfa with an army towards Kuttehr, which place he reduced. Nursing Ray was driven to the mountains; but upon paying a ransom, was again put in possession of his country. Mohabut Khan, governor of Budaoon, at the same time came to meet Mullik Tohfa, and professed allegiance. The Vizier now marched towards Gunpoor, Kampilla, and Chundwar, to levy the revenue which had been due for some years; and after recovering Jalesur out of the hands of the * It is not difficult to imagine the causes which induced Khizr Khan to refrain from calling himself king. By this measure, he disarmed the jealousy which the nobles of the late regal government would have felt towards him, and which might have prevented them from submitting to his authority. Rajpoots of Chundwar, he marched to Etawa, and having reduced it, returned to Dehly. Awul, July, Jumad-ool- In the month of Jumad-ool-Awul, of the year 817, a band of Toorks, the adherents of Beiram Khan, assassinated A. D. 1414. Mullik Ladho, governor of Surhind, and took possession of his country, Khizr Khan sent Zeeruk Khan and Mullik Dawood with an army against them. On their approach, the Toorks crossed the Sutlooj, and retreated to the hills. Zeeruk Khan pursued them; but as the mountains, which are a continuation of those of Nagrakote, were then in possession of independent zemindars, who assisted the Toorks, he effected nothing against them, and in the end was obliged to withdraw his troops. A. D. 1416. In the year 819, Ahmud Shah, King A. H. 819. of Guzerat, advanced to Bagore. Khizr Khan led an army to oppose him; and the King of Guzerat withdrew in the direction of Malwa. When Khizr Khan reached Jalwur*, Elias Khan, governor of the new city, (to which the name of "Bride of the Universe," had been given by Alla-ood-Deen Khiljy, who built it,) came out to meet him. Khizr Khan proceeded from thence to Gualiar, where he levied tribute from the Raja, and then proceeded to Dehly by the route of Byana, where he exacted, as a fee, a considerable sum from Kurreem-ool-Moolk, brother of the late Shums Khan Ahdy, to whose estates he had lately succeeded. *I have some doubt as to the true name: it is differently written in my various MSS. A. D. 1417. In the year 820, Mullik Toghan, chief A. H. 820. of those Toorks who had assassinated Mullik Ladho, besieged Surhind with a considerable army. Zeeruk Khan, governor of Samana, being again ordered against him, Toghan retreated to the hills; but Zeeruk Khan overtook him at the village of Pail, compelled him to pay a heavy fine, and to give up his son as a hostage for his future conduct, as well as to expel the murderers of Mullik Ladho from his camp. After these arrangements, Mullik Toghan was allowed to retain possession of Jalendur; and Zeeruk Khan having returned to Samana, sent both the hostage and the amount realised from Mullik Toghan to the presence. A. H. 821. In the year 821, Khizr Khan having sent his minister against Nursing Ray, the Raja of Kutehr, he plundered and laid waste that district, and proceeding to Budaoon, crossed the river at Etawa, on which place he imposed a contribution, and returned to Dehly. Khizr Khan subsequently marched in person to Kutehr, and on his route he attacked and defeated a formidable band of plunderers at Kole; he then crossed the Ganges, and having laid waste the country of Sumbhul and Kutehr, returned to his capital. After remaining at Dehly only a few days, he moved towards Budaoon. Mohabut Khan, governor of Budaoon, alarmed at his approach, shut himself up in the fort, to which the King laid siege for six months. In the course of the operations, Khizr Khan discovered that Kowam Khan, Yekhtyar Khan Lody, and several of the |