A. H. 801.
A.D. 1398.

men against him. Teimoor having as­certained that most of them were idol­aters, gave orders to put all above the age of fifteen to the sword; so that upon that day nearly 100,000 men were massacred in cold blood.

Jumad-ool-
awul 5.
Jan. 13. On the 5th of Jumad-ool-awul, Tei-moor forded the river without opposition, and encamped on the plain of Feroz-abad, one of the suburbs of Dehly, where he entrenched himself. He caused numbers of buffa­loes to be picketed in the ditch, with their heads fronting the enemy, placing, at the same time, strong parties of troops at proper distances behind them.

Jumad-ool-
awul 7.
Jan. 15.

Though the astrologers pronounced the seventh an unlucky day, Teimoor marched out of his lines, and drew up his army in order of battle. Mahmood Toghluk, and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, with the Dehly troops, and 120 elephants, covered with armour, marched forth to oppose the Moguls. But at the first charge, most of the elephants' drivers were dis­mounted; and these unwieldy animals, deprived of their guides, fled to the rear, and commu­nicated confusion to their own ranks. The veteran troops of Teimoor, who had already con­quered half the world, availed themselves of this advantage, and the Indians were, in a short time, totally routed, without making one brave effort to save their country, their lives, or their pro­perty. The conqueror pursued them with great slaughter to the very gates of Dehly, near to which he fixed his head quarters. The constern­ation of the fugitives was so great, that, not trust­ing to their walls, Mahmood Toghluk and his minister deserted the capital during the night, the former flying to Guzerat, the latter taking the route of Birun. Teimoor, gaining intelli­gence of their escape, detached parties after them; one of which came up with Mulloo Yekbal Khan, killed a great number of his retinue, and took his two infant sons, (Seif-ood-Deen and Khooda-dad) prisoners. Teimoor received the submission of all the chief men of the city, who crowded to his camp, and were promised protection, on con­dition of paying a contribution. On the Friday following, Teimoor caused himself to be pro­claimed Emperor, and the usual titles to be read in his name in all the mosques.

Jumad-ool-
awul 16.
A. H. 801.
Jan. 14.
A. D. 1398. On the 16th of the same month, having placed guards at the gates, he appointed the chiefs and magistrates of the city to regulate the contri­bution, according to the wealth and rank of the inhabitants. Information was in the mean time brought that several nobles, and some rich merchants, had shut themselves up in their houses, with their dependents, and refused to pay their share of the ransom. This induced Teimoor to send troops into the city, at the in­stance of the magistrates, to enforce their autho­rity; a step eventually productive of the most fatal consequences. The arrival of the Mogul soldiers created confusion; plundering ensued, which could not be restrained by the officers, and they durst not acquaint Teimoor with the state of affairs.

Teimoor, according to his custom after success, was then busy in his camp celebrating a grand festival on account of his victory, so that it was five days before he received any intelligence of the proceedings in the town. The first intimation he obtained was from the city being in flames; for the Hindoos, according to custom, seeing their females disgraced, and their wealth seized by the soldiery, shut the gates, set fire to their houses, mur­dered their wives and children, and rushed out on their enemies. This led to a general massacre, some streets were rendered impassable, by the heaps of dead; and the gates being forced, the whole Mogul army gained admittance, and a scene of horror ensued easier to be imagined than described. The desperate courage of the Dehlyans was at length cooled in their own blood, and throwing down their weapons, they at last submitted themselves like sheep to slaughter; in some instances, permitting one man to drive a hundred of them, prisoners, before him. The city yielded an enormous booty. The historians have gone into some details of the amount of the silver, the gold, and the jewels, captured on this occasion, particularly rubies and diamonds; but their account so far exceeds all belief, that I have refrained from mentioning it. Nizam-ood-Deen Ahmud, however, relates these circumstances differently in his history. He states, that the persons appointed to realise the contri­bution on the part of Teimoor having used great violence, by torture and other means, to obtain money, the citizens rose and killed some of the Moguls. This being reported to Teimoor, he ordered a general pillage. This is the first in­stance on record of the Moguls having plundered Dehly.

Teimoor now entered the city, and seized for himself 120 elephants, 12 rhinoceroses, and a num­ber of curious animals that had been collected by Feroze Toghluk. The fine mosque built by that Prince, on the stones of which he had inscribed the history of his reign, was so much admired by Teimoor, that he carried the same architects and masons from Dehly to Samarkand to build one on a similar plan. After having halted 15 days at Dehly, Teimoor commenced his retreat, to his own country, and marched out to Ferozabad, whither Bahâdur Nahir of Mewat sent him two white parrots as curiosities, with professions of submission. Teimoor sent Syud Shums-ood-Deen Toormoozy to invite him to the presence; and Khizr Khan, who had been concealed in the hills of Mewat, also came with him, and was graciously received.

From Ferozabad, Teimoor marched to Pa-niput, from whence he detached Ameer Shah Mullik to besiege Meerut, a strong fort, situated about 60 miles from Dehly. When Ameer Shah Mullik had reconnoitred its strength, and found the garrison determined to defend it, he reported its condition; and he, moreover, stated, that the garrison had reproached him from the walls, by saying he could succeed no better than Toormooshreen Khan, the Mogul general who had formerly failed in an attempt to take the place. Teimoor immediately marched in person against Meerut, and without delay began to construct mines, and carry on his approaches under ground, advancing at the rate of 15 yards every 24 hours. Khwaja Elias Ajoodhuny, the son of Mowlana Ahmud Tahnesury, and Mullik Suffy Kubeer, defended the place with great resolution; but the Moguls, having filled up the ditch, placed their scaling-ladders and fastened their hook-ropes to the wall, in spite of all opposition, and without waiting for a breach by means of the mines stormed the place, and put every soul to the sword.

The mines, however, being finished, the King ordered them to be fired, and the walls were thrown down.*

Teimoor continued his march to the skirts of the mountains of Sewalik, marking his way with fire and sword. He then crossed the Ganges, and subdued the country as far as where the river issues from the mountains. On his return from thence, he repassed the river and marched through the hills, where he was opposed by an Indian ze­mindar, whom he defeated and plundered. He then continued his route, taking several small forts on his way till he arrived at Jummoogur, the raja of which place being wounded and taken prisoner, was compelled to embrace the faith. Jusrut, the brother of Sheikha Gukkur, who had fled after being defeated by Teimoor, had been reproved by his brother for opposing the Moguls, which being represented to Teimoor, Sheikha was admitted to his presence, and became a favourite. But when Teimoor marched on to Dehly, Sheikha took advantage of his absence, and got possession of Lahore, and when the King reached Jummoo, he refused to submit to his authority. Ameer

A. H. 801.
A. D. 1397.

Teimoor accordingly detached part of his army to besiege Lahore, which was taken in a few days. Sheikha was brought prisoner to the King, who ordered him to be instantly beheaded. While at Jummoo, Teimoor appointed Khizr Khan viceroy of Mooltan, Lahore, and Depalpoor, and returned to Samarkand by the route of Kabul.

The city of Dehly remained in a state of anarchy for the space of two months after the departure of Teimoor, during which time famine and pestilence prevailed. It was then taken possession of by the Prince Noosrut Shah with only 2000 horse from Meerut, where he was joined by Adil Khan with his own troops and four elephants. Shahab-Khan and Mullik Almas from Mewat, with their troops and 10 elephants, joined him soon after. Noosrut Shah now sent Shahab-Khan, with his troops, towards Birun, against Mulloo Yekbal-Khan, who had taken up his residence in that town; but Shahab-Khan, being attacked in the night, on his march, by the zemindars in the interest of Mulloo Yekbal Khan, was slain, and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, following up his advantage, took all the baggage of Shahab Khan's army. This success raising the reputation of Mulloo Yekbal Khan, in a few days he thought himself in a condition to make an attempt on the capital. At his approach, Noosrut Shah retired to Meerut; and Mulloo Yekbal Khan resumed the administration of affairs in the ruined city. The inhabitants, who had fled, now began to return to their homes; and Dehly, in a short time, put on the appearance of populousness, especially that quarter called the New City.