of war by their conquerors, and only awaited a time of danger and of weakness to raise the standard of revolt, and assert their own independence. This was, in fact, the origin of the Mahratta nation, and the Sultans of Bijapur and Ahmednagar may be said to have educated and brought into existence the nation which, before long, was to take, not only their places, but very nearly to acquire the sovereignty of India.

It was about this time (1578) that the first signs of the coming danger showed themselves. A number of the Bergee chiefs broke into excesses, and an army was sent into their hilly country by Ali Adil Shah. The disciplined forces of Bijapur could make no head against these hill robbers, and after skirmishing for nearly a year, they had to retire with considerable loss. Mustafa Khan, the Sultan's Minister, perceiving the impossibility of using regular troops in so inaccessible a country, then devised the perfidious scheme of enticing the chiefs to Bijapur, and of there slaughtering them. To this plan Adil Shah agreed, and an instrument having been found in the person of a Brahmin, named Vasoojee Punt, he was despatched to entice them by promises A few refused to fall into the snare, and amongst them the principal chief, Handeattum (Hanumanta?) Naick, who retired with his followers to Bilkonda. The rest came to Bijapur, and there they were all assassinated. No details of this foul act of treachery are given by the Mahomedan historians, and it is merely alluded to in passing. There can, however, be little doubt that this act of cruelty must have long lived in the memory of the Mahrattas, and was possibly a principal factor in exciting a race-hatred which was to serve eventually to bind them together as a nation. Up to this time there seems to have been a certain amount of cordiality between the Mahomedans and the Hindoos, but soon after this period, we find this spirit to be entirely changed, and it may not therefore be unreasonable to assign this treacherous act as one of the causes of this estrangement.

assassinated by one of his succeeded by his nephew, Ali was a munificent patron

In 1580, Ali Adil Shah died, servants in a brawl, and was Ibrahim, then in his ninth year. of architecture, and many of his buildings at Bijapur still remain. The Jumma mosque, the large masonry pond near the Shahapur Gate, and the water-courses which carried water through all the streets of the city are attributed by Ferishta to this King. During his reign, the first ambassadors were sent from Delhi to Bijapur, and many learned men visited. his court from Persia, Arabia, and Turkey.

(N.B. After BAHADUR Ahmednagar was annexed to Delhi, but Malik Amber maintained his independence at first as deputy of MURTAZA II and afterwards as sole ruler at Dowlatabad and Aurangabad until his death in 1626 when his son was conquered and the whole of the kingdom annexed to Delhi).

GENEALOGY OF THE ADIL SHAHI DYNASTY. (BIJAPUR).

THE STORY OF QUEEN CHAND AND THE FALL OF AHMEDNAGAR.

In 1580, the year after the death of Ali Adil Shah, there died also Ibrahim Kutb Shah of Golconda. He was the fourth in succession from his father, the first King, Sultan Kuli. It has been narrated how Sultan Kuli was assassinated whilst in the mosque in 1543, and was succeeded by his son, Jamshid Kuli. This King reigned for seven years only, until 1550.