Mulloo Yekbal Khan, soon after, obtained possession of the country between the two rivers; which, with a small district round the city, was all that remained dependent on the capital. The governors of provinces no longer acknowledged allegiance to the throne, having established their independence during the late civil war. Guzerat was held by Moozuffur Khan; Malwa by Dilawur Khan; Kunowj, Oude, Kurra, and Joonpoor, by Khwaja Jehan, commonly called Shah Shurk; Lahore, Depalpoor, and Mooltan, by Khizr Khan; Samana by Ghalib Khan; Byana by Shums Khan Ahdy; Kalpy and Mahoba by Mahomed Khan, the son of Mullikzada Feroze; all of whom styled themselves Kings.

Jumad-ool-
Awul
A. H. 803.
December,
A. D. 1400. In the month of Jumad-ool-Awul, 803, Mulloo Yekbal Khan marched with an army from Dehly towards By-ana, defeated Shums Khan, and was joined by his troops. He then proceeded to Kutehr, and after having levied contributions in the territory of Nursing Ray, he returned to Dehly. Intelligence was there brought him of the death of Khwaja Jehan, at Joonpoor, and also that his adopted son, Mullik Wasil, had assumed the title of Moobarik Shah, and had succeeded to the government. Mulloo Yekbal Khan having become reconciled to Shums Khan, governor of Byana, and having gained over Moobarik, the son of Bahâdur Nahir Méwatty, to his interest, marched the same year, in conjunction with these chiefs, against Mullik Wasil. When he reached the village of Puttyaly, on the Ganges, the Ray of Serinugur, (the ancient name for Bilgaram, which was at that time a principality,) together with the zemindars of that tract, opposed him, but were defeated with great slaughter. After this victory, Mulloo Yekbal Khan marched to Kunowj, intending to proceed to Joonpoor and Luknowty. On his route, however, he was opposed by Mullik Wasil, in his attempt to cross the Ganges, with such vigour, that, after repeated efforts for two months, he was forced to abandon the undertaking, and to return to Dehly. During this campaign, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, entertaining suspicions of Shums Khan and Moobarik Khan, assassinated them both on their way back to their own governments.

A. H. 804.
A. D. 1401. In the year 804, the ex-King, Mah-mood Toghluk, offended with the behaviour of Moozuffur Shah of Guzerat, to whose court he had retired, left him and went to Malwa. Soon after, by the invitation of Mulloo Yekbal Khan, he returned to Dehly, where he was content to receive a pension, fearing that any interference on his part, in the affairs of the government might prove fatal to him. Advices were now received of the death of Mullik Wasil, who styled himself Moobarik Shah, Shurky of Joonpoor. Yek-bal Khan, accordingly, accompanied by the King Mahmood, marched towards Kunowj, where Ibra-him Shah Shurky, brother of Moobarik Shah, who had succeeded to the throne, advanced with the troops of Joonpoor to oppose him.

While the armies were encamped near each other, Mahmood Toghluk, dissatisfied with his situation, and imagining that Ibrahim Shah would acknowledge him King, and abdicate the throne of the Shurky provinces in his favour, left the camp while on a hunting excursion, and repaired to the army of Ibrahim Shah. When that Prince discovered the expectations of his guest, he even withheld from him the necessaries of life, and intimated to him to quit the camp. Mahmood returned in great distress to Kunowj, and was left by Mulloo Yekbal Khan in the government of that city, having previously expelled the governor, who occupied it on the part of Ibrahim Shah. Ibrahim Shah Shurky did not resent this insult, but permitted Mahmood Toghluk to occupy Kunowj, and himself returned to Joonpoor, while Mulloo Yekbal Khan retreated to Dehly.

A. H. 805.
A. D. 1402. In the year 805, Mulloo Yekbal Khan marched against Gualiar, which had fallen into the hands of Nursing Ray during the invasion of Teimoor, and which had lately on Nursing Ray's death descended to his son, Brahma Dew. The fort being strong, he found he could effect nothing against it at that time, except plundering the districts around. He accordingly returned to Dehly, from whence, however, he again came back with a view of reducing the place. Brahma Dew sallied out of the garrison, and made an unsuccessful attack on Mulloo Yekbal Khan; but the latter was eventually obliged to raise the siege, and content himself with devastating the country, and returned to Dehly.

A. H. 807.
A. D. 1404. In the year 807, Mulloo Yekbal Khan marched the army to Etawa, where the Rajas of Serinugur, Gualiar, and Jalwur had formed a confederacy, and united their forces. They were attacked and defeated by Yekbal Khan, who consented to their retreat being unmolested, only on condition of their paying a large sum into his coffers. After this victory, in violation of every tie of gratitude, and of common justice, he marched against the King, Mahmood Toghluk, then residing at Kunowj. Mahmood shut himself up in the city; and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, unable to reduce it, raised the siege, and marched towards Samana, in

Mohurrum,
A. H. 808.
June,
A. D. 1405.

the month of Mohurrum, 808. Beiram Khan, a descendant of one of the Toorky slaves of Feroze Toghluk, had long occupied Samana. On the approach of Mulloo Yekbal Khan, he fled to the hills, closely pursued by his enemy. On this occasion, Syud Alum-ood-Deen, grandson of the famous Syud Julal Bokhary, came to mediate between the contending parties. He succeeded in reconciling them; after which they united their forces, and marched towards Mooltan, against Khizr Khan. At Toolumba, they were opposed by Ray Dawood, * Kumal Khan Mye, and Ray Hubboo, the son of Ray Rutty, chiefs in the northern provinces, who were defeated, and taken prisoners. On arriving near Ajoodhun, Khizr Khan opposed

Jumad-ool-
Awul 19.
A. H. 808.
Nov. 18.
A. D. 1405.

Mulloo Yekbal Khan, with the troops of Mooltan, Punjab, and Depalpoor; and on the 19th of Jumad-ool-Awul the two armies engaged, and Mulloo Yek-bal Khan was slain.

When Dowlut Khan Lody, and Yekhtyar Khan, who commanded in Dehly, were informed of this event, they invited Mahmood Toghluk, from Kunowj, who came with a small retinue and reascended the throne. He laid aside any further efforts to reduce Mooltan, and sent Dowlut Khan Lody, with an army against Beiram Khan of Samana. The King himself returned, in the mean time, to Kunowj; but Ibrahim Shah Shurky marched to recover that place, and after some skirmishes, compelled Mahmood to retreat to Dehly. Mahmood Toghluk's imbecile conduct lost him the affections of his troops, and they accordingly, with one consent, dispersed. Ibrahim Shah Shurky, on receiving intelligence of this circumstance, crossed the Ganges, and marched towards Dehly with great expedition. When he reached the banks of the Jumna, he heard that Moozuffur Shah of Guzerat had defeated and taken prisoner Alp Khan, commonly called Sooltan Hooshung, and having occupied the country of Malwa, was then on his march towards Joonpoor. In consequence of this intelligence, Ibrahim Shah Shurky was induced to retreat to secure his own capital.

Rujub,
A. H. 810.
Dec.
A. D. 1407. In the month of Rujub, 810, Dowlut Khan Lody and Beiram Khan engaged each other near Samana. Beiram Khan was defeated, and surrendered himself to Dowlut Khan Lody; but nearly at the same time that part of the country fell into the hands of Khizr Khan.

Zeekada,
A. H. 810.
April,
A. D. 1408. In the month of Zeekada, of the same year, Mahmood Toghluk marched against Mullik Meer Zeea, who, on the part of Ibrahim Shah Shurky, was governor of Birun. Mullik Meer Zeea opposed him without the walls, but was defeated, and compelled to retire within the works. The King's troops followed the fugitives so closely, that they entered the place together, and Mullik Meer Zeea fell in the assault. From Birun the King marched to Sumbhul; but Tartar Khan fled at his approach, and went to Kunowj. The King, leaving Assud

A. H. 811.
A. D. 1408.

Khan Lody at Sumbhul, returned to Dehly. In the year 811, Mahmood Toghluk marched against Kowam Khan, who occupied Hissar Feroza, on the part of Khizr Khan. The King, after levying contributions, returned; but Khizr Khan, on hearing what had occurred, marched, by the route of Rohtuk, against Dehly. Mahmood, deficient both in sense and courage, allowed himself to be patiently besieged in that part of the city known by the name of Ferozabad. Khizr Khan, however, being in want of forage and grain, was soon obliged to raise the siege, and retire to Futtehpoor, but in the be-

A. H. 814.
A. D. 1411.

ginning of the year 814 he returned by the route of Rohtuk to Futtehpoor. This place was then in possession of two of Mahmood Toghluk's officers, Mullik Idrees and Moobariz Khan, who declined hostilities, and submitted. Khizr Khan, having plundered the town of Narnoul, again advanced to Dehly. On this occasion, Mahmood shut himself up in the old citadel of Siry, to which Khizr Khan laid siege. Yekhtyar Khan, who commanded in Ferozabad, seeing the desperate condition of the King's affairs, joined Khizr Khan, and admitted him into the fort. Having united their troops, they occupied all the Dehly possessions in the Dooab, and prevented supplies from reaching the capital. A great draught had occasioned, at this time, a scarcity of grain and forage, both in the Dooab and in the vicinity of Dehly, insomuch that Khizr Khan was a second time forced to raise the siege, and retire to Futteh-poor. Mahmood Toghluk, being delivered from this imminent danger, took the diversion of hunting in the neighbourhood of Kyetuhl, where he