The Dowager-queen Khoonza Sooltana assumes the office of regent during the King's minority — she proceeds to attack Beejapoor. — Peace concluded. — The governments of Beeja-poor and Ahmudnuggur unite to conquer Berar, but which is only plundered. — The young King compels his mother to retire from public life, and assumes charge of his government — he makes war with Beejapoor — attacks Dharoor, which is taken. — The King endeavours to expel the Portuguese from Reevadunda on the sea-coast, but fails. — Partition treaty of Berar and Beejanuggur formed between the courts of Ahmud-nuggur and Beejapoor. — Berar conquered by the King of Ahmudnuggur. — The Emperor Akbur of Dehly requires him to relinquish it. — Character of Chungiz Khan the Ahmud-nuggur general and minister — his death. — Sulabut Khan minister. — The King attempts his son's life. — His son murders him.

AS this Prince ascended the throne during his mi­nority, his mother, Khoonza Sooltana, became for six years regent and manager of the affairs of the kingdom. She raised her three brothers, Ein-ool-Moolk, Taj Khan, and Etibar Khan, to the first rank of nobility. She appointed Moolla Inayut Oolla to the office of peshwa; and sat daily in durbar, transacting public business, behind a cur­tain; while her son, Moortuza Nizam Shah, was engaged in those amusements suited to his age.

Such was the state of affairs at the Nizam Shahy court when Ally Adil Shah led his army against the Hindoos, who now remained in the provinces of Beejanuggur, at Anagoondy, and whose chief, Venkatadry, the brother of the late Ramraj, resided at Penkonda. Venkatadry, in this ex­tremity, applied for relief to Khoonza Sooltana, who having marched at the head of an army, ac­companied by her young son, against the do­minions of Beejapoor, compelled Ally Adil Shah to retire from before Anagoondy to defend his own country; but peace was soon after concluded be­tween these Mahomedan princes; and a league was subsequently entered into against Toofal Khan, the prime minister of Boorhan Imad Shah, who had usurped the authority of Berar. Both the Adil Shahy and Nizam Shahy troops having entered that country plundered it, and marched back again before the rains. On their return Ally Adil Shah treacherously endeavoured to seize the person of the young King of Ahmudnuggur; but his mother, the Regent, gaining intimation of his intention, suddenly decamped during the night, and a river which intervened having swelled rapidly, the two armies were effectually separated, and the Nizam Shahies were enabled to gain the fort of Ahmud-nuggur.

A. H. 975.
A. D. 1567. In the year 975 Ally Adil Shah in­vaded the Nizam Shahy dominions, and taking several places, defeated the Ah-mudnuggur forces. In the mean while the con­duct of the Regent, Khoonza Sooltana, in providing for her relations at the expense of the most de­serving nobles in the state, gave umbrage to the whole of that class; till at length Shah Jumal-ood-Deen Hoossein Anjoo, Kasim Beg Hukeem, and others, the companions of the King, com­plained to him of his mother's conduct. The King replied, “The whole of my ministers are attached “to the Queen, how then am I to subvert her “usurped authority?” They answered, that, with his permission, they would gain over some of the principal nobles, and effect the object. Moortuza Nizam Shah having given his consent, the chiefs above mentioned, with their friends, repaired some time after to the palace, where the King happened to be sitting with the Queen-mother: his childish fears made him conclude the secret was betrayed, so that, in order to save himself, he revealed to her that certain chiefs had resolved to seize her; upon which she instantly caused the principal con­spirators to be secured.

A. H. 977.
A.D. 1569. In the year 977 the Dowager-queen marched, with her son, to oppose the encroachments of Kishwur Khan, the Beejapoor general. Upon their arrival at D'ha-mungam, Moortuza Nizam Shah, now able to judge for himself, and resolving to become free from his mother's trammels, gained over the principal nobles, and sent Hubbush Khan to inform the Queen that it was his pleasure she should no longer engage in public affairs, but live retired, like the other princesses. Enraged at this message, she summoned her creatures, and throwing a veil over her face, came from the palace on horseback, armed with a bow, a sword, and dag­ger. She was, however, seized, after a short re­sistance, and her attendants fled. The King now assumed charge of the affairs of his government; and having levied forces, marched towards Dha-roor, with the intention of attacking Kishwur Khan, the Beejapoor general.

On arriving within a short distance of the enemy's camp, a messenger from Kishwur Khan brought him a sealed paper, which, upon being opened, was found to contain such insolent ex­pressions as enraged him to the highest pitch. Mounting his horse he swore that he would not alight till he entered the fort of Dharoor, to­wards which he rode at full gallop. His attend­ants represented that fortresses were not to be taken by cavalry, and with a handful of men, and that he ought not to expose his person so impru­dently. The King replied, that by the Almighty God he would force the gate with his sword, and hew his passage into the place; that if victory was decreed him, no injury could happen to him; and that if his death was fixed, it was vain to avoid the danger. The officers, seeing his determination, begged, at least, that he would put on armour, which was allowed by the Prophet; to this he con­sented, and then proceeded to the attack. Having reached the gate, he was assailed by showers of shot, arrows, and rockets poured forth from the fort walls, which killed many men, and some elephants and horses. Moortuza Nizam Shah still persevered, and escaped unhurt. At length the fire from the fort suddenly ceasing, the King was astonished; and on sending persons to enquire the cause, the troops en­tered unopposed, and found the fort evacuated. An arrow, it seems, had by chance pierced the heart of Kishwur Khan, who lay dead on the ground. The victors cut off his head, and hung it over the battle­ments; on which the King offered up thanksgiving for his victory. The Nizam Shahy army now invaded Beejapoor, in conjunction with Ibrahim Kootb Shah of Golconda, against whom Moortuza Nizam Shah afterwards conceived enmity, produced through the artifice of Shah Abool Hoossein, to such a degree, that Ibrahim Kootb Shah found it necessary to make his escape, leaving his camp to be plundered by the Nizam Shahies. Shortly after this, a treaty was concluded between Ally Adil Shah and Moortuza Nizam Shah, when the latter returned to Ahmud-nuggur, where he appointed Jumal-ood-Deen Hoos-sein his prime minister, and then marched against the fort of Reevadunda, belonging to the Portu­guese, but was obliged to raise the siege, after a blockade of some months, as the enemy obtained provisions by sea, owing to the treachery of the Nizam Shahy officers, who were bribed by presents, particularly of wine. The King, upon his return from this expedition, displaced several of his minis­ters, and conferred the office of vakeel on Chun-giz Khan, a nobleman of great abilities, who, by his attention, restored the public affairs. This minister defeated, by his address, a proposed alliance be­tween Ally Adil Shah and Ibrahim Kootb Shah, and effected an union between his master and the former, who had an interview on the borders, when it was agreed, that Ally Adil Shah should con­quer as much of the Carnatic as would produce a revenue equal to Berar and Bidur; which latter kingdoms Moortuza Nizam Shah should be at liberty to wrest from the hands of Toofal Khan and Ally Bereed Shah.

A. H. 980.
A. D. 1572. In the year 980 Moortuza Nizam Shah marched to Berar; and by the gallantry and good conduct of his general Chungiz Khan drove Toofal Khan from Elichpoor, compel­ling him and his son, Shumsheer-ool-Moolk, to fly to the hills, taking from them two hundred elephants, besides all their heavy baggage. Toofal Khan was driven from jungle to jungle for six months, at the end of which time, being forced into a nar­row defile blocked up by the King's troops, he would certainly have been taken, had not the King been delayed by religious superstition for some time on his march by a mad devotee, Meer Moosa Mazinderany, who, meeting him on the road, conjured him by the love he bore to the twelve Imams not to move further till he had given him the sum of 12,000 hoons. * The King waited on the spot till he could comply with his request, though the minister entreated him to defer giving the money till the camp was pitched. The delay which ensued enabled Toofal Khan to make his escape, and fly to Boorhanpoor, where he sought protection with the ruler of Kandeish, who was, however, afraid to grant it, for fear of the vengeance of Moortuza Nizam Shah. Thence Too-fal Khan returned to Berar, and took refuge in the hill-fort of Nurnala, from which place he applied for assistance to Akbur Padshah, Emperor of Dehly. Akbur sent an envoy to Moortuza Nizam Shah, requiring him immediately to desist from his invasion of Berar; but no attention was paid to the communication, so that Nurnala, and all the other principal forts in Berar, fell into the hands of Moor-tuza Nizam Shah; and Toofal Khan, with his sovereign, Boorhan Imad-ool-Moolk, and all his family, being captured, were confined in one of them; where they shortly after died suddenly, and, it is conjectured, by poison.