Obscure origin of Nasir-ood-Deen — his character — is made governor of Mooltan — becomes independent — extends his conquests over the Punjab, and nearly to Dehly — his power is gradually circumscribed by the Gukkurs, aided by Julal-ood-Deen Khwaruzm Shah — is attacked by Shums-ood-Deen Altmish. — Oocha taken. — Bhukkur besieged. — He attempts to fly with his family down the Indus — perishes in a storm.

NOTWITHSTANDING that former historians have ranked Nasir-ood-Deen among the servants of the kings of Dehly, and denied him a place in the list of Indian monarchs, probably on account of his low origin, the compiler of this work, deviating in this instance from the practice of his predecessors, has elevated him to that station in history to which, as the ruler of a considerable empire, he appears justly entitled. His pedigree is obscure, and all that seems known of him is, that he was one of the Toorky slaves of Shahab-ood-Deen Mahomed Ghoory; from which situation, having risen to the dignity of a throne, he proved himself wise, brave, generous, and po­lite. The greater part of his life was spent in the service of Shahab-ood-Deen; and when that mo­narch engaged the Suljooks, Nasir-ood-Deen Kub-bacha was left in charge of the government of Oocha. Previously to this period, however, he espoused the daughter of Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, viceroy of India, and after the death of his first wife he married her sister. Subsequently to taking possession of his new government, he frequently came to Dehly, in order to pay his respects to his sovereign and father-in-law, Kootb-ood-Deen; after whose death, having seized many of the towns subject to the Sind government, he reduced the territory of the Soomuras, whose subjects were a mixture of Mahomedans and Hindoos, to the small tract of country around Tutta, bounded by the desert. At first the inhabitants fled to the hills, but his proclamations of protection soon brought them back to their respective homes; after which he declared himself King of Sind, and caused pub­lic prayers to be read, and money to be coined, in his name, thus relinquishing his allegiance to the throne of Dehly. Besides Sind, his kingdom em­braced the provinces of Mooltan, Kohram, and Soorsutty. He was twice attacked by Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz of Ghizny, but he successfully re­pelled both these invasions.

A. H. 611.
A. D. 1214. In the year 611 the armies of Khwaruzm and Khulij, having reached Ghizny, made some impression on the Seevustan frontier; on which occasion Nasir-ood-Deen Kubbacha opposing them slew many of the Tartars; but he was at length compelled to fly before the army of Ghizny, commanded by the minister Mooveiud-ool-Moolk Sunjurry.

A. H. 614.
A. D. 1217. In the year 614, Nasir-ood-Deen having marched for the purpose of sub­duing Lahore, conquered in that cam­paign the province of Surhind; but being pursued by Shums-ood-Deen Altmish of Dehly, the successor of Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, Nasir-ood-Deen fled through the Punjab to the banks of the Neelab; which river not being fordable, the Dehly monarch dashing his charger into that rapid stream, was fol­lowed by part of the army. Many were drowned; but the King, with a few of his troops, gained the opposite bank, and gallantly attacking the Sindies, completely defeated them, compelling Nasir-ood-Deen to retreat, and make the best of his way to Mooltan; on which occasion his standard and kettle­drums fell into the hands of the conquerors.

On the invasion of Chungiz Khan into Tooran, the nobles of Khorassan, Ghizny, and Ghoor having fled to the court of Nasir-ood-Deen Kubbacha at Mooltan, found honourable employment in his service; till at length Julal-ood-Deen, the son of the King of Khwaruzm, having been expelled from his own country by the resistless forces of Chungiz Khan, marched to the south, and attacked the country of Nasir-ood-Deen.

The following seems a correct account of this event: — Julal-ood-Deen having been driven from Khwaruzm retreated towards India, and arrived on the banks of the Attock, where he was overtaken by the forces of Chungiz Khan. In this situation there appeared no alternative but to perish in the waters or repel the enemy. He chose the latter resource, and gallantly opposed the infidel Tartars, many of whom he slew with his own hand; but at length his army being broken, he retired with seven hundred horse. He was again pursued, and again defended himself for several hours in the most gallant manner; but was at last compelled to seek safety in flight, his horse being scarcely able to support him. In his retreat he joined his sons, and mounting a fresh charger, once more checked the pursuing enemy; at last, on being quite overpowered by numbers, he retired fighting desperately till he reached the bank of the river Indus, where, having taken off his armour and secured his royal canopy, he swam the stream with only seven followers; and on the opposite bank he caused his canopy to be erected in sight of the Tartar army. It is said Chungiz Khan came to the bank of the river to witness the spectacle, and expressed his admiration of his character, say­ing, “Julal-ood-Deen is indeed the lion of battle, “and the crocodile of the waves.” Some of his troops having volunteered to cross and seize him, Chungiz Khan rebuked them, and said, “No! “such a hero should only fall in the heat of “action.” He remained concealed in the neigh­bourhood of the river for two or three days; and having collected between fifty and sixty of his followers, who had escaped without their arms, he attacked a post consisting of about two hundred men, who, unconscious of any enemy near, were regaling themselves with a feast. The attack made on them is thus represented: — Julal-ood-Deen having ordered each of his people to cut a good large stick from the jungle, he dis­persed the party of soldiers who were feast­ing, and plundered them of their arms and pro­perty. He then mounted his own men on their horses, and was enabled next day to muster a troop of one hundred and twenty men. In a few days after, hearing of a guard composed of three thousand men being near him, he suddenly assaulted them, and obtained so large a quantity of money as enabled him, in a short time, to appear in consider­able force, and make several successful attacks on the troops in the Punjab, driving them before him like sheep, till at length his army amounted to four thousand cavalry. When Chungiz Khan heard of these successes he detached some of his best officers across the river to attack Julal-ood-Deen; but the moment the Tartars advanced, he fled before them towards Dehly, plundering the country as he proceeded. On his arrival near Dehly, he deputed one of his principal officers to wait on Shums-ood-Deen Altmish, relating his mis­fortunes, and requesting a small tract of country to reside on; unless, indeed, he thought fit to furnish him with a sufficient force to oppose Chungiz Khan, and enable him to regain his crown.

Shums-ood-Deen determined not to permit so dangerous a person to remain in his dominions; and it is even said he caused his ambassador to be privately murdered. He however sent some valu­able presents to Julal-ood-Deen; but declared that the air of India was so unwholesome to strangers, that he could not recommend any spot on which he might take up his residence. Julal-ood-Deen, comprehending the purport of this message, retired towards the Gukkurs, among the hills of Bilala and Nikala, from whence he sent Taj-ood-Deen Khiljy, one of his officers, to plunder in the Jood hills. Julal-ood-Deen, having collected about twelve thou­sand men, deputed an ambassador to proceed to the court of the Gukkur chief, who had some time before been converted to Mahomedism, soliciting the hand of his daughter in marriage. To this the Gukkur readily assented; and deputed his son to escort the Princess to Julal-ood-Deen, at the same time stipulating for his assistance in repelling the frequent attacks of Nasir-ood-Deen Kubbacha, King of Sind. Julal-ood-Deen at this time con­ferred on his wife's brother the title of Khullij Khan, and shortly after deputed his Barbik (Usher), one of the most distinguished of his officers, with a body of seven thousand men, to accompany the Gukkur prince. This force proceeded to the banks of the Indus, and encamped near the city of Oocha, where it was opposed by Nasir-ood-Deen with twenty thousand men. A sanguinary conflict en­sued, wherein the latter was defeated, and compelled to seek safety in a small boat, in which he crossed the Indus, and retired to the fort of Nuggur. * On this news being transmitted to Julal-ood-Deen, who had just learned that an army from Dehly was on its march to attack him, he left the hills of Bilala, and marching to Oocha occupied Nasir-ood-Deen's palace. From thence he wrote, de­siring him to deliver into his hands one Anwur Khan and his family, who had deserted him on the day of the battle of Attock with Chungiz Khan. Nasir-ood-Deen complied with his request, and also sent to Julal-ood-Deen some valuable presents, himself retiring to Mooltan; in consequence of which, the latter returned to the country of Bilala, whence he had come. On the march he attacked a small fort, where he received an arrow wound in his arm; and his troops became so irritated at the event, that upon the capture of the place they indiscriminately slaughtered men, women, and children. At this period Julal-ood-Deen heard that Choghtay, the son of Chungiz Khan, was on his march to seize and convey him to the presence of the Tartar conqueror; but as he was unwilling to cope with his former enemies, and conceiving that Nasir-ood-Deen bore no ill will towards him, he marched to Mooltan, and there demanded some mules for the transport of his baggage. Nasir-ood-Deen, who expected the Tartar forces would invade his country on Julal-ood-Deen's account, refused his assistance, and he returned from Mooltan to Oocha; where not meeting with the support he expected, he laid that city in ashes, and marched to the south towards Tutta; and whenever he arrived at one of Nasir-ood-Deen's villages on the route, he either laid it under heavy contributions or destroyed it. On reaching Tutta, the Ray, whose name was Jeisee, of the dynasty of Soomura, fled; and putting all his baggage and family in boats on the Indus, departed for some of the contiguous islands. Julal-ood-Deen now oc­cupied Tutta, destroyed all the temples, and built mosques in their stead; and on one occasion de­tached a force to Nehrwala (Puttun), on the bor-

A. H. 620.
A. D. 1222.

der of Guzerat. In the year 620, hav­ing heard that his brother Gheias-ood-Deen had established himself as King of Irak, Julal-ood-Deen abandoned his views in India, and proceeded through Mikran to Persia; and as the acts of the subsequent part of his life are related in the Persian histories, I shall leave them to furnish the reader with any further account of this prince, and return to Nasir-ood-Deen Kubbacha. The Prince Choghtay Khan hav­ing reached Mooltan, laid siege to that place; but Nasir-ood-Deen conducted himself with such bravery, that he compelled the Tartars to withdraw. The Tartar prince marched to the south, and in­vading both Mikran and Kech laid waste those countries, and wintered at Kalinjur, a place situated on the borders of Sind; but finding provisions scarce in his camp, he put to death ten thousand Indians of all classes, whom he had taken prisoners, rather than liberate them. Notwithstanding this barbarous act, famine and plague both raged shortly afterwards, which compelled him to move; and having heard no more of Julal-ood-Deen, he re­turned to Tooran.

A. H. 622.
A. D. 1224-5. In the year 622, Shums-ood-Deen Altmish, King of Dehly, made several attempts to remove Nasir-ood-Deen from his government, and even marched for that purpose as far as Oocha; but Nasir-ood-Deen having made preparations for a siege, took post with a respectable force in the town of Bhuk-kur. The King of Dehly sent his general, Ni­zam-ool-Moolk Mahomed, (the son of Aby Syeed Jooneidy, to whom the Jama-ool-Hikayat is dedi­cated,) to attack the latter place, while he engaged in the attack of Oocha, which fell to the Dehly arms after a siege of two months and twenty days. On receipt of this intelligence, Nasir-ood-Deen deputed his son, Alla-ood-Deen Beiram, to Oocha, to treat for peace; but before it was concluded the garrison of Bhukkur became so straitened for supplies, that Nasir-ood-Deen, accompanied by his family, embarking in boats, proceeded down the Indus for the purpose of taking possession of one of the islands. During the voyage he was, however, unfortunately drowned. Another, and probably the most authentic, account of this inva­sion states, that when Shums-ood-Deen Altmish arrived at Oocha, he left the army with his minister, Nizam-ool-Moolk Jooneidy, to besiege that place, which after two months he succeeded in reducing; that from thence the King proceeded to the attack of Bhukkur, to which place Nasir-ood-Deen had retreated; but having no hopes of eventually re­pelling the arms of the Dehly monarch, he placed his family and personal attendants, with his trea­sure, in boats, and endeavoured to occupy a con­tiguous island; but a storm coming on, the boat in which he had himself embarked foundered, and every person perished. This monarch reigned in Sind and Mooltan for a period of twenty-two years.