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Islám Sháh was at this time so desirous of overthrowing the great chiefs, that he thought of nothing else even for a single moment.* Some of the great nobles conspired together, with the intention of dethroning Islám Sháh, and raising Mubáriz Khán to the government. Islám Sháh was informed of the treason of these people, and immediately endeavoured to assemble them in one place, and there punish them. The aforesaid chiefs, being warned of his intention, met together, and entered into an agree­ment not to present themselves at the darbár all at once, but to go one by one. They thus contrived to go there without danger. Islám Sháh was day and night thinking and planning how he might best put them to death. But the decrees of Providence do not change to suit human wishes and counsels, and he was taken suddenly ill and confined to his bed in the fort of Gwálior, by a painful retention of urine, and a disease of the bladder. People say that he was afflicted by an imposthume in his privy parts. He never mentioned this circumstance to any one, and cauterized it with his own hand; but by doing this, he injured his health, and brought on great suffering and weakness. While in this state Islám Sháh abused and spoke harshly to some of his most intimate friends and companions; and when the King came to his senses, Táj Khán Kirání, one of his principal nobles, said to him, “May the King prosper; this day I have heard words issue from his lips which he has not been accustomed to use.” Islám Sháh said, “O Táj Khán, I had great confidence in my own strength, and I have subdued all men; but this thing is stronger than I am, and I find myself weaker and more helpless than the ant. I now know myself!” After this he summoned Bíbí Báí, and said, “I have the reins still in my hand, and have as yet lost nothing. If you desire your son to reign after me, tell me to do it, and I will cause your brother Mubáriz Khán to be removed.” On this Bíbí Báí began to weep. Islám Sháh said, “You know best.” And then suddenly, as he was speaking, he gave up the ghost in the twinkling of an eye, and departed to the next world in the year 961 H.* Many of the troops who were not aware of the King's illness, on receiving the unexpected intelligence of his decease, were much perturbed and distressed, as it threw their affairs into confusion. In the same year Sultán Mahmúd Gujarátí and Nizámu-l Mulk, of the Dekhin, also died, and the chronogram “Zawál-i Khusrawán” gives the date of the deaths of these three sovereigns, viz. A.H. 961.

Death vanquished three kings like Khusrú in one year,
Through whose justice the land of Hind was the abode of security.
One, Islám Sháh, the monarch of Dehlí,
Who was during his life-time a Sáhib-Kirán;
The second, Mahmúd Sháh, the Sultán of Gujarát,
Whose age was as immature as his reign;
The third, Nizámu-l Mulk Bahrí,
Who was a reigning sovereign in the Dekhin.
If you ask for the date of the deaths of these princes,
You will find it in the words “Ruin of Sovereigns.”*

Sher Sháh and Islám Sháh together reigned fifteen years and some months, and then quitted the world.*

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On Táj Khán's hasty departure from the council at Gwálior 'Adalí despatched an army in pursuit of him, and prepared to follow it in person. 'Adalí came up with him at Chhabrá-man, forty kos from Ágra,* and gave him a defeat, which compelled him to fly towards Chunár. On his way thither, he had seized various provincial officers of 'Adalí, and obtained from them whatever he could, either in money or goods. He also obtained 100 of the public elephants which he had found foraging in the parganas near the river. Táj Khán then went to 'Imád and Sulaimán and Khwája Ilyás, his brothers, who governed in Khawáspúr Túnda, and other parganas on the banks of the Ganges, and who were encouraged in their disaffection by all the Afgháns of the neighbourhood.* 'Adalí also went to Chunár, with the view of bringing away his treasure, and despatching an army against the revolted Kiránís. Hímú desired that a large body of elephants might be attached to him during these operations, in order that he might at once cross the river and punish the rebels. Accordingly, a large number of these animals were left at his disposal, as well as a powerful force placed under his absolute command. Hímú drew out his troops in battle array, and through the effect of some skyey influences, gave a complete defeat to the Kiránís, and returned glorious and triumphant to his master, who received him with great honour, bestowing upon him the title of Rájá Bikramájít. From that period, the whole management of the State devolved upon him, and so entirely did he assume the mastery, that no public order emanated from 'Adalí, who, however, remained free to regulate his own bread and water, and retained still the treasury and elephants in his own charge.*

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Ibráhím on his flight to Sambhal, after his defeat by Sikandar near Ágra, organized a new force, and again put himself in motion towards Kálpí. 'Adalí, when he heard of Ibráhím's arrival at Kálpí, sent Hímú his minister, who had been a corn-chandler, at the head of 500 elephants and an immense park of artillery, towards Ágra and Dehlí, with directions that he should first punish Ibráhím, and then advance subsequently to Ágra. Hímú met Ibráhím at Ágra; a severe battle ensued, in which the former was again victorious, and Ibráhím fled to his father at Bayána. Thither he was pursued by Hímú, who invested Bayána for a period of three months.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Khán Súr, ruler of Bengal, raised the standard of opposition, and at the head of a large army advanced with the intention of conquering Jaunpúr, Kálpí, and Ágra. 'Adalí, on being informed of this, ordered Hímú to raise the siege of Bayána, and return to his presence. When he had reached Marhákhar, six kos from Ágra, Ibráhím came up and forced him to action, but was again put to flight, and being ashamed to return to his father, went to Patna, where he fought with Rámchand, Rájá of that place, and was taken prisoner. His captor seated him on a throne, and appeared in attendance upon him as a menial servant, with joined hands.* Ibráhím remained there a long time, and then went to Orissa, which is on the extreme borders of Bengal, where he was treacherously put to death by Míán Sulaimán Kirání, who had sworn before God to protect him.

Hímú, after his victory over Ibráhím, returned to 'Adalí, who fought a severe action with Muhammad Khán Gauria, ruler of Bengal, at Chapparghatta, eleven kos from Kálpí;* who being deserted by his troops, was left to maintain the conquest alone, and, consequently, soon fell a victim to their treachery.

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Surrender and Death of Sikandar Khán Súr.—Death of 'Adalí. —Defeat of his son by the Mughals of Jaunpúr, and his subsequent seclusion.—Míán Sulaimán.—Báyazíd.—Dáúd Sháh.—His murder of Lodí.—His flight from Patna.—Death of Mun'im Khán and of Dáúd Sháh.—Conclusion.

Sikandar Khán being reduced to great extremities, sent his son 'Abdu-r Rahmán from Mánkot in the Siwálik hills, to Akbar Bádsháh, representing that he had committed many offences, on account of which he dared not present himself at Court, that he sent the few rarities he had with him as a peace-offering, and requested leave to be allowed to retire to Bengal and pass the remainder of his life in retirement. Akbar assented to all his solicitations, and gave him leave to depart to Bengal. Sikandar died three years after this surrender.

As for 'Adalí, at the time of Hímú's death he was at Chunár, and at that juncture the son of Muhammad Khán, by name Khizr Khán, ruler of Bengal, who had assumed the name of Sultán Bahádur, advanced with a large army to avenge the blood of his father; and 'Adalí proceeded into Bihár to meet him as far as Mungír. Meanwhile, after leaving Patna, the river Panpan, which is in Málúrúsa(?), flows with so tortuous a course that it became necessary to cross it several times. The sun had not yet risen when Sultán Bahádur, with his army in array, made an attack upon 'Adalí, and sounded the kettle-drums of war. 'Adalí had only a few men with him, but behaved with considerable gallantry. The action was fought at the stream of Súrajgarh, about one kos, more or less, from Mungír, and about twelve kos from Patna, and there 'Adalí was defeated and slain, in consequence of the paucity of his numbers, in the year 968 H. (1560 A.D.), after a reign of eight years.