His origin — espouses the daughter of Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk — is created general-in-chief of the King's army — deposes his brother-in-law Aram, and ascends the throne. — Dis­sensions in the state. — The Toorky cavalry quit him, and sometime after march to Dehly to dethrone him. — The Toorks are defeated. — Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz, being expelled from Ghizny by the troops of Khwaruzm Shah, occupies Punjab, and even seizes on Tahneswur — is defeated by Alt-mish, and taken — dies in prison. — Altmish defeats Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha of Mooltan, in two actions in Punjab — proceeds to Bengal, and establishes his authority over Gheias-ood-Deen, the son of Mahomed Bukhtyar Khiljy — leaves his son Nasir-ood-Deen Mahmood in Behar. — The latter defeats and kills Gheias-ood-Deen Bukhtyar in battle, and secures the occupation of Bengal. — Shums-ood-Deen Altmish proceeds to Mooltan — expels Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha, and leaves his minister, Nizam-ool-Moolk Jooneidy, in charge. — Shums-ood-Deen reduces Runtunbhore, Mando, and all Malwa. — An embassy from the Caliph arrives at Dehly. — Nasir-ood-Deen Mahmood, the King's eldest son, dies in Bengal. — The title and territory conferred on the King's youngest son. — The King retakes Gualiar, which had fallen into the hands of the Hindoos — takes Bhilsa and Oojein — proceeds towards Mooltan — is taken ill on the road — returns to Dehly — his death.

IT is related in the Tubkat Nasiry, that Shums-ood-Deen Altmish was a descendant, on his mother's side, from a noble family of Khutta, and that his father was of the tribe of Albery, and was called Eelum Khan. In his youth he was the favourite of his father, and being envied by the rest of his brothers, they determined to get rid of him. One day while hunting, they stripped him, and sold him to a company of travelling merchants. The merchants carried him to Bokhara, and sold him to one of the relations of Sudr-i-Jehan, prince of that country, under whom he received a liberal education. On the death of his master he was again exposed to sale, and purchased by a mer­chant, who sold him again to another, who carried him to Ghizny.

Sooltan Mahomed Ghoory heard at Ghizny of Altmish's beauty and talents, but could not agree with the merchant about his price. He was there­fore carried back to Bokhara, as none durst buy him on account of the King's displeasure, till Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, obtaining the King's per­mission, purchased him at Dehly, whither he had invited the merchants, for 50,000 pieces of silver. Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk, also, at the same time, bought another slave, whom he called Toghan, He was afterwards appointed governor of Surhind. Kootb-ood-Deen Eibuk had three daughters, the eldest of whom was married to Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha, the second to Shums-ood-Deen Alt-mish, and upon the death of the eldest, Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha was allowed to marry her sister, the youngest daughter.

Altmish, as the son-in-law of his master, rose in rank till he was created general-in-chief; and, upon the death of Eibuk, as we have before re­lated, he advanced against the capital, expelled Aram from the throne in the year 607, and de­clared himself King with the title of Shums-ood-Deen Altmish. On his accession he was acknow­ledged by many chiefs and princes; but some of his generals taking offence, went off with the greater part of his Toorky horse, the flower of his army. These, connecting themselves with other malecon-tents in the districts, advanced with a great force towards Dehly, where they were opposed by Altmish, and defeated. Their chief, Furokh, was slain in the field, and the rest were so closely pursued, that in a short time they were all either killed or taken, which established Altmish on the throne.

Soon after this event, Oodye-Sa, the tributary raja of Jalwur, having refused to make the usual payments, the King was induced to march and reduce him to obedience. Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz, at this time king of Ghizny, sent to Altmish the ensigns of royalty, pretending to confirm him in the government of India; but soon after, when Yeldooz was himself defeated by the troops of Khwaruzm Shah, and retired to Kirman and Shivuran, he turned his views towards the conquest of the East. In the first instance he seized the country of Punjab, and occupied the city of

A. H. 612.
A. D. 1215.

Tahneswur in the year 612, where he endeavoured by his emissaries at the court of Dehly to raise a faction in his favour. Shums-ood-Deen Altmish meanwhile col­lected his troops, and advanced towards him. An action took place on the plains of Narain; Taj-ood-Deen Yeldooz was defeated, and with many of his officers taken prisoner and imprisoned in Budaoon, where, according to some accounts, he died a natural death, but according to others, he was poisoned.

A. H. 614.
A. D. 1217. In the year 614, Altmish attacked Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha, his brother-in-law, at Munsooreea, on the banks of the Chunab, and gained a complete victory. During the following year several chiefs of the tribe of Khilluj inhabiting the country near Ghizny, being defeated by Nasir-ood-Deen Koo-bacha, fled for protection to Shums-ood-Deen Alt-mish, who espousing their cause, marched against Nasir-ood-Deen, and a second time overthrew him, and recovered the countries lost by the chiefs of Khilluj, after which he returned to Dehly. In

A. H. 618.
A. D. 1221.

the year 618, the famous but unfortunate Julal-ood-Deen Khwaruzm Shah, being defeated in the north by Chungiz Khan, retreated towards Lahore, where Altmish opposed and compelled him to retreat towards Sind and Sewustan. Nizam-ood-Deen Ahmud and some other historians have placed the arrival of Julal-ood-Deen in Hindoostan subsequently to the death of Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha; but their testimony in this particular does not seem to me to merit attention.

A. H. 622.
A. D. 1225. In the year 622, Shums-ood-Deen led his army towards Behar, and Luknowty, * where he exacted tribute from Gheias-ood-Deen Bukhtyar Khiljy, then Prince of Bengal, whose history we shall give in its proper place. He caused the Bengal currency to be struck in his own name, and, appointing his son Nasir-ood-Deen Mahmood to the government of Behar, returned to Dehly. But soon after war having broken out between Nasir-ood-Deen Mahmood, Prince of Behar, and Gheias-ood-Deen Bukhtyar, Khiljy of Bengal, the latter was defeated and slain; and Nasir-ood-Deen took possession of his principality and his treasure, out of which he sent ample presents to his friends at Dehly.

According to the most authentic historians it was in this year (622) that Shums-ood-Deen Altmish marched against Nasir-ood-Deen Koo-bacha, who possessed the provinces on the Indus, and who, unable to oppose him in the field, left a strong garrison in Oocha, and retired to Buk-kur. Altmish detached Nizam-ool-Moolk * Joo-neidy, his vizier, with half of the army, in pursuit of Nazir-ood-Deen Koobacha, while with the other half he himself laid siege to Oocha, which he reduced in two months and twenty days. When the news of the fall of Oocha reached Nasir-ood-Deen Koobacha, he sent his son Alla-ood-Deen Beiram to sue for peace. The terms were not settled, when information arrived, that Nasir-ood-Deen had been compelled by Nizam-ool-Moolk Jooneidy to attempt to cross the river, in which he was drowned; after which, the whole country sub­mitted to Altmish.

A. H. 623.
A. D. 1226.
A. H. 624.
A. D. 1227. In the year 623, Altmish reduced the fort of Runtunbhore, and in the year 624, that of Mando, and the country of Malwa. At this time Ameer Roohany, the most learned poet and philosopher of his age, fled from Bokhara, after that city was taken by Chungiz Khan, and sought protection at Dehly, where he wrote many excellent poems.

A. H. 626.
A. D. 1229. In the year 626, an embassy from Arabia, bringing with it royal robes from the Caliph, arrived at Dehly. The King assumed them with joy, and made a great festival, distributing rich presents. In the same year he received intelligence of the death of his eldest son Nasir-ood-Deen Mahmood, Prince of Bengal. Altmish conferred the same title on his younger son, whom he carried with him to that province

A. H. 627.
A. D. 1230.

in the year 627, and invested him with the government, which had fallen into confusion subsequently to the death of the former prince. Having entirely settled this country, he left Eiz-ool-Moolk Alla-ood-Deen Khany to superintend its management, and re­turned with his son to Dehly.

A. H. 629.
A. D. 1231. Shums-ood-Deen Altmish formed a design, in the year 629, to reduce the fort of Gualiar, which had, during the short reign of his predecessor Aram, again fallen into the hands of the Hindoos. Having accord­ingly besieged it for a whole year, and the garrison being greatly straitened, the Raja Dewbul made his escape in the night, and the garrison capi­tulated; above three hundred of whom were put to death. Mullik Taj-ood-Deen Zoobery, who was present at the capture, has commemorated the date of the transaction by four lines carved on a stone over one of the gateways.*

After the reduction of Gualiar, the King marched his army towards Malwa, reduced the fort of Bhilsa, and took the city of Oojein, where he destroyed a magnificent temple dedicated to Mahakaly, formed upon the same plan with that of Somnat. This temple is said to have occupied three hundred years in building, and was sur­rounded by a wall one hundred cubits in height. The image of Vikramaditya, who had been for­merly prince of this country, and so renowned, that the Hindoos have taken an æra from his death, as also the image of Mahakaly, both of stone, with many other figures of brass, were found in the temple. These images the King caused to be conveyed to Dehly, and broken at the door of the great mosque.

After his return from this expedition, Altmish marched his army towards Mooltan; but falling sick on the road, he was obliged to return to Dehly,

Shaban 20.
A. H. 633.
April 30.
A. D. 1236.

where he died on the 20th of Shaban, in the year 633. His vizier, towards the latter end of his reign, was Fukhr-ool-Moolk Assamy, who had been formerly vizier of the Caliph of Bagdad for thirty years, where he was much esteemed on account of his wisdom and learning. He left that court on account of some offence, and came to Dehly, where he was appointed prime minister. Noor-ood-Deen Mahomed Oofy, the author of the Jama-ool-Hikayat (a collection of historical anecdotes), * lived during this time at the court of Dehly. The reign of Shums-ood-Deen Altmish lasted twenty-six years. He was an enterprising, able, and good prince.