When in the year 952 A.H., Sher Shāh, in capturing the fort of Kalinjar,* by the will of Providence, was accidentally burnt by the explosion of the gunpowder of a mine that had been laid underneath the rampart, and his younger son, named Jallāl Khān, ascended the throne of Delhi and assumed the title of Islām Shāh,* popularly known as Salīm Shāh, Muḥammad Khān Sur, who was one of the principal Omra and a connexion of Salīm Shāh, and who was renowned for his justice and equity and courteous deportment, was appointed Governor of Bengal. And for some years until the end of Salim Shāh’s reign he continued so, after which he raised the standard of rebellion, and turned towards the conquest of Chunār, Jaunpūr* and Kalpī.* Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī,* taking in his company Hemu* the grocer, who was one of his leading Omra, with a large army, proceeded to encounter Muḥammad Khān, and in the village of Chaparghatha, which is fifteen kro distant from Kalpī, between the two armies, a san­guinary engagement took place.* Many persons on both sides were killed, and Muḥammad Khān, too, was killed. The grandees who escaped from the sword fled, and rallied together at Jhosī,* and installed in power Muḥammad Khān’s son, named Khizr Khān. Bahādur Shāh (that is, Khizr Khān), to avenge the death of his father, set about collecting his forces, subdued many of the eastern provinces, and invaded Bengal.

When Bahādur Shāh, with an efficient army, invaded Bengal, Shāhbāz Khān, who, on behalf of Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī, was at that time Governor of Gaūr, advanced to fight. The grandees of Shāhbāz Khān, seeing the overwhelming force of Bahādur Shāh, deserted to the latter. Shāhbāz Khān, with the remnant of the soldiery who held on to him, resolved to fight, and was slain on the battle-field.

Bahādur Shāh, triumphant and victorious, captured the City of Gaur, and introduced the coin and Khutba in his own name. After this, he drew his forces against Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī, and a great battle was fought at a point between Surajgaḍha and Jahāngīrah.* Muḥammad Shāh, receiving mortal wounds on the battle-field,* was killed. And this Muḥammad Shāh alias Mubariz Khān, was a son of Nizām Khān Sur, who was a nephew of Sher Shāh, and a cousin and brother-in-law of Salīm Shāh. After the death of Salīm Shāh, on the third day, slaying the former’s son, named Fīruz Shāh, who was his nephew, Muḥammad Shāh mounted the throne of Delhi, and assumed the title of Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī.* As the latter had no capacity for Government, the Afghāns nick-named him ‘Adlī,’ and by a slight change of pro­nunciation, they called him ‘Andlī.’ And ‘Andlī,’ in the Hindustanī language, means “the blind.” After this, Bahādur Shāh, reigning over Bengal for six years, died.

After Bahādur Shāh’s death, his brother Jallālu-d-dīn* ascended the throne, and after five years’ reign, in the City of Gaūr, died.

After Jallālu-d-dīn’s death, his son, whose name is unknown, ascending the throne, struck up the drum of brief authority, and as yet more than seven months and nine days had not elapsed, when Ghiāsu-d-dīn, slaying him, usurped the reins of the sovereignty of Bengal.

When Sultān Ghiāsu-d-dīn drew to his lap the bride of the kingdom of Bengal, as yet he had not more than one year and eleven days rested on the bed of ease, when Tāj Khān Kranī* gathering strength, slew him, and by means of the sharp sword conquered the kingdom.

Tāj Khān Kranī was one of the grandees of Salīm Shāh, and Governor of Sambhal.* At the time of the decline of Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī, escaping from Gwalior, he set out for Bengal. Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī detached a large army in pursuit of him. In the environs of Chaprampūr, which is forty kro distant from Akbarabād and thirty kro distant from Qanauj, the two forces encountering each other, a battle was fought, when Tāj Khān being routed, retired towards Chunār. On the way, winning over certain Revenue Collectors of the Crown-lands of Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī, he levied from them in the shape of cash and goods whatever he could, and taking one halqāh of elephants— a halqāh consisting of 100 elephants— from the pargannahs, united with his brothers, ‘Ahmād Khān and Īlyās Khān, who were Governors of certain districts alongside the banks of the Ganges, and of Khwaṣpur Tandah, and raised the standard of rebellion. When Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī marched from Gwalior with his army against the Karanīans, and on the bank of the Ganges, the two armies encountered each other, Hemū* the grocer, who was the generalissimo of Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī’s army, taking with him one halqāh of elephants, and crossing the river, and fighting, became victorious. And when Ibrāhīm Khān Sur,* who was ‘Adlī’s sister’s husband, escaping and capturing Delhī raised troubles, Muḥammad Shāh ‘Adlī was compelled to leave the Karanīans, and to march back towards Delhi. And the Karanīans thus became independent. And, as has been related, when Tāj Khān reduced to his subjection the City of Gaūr, after nearly nine years ruling over it, and conquer­ing the kingdom of Bengal, like others, he died.

In the beginning of his career, Sulaimān Karani was one of the grandees of Sher Shāh. Sher Shāh appointed him Gover­nor of the Sūbah of Behar, which he continued to hold in the reign of Salīm Shāh. When Salīm Shāh passed to the regions of eternity, in Hindustan, tribal chiefs established themselves, and in every head the ambition of sovereignty, and in every heart the aspiration of suzerainty, arose. Sulaimān Khān, after the death of his brother, Tāj Khān, established himself with full independence as king of Bengal and Behar, and abandoning the City of Gaūr, owing to the inclemency of its climate, established himself in the town of Tandah.* And in the year 975 A.H., he conquered the country of Orissa, and placing it under a permanent Governor with a large army, he himself set out for the conquest of the country of Kuch Behar. He subjugated its environs and outlying parts, and whilst he was besieging its capital, he got news that the insurgents in Orissa had again raised the standard of insurrection. Thus, of necessity, he abandoned the siege of Kuch Behar town,* and returned to Tandah, which was his Capital. And for some time, in a similar manner, there was commotion all over Hindustān. And when Emperor Humāyun returned to Hindustān from Persia, Sulaimān Khān, exercising foresight, sent a letter embodying sentiments of loyalty and friendship, together with presents. From the other side also, owing to the exigencies of the times which called for the destruc­tion and extirpation of the descendants and adherents of Sher Shāh, the presents and gifts were accepted, and a condescending reply containing expressions of reassurance and good-will was sent, together with a Royal manifesto, ratifying Sulaimān’s continuance in his office. After this, though Sulaimān Khān continued the Khutba and the coin after his own name in the kingdom of Bengal,* he styled himself Hazrat ‘Alā (the Supreme Chief), and outwardly showing submission to Jallālu-d-dīn Muḥam­mad Akbar Bādshāh, he sent occasionally presents and gifts. Nearly sixteen years* ruling independently over Bengal, in the year 981 A.H. he died. And he was very energetic, industrious, and strict. In the history of Firishta, the reign of Tāj Khān is not given, and the reign of Sulaimān Khān is described as lasting 25 years. Since the brothers, from the beginning, held conjointly the rule of this country, and Tāj Khān came afterwards, therefore the rule of both has been ascribed to one. God knows the truth!

After Sulaimān’s death, his son Bayazīd Khān, assuming the sovereignty, ascended the throne of Bengal. As yet more than a month had not elapsed, and according to another account, one year and six months he had ruled, when an Afghān named Hanso, who was a cousin and brother-in-law of Bayazīd, attacking him, killed him by stratagem in the Audience-hall, and attempted to become Administrator of the affairs of the kingdom.* Lodī Khān who was a principal and trusty officer of Sulaimān Khān, demur­ring, tried to kill him. According to a tradition, after 2½ days, the younger brother, named Dāud Khān, killed Hanso, to avenge the death of his brother. Either way, after Bayazīd, his brother, Dāud Khān, succeeded to the throne.