The King evinced great joy upon this occasion, and though he could only collect fifteen thousand horse, determined to undertake the expedition into India. Having left Moonyim Khan in charge of the government of Kabul, and making over his youngest son, Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, to his

Suffur,
A. H. 962.
December,
A. D. 1554.

hands, Hoomayoon, in the month of Suffur, 962, commenced his march from his capital. He was overtaken at Pish-awur by Beiram Khan, with a body of veterans from Kandahar, and on the day he crossed the Indus he appointed Beiram Khan his general in chief, and ordered him to lead the advance, ac­companied by Khizr Khan, Tardy Beg Khan, Sikundur Khan Oozbuk, and Ally Koolly Khan Sheebany.

On the approach of the Mogul army, Tartar Khan, the Afghan governor of Punjab, com­manding the new fort of Rohtas, having eva­cuated it, was closely pursued to Lahore, which the Afghans also vacating, Hoomayoon entered it without opposition. From Lahore he despatched Beiram Khan to Surhind, who occupied all the country up to that point. Hoomayoon having re­ceived intelligence that a body of Afghans, com­manded by Shahbaz Khan and Nuseer Khan, were assembled at Depalpoor, ordered Shah Abool Maaly (a Syud, and an inhabitant of Toormooz, whom he used to honour with the appellation of son,) with a strong detachment against them. Shah Abool Maaly overthrew the enemy, and returned with much booty to Lahore.

Sikundur Shah Soor in the mean time had or­dered Tartar Khan and Hubeeb Khan, with an army of thirty or forty thousand horse, from Dehly against Hoomayoon. Notwithstanding the great superiority in number of this force, Beiram Khan Toorkoman resolved to hazard an action, and having advanced boldly to meet the Indian army, pitched his camp on the banks of the Sutlooj at the town of Machywara. It being cold weather, the Indian Afghans kindled great fires of wood in their camp at night, of which Beiram Khan took advantage, and crossed the river with a thousand chosen horse. He now advanced to their camp without being discovered, when he began to gall those who crowded round the fires with arrows, which threw them into disorder. The Afghans (notorious for blundering), * instead of extinguish­ing their fires, which prevented them from seeing their enemies, who had a fair view of them, threw on more wood; and the whole of Beiram Khan's army having crossed the river, fell upon them on all sides, and routed them. The Afghans on this occasion lost all their elephants, their baggage, and a number of horses. Beiram Khan sent the ele­phants to Hoomayoon at Lahore, and remaining encamped at Machywarra, he dispersed detach­ments in all directions, and occupied all the country up to the walls of Dehly. The King was greatly rejoiced when he heard of this victory, and conferred on Beiram Khan the title of Khan Khanan.*

When the news of Tartar Khan's defeat reached Sikundur Shah Soor, he exacted an oath of fidelity from his officers, and marched with eighty thousand horse, a large train of artillery, and a number of elephants, towards Punjab. Beiram Khan ad­vanced as far as the fort of Nowshera, and prepared it for a siege by laying in provisions. Sikundur Shah Soor encamped before the place, and Beiram Khan sent continual letters to Lahore, to hasten the march of Hoomayoon, who soon after joined. Beiram Khan in the interim made repeated sallies from the city, and greatly distressed the enemy in his camp.

On the last day of Rujub, while the Prince Akbur was visiting the pickets of the camp, the Afghans drew up their forces and offered battle. The challenge was not refused, and the young Prince communicated the information with joy to his father. Hoomayoon gave the command of the right wing to Beiram Khan, and the left to Si-kundur Khan Oozbuk, composed of the troops of

Rujub 29.
A. .962.
June 18.
A. D. 1555.

Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, Shah Abool Maaly, Ally Koolly Khan, and Tardy Beg Khan; these troops were directed to begin the action. The left wing having charged according to the orders which it received, the enemy were broken, and never after recovered from their confusion. The battle conti­nued to rage for some time, during which Hoo-mayoon and Beiram Khan displayed great good conduct, while the Prince Akbur was distinguished by feats of personal courage. The Moguls, ani­mated by the conduct of that young hero, seemed to forget that they were mortal. The enemy was driven off the field with slaughter, and their King, Sikundur Shah Soor, fled to the mountains of Sewalik.

This victory decided the fate of the empire; and the kingdom of Dehly fell for ever from the hands of the Afghans. On the following day Sikundur Khan Oozbuk and some other chiefs were detached to take possession of Dehly and Agra, which they oc­cupied without opposition. Hoomayoon con­ferred the government of Punjab on Shah Abool Maaly, and ordered him to pursue the fu-

Rumzan,
A. H. 962.
July,
A. D. 1555.

gitives. In the month of Rumzan, Hoo-mayoon re-entered Dehly in triumph, and became a second time King of Hin-doostan. Beiram Khan, to whose valour and talent the King was principally indebted for his restoration, was rewarded with the first offices in the state, and had princely estates assigned to him. Tardy Beg Khan was appointed governor of Dehly; Agra was assigned to Sikundur Khan Oozbuk; and Ally Koolly Khan was sent to Meerut and Sumbhul; to which province he departed with a considerable force.

Shah Abool Maaly, on account of disputes with the generals of his army in Punjab, had given time to Sikundur Soor to rally his forces; and the King accordingly permitted his son Akbur, under the direction of Beiram Khan, to proceed against him. Much about this time a man of low birth, who became famous under the name of Kumbur-e-Diwana, raised an insurrection in Sumbhul, and,

Rubbee-ool-
Awul 5.
A. H. 963.
Jan. 19.
A. D. 1556.

collecting a large force, plundered the provinces of the Dooab. He was, how­ever, defeated and slain on the 5th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, 963, by Ally Koolly Khan, and the revolt was totally sup­pressed.

Rubbee-ool-
Awul 7.
A. H. 963.
Jan. 21.
A. D. 1556. On the evening of the 7th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, Hoomayoon, after walking on the terrace of the library at Dehly for some time, sat down to enjoy the fresh air; after which, while in the act of descending the steps to go below, the moazin or crier of the royal chapel announced the hour of prayer. The King, as is usual, stood still on the occasion, and having repeated the creed of Islam, sat down on the second step till the crier had done. When about to rise, and endeavour­ing to support himself on a staff he held in his hand, it slipped along the marble, and the King fell headlong over. He was taken up insen­sible, and laid upon his bed, and although he soon recovered his speech, the physicians ad­ministered to him in vain; till, on the 11th

Rubbee-ool-
Awul 11.
A. H. 963.
Jan. 25.
A. D. 1556.

of the month, about sunset, his soul took its flight to Paradise. He was buried in the new city, on the banks of the river; and a splendid monument was erected over him some years after, by his son Akbur. Hoomayoon died at the age of fifty-one, after a reign of twenty-five years, both in Kabul and India.

The mildness and benevolence of Hoomayoon's character were excessive, if there can be excess in such noble qualities. He was a prince of great intrepidity, and possessed the virtues of charity and munificence in a very high degree. He was skilled in the science of geography, and delighted in the society of learned men. He was regular in his devotions and ablutions, and never pronounced the name of God without having performed the latter ceremony. It is said on one occasion, having cause to send for one Meer Abd-ool-Hye, whose name signifies “Slave of the Eternal,” he called him only Abdool, “Slave of,” leaving out the last word because he had not bathed that morning, and begged his pardon accordingly.

Hoomayoon was of elegant stature, and of a bronze complexion. He professed the religion of Huneef, of the Soony persuasion. Kamran Mirza and some other Choghtay nobles believed him to be of the Sheea persuasion, because he gave such encouragement to Kuzilbashies * and the inhabitants of Eerak to join his standard from his earliest years, so that many persons of emi­nence in Khorassan, devotees† * of the holy family, found favour with him. Among others, was Beiram Khan, Toorkoman, his most intimate and attached friend, who professed the religion of the Imams. After the King ascended the throne, he elevated many Kuzilbashies (Persians) to high stations. It is said that Kamran Mirza was fond of talking to him on the subject of religion; so that one day, while they were riding together on their retreat from Hindoostan towards Lahore, they observed a dog lift up his leg against a tombstone: Kamran remarked, “I conclude the “man who is buried there is a Rafzy” (hetero­dox). Hoomayoon replied, “Yes, no doubt; the “dog is an orthodox brute.” They were much in the habit of joking on such subjects; but the truth is, that on these occasions he merely wished to annoy Kamran, and to please Beiram Khan and those about him. There can be no doubt he was of the Hunefy persuasion‡, * as appears from several of his poems, which, though scarce, are still extant.*