army reached Bieder. When the Sultan heard the truth of the matter his rage passed all bounds. The officer who had suppressed the reports sent by the Moguls was at once beheaded. The two Deccance nobles were recalled and disgraced, and others who had taken part in the plot were put to death. As a retribution of Providence, Ferishta says that Nizam-ul-Mulk and Sheer-ul-Mulk were seized with leprosy the same year, and their sons walked the markets for shameful purposes among the outcasts of the City. Kassim Beg, who had successfully brought home his small force, was promoted the Governorship of Dowlatabad, and all who had helped him were duly honoured. In 1453 a dangerous eruption broke out on the Sultan's foot which eventually four years afterwards proved fatal. In the meantime he was confined to his palace, and rumours went abroad that he was dead. These rumours induced his grandson (by his daughter) Secunder Khan, who was Governor of Bilcondah, to break into rebellion, and to call in the Sultan of Malwa to help him. Sultan Mahomed, who was then King of Malwa, at once complied and invaded. the Deccan with a large army, where he was joined by Secunder Khan. Sultan Alla-ud-Din, in spite of his illness, at once marched to meet Mahomed Shah, and at the same time despatched Khajeh Gawan, a name we shall frequently hear of hereafter, to put down a rebellion which had also broken out in the Telingana country. As soon as Mahomed found that Sultan Alla-ud-Din was still alive, he retired and left Secunder Khan to himself, who then made his escape into Telingana, where he was soon reduced to submission by Khajeh Gawan. The Sultan, with great generosity, forgave Secunder Khan, and even restored him to his Government. In the following year Sultan Alla-ud-Din died from mortification after a reign of nearly twenty-four years.

Sultan Alla-ud-Din was a man of wit and learning, and is said to have been possessed of considerable eloquence. He

Character.

sometimes preached in the mosque on Fridays and holydays, and read out the Khutba in his own name, styling himself "the just, merciful, patient, and liberal to the servants of God." On the last occasion when he so appeared, there was a horse-dealer present whose account had been left unpaid by the officers of the Court. This man was a zealous Mahomedan, and like many others had been greatly moved by the slaughter of the Moguls by the Deccanees. On hearing the Sultan read the Khutba, he rose and said: "Thou art neither the just, the merciful, the patient, nor the liberal King, but the cruel and the false, who hast massacred the Prophet's descendants; yet darest to assume such vaunting titles in the pulpit of the true believers." The Sultan, we are told, was struck with remorse, and commanded the merchant to be paid on the spot; saying that those would not escape the wrath of God who had thus injured his reputation. He then retired to his palace, which he never left again till he was brought out to be buried.

CHAPTER X.

HUMAYUN THE CRUEL.

H

umayun's reputation for cruelty was so well-known and feared that no sooner was the late Sultan dead, than 1457 two of the chief amras-Syef to Khan and Mulloo Khan1460. contrived a plot to seat his younger brother, Hassan Khan, on the throne. Whilst, however, they were so engaged, Humayun hearing the news of his father's death came to the palace and surprised them. Being aided by the palace servants, who had not been informed of the plot, he was soon able to overpower the conspirators. The poor young Prince was dragged from the throne he had only occupied a few minutes, blinded, and the conspirators were then summarily dealt with. A still more terrible fate was, however, reserved for the unfortunate young Hassan, as will be told further on.

Humayun was wise in his choice of a Chief Minister, since he selected Khajeh Gawan, who had already done such good service. Malick Shah, said to be a descendent of Chengiz Khan, was appointed Governor of Telingana, now one of the most important provinces, but Secunder Khan,

one of the Sultan's companions, when Heir Apparent was left, unprovided for. Secunder Khan was the son of a daughter of Ahmed Shah, who had married Jellal Khan, and had for many years been the Governor of the Bilkondah District; he considered himself as entitled to a province, being, equally with Humayun, a grandson of Ahmed Shah. Disgusted at being superseded, Secunder Khan broke into rbeellion and induced his father to join him. Humayun had at once to march against this new rebel, and in consideration of his former friendship offered pardon, and the province of Dowlatabad. Secunder Khan, however, claimed equal rights as a grandson, and demanded the Telingana. This shows that although Warangal had fallen, there were still a number of unsubdued Hindoo princes on the East Coast. Telingana was therefore a favourite province because there was booty to be gained. The Sultan's overtures being refused, a battle followed, in which Secunder Khan, who seems to have been a man of great personal courage, was defeated and slain. He actually charged the Sultan, but Humayun's elephant lifted the rebel from his horse, threw him on the ground, and trampled him to death. This ended the battle. As is usual when the leader is killed, the army took flight. Jellal Khan still held out a little longer, but finally submitted, purchasing a few more years of life by resigning all the hoarded wealth of forty years' high employment. But although in this instance, the rebellion was easily quelled, its example was followed elsewhere. Taking advantage of the Sultan's absence, a conspiracy was formed to release the young prince Hassan Khan and to set him on the throne. Yusuf Turk, a slave of the late Sultan, lent himself to this plot, and effected the release of the blinded young prince, together with his friend and tutor, the Saint Hubeeb Oolla. This he managed by a stratagem, and having obtained possession of the harem, where the political prisoners were confined, he set at liberty, not

only the above two, but also two other sons of the late King, besides about seven thousand other captives. These are the figures given by Ferishta, but it seems incredible that so large a number could have been confined together. The captives, once released, armed themselves with sticks and stones, and managed to beat off the Kotwal, who, on hearing of the outbreak, hurried up to suppress it. During the night, the escaped prisoners dispersed to different places. Some of them, and amongst those Jellal Khan, an old man of eighty, and Yiah Khan, a son of the late Sultan, fell into the hands of the Kotwal, and were at once killed. Hassan Khan and Hubeeb Oolla shaved their beards and managed to get out of the city disguised as beggars. Once outside Hassan Khan made himself known, and was soon joined by a large number of the disaffected, amongst them Yusuf Turk. The rebels then possessed themselves of the town of Pur and the adjacent country. It was to suppress this revolt that Humayun returned burning with rage. He first of all punished the garrison, consisting of two thousand men, all of whom he put to death by the most cruel tortures that could be devised. The Kotwal was confined in an iron cage, and every day some member of his body was cut off, which he was made to eat, until at last he was released by death. The first force despatched against the rebels was defeated, which only increased the Sultan's rage. Thereupon, he reinforced his army, but kept the wives and children of the officers in confinement, swearing that he would kill them all, if the army was defeated, or made common cause with Hassan Khan. This threat had the desired effect, and the rebels were defeated and compelled to fly. Hassan Khan and his friends then fled towards Vijayanagar, hoping to find a refuge with the Hindoos, but passing Bijapur, then only a mud fort, on the way they were invited inside by the Governor, Seraj Khan, with a promise of protection. This promise, however, was treacherously broken.