At this time Sultán Salím of Rúm determined to expel the Firingís from the ports of India, and make himself master of them. With this view, in the year 944 A.H. (1537 A.D.), he despatched his minister, Sulaimán Bádsháh, in command of one hundred vessels, and he, having wrested the port of Aden from Shaikh 'Ámr, son of Shaikh Dáúd, whom he put to death, sailed to the port of Diú, and there made preparations for war. He was nearly victorious, but, for want of provisions and treasure, he was obliged to return unsuccessful to Rúm.

In the year 963 A.H. (1556 A.D.) the Tarsás (Christians) were in possession of the ports of Hurmúz, Muskat, Sumatra, Malacca, Mangalore, Negapatam, Barcelore, Ceylon, and Bengal, to the very borders of China. In all these places they built their forts. But Sultán 'Alí Haí captured the fort of Sumatra from them, and the chief of Ceylon also, having subdued the Firingís, expelled them from his dominions. The Sámurí, chief of Kálíkot, being much harassed, sent his ambassadors to 'Alí 'Ádil Sháh and Murtazá Nizám Sháh, instigating them to wage a holy war against the Firingís and turn them out of their country.

In 979 A.H. (1570 A.D.) the Sámurí besieged the fort of Jáliát, and Nizám Sháh and 'Ádil Sháh besieged that of Ríva-danda. The former, through his courage, was successful in capturing the fort; but the latter, on account of the infidelity of their servants, who were deceived by the temptations which the Firingís offered them, returned without fulfilling their object.

From this time the Christians became more audacious in their persecution of the Muhammadans, in so far that they stretched out their rapacious hands to plunder on their return from Jedda some ships of the Emperor Jalálu-d dín Muhammad Akbar, which had sailed to Mecca without their permission, and they treated the Musulmáns with great severity and contempt. They burnt down the port of 'Ádilábád Faráín, which belonged to 'Ádil Sháh, and entirely destroyed it. In the guise of merchants, they also came to Dábal, and wished, by cunning and deceitful means, to obtain possession of it; but its chief, Khwája 'Alíu-l Malik, a merchant of Shíráz, being aware of their views, killed one hun­dred and fifty of their men of rank, and devoted himself to extinguish the fire of mischief.

Establishment of the English Power in India.

Be it known to men of curiosity that from the date that the ships of the Emperor Jalálu-d dín Muhammad Akbar were seized by the Christians, the sending of vessels to the ports of Arabia and Persia was entirely closed, not only in the Dakhin and Bengal, but in other provinces of Hindústán, because it was considered beneath the royal dignity to enter into treaties with the Firingís, and to send them without entering into any understanding was to throw lives and property into danger. The Emperor's nobles, however, such as Nawáb 'Abdu-r Rahím Khán Khán-khánán, and others, having entered into an agreement with them, used to send their own ships, and affairs continued in this course for some time. When the Emperor Núru-d dín Muhammad Jahángír ascended the throne of Dehlí, there existed great discord and animosity between the Christians of Portugal, France, etc. Thirsting after the blood of each other, they read together the same evil book of hatred and malice. Contrary to the manner in which they had been treated, the Emperor granted the English a spot in Surat for the erection of a factory. This was the first settlement which the English made on the coasts of India. Before this, they also occasionally brought their cargoes to the ports of Hindústán, and having sold them there, returned to their native country. After­wards, they also began to establish their factories at different places in the Dakhin and Bengal. In the time of Aurangzeb 'Álamgír, they founded the city of Calcutta, an account of which has been given above, and requires no repetition.

Nawáb Muzaffar Jang, grandson of Nawáb Nizámu-l Mulk Ásaf Jáh, at the instigation of Husain Dost Khán, alias Chandá, a resident of Arkát (Arcot), joined the French of Phúljarí (Pon-dicherry), and invaded Anwáru-d dín Khán Shahámat Jang of Gopámau, who had been governor of Arkát from the time of the said Nawáb Nizámu-l Mulk, with the intention of wresting the place from him. A great battle ensued. Nawáb Shahámat Jang, however, having fought very boldly, and given proof of his valour, fell in the field. Nawáb Nizámu-d daula Násir Jang, the second son of Nawáb Ásaf Jáh, who had succeeded him in the chiefship of the Dakhin after his death, on receiving the news of the defeat of his sister's son, marched to punish Muzaffar Jang with a body of 70,000 horse and a lac of foot-soldiers. Having reached the port of Phúljarí, he engaged in battle on the 26th of Rabí'u-l ákhir, 1163 A.H. (24th March, 1750 A.D.), and became victorious. Muzaffar Jang was captured alive. Nizámu-l Mulk passed the whole rainy season in Arkát.

The French of Phúljarí, having made a confederacy with Himmat Khán and other Afghán chiefs of the Carnatic, and servants of Nizámu-d daula, made them blind to the obligations they owed to their master, with the temptation of land and riches. These ungrateful people prepared to take cunning and deceitful measures, and joining with the Christian French of Phúljarí, made an attack in the night of the 16th Muharram, 1164 A.H. (19th Nov. 1750 A.D.). They made Nawáb Nizámu-d daula drink the red cup of martyrdom, and after his death the said Afgháns and French raised Muzaffar Jang to the chief­ship of the Dakhin. This Nawáb, with a body of the Afgháns, went to Phúljarí, and having employed a great number of the Christian French, purchased their support of himself. In the same year he proceeded with an army of the Afgháns and the French to Haidarábád, and passing through Arkát, entered the territory of the former tribe.

By the revolution of time a difference arose between Mu-zaffar Jang and the Afgháns, which turned to open hostility. On the 17th Rabí'u-l awwal of the said year, both parties prepared for battle. On one side stood Muzaffar Jang and the French, and on the other the Afgháns. Himmat Khán and the other Afghán chiefs suffered the consequences of ingrati­tude, and were slain. Muzaffar Jang also, having received a wound in his eye-ball, hastened to his grave. After this the French entered the service of Amíru-l Mamálik Salábat Jang, the third son of Ásaf Jáh, and having obtained possession of Shikákul (Chicacole), Rájbandar, etc., they acquired great strength. Their sway extended to different parts of the Dakhin. For a long time they had kept up an intercourse with this province, but nobody took them into service. Muzaffar Jang was the first who employed them, and brought them into land belonging to Muhammadans.

When the French had reached this degree of power, the English, who are ever on thirst for their blood, also ventured to encroach upon the territories belonging to the Emperor. Having taken possession of some parts of the Dakhin, they made them­selves master of the fort of Surat, and erected strong factories in Bengal. They obtained orders from the Court of 'Álamgír for the exemption from tax of their goods, and they firmly settled in Bengal. As the French had put Nawáb Anwáru-d dín Khán, of Gopámau, Governor of Arkát, to death, and having nominally chosen a person as chief, had gained ground in the Dakhin, Nawáb Muhammad 'Alí Khán, his son, made friendship with the English officers, who in all respects gave him their assistance, and used their best efforts to extirpate the French. In 1174 A.H. (1760 A.D.) they laid siege to the fort of Phúljarí, and having wrested it from the hands of the French, levelled all the buildings in it with the ground. Shikákul, Rájbandar, and other possessions of the French, the conquest of which was beyond all expectation, fell of themselves into their hands. Nawáb Mu­hammad 'Alí Khán Mansúr Jang, by the favour of the English, became governor of Arkát, under the title of Wálájáh Amíru-l Hind Muhammad 'Alí Khán Bahádur Mansúr Jang. He gave himself up to the guidance of the English officers, and spent his whole life in the enjoyment of pleasure and delight. At present the territory of Arkát, like Bengal, is under the sway of the English, as will be shown hereafter.