A. H. 992.
A. D. 1584. In the year 992, the King sent a splendid embassy to Beejapoor to so­licit in marriage Khoodeija, the sis­ter of Ibrahim Adil Shah, for his son Meeran Hoossein, and his request being acceded to, the Princess was brought to Ahmudnuggur in great pomp. Several nobles at this time formed a com­bination to displace the minister Sulabut Khan, who persuaded the King to take up his residence in the fort, and himself marched against the confe­derates, whom he dispersed. Shortly after this, a discontented faction having brought Boorhan, the King's brother, in the disguise of a holy man, to Ahmudnuggur, conspired to set him on the throne; but on the very day intended for the attempt, Sulabut Khan discovered the plot, and Boor-han, making his escape, fled to the Concan; but not thinking himself secure there, he sought an asylum with the Emperor Akbur at Dehly, from whom he some time afterwards procured a force under Mirza Azeez Koka to attack Moor-tuza Nizam Shah. The instant this intelligence reached Ahmudnuggur, Moortuza Nizam Shah detached an army of twenty thousand men, under Mirza Mahomed Tuky, to the frontier, who, in conjunction with Raja Ally Khan of Kan-deish, marched to Hundia on the banks of the Nerbudda. Mirza Azeez Koka had already crossed the river, and finding he could not oppose the Deccanies in the field with success, suddenly moved ground, marched into Berar, and took Elichpoor and Balapoor; but finding himself pursued, and his retreat cut off by the route he came, he proceeded westward, and coming suddenly upon Sooltanpoor and Nundoorbar, plundered them, and returned to Malwa, * when the Nizam Shahy and Kandeish troops retired to their respective capitals.

At this time one Futteh Shah, a dancer, who had succeeded Sahib Khan in the King's favour, began to abuse his power, by obtaining large grants of land, and gifts of the royal jewels, which were lavishly bestowed upon him by his master. At length, he asked for two necklaces, which had been brought into the treasury from the plunder of Ramraj, composed of valuable rubies, emeralds, and pearls. The King commanded them to be given to him; but Sulabut Khan, unwilling that such inestimable curiosities should be lost to the royal family, substituted two strings of mock jewels in their place. After some time, Futteh Shah discovering the imposition, complained to the King, who being enraged, commanded the Regent to lay out in an apartment all his jewels for inspection. Sulabut Khan having con­cealed the most precious, placed the rest as he was ordered; but the King missing them, was so angry, that he threw all before him into a large fire, and withdrew in a passion to his chamber. On his de­parture, the Regent hastened to save them from the flames, and only the pearls had received any damage. From this period the King was considered mad.

The King now took it into his head that his son Meeran Hoossein designed to dethrone him, and attempted to put him to death; but Sulabut Khan watched over the safety of the young prince. At this time, Ibrahim Adil Shah demanded that the nuptials of his sister should be celebrated with the King's son, or that the Princess should be sent back to Beejapoor; but Sulabut Khan having re­fused compliance with either demand, unless he delivered up the fortress of Sholapoor, Ibrahim Adil Shah declared war, and laid siege to the fort of Owsa. Moortuza Nizam Shah, offended at the conduct of his minister, upbraided him with treachery, and declared himself weary of his control; on which the Regent, to show his loyalty, begged the King to appoint any place for his confinement, and he would voluntarily put chains on his own feet, and repair to it. Moortuza Nizam Shah named the fort of Dunda-Rajpoor; and Sulabut Khan, in spite of the re­monstrances of his friends and numerous depend­ents, immediately submitted himself to the King's guards, and was carried to his prison.

On the imprisonment of Sulabut Khan, the King conferred the regency on Kasim Beg Hukeem, and the vizarut on Mirza Mahomed Tuky, com­manding them to conclude peace with Ibrahim Adil Shah; after which the nuptials of the Princess Khoodeija with the Prince Meeran Hoossein were celebrated with great splendour. Not long after this event the King becoming suspicious of his son re­solved to destroy him; for this purpose he told his ministers that he longed for his son's society, and they, delighted at his returning kindness, sent the young prince into the fort to him. The King, as if in the abundance of affection, gave him a chamber near his own; but the next morning, while the youth was sleeping, the King set fire to his bed­clothes, and fastened the door upon him. The Prince was awakened by the smoke, and freeing himself from the clothes, hastened to the door. Finding it locked, he cried out for help, and was almost suffocated, when he was released by his father's favourite, Futteh Shah, and carried to the minister, who conveyed him secretly to Dowlu-tabad. The King, after some time, going to the apartment to examine the ashes for the bones of his intended victim, and not finding them, was enraged. Futteh Shah told him the Prince had been burned to ashes; but he did not believe it, and demanded the Prince from the favourite, whom he suspected of having saved him from the fire. At length, Futteh Shah revealed the truth, and the King sending for the ministers, ordered them all to be confined, and appointed others. The new ministers also refusing to kill the Prince, the King, after nine days, displaced them, and gave the re­gency to Mirza Khan.

Mirza Khan, seeing the disordered state of the King's intellect, pretended acquiescence with his commands, and courted the favour of Futteh Shah and his dependents, by frequent gifts, but wrote privately to Beejapoor, that as the King was mad, and wanted to murder his son, if a detachment were sent to the borders, he would make it a pre­text for raising troops, and would then openly espouse the cause of the young Prince. Dilawur Khan, Regent of Beejapoor, complied with his request, and Mirza Khan asked the King what steps he should take against the enemy. Moortuza Nizam Shah directed him to pursue what measures he thought proper; and Mirza Khan, collecting the troops, marched from Ahmudnuggur, and en­camped near the town of Ranoory, where they halted by his orders. The King, surprised at their not moving onwards, sent the writer of this history to enquire the cause. As the Regent knew my attachment to the King, he concluded, that if I dis­covered his designs I should make them known. Mirza Khan therefore bribed Futteh Shah to ob­tain the King's order for my recall, and for the immediate advance of the army. I was in the camp when Futteh Khan arrived, and had dis­covered the real designs of the minister, who had given orders to prevent my return; but having timely notice, I made my escape in the night. On my arrival in the city, I related what I had seen and heard to Futteh Shah, who pretended not to believe me. I observed, that I had no interest or hatred to gratify, to induce me to accuse the minister falsely, and that the truth of my ac­count would quickly appear. While we were talking, intelligence was brought that Mirza Khan had marched to Dowlutabad, in order to bring the Prince Meeran Hoossein, and seat him on the throne. The King now asked my advice how to avert the threatened storm. I replied, that there were two measures which promised success: first, that the King should leave his retirement, and march from the city at the head of his guards, when, probably, most of the nobles would desert the Regent and join him; on which he replied, he was too ill to mount a horse. I then recommended that he should send for Sulabut Khan from con­finement, and put him at the head of affairs, as he was beloved and respected by all ranks, who would flock to his standard, and that his Majesty should also proceed in a litter to meet him as far as the fort of Joonere. The King, approving of this ad­vice, instantly sent off express orders to release Sulabut Khan, and prepared to move himself; when Futteh Shah fell at his feet, and, weeping, said, that should his Majesty quit the palace, the guards would immediately seize and send him prisoner to the Prince, in order to pay their court to a new sovereign. The King, on this remark, altered his intention, and resolved to wait in the palace for the arrival of Sulabut Khan. The troops, perceiv­ing the King's imbecility, deserted in crowds to Dowlutabad, from whence Mirza Khan hastened to the capital, accompanied by the Prince, so as to arrive before Sulabut Khan. At the time he came I had the guard of the palace, and wished to defend it; but being deserted by my people, and no one being left with the King but Futteh Shah and a very few domestic attendants, opposition was vain. The Prince and Mirza Khan rushed into the fort with forty thousand armed men, without opposition, and put to death whomsoever they found. The Prince fortunately knew me, and reflecting that we had been school-fellows, and brought up to­gether, ordered my life to be spared. Having reached his father's presence, the Prince behaved to him, both in word and action, with every possible degree of insult. Moortuza Nizam Shah was silent, and only looked at him with contempt, till the Prince, drawing his naked sabre across his breast, said, “I will put you to death.” Moortuza Nizam Shah then breathing a deep sigh, exclaimed, “O thou accursed of God! it would be better for “thee to let thy father be thy guest for his few re-“maining days, and treat him with respect.” The Prince, relenting for a moment at this speech, with­drew from the apartment. Not having patience, however, to wait for his death, though he was then ill of a mortal disease, he caused the King to be put into a warm bathing room, and closing fast the doors and windows, so as to exclude the air, he lighted a great fire underneath, and the King was