Ibrahim Adil Shah put to death the Deccany chief on his arrival at Beejapoor, and began to make preparations for retaking the fort of Kulliany. Boorhan Nizam Shah, on receiving intimation of this design, sent ambassadors to Ramraj, who agreed to meet him near Rachore, in order to concert a plan of operations for the ensuing year. Ramraj accordingly moved with a considerable force to

A. H. 959.
A. D. 1551.

that place in the year 959, when it was resolved that the forts of Moodkul and Rachore should be conquered for Ram-raj, and that he should aid in reducing the city and dependencies of Sholapoor. The allies took Ra-chore, and on its falling into their hands the garrison of Moodkul also surrendered without opposition; and Ramraj having left his younger brother, Venka-tadry, with an army, to assist Boorhan Nizam Shah, returned to Beejanuggur. Boorhan Nizam Shah took Sholapoor in a short time, and having strengthened it, returned to Ahmudnuggur.

Some time after, Boorhan Nizam Shah dying, peace was concluded between his successor Hoos-sein Nizam Shah and Ibrahim Adil Shah. The two kings had a friendly meeting on their borders, and parted much pleased with each other; but this good understanding did not last long. Khwaja Jehan Deccany, * who had fled to avoid the resent­ment of his sovereign, Hoossein Nizam Shah, com­ing to Beejapoor, inspired Ibrahim Adil Shah with hopes of retaking Sholapoor; and for this purpose Ibrahim Adil Shah concluded a treaty with Ramraj, and invited into his service Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, commander-in-chief of the army of the late Boor-han Nizam Shah, who had taken refuge in Berar from the oppression of the present sovereign. These overtures were accepted by that distinguished chief­tain; and the King of Beejapoor conferred on him high titles, with considerable estates, and an imme­diate present of money. By his advice Ibrahim Adil Shah soon after espoused the cause of the Prince Ally, son of Boorhan Nizam Shah, who had taken refuge at his court. It was agreed between them, that on Ally Nizam Shah being seated on the throne of Ahmudnuggur, the forts of Kulliany and Sholapoor should be surrendered to the King of Beejapoor. In order to effect these objects, the Prince Ally, accompanied by the body of two thousand horse which had come with him from Ahmudnuggur, marched to the frontier for the purpose of drawing over the nobles of that kingdom to his cause; but in this attempt he met with little success: and Hoossein Nizam Shah having put his army in motion, Ibrahim Adil Shah marched from Beejapoor to support the Prince Ally, having pre­viously distributed large sums among his troops.

Both armies met on the plains of Sholapoor, and drew up to engage. Ibrahim Adil Shah gave the command of his right wing to Seif Ein-ool-Moolk Geelany and Ankoos Khan, and that of the left to Noor Khan and Imad-ool-Moolk, himself taking post with the household troops in the centre. The hirawul, or advanced picquet, was commanded by Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, who pushed on from the line, and began the action with great impetuosity; Ibrahim Adil Shah, disapproving of his separation so far from the main body, directed that the picquet should remain nearer the line, in order the sooner to receive support, if necessary. The general re­turned for answer, that his Majesty's observation was very just; but that as he had advanced so far, to return would only give spirits to the enemy. Having sent this message, he went on, and seized the enemy's cannon, which he spiked, and drove their picquets back on their main body. Here, how­ever, he was resolutely opposed by Hoossein Nizam Shah, who commanded in person, notwithstanding which the Nizam Shahy army began to give way, and must inevitably have been defeated, had the gallantry of Seif Ein-ool-Moolk met with proper support. At this crisis, several Nizam Shahy chiefs, who had been engaged on the left, advanced to the assistance of their sovereign, and almost surrounded Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, whose division was thrown into temporary confusion; but still seeing the standards of Ibrahim Adil Shah, though at a distance, he, as was his custom on desperate occa­sions, dismounted from his horse, resolved to con­quer or die. Some of the troops, on seeing him dismount, told the King that Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, having gone over to the enemy, had just alighted to pay his respects to Hoossein Nizam Shah. Ibra-him Adil Shah, who from the first entertained sus­picions of his fidelity, was now confirmed in them, and fled from the field without halting, till he reached Beejapoor. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, finding the King had fled, nobly fought his way through the enemy with great loss; and upon his arrival at the capital, sent word, respectfully, to his master, that he had lost all his baggage, and was without tents or any covering for himself or his miserable followers; he begged, therefore, an advance of cash, to enable him to repair his losses, and appear at court according to his rank and station. The King, who was persuaded his defeat originated in the first disobedience of his orders for the picquets to fall back, replied, that he wanted no such insubordinate and obstinate servants, and that he might provide for himself wherever he could. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, who could not accuse himself of any crime, was overwhelmed with astonishment, and sent another message to represent that he had served the King at the risk of his life with un­shaken fidelity, and had sacrificed five hundred brave relations and friends in the battle; and that in his present miserable situation he could not move. He stated he had no other refuge but the King's threshold; and that having quitted his place of refuge at his invitation, he could not repair to any other court. The King conceiving the latter part of Ein-ool-Moolk's message to reflect on him­self, ordered the bearer of it to be beaten, and turned out of his presence.

Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, despairing of redress, had recourse to the advice of his friends how to pro­ceed; and they recommended his going to his jageers, and raising the collections of the autumn harvest, then just ripe, after which, should the King send a force to expel him, he might retire wherever he should see best. This plan he accordingly adopted; and having marched from Beejapoor to Man-Dese, * collected the revenues, and divided them among his troops. Ibrahim Adil Shah sent one of his officers with five thou­sand horse to expel Ein-ool-Moolk from the country, but the royalists were defeated; and the chief, thus urged into revolt, growing bolder by success, collected the revenues of many disricts, such as Walwa, Mirch, and others. The King now de­tached against him ten thousand horse and foot, under command of Neeaz Koolly Beg and Dilawur Khan Hubshy. These troops were also defeated; and so many elephants and horses, with such a quantity of valuable baggage, fell into the hands of Ein-ool-Moolk, that he began seriously to think of establishing himself in the country as an inde­pendent chief, with which view he levied addi­tional troops.

Ibrahim Adil Shah, at length thought it necessary to take the field in person, at the head of five thou­sand chosen horse, three thousand foot, and a train of artillery. Ein-ool-Moolk encamped on the river Man, and the King arrived, and halted some days on the opposite bank without attacking him. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk could not make up his mind to retreat, and resolved not to quit the country without fighting. For three days successively he advanced towards the King's camp, as if to engage, but as often returned; the royal army remaining under arms on each occasion from dawn till sunset, expecting the attack. On the fourth day, Ein-ool-Moolk put his troops again in motion; but the King supposing that his design was only to parade, as on the preceding days, neglected to make prepar­ations for his reception, the common guards of the camp only getting under arms. At length the enemy's standard appearing in sight, Ibrahim Adil Shah marshalled his troops in great haste, and moved out of the camp to give battle. Ein-ool-Moolk, averse from engaging the King in person, consulted with his friends; observing, that it was treason to fight against the royal standard; to which all assented except Moortuza Khan Anjoo, who remarked, that the standards did not fight, and there was no danger of shedding royal blood. Ein-ool-Moolk, satisfied with this casuistry, and finding it too late to hesitate, charged the royalists, and attacking the centre, where Ibrahim Adil Shah was posted, pressed on it so vigour-ously that it was soon thrown into disorder, and the King fled; upon which his whole line broke, and victory declared in favour of Ein-ool-Moolk, who seized the royal canopy, elephants, and artillery, besides all the tents and baggage. The King shut himself up in the citadel of Beejapoor; and so great was the alarm of the people of the town, that the ruin of the royal family was pronounced to be inevitable. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, following up his success, appeared before Beejapoor, where he for several days assaulted various parts of the city, and endeavoured to cut off the supplies.

In this exigency, Ibrahim Adil Shah applied to the Hindoo prince Ramraj for assistance, sending him a present of 1,200,000 hoons; * upon which he despatched his brother Venkatadry, with a con­siderable force, to expel the enemy. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, in imitation of Assud Khan, thought to surprise the infidel's camp; but Venkatadry having intelligence of his designs, ordered his troops to be on their guard, and having procured long faggots, with cloths steeped in oil bound round one end of each, commanded his followers, upon the alarm being given, to light them, and, holding them up as high as possible, afford the troops a full sight of the enemy. Ein-ool-Moolk, in prosecution of his intentions, having one night chosen two thousand men for the purpose, marched, accompanied by Sulabut Khan, to the enemy's camp, which he was allowed to enter unmolested; but upon the pre­concerted signal being given, all the brands were instantly lighted up, and Venkatadry, who was fully prepared, fell upon the enemy with such success, that above five hundred of them were slain before the detachment could clear the camp. Ein-ool-Moolk and Sulabut Khan with the greatest difficulty made their escape; and losing the road through the dark­ness of the night, a report spread through his camp on the return of some of the fugitives that Ein-ool-Moolk was killed. The troops became panic-struck at their situation, and separating in all di­rections during the night, fled to different quarters. Ein-ool-Moolk and Sulabut Khan, with two hun­dred horse, about daylight arriving at their ground, and seeing it deserted, fled by the route of Man-Dese to the dominions of Hoossein Nizam Shah, where they sought protection, but were basely assassinated by his treachery, the particulars of which will appear in their proper place, in the history of that dynasty.