Besides which were the learned men who usually attended the court; such as,

Syud Sudur-ood-Deen of Kunowj.
Meean Abdool Rahman of Seekry.
Meean Azeez-oolla of Sumbhul.

All these persons were present at this dispu­tation. After many arguments, the learned men were of opinion, that unless the infidel, who had maintained the Hindoo worship to be equally acceptable to God as that of the true faith, should renounce his error, and adopt the Mahomedan religion, he ought to suffer death. The Hindoo refused to apostatise, and was accordingly executed, while the Mussulmen doctors were rewarded with gifts, and returned to their respective homes.

When Khuvas Khan, whom we have already mentioned, entered Dehly, he found an order from the King to proceed to court. Syud Khan Lody was also recalled from Lahore, and being suspected of disaffection, he, together with Tartar Khan Firmully, and Mahomed Shah Lody, were banished to Guzerat.

A. H. 907.
A D. 1501. In the same year (A. H. 907), Man-Sing Ray of Gualiar sent one of his eunuchs, named Nehal, to the King, with rich presents, as ambassador; but this person having given offence at court, was ordered to quit it suddenly, without obtaining an audience. At this time, information was received of the death of Khan Khanan Firmully, governor of Byana. The management of Byana devolved on his sons; but as the government fell into disorder in their hands, the King conferred the office of governor on Khuvas Khan, while Ahmud and Sooliman, the sons of the late Khan Khanan, received the estates of Shumsabad, Jalesur, Kampila, and Sha-habad. Sudr Khan was deputed at the same time with a force to reduce Agra, then dependent on By-ana, and which had revolted. Another detachment also went to besiege Dholpoor, which was in pos­session of Raja Vinaik Dew, who had begun to make warlike preparations. Khwaja Bubun, the officer employed on this latter duty, being killed, the

Jumad-ool-
Awul 6.
A. H. 907.
November 17.
A. D. 1501.

King was so vexed, that he marched from Sumbhul towards Dholpoor on Friday the sixth of Jumad-ool-Awul of the same year. On his approach, Vi-naik Dew, leaving a deputy in the fort, fled towards Gualiar; and the garrison on the next night evacuated the place, and enabled the King to take possession. He remained there about a month, and having laid waste the country, pro­ceeded to Gualiar. The Raja of Gualiar sued for terms, and delivered up Syeed Khan Sheerwany, Babookhan Sheerwany, and Ray Gunesh, who had, at different times, fled from the court, and found protection with him. At the same time, he de­puted the Raja's own son Vikramajeet, with costly offerings, to propitiate the King's favour.

Sikundur Lody, having returned to Dholpoor, reinstated the Raja Vinaik Dew, and then marching to Agra, he resolved to make that city his capital. He stayed in Agra during the rains, but in the

A. H. 910.
A. D. 1504.

year 910, marched towards Mundril. Having taken that place, he destroyed the Hindoo temples, and caused mosques to be built in their stead. From thence returning to Dholpoor, he took the fort from the Raja Vinaik Dew, and conferred the command of it on Sheikh Kumr-ood-Deen. Thence returning to Agra, the King permitted his officers to return to their respective estates.

In the following year, on Sunday, the 3d of

Suffur 3.
A. H. 911.
July 5.
A. D. 1505.

Suffur, a violent earthquake occurred in Agra, so that the mountains shook to their broad bases, and lofty buildings were levelled with the ground. Several thousand inhabitants were buried under the ruins. No such earthquake has ever been experienced in India, either before or since. In the same year, the King proceeded towards Gualiar. He re­mained some months at Dholpoor, where having left his family and heavy baggage, he proceeded, with an unincumbered army of horse, to the hills, to plunder some Hindoo rajas, from whom he took great spoils. Finding the supplies in his camp fail suddenly, owing to the free intercourse with the Bunjaras * being cut off, he detached Azim Hoo-mayoon, Ahmud Khan, and Mujahid Khan, with their divisions, to afford these merchants convoy, which they effected at great risk, owing to the vigorous efforts of the inhabitants in the vicinity of Gualiar. Shortly after, while the army was passing near the town of Chinoor, a dependency of Gualiar, it was attacked in an ambuscade, and saved only by the bravery of Dawood Khan, and by Ahmud Khan, the son of Khan Jehan, grandson of Khan Khanan Firmully: the Hindoos were at length repulsed, and a number of Rajpoots fell by the sword.

Having returned to Agra, the King proceeded

A. H. 912.
A. D. 1506.

in the year 912 towards the fort of Hunwuntgur, despairing of reducing Gualiar. Hunwuntgur fell in a short time, and the Rajpoot garrison was put to the sword, the temples were destroyed, and mosques ordered to be built in their stead. Bhikun Khan, the son of Mujahid Khan, was left in charge; but the King, having afterwards received information that Mujahid Khan had taken a bribe from the Raja of Hunwuntgur, in order to divert the King from attacking that place, Mujahid Khan was imprisoned at Dholpoor, and the King returned towards Agra. On the road, the army halted one day on a spot where there was little water. The distress in consequence was so severe, that, inde­pendently of the loss of baggage cattle, no fewer than 800 human beings perished, before they could obtain relief; and till evening, a small cup of water sold for fifteen tunkas throughout the camp.

A. H. 913.
A. D. 1506. In the following year, the King marched against Nurwur, a strong fort in the district of Malwa, then in pos­session of the Hindoos. The Prince Julal Khan, governor of Kalpy, * was directed to advance and invest the place; and should the Hindoos resist, he was required to inform the King. On the King's arrival before Nurwur, Julal Khan drew up his army, out of respect, to receive him; but this cir­cumstance creating distrust in the mind of Si-kundur, he determined on his ruin. Nurwur, which was eight coss in circumference, was in­vested; but the operations were protracted for eight months; when it appearing that a clandestine correspondence was maintained with the garrison, and suspicions falling on the Prince Julal Khan Lody, and Sheer Khan Lohany, they were both imprisoned in the fort of Hunwuntgur. The gar­rison soon after capitulated, being in want both of water and provisions. The King remained for the space of six months at Nurwur, breaking down temples, and building mosques. He also established a college there, and placed therein many holy and learned men. It was at this period, that Shahab-ood-Deen, the son of Sool-tan Nasir-ood-Deen, King of Malwa, being discon­tented with his father, proposed a conference with the King of Dehly. A meeting took place on the Seepry, where Sikundur Lody promised him his support, if he would make over Chundery to him.

Shaban,
A. H. 914.
Dec.
A. D. 1508. In the month of Shaban, A. H. 914, the King marched from Nurwur; but after proceeding some distance along the Sind river, he resolved to surround Nur-wur with another wall, which was ordered to be immediately commenced. The King now marched to the town of Yehar, where he halted during a whole month. At this place, Niamut Khatoon, the wife of Kootub Khan Lody, and the wet nurse of the young Prince Julal Khan, paid her respects to the King, and the district of Kalpy was made over in jageer to the Prince. The King now returned towards the capital. On arriving at Hulkânt, he sent a detachment against some rebels in that neighbourhood, and destroyed all their habitations, small posts being established at proper distances to overawe them. About this time, advices were received, that Ahmud Khan, the son of Moobarik Khan Lody, governor of Luknow, had become a convert to the Hindoo doctrines; * on which, orders were despatched to his brother, Mahomed Khan, to send him prisoner to court, and his second brother, Syud Khan, was directed to take the administration of affairs into his hands. In the same year, also, Mahomed Khan, the grandson of Sooltan-Nasir-ood-Deen of Malwa, having fled from the wrath of his grandfather, sought an asylum at the Dehly court. The King desired him to remain quietly in his jageer of Chundery, and directed that the Prince Julal Khan of Kalpy should take care to protect him from the power of the King of Malwa. At this

A. H. 915.
A. D. 1509.

time, the King having marched to Dholpoor, ordered caravansaraa to be built at every stage. It was in this year, also, Mahomed Khan Nagoory defeated Ally Khan and Aba Bukr, who had conspired against him, and they fled to Sikundur Lody for pro­tection. Mahomed Khan, dreading the King's resentment, sent presents to propitiate his good will, and, moreover, caused the Khootba of Nagoor to be read in the name of the King of Dehly. The King, on his part, pleased with this instance of voluntary submission, returned him a dress, and confirmed his authority.