Treacherously obtains possession of Aseer — deprives his brother of the fort of Talnere, and attacks the districts of Sooltanpoor and Nundoorbar, belonging to Guzerat — is compelled to sue for terms — builds the city of Boorhanpoor, and fortifies Aseer — gives his daughter in marriage to the heir-apparent of the Bahmuny kingdom — supports the fugitive Raja of Julwara against the King of Guzerat, and induces the King of the Deccan to do so likewise. — The Guzerat King proves victorious. — Nuseer Khan supports some rebellious chiefs of the Deccan in Berar against their King — he is compelled to fly from Boorhanpoor. — The battle of Lulling, in which he is defeated. — His death.
IN the reign of Mullik Nuseer this family greatly extended its power. Mullik Nuseer Khan also assumed the ensigns of royalty. Learned men were invited from all parts, and literature was much promoted. He received from the King of Guzerat the title of Khan, and caused the public prayers to be read in his name, realising the wish that his father carried with him to the grave, namely, that of assuming the royal pavilion and canopy. He also seized the fort of Aseer from Asa Aheer.*
As the story relative to the family of the original possessor of Aseer is interesting, I shall give it at full length. On the summit of a high hill in Kandeish lived a herdsman who possessed much agricultural wealth. He was, in reality, one of the principal landholders in that country. His ancestors had for nearly seven hundred years retained the estates, and at an early period built a wall round the hill of Aseer, in order to protect their numerous herds of cattle from the bands of robbers which infested the mountains. Asa succeeded to his father's property: being a thrifty person, his herds increased to the number of five thousand buffaloes, five thousand cows, twenty thousand sheep, and one thousand brood mares, independently of which he had two thousand retainers, who were employed in all purposes of husbandry, as well as for his protection. The farmers, both of Gondwana and Kandeish, whenever they were in distress, always found relief by applying to Asa Aheer, or the herdsman, for so he continued to be called, in spite of his wealth and power. It happened that a short time before the arrival of Mullik Raja at Talnere famine raged in Kandeish and in Gondwana, and not more than two or three thousand individuals of the Koly or Bheel tribes escaped its effects. Asa had at this time many storehouses, both in Gondwana and Kandeish, which his agents opened in order to sell the corn; but his wife, who was of a charitable disposition, prayed her husband to allow the grain to be served out to the poor without payment, and by that means secure to himself a good name in this world, and eternity in the next. It was to assist them, also, that he was induced to have the old walls of the town of Aseer levelled, and to cause a fort to be built of masonry, by which means he employed many labourers. He also distributed food to the aged and decrepid, who were unable to perform manual labour. This work went by the name of the fort of Asa Aheer, and was afterwards called Aseer.*
Upon the assumption of the authority of all
Kandeish by Mullik Raja, Asa, being a peaceable
and unambitious man, was the first of all the
landholders to acknowledge fealty to him; and,
moreover, presented him with many things which
he required on the establishment of his family.
Mullik Raja very soon saw that a fortification like
that of Aseer, in the hands of an ambitious chief,
in the centre of his province, would enable such a
person to shake the very foundation of his government;
but he felt himself under too many obligations
to Asa to wrest it by force out of his hands.
*
Mullik
Nuseer, also, when he succeeded to the government,
received many personal favours from Asa,
and knew from his peaceable disposition that he
never would give him a plea to attack him. He,
however, resolved to seize Aseer, and to make it his
capital, and adopted the following plan to carry
his scheme into effect: — He sent a letter to Asa,
saying, that the Rajas of Buglana and Antoor had
collected large forces, and that they did not conduct
themselves to him in the manner they had
done to his father, the late Mullik Raja. The
Raja of Kehrla also threatened him. The fort
of Talnere, he said, agreeably to his father's will,
was in the possession of his brother, Mullik If-
The moment that this news reached Sheikh Zein-
There is an old but a very true saying, that
“a rug will contain ten dervishes, but a king-
A. H. 820.
A. D. 1417.
to assist him. To this end, Mullik Nu-
Some years after this event, Ahmud Shah Bah-
A. H. 833.
A. D. 1429.
In the year 833, Raja Kanha, Ray of the
district of Julwara, fled from the power
of the King of Guzerat, and arrived at
Aseer, where he presented to Nuseer Khan some elephants
and other valuables, begging of him to assist
him in recovering his country. Nuseer Khan replied,
that he really had not the means to cope with the
King of Guzerat; but that if he chose to apply to
the King of the Deccan he would perhaps exert
himself in his favour, and Nuseer Khan promised
to give him a letter to that monarch on the subject.
Ahmud Shah Bahmuny, at the instance of Nuseer
Khan, put a small force at the disposal of the Raja
to recover his country. When this detachment
arrived at Nundoorbar it plundered the district,
and the King of Guzerat ordered a force to oppose
it. An engagement ensued in consequence,
in which the Deccanies were entirely defeated, and
many slain. This disaster naturally involved the
King of the Deccan in a war with Guzerat; for he
conceived it necessary to retrieve the character of
his arms. He accordingly deputed a large force
to march under the command of the Prince Alla-
A. H. 840.
A. D. 1436.
In the year 840, Nuseer Khan received
accounts from his daughter that
she experienced ill treatment from her
husband, Alla-ood-Deen Shah; in consequence of
which her father suspended all amicable inter-
A. H. 841.
A. D. 1437.
course with him; and in the year 841,
at the instance of the King of Guzerat,
invaded his country. He first entered
Berar; and being supported by many malecontent
Deccany chiefs caused the public prayers to be
read in his name. He next invested the fortress
of Narnala; but Alla-ood-Deen Shah having deputed
Mullik-oot-Toojar with a large force to
oppose him, Mullik Nuseer, accompanied by the
Deccan officers, was compelled to fly. He was
pursued by Mullik-oot-Toojar as far as Boorhan-
Rubbee-ool-
Awul 20.
A. H. 841.
Sept. 19.
A. D. 1437.
20th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, in the year 841, after a reign of forty years. Nuseer Khan was buried by his son in the family-vault at Talnere by the side of his father, Mullik Raja.