Succeeds his father. — Insurrection in Punjab suppressed. — The minister appointed governor. — Survur-ool-Moolk created vizier. — New insurrection in Punjab. — The King of Malwa declares war against Dehly, and lays siege to Gualiar — is compelled to retreat. — Insurrection in Mewat suppressed. — The King proceeds to Byana. — The King of Joonpoor makes war with the ruler of Kalpy. — The latter is assisted by the King of Dehly. — The rulers of Byana, Mewat, and Surhind, in open rebellion against the Dehly government. — Byana and Mewat reduced to obedience. — The ruler of Surhind invites the Moguls from Kabul to aid him. — The King of Dehly retires from Surhind to Dehly. — The Moguls are attacked, and totally routed. — Revolt in Punjab. — The King's go­vernor taken prisoner. — The King proceeds in person, and recovers Punjab. — Appoints a new governor. — Lahore taken by the Moguls and Gukkurs. — Mullik Sikundur appointed generalissimo — expels the Moguls and Gukkurs, and returns to court. — The King becomes jealous of his minister. — The latter, apprehensive of the King, causes him to be assassinated.

WHEN Khizr Khan perceived, from the nature of his disorder, all hopes of recovery were at an end, he nominated his eldest son to succeed him. Accordingly, three days after his death, Moobarik ascended the throne, and assumed the title of Moiz-ood-Deen, Abool Futteh Moobarik. He raised his cousin, Mullik Budr, to high honours, and nominated Mullik Rujub to the government of Depalpoor and Punjab.

A. H. 824.
May,
A. D. 1421. In the month of Jumad-ool-Awul he received advices that Jusrut, the brother of Sheikha Gukkur, (who had the pre­ceding year defeated and made captive Ally Shah, King of Kashmeer, * on his return from an expedi­tion against Tutta,) presuming on his success, had come to the resolution to attempt the throne of Dehly. For this purpose Jusrut Gukkur invited Mullik Toghan, who had fled to the mountains, to join him, and he appointed him Ameer-ool-Omra, or general-in-chief of his troops. Their first oper­ations were directed against Punjab; and having seized Lahore, they secured the person of Zeeruk Khan, governor of Jalendur, which they also took, and subsequently besieged Islam Khan in the fort of Surhind.

Syud Moobarik, in spite of the rainy season, which was then at its height, marched from Dehly; but on his approaching Surhind he found Jusrut Gukkur had raised the siege and retreated to Lodhana. Here Zeeruk Khan contrived to effect his escape, and joined the King. The Dehly army now advanced towards Lodhana, where they per­ceived Jusrut Gukkur encamped on the opposite bank. He had secured all the boats on the river, a circumstance which obliged the King to halt at

Shuval 11.
A. H. 824.
October 8.
A. D. 1421.

Kubboolpoor till the stream became fordable. On the 11th of Shuval, Mul-lik Sikundur (the Vizier), Zeeruk Khan, Mahmood Hussun, Mullik Kaloo, and other chiefs, forded the river; and the King him­self following with the main body of the army, Jusrut Gukkur and his troops were thrown into confusion, and eventually put to flight. The King's forces pursued the enemy closely, slaying vast numbers, and capturing all their baggage.

After this defeat, Jusrut, having crossed the Chunab, took refuge in the mountains, and Ray Bheem, Raja of Jummoo, directing the King's army to Beesul, a strong fort into which Jusrut Gukhur had thrown himself, the latter again fled; but his followers were pursued with great slaughter. Mean-

Mohurrum,
A. H. 825.
January,
A. D. 1422.

while, in the month of Mohurrum, A. H. 825, the King, having marched to Lahore, ordered the ruined palaces and fortifications to be repaired, and ap­pointing Mahmood Hussun governor, returned to Dehly. He had scarcely reached his capital when Jusrut, collecting his scattered forces, took the field again, and invested Lahore for five months; but failing in his attempt, he raised the siege, re­tired to Kallanore, and attacked Ray Bheem, Raja of Jummoo, for having betrayed his retreat to the King. On this occasion, Jusrut Gukkur, being unsuccessful, retired to the banks of the Beea, in order to refresh and to recruit his army. Mean­while, Mullik Sikundur, the Vizier, having been sent to reinforce Lahore, was joined by Mullik Rujub, governor of Depalpoor, and by Islam Khan, governor of Surhind. With these troops the Vizier marched against Jusrut, and compelled him to recross the Ravy and Chunab, and to take shelter again among the mountains. The Vizier marched along the Ravy to Kallanore; and being joined on the frontiers of Jummoo by Ray Bheem, that Prince acted as guide to the Dehly troops, so that many of the Gukkurs, who were concealed, were discovered, and put to the sword; after which the Vizier returned to Lahore.

These successes induced the King to appoint the Vizier, Mullik Sikundur Tohfa, viceroy of Lahore, and to recall Mahmood Hussun. In the

A. H. 826.
A. D. 1422.

year 826, the King deprived Mullik Sikundur of the office of vizier, and con­ferred it on Survur-ool-Moolk, whom he sent with an army against the Hindoos of Kutehr, in order to compel them to pay the usual tribute. The King, at this time, effected an ac­commodation with Mohabut Khan, governor of Budaoon, and intrusted him with a commission against the tribe of Rahtore Rajpoots, whose country was plundered, and some of whom were made prisoners. The Raja of Etawa, alarmed at these measures, withdrew suddenly from the royal camp. Moobarik pursued, and besieged the Raja in Etawa; but at length terms were concluded with him, and the Raja's son was delivered as a hostage for his father's future good conduct into the King's hands, after which he returned to Dehly.

Mahmood Hussun, about this time, was ap­pointed Bukhshy of the forces, which office in those days was styled Arizy. Jusrut Gukkur, un­subdued by his misfortunes, again appeared in the field; and having defeated and slain Ray Bheem of Jummoo, raised an army of nearly 12,000 Guk-kurs with which he again made war on the kingdom of Dehly. He ravaged the countries of Lahore

A. H. 827.
A. D. 1423.

and Depalpoor, and acquired consider­able booty: Mullik Sikundur Tohfa, the governor, advanced against him; but rather than risk a battle, Jusrut retired with his spoils to the hills, where he continued to recruit his army for another campaign. Meanwhile Jus-rut Gukkur formed an alliance with Ameer Sheikh Ally, a Mogul chieftain in the service of Sharokh Mirza, governor of Kabul; and prevailed on him to make an incursion into the territories of Seestan, Bhukkur, and Tatta, by way of creating a diver­sion, in order that, by drawing off the King's forces from the capital, for the defence of Sind, his own views on Dehly might be facilitated. Mullik Alla-ool-Moolk, governor of Mooltan, dying about the same time that the news of Ameer Sheikh Ally's incursion was received, the King detached Mullik Mahmood Hussun with the army to Mool-tan. Sooltan Hooshung, King of Malwa, also in the same year invested Gualiar, so that the King was obliged to send all his troops to his frontiers. The King marched in person into Malwa, levying contributions, on his route, from Ameer Khan, the son of Wahid Khan, governor of Byana.

Sooltan Hooshung of Malwa secured the usual fords of the Chumbul; but the King, having dis­covered others, crossed the river, and attacking Sooltan Hooshung in his camp, defeated his army, took many prisoners, and a part of his baggage. The prisoners, being chiefly Mahomedans, were released; and Sooltan Hooshung, thinking it ad­visable to compound matters by paying a sum of money to the King of Dehly, was permitted to withdraw without molestation towards Dhar. The King of Dehly remained for some time in the

Rujub,
A. H. 827.
June,
A. D. 1423.

vicinity of Gualiar to levy contributions upon the neighbouring Hindoo chiefs, and returned in the month of Rujub, 827, to his capital.

Next year the King moved towards Kutehr,

A. H. 828.
A. D. 1424.

and was met by Nursing Ray, who came to the banks of the Ganges to pay his respects; but as he had not settled the revenues of his territory for three years, he was detained in camp for a few days, till his ac­counts were adjusted, and then released. The King, having crossed the Ganges, reduced some factious tributary chiefs, and returned to Dehly; but not remaining there many days, he marched towards Mewat, from whence he expelled some in­surgents, and ravaging their country, returned to his capital; when having permitted his officers to retire to their estates with their troops, he aban­doned himself to dissipation. The Mewatties, rendered desperate by the King's conduct towards them, took revenge on the neighbouring districts.