Some days afterwards, Khizr Khán, who had fled in fear of Tímúr to the mountains of Mewát, Bahádur Náhir, Mubárak Khán, and Zírak Khán, by the favour of Amír Tímúr, were admitted to an interview, but, with the exception of Khizr Khán,* they were all put into prison. From Dehlí, Tímúr returned by the skirts of the hills, and made prisoners of those people who had remained in the hills. When he arrived at Láhor, he plundered the city, and he made Shaikhá Khokhar prisoner, with his wives and children, and all those who had taken refuge with him. This Shaikhá Khokhar, through enmity to Sárang Khán, had early joined Tímúr, and had acted as his guide, in return for which he had received mercy and favour. Tímúr granted the fiefs of Multán and Díbálpúr to Khizr Khán, and sent him thither. Then he marched through Kábul to his own territories, and arrived at his capital, Samarkand.

After the departure of Tímúr, the neighbourhood of Dehlí, and all those territories over which his armies had passed, were visited with pestilence (wabá) and famine. Many died of the sickness, and many perished with hunger, and for two months Dehlí was desolate. In the month of Rajab, 801 (March, 1399 A.D.), Sultán Násiru-d dín Nusrat Sháh, who had fled from the malevolence of Ikbál Khán into the Doáb, advanced with a small force to Mírat, where he was joined by 'Ádil Khán, who brought four elephants. By craft he (Nusrat Khán) got him into his power, and took possession of the elephants.* The people of the Doáb, who had obtained deliverance from the hands of the Mughals, began to rally, and he entered Fírozábád with about 2,000 horse. Dehlí, although ruined, came into his power. Shaháb Khán came from Mewát, with ten elephants and his adherents; Malik Almás also joined him from the Doáb. When a large force had collected round him, he sent Shaháb Khán to Baran to overpower Ikbál Khán. On his way, a party of Hindu footmen fell upon him in the night and killed him. His fol­lowers dispersed, and the elephants were abandoned. Directly Ikbál Khán heard of this, he hastened to the spot, and got possession of the elephants. His power and dignity increased daily, and forces gathered round him, while Sultán Násiru-d dín [Nusrat Khán] grew weaker and weaker.

In the month of Rabí'ul-l awwal, Ikbál Khán left Baran, and proceeded with his army to Dehlí; the Sultán [Nusrat Khán] then left Fírozábád, and went into Mewát. Dehlí fell into the power of Ikbál Khán, and he took up his abode in the fort of Sírí. Some of the people of the city who had escaped the Mughals, came back and resumed their habitations. In a short time the fortress of Sírí became populated. The districts (shikk) in the Doáb, and the fiefs in the neighbourhood of the capital, came into the possession of Ikbál Khán; but the territories in general remained in the power of the amírs and maliks who held them. Thus Gujarát, and all its districts and dependencies, was held by Zafar Khán Wajíbu-l Mulk; the shikk of Multán, Díbálpúr and parts of Sind, by Khizr Khán; the shikk of Mahoba and Kálpí, by Mahmúd Khán, son of Malik-záda Fíroz; the fiefs (iktá's) on the side of Hindustán, such as Kanauj, Oudh, Karra, Dalamau, Sandíla, Bahráích, Bíhar, and Jaunpúr, were held by Khwája-i Jahán; the shikk of Dhár, by Diláwar Khán; the shikk of Sámána, by Ghálib Khán; and the shikk of Bayána, by Shams Khán—into so many portions were the territories of Dehlí divided.

In the month of Rabí'u-l awwal, Ikbál Khán marched towards Bayána against Shams Khán, who was at the town of Núh o Batal.* A battle followed, and fortune (ikbál) favoured Ikbál Khán. Shams Khán fled into Bayána, leaving two elephants in the hands of the victor. Then Ikbál Khán marched against Katehr, and after exacting money and tribute from Ráí Singh, he returned to Dehlí. In the same year, Khwája-i Jahán died at Jaunpúr, and his adopted son, Malik Mubárak, became king in his stead, assuming the title of Mubárak Sháh, and taking possession of all the fiefs (iktá's).

In Jumáda-l awwal, 803 (December, 1400), Ikbál Khán again marched towards Hindustán, and was waited upon by Shams Khán, of Bayána, and Mubárak Khán, [son of] Bahádur Náhir. He carried them with him, and in the same month he reached Pattíálí, on the banks of the black river.* Here he encountered Ráí Sír* and other infidels, with a numerous army. On the following day a battle took place, and God, who defends the Muhammadan religion, gave the victory to Ikbál Khán. The infidels fled, and he pursued them to the confines of Etáwa, killing many, and making many prisoners. From thence he proceeded to the district (khitta) of Kanauj, and Sultánu-sh Shark Mubárak Sháh came up from Hindustán. The river Ganges flowed between the two armies, and neither was able to cross. This state of affairs continued for two months, when each party retired to his own home. On his journey, Ikbál Khán became suspicious of [Mubárak Khán and] Shams Khán, and having got them into his power [he put them to death].*

In this year Taghí Khán Turkchi Sultání, son-in-law of Ghálib Khán, amír of Sámána, assembling a considerable force, marched towards Díbálpúr, against Khizr Khán. When intelli­gence of this was brought to Khizr Khán, he prepared for the attack, and marched with a large force into the khitta of Ajodhan. A battle was fought there on the 9th Rajab, on the banks of the Dahanda. Khizr Khán was victorious, and Taghí Khán fled to the town of Asahúhar.* Ghálib Khán, and other amírs who were with him, then treacherously killed him.

In the year 804 H. (1401), Sultán Mahmúd left the khitta of Dhár, and proceeded to Dehlí. Ikbál Khán came forth to give him a formal reception, and the Sultán went to the Humáyún palace in Jahán-panáh. But the reins of government were in the hands of Ikbál Khán, and so hatred sprang up be­tween him and the Sultán. Ikbál Khán again went to Kanauj, and took the Sultán with him. In this year Sultán Mubárak Sháh (of Jaunpúr) died, and his brother, Ibráhím Sháh, succeeded him as king, under the title of Sultán Ibráhím. On hearing of the approach of Sultán Mahmúd and Ikbál Khán, he marched out to meet them with a large force. When the two armies were near to each other, and the battle was imminent, Sultán Mahmúd left the army of Ikbál Khán, on the pretence of hunt­ing, and went to join Sultán Ibráhim, but Ibráhím paid him not the slightest attention, so he departed, and went into the khitta of Kanauj. There he expelled Malik-záda Harbúí, who had held the place for Mubárak Sháh, and installed himself in his place. Ikbál Khán returned to Dehlí, and Ibráhím Sháh went to Jaunpúr. At Kanauj all ranks of people joined the Sultán, and the scattered guards and dependents rallied round him. The Sultán himself was content with this iktá' of Kanauj.