The Vizier imagined that this scene proceeded from the King's humour, who, in bringing such people with him, had resolved to make merry in his house, but had no suspicion it originated from design. The next visit the King paid to Humeed Khan, a great number of his attendants were ad­mitted; but as Humeed Khan had a still greater number of his own friends within the court-yard, it became necessary for the King to gain admission for more of his people, who were stopped without by the guards. The King having before instructed them how to proceed, they began to wrangle loudly with the guards, and threw out bitter invectives against the King, for permitting them to be ex­cluded, swearing that they respected their friend the Vizier, and would see him.

Humeed Khan, on hearing the noise, ordered the gates of the court-yard to be thrown open, and directed as many of the Afghans as could con­veniently be admitted to be allowed to come in. This point being gained, the King gave the signal, and his people, drawing their swords, told Humeed Khan's servants to remain quiet, and they should suffer no injury: on which, two or three seizing the Vizier, bound him fast. The King then told him, that gratitude was a security for his life; but it was necessary he should withdraw from bu­siness, and spend the rest of his days in retirement.

A. H. 855.
A. D. 1451. The same year, * being the 855th of the Hijra, having intrusted Dehly to the charge of his eldest son, Bayezeed Khan, the King marched towards Mooltan, both to employ his army, and to regulate the affairs of the western provinces. Some of his officers, dis­satisfied with him, deserted and joined Mahmood Shah Shurky, King of Joonpoor; who, during the

A. H. 856.
A. D. 1452.

absence of Bheilole Padshah, in the be­ginning of the year 856, advanced and laid siege to Dehly; but Bheilole, hasten­ing from Depalpoor, did not halt till he reached Perah, within thirty miles of his capital.

Mahmood Shah Shurky detached 30,000 horse, and 30 elephants, under the command of Futteh Khan Hirvy to oppose him. An action ensued, in which Kootub Khan Lody, the son of Islam Khan, who excelled in archery, shot an arrow into the forehead of one of Futteh Khan Hirvy's elephants. The animal, becoming outrageous, broke the line; and Kootub Khan, coming in contact with Duria Khan Lody, one of the malecontent chiefs who had joined Mahmood Shah Shurky, thus addressed him: “For shame, Duria Khan; where is your “honour, thus to wage war against your own kin-“dred, and to lay siege to the city of Dehly, which “contains your family, when you ought rather to “defend it against your natural enemies?”— “Pursue me not,” said Duria Khan, “and I am “gone:” he immediately wheeled off, followed by all the Afghans in Futteh Khan Hirvy's army. The other troops, thus deserted, gave way, and Futteh Khan was taken prisoner; but this chief, with his own hand, had just killed Pritvy Ray, the brother of Kurun Ray: the latter, therefore, struck off Futteh Khan's head out of revenge, and sent it to Bheilole. The news of this defeat induced Mahmood Shah Shurky to raise the siege of Dehly, and to retreat with precipitation to Joonpoor.

The power of Bheilole Lody being once firmly established, he began to think of conquests. His first movement was towards Mewat; where Ahmud Khan Mewatty, submitting to his authority, seven purgunas were wrested from him, but he was permitted to hold the remainder as tributary. From Mewat the King marched to Birun; where Duria Khan Lody, governor of Sumbhul, pre­sented him with seven handsome elephants, and acknowledged his supremacy. From Birun, the King proceeded to Kole; and confirming Eesa Khan in the government of that district, he con­tinued his route to Boorhanabad, the management of which was intrusted to Moobarik Khan Lohany, while Meinpoory Bhooigam was delivered over to Purtab Ray. On reaching Rabery, Kootub Khan, the son of Hoossein Khan Afghan, shut the gates of the fort, and at first refused the King admit­tance; but shortly after, having made his submis­sion, he was reinstated in his authority, and Bhei-lole marching from thence to Etawa, confirmed the former governor of that district also in his office. At this time an officer called Joona Khan, quitting the court in disgust, joined Mahmood Shah Shurky, from whom he received the government of Shumsabad; and having instigated his new master to make another attempt on Dehly, Mah-mood Shah Shurky advanced to Etawa, where the Dehly army was encamped. On the first day both kings sent out parties to reconnoitre, but no engagement took place; and on the next day, they began to retreat, having agreed, in the mean time, that Bheilole Lody should keep possession of all the countries belonging to Dehly, in the reign of Syud Moobarik, and that Mahmood Shah Shurky should retain all the possessions held by Ibrahim Shah Shurky; that Bheilole should, on the one hand, restore all the elephants taken in the action with Futteh Khan Hirvy, and that Mahmood Shah Shurky should dismiss Joona Khan from his go­vernment and service.

Mahmood Shah Shurky, immediately after this treaty, returned to Joonpoor, and Bheilole pro­ceeded to take possession of Shumsabad. Mah-mood Shah Shurky, incensed at this proceeding, returned to Shumsabad, where two parties from the Dehly army, under Kootub Khan Lody and Duria Khan Lody surprised the Shurky camp in the night. During this operation, Kootub Khan's * horse, having trodden upon a tent-peg, threw his master, who was taken prisoner, but his division retreated without molestation to the Dehly lines. Bheilole Lody drew out his army on the following morning; but on receiving advice that Mahmood Shah Shurky had just expired, and that his ministers had set up his son Mahomed Shah Shurky, a treaty was concluded through the mediation of Beeby Rajy, the young King's mother. Mahomed Shah

A. H. 856.
A. D. 1452.

Shurky accordingly returned to Joon-poor, and Bheilole took the route of Dehly.

Before Bheilole arrived at the capital, he re­ceived a letter from Shums Khatoon, the sister of Kootub Khan, entreating him not to suffer her brother to remain in the hands of Mahomed Shah Shurky, a circumstance which induced Bheilole to break the peace and to return towards Joonpoor; on which occasion Mahomed Shah Shurky met him near Sasny. At this place, Hoossein Khan, the younger brother of Mahomed Shah Shurky, apprehensive of his brother, withdrew with all his adherents to Kunowj, and Julal Khan Shurky, his other brother, followed his example. Bheilole availed himself of these events to detach a force to seize Hoossein Khan, in which object it failed, but overtaking Julal Khan, he was taken prisoner; and Bheilole determined to detain him as a hostage till the release of Kootub Khan by the King of Joonpoor.

Meanwhile the Shurky officers conspiring against Mahomed Shah put him to death, and recalling Hoossein Khan, who had fled to Kunowj, placed him on the throne. Bheilole now agreed to a truce for four years, on condition that both Kootub Khan and Julal Khan should be released. Bheilole forthwith returned towards Shumsabad, where Nur­sing Ray, the son of Purtab Ray, came to pay his respects. It appears the latter chief had formerly taken a standard and a pair of drums from Duria Khan Lody in action; and that chief, in order to revenge himself, assassinated Nursing Ray, in spite of the opposition of Kootub Khan, the son of Hoossein Khan. Moobarik Khan, apprehensive of Duria Khan's influence at court, fled to Hoossein Shah Shurky. Bheilole returned to Dehly; and his attention being shortly after excited by the re­bellion of the viceroy of Mooltan, and by the dis­orders in Punjab, he proceeded in that direction. On his march he learned that Hoossein Shah Shurky, taking advantage of his absence, was approaching Dehly for the purpose of besieging that city: he was induced to countermarch, and leaving the city in charge of Kootub Khan * and Jehan Khan, Bheilole marched direct towards the enemy. The two armies met at the village of Chundwar, where they skirmished without much effect for seven days, when a truce was concluded for the term of three years; at the expiration of which period Hoossein Shah investing Etawa took it, and gained over Ahmud Khan Mewatty and Eesa Khan of Kole to his interest. Ahmud Khan Julwany, also, the governor of Byana, went so far as to coin money and read the Khootba in the name of the Shurky monarch, who now advanced with an army of 100,000 horse and 1000 elephants from Etawa towards Dehly. Bheilole, undismayed by the su­periority of Hoossein Shah Shurky's force, marched out boldly to oppose the invader. The two armies, however, after remaining encamped for some time in sight of each other at Bhutwara, engaged only in partial skirmishes, in which no advantage was obtained by either party, and a hollow truce was again concluded. This pacification was not of long duration; for Hoossein Shah Shurky, having advanced again towards Dehly some months after, was opposed at the village of Sunkur, and obliged to fall back without attaining any object.

At this time, Beeby Rajy, the mother of Hoossein Shah Shurky, dying at Etawa, the Raja of Gualiar, and Kootub Khan, the son of Hoos-sein Khan, Afghan of Rabery, went to condole with him. During his visit, Kootub Khan, per­ceiving the rooted enmity of Hoossein Shah Shurky towards Bheilole, took occasion to observe that the King was nothing more than one of the dependents of Dehly, and could not hope to contend long with him, descended from a race of kings; concluding his speech by saying, “If I do not put you in “possession of Dehly, look on my words as no-“thing.” Having taken his leave from Hoossein Shah's court, Kootub Khan proceeded to Dehly, where he stated that he had escaped with much difficulty from the hands of Hoossein Shah Shurky, who was meditating a fresh attack on Bheilole About this time, the ex-monarch, Syud Alla-ood-Deen, who had abdicated the throne of Dehly, dying at Budaoon, Hoossein Shah Shurky pro­ceeded thither, and after performing the funeral ceremonies, seized that district from the children of Alla-ood-Deen. From thence, marching to Sumbhul, he imprisoned Moobairk Khan, go­vernor of that province; and proceeding towards