Page images
PDF
EPUB

Syud Moobarik reigned 13 years, three months, and 16 days. He was esteemed a man of good talents, and on most occasions just and benevolent. His temper was so equal, that it is notorious he never spoke in anger to any person during his life. The Towareekh Moobarik Shahy was written to commemorate the events of his reign.

SYUD MAHOMED,

[ocr errors]

The King's son, is raised to the throne by the minister.— The DisKing's murderers are created governors of provinces. affection of the officers. Insurrection in Sumbhul. - Kaly Khan sent to suppress it he joins the insurgents, and marches to the capital. - The minister is slain. - Kaly Khan minister. The murderers of the late King punished. Rebellion in Mooltan. · Bheilole Khan Lody assumes independence in Lahore. - Defeats the King's troops sent against him. — Insurrection in all quarters.— The King of Joonpoor seizes some of the King's districts. The King of Malwa leads an army against Dehly. — Bheilole Khan Lody is called in to assist the King.· The Malwa army retreats. Disagreement between the King and Bheilole Lody—the latter quits the court returns and besieges Dehly for six months. — The King falls sick his death.

-

ACCORDING to the practice of the universe, which cannot subsist without order; on the same day which gave to Moobarik his death-wound, his son, the Prince Mahomed, was seated on the throne. The ungrateful assassin, Survur-ool-Moolk, vizier, received the title of Khan Jehan; and having secured the King's treasure, the regalia, and other effects, he dismissed all the old ministers from office, and appointed new ones, more suited to his views.

A. H. 839.

A. D. 1435.

Kaly Khan, the deputy-vizier, and other chiefs in the camp, called a council, on hearing of the King's death, and

resolved, rather than incur the horrors of civil war, for the present to submit to the new King, and to wait for a more favourable opportunity of taking revenge on the conspirators; so they accordingly came into the city, and paid their respects to Syud Mahomed. The first preferment which was made, in order to promote the Vizier's views, was the elevation of the Hindoo conspirators. Sudanund and Sidpal were raised to the government of Byana, Amroha, Narnoul, and Kohram, and other pergunas in the Dooab. Meeran Sudr was dignified with the title of Moyin-ool-Moolk, and received a considerable jagier. The son of Syud Salim was ennobled by the title of Khan-Azim Syeed Khan, and the government of several districts was assigned to him; while the officers of the late King were persecuted, and some even lost their lives under false pretences.

One Ranoo, a slave of the Vizier, beRujub 12. A. H. 839. ing nominated collector of the revenues Jan. 31. of Byana, endeavoured to obtain posA. D. 1435. session of the fort, but Yoosoof Khan Lody opposed, and slew him. At the same time, also, some of the nobles of the late reign, who had served under Khizr Khan, perceived a design to deprive them of their jageers; and the following chiefs, Mullik Joomun, governor of Budaoon; Mullik Alla-dad Lody, governor of Sumbhul; Meer Ally Goozeratty, and Ameer Khan Toork, combined, and went into open rebellion. Mullik Survur-ool-Moolk, deceived by the behaviour of his deputy, Kaly Khan, intrusted him with the

command of the army to suppress the revolt, and Syeed Khan, Sudanund, and the Vizier's son, Yoosoof-Khan, went along with him. On arriving at the village of Birrun, Kaly Khan, who had resolved to take revenge on Sudanund, and Yoosoof Khan, for the murder of the King, informed Mullik Alladad-Lody of his intention. The latter, therefore, made no movement to oppose the royalists. Kaly Khan's design, however, became known to the Vizier, who sent Mullik Hooshyar, one of his own slaves, with an additional force, as if to reinforce Kaly Khan, but in reality with secret instructions to watch his motions. Kaly Khan, howA. D. 1435. ever, united his forces with those of Mullik Alla-dad-Lody previously to the arrival of Mullik Hooshyar, who was in consequence deterred from approaching, and Yoosoof Khan and Sudanund fled to Dehly. April 15. Kaly Khan, together with the malcontents, now marched to Dehly, which

A. H. 839.

Rumzan 30.

they reached on the last day of Rumzan.

In this dilemma, the Vizier, Survur-ool-Moolk, took post in the citadel of Siry, wherein he stood a siege for three months; but the party of Kaly Khan daily gaining new partisans, the Vizier was reduced to the last distress. The King also perceiving that his own affairs would be ruined if he adhered to the Vizier, opened negotiations with the besiegers, and only waited an opportunity either of making his escape, or of cutting off his minister. The Vizier, discovered the plot, and determined to anticipate the King's intentions; accordingly, on

Mohurrum 8.
A. H. 840.

July 23.
A. D. 1436.

the 8th of Mohurrum, Survur-ool-Molk, aided by the sons of Meeran Sudr, and some of his followers, broke into the royal apartments with drawn swords, in order to put the King to death. The latter, having intimation of their design, placed a guard in readiness to counteract their project, which, on a concerted signal, rushed out on the conspirators, who took to flight. The Vizier, Survurool-Moolk, was cut to pieces as he was passing the door; and the sons of Meeran Sudr, with the rest of the assassins, being afterwards taken, were also slain, while Mullik Hooshyar, and Mullik Moobarik, who were concerned in the plot, were publicly executed. The Kutries, and other adherents of the Vizier, apprehensive of the King's vengeance, rose in arms, and compelled him to defend the palace. Thus situated, he caused the Bagdad gate to be thrown open to the besiegers, who, rushing in, committed a dreadful slaughter on the rebels, till they were entirely subdued; while such as were taken alive were bound hands and feet and sacrificed at the tomb of the late Syud Moobarik. Kaly Khan and the other chiefs took the oath of allegiance on the next day, a second time, to Syud Mahomed, when the office of vizier was conferred on Kaly Khan, with the title of Kumal Khan; and Mullik Joomun, receiving the title of Ghazy Mullik, was gratified with a jageer. Mullik Alla-dad-Lody refused a title for himself, but begged that that of Duria Khan might be conferred on his brother; and the rest of the nobles were confirmed in their several offices.

Peace being

« PreviousContinue »