It is related in the Akbar Sháhí, that there came a Bráhman,* by name Laudhan, who dwelt in the village of Kaner, who had one day asserted in the presence of Musulmáns that Islám was true, as was also his own religion. This speech of his was noised abroad, and came to the ears of the 'Ulamá. Kází Píyára and Shaikh Badr, who resided at Lakhnautí, gave fatwas which did not coincide respecting the merits of the case. Consequently 'Azam Humáyún, the governor of that district, sent the Bráhman, the Kází, and Shaikh Badr, all three into the King's presence at Sambhal. Sultán Sikandar took great pleasure in disputations on religious questions, and on this occasion summoned all the wise men of note from every quarter. Mullá 'Abdu-lla, the son of Mullá Ilahdád, Saiyid Muhammad, and Míán Kádan, from Dehlí, all the Mullás in short of his empire, were summoned to Sambhal, and the assembly of the learned who were always attached to the stirrup of His Majesty were also present on this occasion. After investigating the matter, the 'Ulamá determined that he should be imprisoned and con­verted to Muhammadanism, or suffer death, and, since the Bráhman refused to apostatize, he was accordingly put to death by the decree of the 'Ulamá. The Sultán, after rewarding the learned casuists, gave them permission to depart.

In that year, the Sultán sent Khawás Khán to take possession of the fort of Dhúlpúr. The Rájá of that place advanced to give battle, and daily fighting took place.* The instant His Majesty heard of the firm countenance shown by the ráí of Dhúlpúr in opposing the royal army, he went there in person; but on his arrival near Dhúlpúr, the ráí made up his mind to fly without fighting; and, after leaving a body of his retainers in the fort, he went to Gwálior. Those Hindus who remained in the fort, finding themselves unable to maintain their position, quitted the fort at midnight and fled, and Sultán Sikandar entered the place at sunrise. He offered up suitable thanksgivings for his success, and the royal troops spoiled and plundered in all directions, rooting up all the trees of the gardens which shaded Dhúlpúr to the distance of seven kos. Sultán Sikandar stayed there during one month, erected a mosque on the site of an idol temple, and then set off towards Ágra. When he arrived at that seat of government, he allowed all the chiefs to depart to their jágírs. About this period, on Sunday the 3rd of Safar, 911 H. (July, 1505 A.D.), a dreadful earthquake occurred at Ágra, the very hills trembled, and large and substantial buildings were utterly destroyed. The living thought that the day of judg­ment had arrived, and the dead that their resurrection was at hand. A poet has written some verses on the subject of this earthquake; this is one of them:

“In 911 an earthquake rendered the Ágra territory a desert.”

Such an earthquake had never been witnessed in Hindustán. From the days of Adam to the time of Sultán Sikandar, no one could remember a similar one; and from that period earth­quakes have been frequent in Hind. Sultán Sikandar passed the rainy season of that year at Ágra. After the rising of the star Canopus, he assembled his army, and set forth to take possession of Gwálior and the territories belonging to it. In a short space of time he took most of the Gwálior districts; and after building mosques in the places of idol-temples, returned towards Ágra. But the troops were much harassed by the narrowness and unevenness of the roads, and at one spot where he was compelled to halt, in order to admit of the people passing at their leisure, the want of water was so severely felt, that, both on that account, and the crowding together and jostling of a vast number of cattle, many people perished. It is said, that on that day a jar of water sold for fifteen tankas. Some people, when in their excessive thirst they found water, drank to such an extent that they died, whilst others expired from the want of it. They were counted by order of the Sultán, and found to number 800 persons.

Sultán Sikandar, after the lapse of two years, in 913 A.H. (1507 A.D.), wrote a farmán to Jalál Khán, the governor of Kálpí, directing him to take possession of the fort of Narwar, and to as­semble his troops and besiege it with all possible expedition. It was the custom of Sultán Sikandar, whenever he appointed an army to proceed on a distant expedition, to send daily two farmáns to it; one used to arrive in the morning, directing the troops to march and to halt at a certain place indicated; towards evening another used to arrive, pointing out what they were to do where they were encamped. When the army was at a distance of even 500 kos, this rule was never infringed, and post-horses (dák-chaukí ) were always kept ready at each saráí. Jalál Khán Lodí, by the Sultan's command, besieged Narwar, where Sultán Sikandar also joined him with great expedition. On the second day the King rode forth to see the strength of the besieged fortress, and the operations carrying on against it. Jalál Khán divided his men into three divisions, and placed them in the King's way, that he might be satisfied with the appearance of his troops; one division of foot, another of horsemen, a third of elephants. Sultán Sikandar inspected them, and was not a little astonished at their numbers. He consequently made up his mind gradually to subvert the power of Jalál Khán, and remove him from his government. The siege of the fort was protracted for one year; it was no less than eight kos in length. Men were daily slain on either side. After the time above mentioned, the defenders of the place were compelled, by the want of water and scarcity of grain, to ask for mercy, and they were allowed to go forth with their property; but the Sultán destroyed their idol-temples, and erected mosques on their sites. He then appointed stipends and pensions for the learned and pious who dwelt at Narwar, and gave them dwellings there. He remained six months encamped below the fort.

The Sultán having satisfied himself that the citadel of Narwar was a very formidable stronghold, one that could not be retaken if it fell into the hands of an enemy, he raised another fortified wall all round it, so as effectually to preserve it from the attempts of a foe. And having thus freed his mind from the apprehension of danger, he turned his face towards the fort of Ágra.* On his return march, Nia'mat Khátún, the consort of Kutb Khán, Sultán Bahlol's cousin, arrived, in company with Prince Jalál Khán, in the camp of Sultán Sikandar, who went to visit them, and tried to gain their good-will. Some days after, he appointed the sarkár of Kálpí to be the Prince's jágír, and at the time of his departure favoured him with a present of 120 horses and fifteen elephants, together with dresses of honour and ready money; he then dis­missed the Prince and Khátún, and directed them to proceed to Kálpí, after which he continued his route in the direction of Ágra.

During his reign everything was cheap, and safety and security prevailed. He was busied with affairs from day­break until evening and sleeping time. During his reign the hand of oppression was not stretched out over the zamín­dárs of Hind, and all obeyed and submitted to him. The reign of Sikandar was an extraordinary one, and the people of that age were born under a fortunate star to possess such a ruler as the Sultán.

“Upon every nation of which God approves
He bestows a virtuous ruler.
If He desires to render a land desolate,
He places it in the grasp of a tyrant.”

The death of Sultán Sikandar.

As men live not eternally, and as no confidence can be placed in earthly possessions, at this time the Sultán fell ill. It is said the origin of his disease was this. One day Hájí 'Abdu-l Waháb said to Sultán Sikandar, “You are a Musulmán monarch, and yet wear no beard; it is contrary to the institutions of Islám, and particularly improper in a king.” Sultán Sikandar replied, “I intend wearing one; and if it please the Most High, I will do so.” His excellency Shaikh 'Abdu-l Waháb said:

“In doing what is right make no delay.”