Is raised to the throne of his father at the age of seven years. — Civil war ensues between a body of Syuds at the head of the government and the citizens of Serinuggur. — The Syuds defeated and expelled the kingdom. — Futteh Khan, the King's cousin, sets up his claim to the throne, and succeeds in usurping the crown. — Arrival of Shah Kasim Anwar Noorbukhsh. — Establishes a religious persecution. — Hindoo temples de­stroyed. — The tribe of Chuk become converts. — Futteh Khan divides his kingdom into three parts; giving to Mullik Atchy and Shunkur Zeina two portions. — The King Mahomed makes his escape to Hindoostan, and returning with his army recovers his empire — is expelled again by Futteh Khan. — Mahomed regains his throne. — Futteh Khan dies in India. — His son, Iskundur, sets up his claim to the crown, but is defeated. — Mahomed deposed by his minister, Mullik Atchy. — Ibrahim is raised to the government. — Nazook, the son of Ibrahim, is made an instrument of an intrigue to dethrone his father. — He marches with an army from Dehly for that pur­pose. — Battle of Sullah. — Nazook on the throne. — Ma-homed restored for the fourth time. — Kamran Mirza enters Kashmeer; but is eventually expelled with heavy loss. — The Tartar forces from Kashghar, under Mirza Heidur Doghlat, invade Kashmeer. — The Tartars ravage the country for three months, till at length they are attacked, and a great battle is fought. — Peace concluded, and the Tartars return to Kash-ghar. — Two comets are seen in Kashmeer. — A severe famine. — Death of the King.

IMMEDIATELY after the burial of the King, his prime minister, Syud Hussun, elevated the Prince Mahomed (the late monarch's eldest son) to the throne of Kashmeer, at the age of seven years. On which occasion the contents of the royal trea­sury, together with the robes and armoury, being displayed before him, the child put aside the jewels and splendid apparel, and laid hold of a bow; from which circumstance a happy omen was drawn that the young king would be a great warrior. The minister, Syud Hussun, being proclaimed regent, prevented any person from having communication with him; which giving offence to the other no­bles, they obtained the support of Pursaram, the Raja of Jummoo, and put Syud Hussun and thirty other Syuds to death; after which, having crossed the Behut and broken the bridge, they encamped on the opposite bank of the river, and collected a force. Syud Mahomed, the son of the regent, and the King's uncle, * mustered the royal guards, and proceeded to the palace for his protection. The inhabitants of the city were desirous of releasing Yoosoof Khan, the son of Beiram Khan, and placing him on the throne, or, indeed, any member of the royal family who had attained manhood, and who was able both to defend his own rights, and protect his subjects from the horrors of another civil war. The Syud party, on obtaining the first intimation of the feeling of the people, rushed into the prison of the unfortunate Yoosoof, headed by Syud Ally Khan, and murdered him. Their hands were yet reeking with his blood, when they encountered Mul-lik Taj Bhut; who, boldly upbraiding them for their conduct, also fell a victim to their fury on the spot. Syud Ally Khan, being now at the head of a large body of Syuds, opposed the opposite party, and some severe actions occurred. During these dis­sensions the town became much infested by thieves. In this state of affairs the Syuds dug a ditch round the city. They confiscated the property, and levelled the houses, of those citizens who joined their enemies on the opposite side of the river; while Jehangeer Makry, who had previously sought safety in the fort of Lohkote, joined them, in spite of advantageous offers made to him by the Syuds. Shortly afterwards, Dawood, the son of Jehangeer, crossed the bridge with a small party of the insur­gents, and attacked the Syuds; but most of the assailants falling victims, their heads were elevated on the public minarets, in view of those encamped on the opposite bank of the river. The Syuds, on the following day, made an attack on the lines of the popular party; but they were vigorously op­posed by the citizens in their attempt to cross the bridge of boats, on which many of the Syud party were slain; till at length, the bridge giving way, those who were on it at the time were drowned. The Syuds now deputed a messenger to Tartar Khan, governor of the Punjab, for assistance; who, in consequence, sent a considerable force towards the capital of Kashmeer: but on its arrival at Bhimbur it was attacked by Howns, the raja of that place, and completely dispersed. Meanwhile the insurgents kept the Syuds on the alert, and closely besieged them for two months in Serinuggur, till at last they resolved on storming that city; for which purpose they crossed the Behut by three separate boat-bridges. The attacking party was opposed by the Syuds, who were overpowered by numbers, and sought safety behind the ditch within the walls; whither they were so closely pursued by the citizens, that the latter succeeded in entering and setting fire to the town, and slew upwards of two thousand of the Syud party. The Kashmeeries now pro­ceeded in a body to the palace of the young king, and with their own hands placed the crown on his

A. H. 892.
A. D. 1486.

head, in the year 892. They then insisted on the banishment of Syud Ally Khan and the rest of the Syuds; and also on the dismissal of Pursaram, Raja of Jummoo, from the King's councils. Having obtained these objects, it remained to be seen what could be done to satisfy their expectations of personal advantage. Each Kashmeery demanded some preferment for his services, which the state being unable to grant, the prospect of another civil war presented itself. At this period Futteh Khan, (the son of Adhum Khan, and grandson of Zein-ool-Abid-Deen,) who had arrived at Rajoory, reached Jalindur, in order to take advantage of circumstances. He was joined by many malecontents, and marched towards Kashmeer. Futteh Khan expected to have been supported by Jehangeer Makry; but after the success of his party, that officer joined the King, and accompanied him with an army to oppose the invader. Futteh Khan, meanwhile, proceeded by the route of Heerpoor as far as the town of Ood-own, and encamped, with a marsh covering his front; in which position he was attacked by a body of Kashmeer troops, which were repulsed and put to flight; but the main body of the King's troops behaved with so much intrepidity, particu­larly the King's personal guard, with Jehangeer Makry at their head, that Futteh Khan was in the end defeated, with the loss of fifty men, and was nearly taken prisoner. Meanwhile a report pre­vailed through the camp that the King had fallen into the enemy's hands; which induced Jehangeer Makry to give up farther pursuit, and to return to camp, where he found all safe. Futteh Khan's army being dispersed, the King returned to the capital; deputing Mullik Yar Bhut to lay waste the coun­try of the Raja of Rajoory, who had afforded Futteh Khan an asylum in his dominions. Futteh Khan now disappeared for some time; but at length collecting a force in the district of Purmgola, he marched towards Serinuggur. Jehangeer Makry proceeded with the royal army to a place called Gukkur, in the district of Nakam; but his attention was again directed towards the capital, on hearing that two state-prisoners, named Suffy and Runga Ray, as well as others confined at Serinuggur, had made their escape. In this conjuncture, Jehangeer Makry resolved to accomplish by stratagem what he thought would be doubtful in fair battle: he there­fore held out promises and advantages to the Raja of Rajoory, to induce him to join the King's troops. The intrigue succeeded: Futteh Khan was com­pelled to retreat to the south, but he attacked and overran the district of Jummoo; and collecting more soldiers, returned to Kashmeer a third time. At this period, the King and Jehangeer Makry recalled the Syud exiles. After their arrival an action took place between the King's army and that of Futteh Khan, in which both sides displayed great courage, but the pretender was defeated. He was, however, soon again in the field; and having attacked the royalists, gave them a total overthrow. The King, on this occasion, was left without a single attendant; and his general, Jehangeer Makry, being severely wounded, sought safety in flight. Mahomed, thus abandoned even by his servants, was seized by the zemindars of Kashmeer, on his return to the capital, and delivered into the hands of Futteh Khan, after a reign of nearly eleven years. From that period

A. H. 902.
A. D. 1496.

he remained a close prisoner, receiving as mild treatment as was consistent with his situation.

On the imprisonment of Mahomed, Futteh Khan, assuming the reins of government, and being form­ally crowned, was acknowledged King of Kashmeer in the year 902; and appointed Suffy and Runga Ray, the two officers who had lately made their escape, his ministers. About this time, one Meer Shums-ood-Deen, a disciple of Shah Kasim Anwur, the son of Syud Mahomed Noorbukhsh, arrived in Kashmeer from Irak. Futteh Khan made over to this holy personage all the confiscated lands which had lately fallen to the crown; and his disciples went forth destroying the temples of the idolaters, in which they met with the support of the govern­ment, so that no one dared to oppose them. In a short time many of the Kashmeeries, particularly those of the tribe of Chuk, became converts to the Noorbukhsh tenets. The persuasion of this sect was connected with that of the Sheeas; but many proselytes, who had not tasted of the cup of grace, * after the death of Meer Shums-ood-Deen, reverted to their idols. Religious disputes went to such lengths among the nobles of the state, that they even drew their swords in the King's presence, and slew each other in the hall of audience. During these broils, Mullik Atchy and Shunkur Zeina, two Kashmeer chiefs, having re­leased the late king, Mahomed, carried him to Baramoola, where they intended to raise a force, and replace him on the throne; but as he showed no symptoms of that energy and resolution ne­cessary to carry their project into effect, they de­termined to deliver him over again into Futteh Khan's hands. Mahomed, discovering their pro­ject, made his escape in the night. Futteh Khan now divided his kingdom into three principali­ties; and having secured one portion for him­self, delivered over the other two to Mullik Atchy and Shunkur Zeina. On the former person he be­stowed the title of Wuzeer Mootluk, and on the latter, that of Divan-i-Kool. Such was the state of affairs for some years, when at length Ibrahim, the son of Jehangeer Makry, who had been ap­pointed to his father's situation in the army, went to Hindoostan, and returned to Kashmeer, bringing with him the exiled king, Mahomed, to re-establish his claims. An action ensued at Baramoola, which terminated in favour of Mahomed; and Futteh Khan, being compelled to fly, took the route of Heerpoor to Hindoostan.