Babur availed himself of this opportunity to hasten to Samarkand; and in the end of the year 903, having been admitted into the city, ascended the throne, and was acknowledged King by the greatest part of the nobles. Babur having taken the place by capitulation, forbade all plunder; but his troops became discontented and began to disperse. The Moguls, who were commanded by one Ibrahim Chuk, * went off in a body, and were followed by Yar-Ally and several other nobles, with their followers, to Akhsy, where having joined Jehangeer Mirza, the brother of Babur, they re­quired the latter to confer on Jehangeer the pro­vince of Indijan.

Babur, on receiving this message, gave vent to his indignation; and, in speaking of the perfidy of those chiefs who had deserted him, imprudently threw out reflections on those who remained. These resented this language by abandoning him, and joined his brother at Indijan. Babur, in the utmost distress, sent Altoon Khwaja to endeavour to conciliate his officers; but they sent a party to way-lay the ambassador, and cut him in pieces.

Ally Dost Toghay and Mowlana Kazy, the two chieftains in possession of Indijan, however, sent assurances of their fidelity to Babur, and resisted his brother's party; but unfortunately at this time Babur, being taken dangerously ill, was unable to avail himself of their attachment. His own life was saved with difficulty, by conveying sustenance through moistened cotton applied to his lips. When he recovered, he found the situation of his affairs most embarrassing; but he determined to incur even the risk of losing Samarkand, rather than sacrifice his paternal dominions. He accordingly directed his march towards Indijan; but Ally Dost Toghay and his party having heard that Babur was actually dead, had already capitulated, and given up the place to Jehangeer Mirza, who having cruelly caused the execution of Mowlana Kazy, ascended the throne, and caused the khootba to be read in his name. This intelligence, together with the reflection that he had also lost Samarkand, occa­sioned Babur the utmost distress.

In this dilemma, as his last resource, he deputed Ameer Kasim Kocheen to Tashkund, to entreat the assistance of his maternal uncle, Sooltan Mah-mood Khan, the son of Yoonoos Khan, who has­tened to Chilka Ahungiran, where he and Babur met: an emissary came at the same time to Sooltan Mahmood Khan from Jehangeer Mirza, on which he resolved to allow his two nephews to settle their own differences, himself returning to Tashkund. This unexpected defection had such an effect upon Babur's troops, that of all his army, in a few days, only two hundred horsemen remained with him. In this forlorn condition, he retreated to Khoojund: from thence he applied to Mahmood Hoossein Korkan, at Doghlat, acquainting him, that the place in which he then was could not protect him from his enemies; he therefore earn­estly solicited him to permit him to pass the winter at Saghir. Mahmood Hoossein consented, and Babur accordingly took up his quarters there, and began to recruit a new army.

After having collected a few soldiers round his standard, and reflecting that his future success depended entirely on the reputation of his arms, he resolved to employ himself in active operations. He therefore returned to Eelak, where he took some forts by assault, and some by stratagem; but these petty exploits were of little service to him, for his affairs bore still a very gloomy aspect. He received in the mean time a message from Ally Dost Toghay, begging his forgiveness. He informed him that he was in possession of the garrison of Furghunian, * and promised, if Babur would take possession of it, he would again devote himself to his service. Babur did not hesitate to avail himself of this overture, and arriving at Furghunian, he was met by Ally Dost at the gate, who surrendered the fort into his hands. Babur having recruited his finances, sent Ameer Kasim Kocheen towards the mountains of Indijan, and Ibrahim Sar and Veis† * Laghiry towards Akhsy to gain partisans. This measure had the desired effect, for the mountaineers of Indijan at once espoused his cause; while Ibrahim Sar and Veis Laghiry having accommodated matters with the governors of Bab, and two or three other forts, declared in favour of Babur. At the same time also, he procured assistance from his uncle Sooltan Mah-mood Khan, of Bokhara.

Zowzun Hussun, and Sooltan Ahmud Tumbole, having heard of the loss of Furghunian, proceeded with Jehangeer Mirza to attack that place. This they effected, and marched towards Akhsy; but on the road, falling in with Sooltan Mahmood Khan, Jehangeer Mirza's army was defeated with great slaughter, and both he and Zowzun Hussun fled precipitately to Indijan, attended only by four or five followers. Nasir Beg, a relative of Zowzun Hussun, who held the government of Indijan, per­ceiving the favourable aspect of Babur's affairs, opposed Jehangeer Mirza, and having sent a mes­senger to Babur, offered to surrender the place into his hands. These events ruined the affairs of Jehangeer Mirza, who now took the route of Oosh, and Zowzun Hussun that of Akhsy.

Babur having occupied Indijan, conferred ho­nours upon Nasir Beg and his followers. Thus the capital of Furghana, in the month of Zeekad, in the year 904, was restored to its former master. On the fourth day after his arrival, Babur pro­ceeded to Akhsy, and expelled Zowzun Hussun, who fled to Khoozar. Kasim Ajeeb was appointed governor of Akhsy, and Babur returned to In-dijan, accompanied by most of the followers of Zowzun Hussun. On this occasion, some of Ba-bur's officers representing that these troops were the same who had formerly plundered several chiefs then in his army, and had put Mowlana Kazy to death, orders were issued permitting all those who had suffered to recover from them what they had lost. The Moguls gaining timely inform­ation mounted their horses, and to a man proceeded to Uzkund, where they related the cause of their coming to Sooltan Ahmud Tumbole, who in con­junction with Jehangeer Mirza now marched against Indijan. Babur sent Ameer Kasim Ko-cheen to oppose them; but he was defeated with great slaughter, and many of the King's principal officers were slain, and several taken prisoners.

The enemy now advanced and laid siege to In-dijan for the space of thirty days; but as they could

A. H. 905.
A.D. 1499.

effect nothing against it, they turned their arms against Oosh. Babur having recruited his army, marched, in the year 905, to its relief; but the enemy, hearing of his approach, suddenly decamped, and made a forced march to Indijan, the suburbs of which they plun­dered. Babur, however, relying on the garrison and on the strength of the place, proceeded to Badawurd, a strong fort in possession of Khuleel, brother to Sooltan Ahmud Tumbole. Khuleel defended the place with great obstinacy; but was at length forced to capitulate, and he together with eighty other persons, being taken, were detained as prisoners, and sent to Indijan, in reprisal for an equal number of his own officers, who had fallen into the enemy's hands.

Sooltan Ahmud Tumbole, in the mean time, made an unsuccessful attempt to scale the walls of Indijan in the night. On obtaining this inform­ation, Babur returned to its support, and took up a strong position on the banks of the river in sight of the enemy, where he remained for the space of forty days. At length he attacked their camp, situated at Deh Khooban, three fursukhs * distant from Indijan. After an obstinate resistance, the enemy was defeated, and Sooltan Ahmud Tum-bole and Jehangeer Mirza sought safety in flight. The King after the victory entered Indijan in triumph; but he shortly after received information that six thousand horse from Sooltan Mahmood Khan, ruler of Bokhara, had, in aid of Jehangeer Mirza, appeared before the fort of Kasan. Though it was now the depth of winter, and the frost and snow severe, Babur marched to attack this party, which, without making resistance, retreated to its own country. Sooltan Ahmud Tumbole, who was on his march to reinforce it, fell in accidentally with Babur's troops, in a situation where the former could not have escaped had not the night favoured his flight, owing to which he retreated with little loss. Babur pursued him to the walls of Booskar, near to which he encamped.

On the fourth day, Ally Dost Toghay and Kumbur Ally prevailed upon the King to make overtures for peace, proposing that Jehangeer Mirza should retain possession of all the country between the river of Khoojund and Akhsy, and that Indijan and the district of Uzkund should remain in possession of Babur; but it was agreed that if the latter should ever recover the kingdom of Samarkand, he should give up Indijan to Je-hangeer Mirza. These terms being solemnly ratified by mutual oaths, the brothers had an inter­view, and the prisoners on both sides were released. Babur returned to Indijan, where he found that Ally Dost Toghay, who possessed considerable wealth and power, had ventured to exert unli­censed authority; that he had banished Ameer Khuleefa, had imposed fines on Ibraham Sar and Veis Laghiry, without the King's permission, and had encouraged his son Mahomed Dost to assume the ensigns of royalty. Babur, however, found it convenient to restrain his resentment for the pre­sent, owing to the great influence of Ally Dost, and to the numerous formidable enemies by whom he was himself surrounded. At this time, also, Ma-homed Moorad Turkhan, an officer of Sooltan Ally Mirza, ruler of Samarkand, being discontented with his master, connected himself with Khan Mirza, one of the sons of Sooltan Mahmood Mirza, and attacked Samarkand; but being repulsed with loss, they made overtures to Babur to induce him to engage in the same enterprize. Babur, embracing the proposal, proceeded direct towards Samarkand, and Ma-homed Moorad Turkhan, having joined him on the march, they resolved to depute a person to gain over Khwaja Kootb-ood-Deen Yehya, a holy man, who had vast influence over the inhabitants. Kootb-ood-Deen, entering into their views, assured them they might march on the city, and rely on success.