Akbur ascends the throne at the age of twelve years. — Beiram Khan, Toorkoman, minister. — Distribution of the provinces. — Hemoo, the minister of Mahomed Shah Adily, advances to Dehly — defeats Ally Khan Seestany — takes Agra — defeats Tardy Beg Khan — takes Dehly. — The Moguls driven across the Sutlooj — they concentrate at Lahore. — Beiram Khan is appointed protector. — The Mogul chiefs propose to quit India, and retire to Kabul. — Beiram Khan opposes the measure. — The Indian chief Hemoo ascends the throne of Dehly, and marches to expel the Moguls. — Battle of Paniput fatal to the Indians. — Beiram Khan excites the King's jealousy — is re­moved from his office — goes into rebellion — is seized and pardoned — retires to Mecca, but is murdered on the road. — Malwa recovered out of the hands of Baz Bahadur. — Sheer Khan, the son of Sikundur Shah Soor, marches with an army from Bengal to support his title to the throne of Dehly — is defeated. — An attempt to assassinate Akbur fails. — Rebellion of Asuf Khan Hirvy and Khan Zeman Oozbuk in the Dooab.— Kabul taken by Sooliman Mirza of Budukhshan. — Revolt of the King's brother Mahomed Hukeem. — Khan Zuman taken, and suffers death. — Mahomed Hukeem returns, and recovers Kabul. — Chittoor taken by Akbur. — Runtunbhore taken. — War in Guzerat. — Guzerat occupied by Akbur. — Revolt in the direction of Bengal suppressed, and Dawood Kirany ex­pelled. — Dawood Kirany recovers Bengal — is again sub­dued, and suffers death. — Mahomed Hukeem Mirza revolts a second time, and enters the Punjab — is repulsed by the King in person, and is pardoned. — Guzerat recovered out of the hands of Akbur's officers. — War in Bengal. — The Afghans cut off the communication between India and Kabul. — Great exertions of Akbur in all quarters. — A Hindoo chief ap­pointed governor of Kabul. — Akbur holds his court at La­hore. — Moozuffur Shah, the King of Guzerat, is taken, and puts an end to himself. — Akbur sends his son Moorad Mirza to Guzerat, and thence to the Deccan. — Kandeish occupied. — Ahmudnuggur besieged. — Battle of Soopa, between the Mo­guls and Deccanies. — Akbur besieges Asseer. — Berar occu­pied. — Daniel Mirza espouses a daughter of the King of Beejapoor — is appointed governor of Kandeish — dies. — Akbur's grief produces illness, of which he dies — his character — nature of his government.

THE history of this sovereign has been transmitted to us by Sheikh Abool Fuzl, the son of Sheikh Moobarik, in an heroic poem consisting of one hundred and ten thousand couplets, from which the author, Mahomed Kasim Ferishta, has princi­pally derived the materials for this reign.

Abool Fuzl relates, that when Hoomayoon became insensible after his fall, the Mogul chiefs despatched Ally Koolly Khan express to Punjab, to acquaint his son Akbur of the accident. This information reached the Prince in a few days at the town of Kullanoor. The officers who were present,

Rubbee-oos-
Sany 2.
A. H. 963.
Feb. 15.
A. D. 1556.

after expressing their grief for the deceased, raised Akbur to the throne, on the 2d of Rubbee-oos-Sany, in the year 963, when he was only thirteen years and nine months old.

Beiram Khan, Toorkoman, distinguished by the title of Khan Khanan, became his minister, and had the whole civil and military power vested in his hands. The first orders issued from the throne, after despatching the letters announcing the suc­cession, prohibited the exactions of the usual presents. Not many days after this, Shah Abool Maaly, who had been in great favour with Hoo-mayoon, having evinced traitorous designs, was seized and imprisoned in Lahore. Some time after, however, he found means to escape out of the hands of Peihlwan Goolzar, the kotwal to whose charge he had been committed, and who killed himself in consequence. Tardy Beg Khan despatched all the ensigns of royalty from Dehly, under charge of Abool Kasim Mirza, the son of Kamran Mirza; and the following chiefs addressed letters of congratulation to the young King. Ally Koolly Khan Seestany, governor of Sumbhul; Sikundur Khan Oozbuk, governor of Agra; Ba­hadur Khan, governor of Depalpoor; and Moonyim Khan, the tutor of the Prince Mahomed Hukeem Mirza. Meanwhile the King had occasion to lead his army towards the hills, in order to attack Sikundur Shah Soor; and having defeated and com­pelled him to fly within the recesses of the moun­tains, the King's army returned. Akbur, shortly after, having subdued the country of Nagrakote, received D'hurmchund, the Indian prince of that province, into favour; but the rains coming on, he took up his residence at Jalundur. In the mean time, Sooliman Mirza, who had been left governor of Budukhshan, throwing off his allegiance, marched against Kabul, which was defended by Moonyim Khan, the tutor of the Prince Hukeem Mirza, the King's brother. Intelligence of this insurrection having reached Akbur, he detached Mahomed Koolly Birlass, Shums-ood-Deen Mahomed Khan Atka, Khizr Khan, and other officers, to succour Moonyim Khan. Some of those chiefs entered Kabul, while others, encamping without the city, harassed the besiegers for the space of four months, when the garrison being at length worn out for want of provisions, Moonyim Khan was compelled to suffer the Khootba to be read in the name of Sooliman Mirza, who then raised the siege, and returned to Budukhshan.

During these transactions at Kabul, Hemoo, the vizier of Mahomed Shah Adily, advancing towards Agra with thirty thousand horse and foot, and two thousand elephants, obliged Sikundur Khan Ooz-buk to retreat to Dehly, while Shady Khan, another of Mahomed Shah Adily's generals, advanced with an army to the banks of the Rohut, where Ally Koolly Khan Seestany, who had received the title of Khan Zuman, opposed him with three thousand horse; but the latter was defeated with so severe a loss, that only two hundred of his men escaped from the field of battle, many of whom were drowned in the river.

Hemoo, elated with this intelligence, laid siege to Agra, and having reduced it, proceeded to Dehly. Tardy Beg Khan, the governor, seized with consternation, sent expresses to all the Mogul chiefs in the neighbourhood, to come to his aid. Shortly after, being joined by Abdoolla Khan, Lall Sooltan Budukhshy, Ally Koolly Khan Indi-jany, Meeruk Khan Kolaby, and others, he con­ceived himself in a condition to give the enemy battle, without waiting for Khan Zuman, who by this time had obtained a considerable reinforce­ment, and was on his march to Dehly. Tardy Beg Khan accordingly moved to meet the enemy. Hemoo selected three thousand horse and some of his best elephants, which he retained near his own person in the centre, and during the heat of the battle he charged Tardy Beg Khan with such impetuosity, that he compelled him to quit the field. The right wing of the Moguls was routed, the flight became general, and the city of Dehly also surrendered. Tardy Beg Khan fled to Surhind, leaving the whole country open to the enemy. Khan Zuman, hearing of this disaster at Meerut, avoided Dehly, and proceeded to Nowshehra, on his way to join the King, who, during these transactions, was at Jalundur, and finding all his dominions, except the Punjab, wrested from him, was perplexed how to act. At length, feeling diffident of himself both from his youth and inexperience, he conferred on Beiram Khan, Toorkoman, the title of Khan Baba, * and re­posing his whole trust in the prudence and wisdom of that chief, begged of him to take measures for retrieving his affairs. At the same time he as­sured him, in the most solemn manner, that he would pay no attention to any malicious accusations against him. The young King also required of Beiram Khan to swear on his part, by the soul of his deceased father Hoomayoon, and by the head of his own son, that he would be faithful to his trust. After this, a council being called by Beiram Khan, the majority of the officers were of opinion, that as the enemy's force consisted of more than a hundred thousand horse, while the royal army could scarcely muster twenty thousand, it would be prudent to retreat to Kabul. Beiram Khan not only opposed this measure, but was al­most singular in his opinion that the King ought instantly to give battle to the enemy. The voice of Akbur, which was in unison with the sentiments of Beiram Khan, decided the question. Hostilities being determined on, Khizr Khan (the husband of Sooltana Goolbudun Begum, the King's aunt), who was then governor of Lahore, was directed to attack Sikundur Khan Soor; while the King pre­pared to march in person against Hemoo. On reaching Nowshehra, he was joined by several of his defeated officers, who had assembled at that place. During his stay there, Beiram Khan, taking advantage of the King's absence from camp on a hunting party, caused Tardy Beg Khan to be seized and beheaded for abandoning Dehly, where he might have defended himself. When Akbur re­turned, Beiram Khan waited on him, and acquainted him with what he had done, at the same time ex­cusing himself for not consulting the King, as he felt certain his clemency was such, that, notwith­standing Tardy Beg Khan's misconduct, he would have pardoned him. Beiram Khan remarked, that lenity at such a crisis would lead to dangerous consequences, as the only hopes left to the Moguls, at the present moment, depended on every indi­vidual exerting himself to the utmost of his power.