He was visited at Lahore by Sheikh Oothman Toormoozy, the most learned man of that age, but no presents or entreaties could prevail on him to remain out of his own country; so that, after a short stay, he returned to Tooran. We are told, that as he was one day reading one of his poems in Arabic before the Prince, all the poets who were present were transported with it, and the Prince himself shed tears. The fame of the celebrated Sheikh Sady, of Shiraz, reached the ears of the Prince Mahomed, who invited him twice to his court at Mooltan; but he excused himself on account of his age, and it was not without much importunity he was induced even to accept some presents. Sady, in return, sent to the Prince a copy of his works, and commended in high terms the abilities of Ameer Khoosrow, the Prince's favourite, and the president of his learned society. The Prince, every year, made a journey to see his father at Dehly, to whom he always behaved with the utmost filial affection and duty.
To his younger son, Kurra Khan, entitled Nasir-
A. H. 678.
A. D. 1279.
In the year 678, this bold and enter-
The King now prepared to take the field in
person, and gave orders to collect a fleet of boats,
with all expedition, to carry his baggage down the
river. In the mean time, under pretence of going
on a hunting party, he went to Soonam and Sa-
Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun having reached Luk-
Toghrul Khan, who imagined he was surprized by the royal army, started from his throne in confusion, and cut his way through the tent to the rear. He mounted a horse without a saddle, and the cry having now spread through the camp, he was confirmed in his fears, and fled towards the river, with an intention of crossing and making his escape to Jajnuggur. Mullik Mookudur, having got sight of him as he fled, pursued him, and shot him with an arrow while in the act of swimming the stream. Toghrul fell from his horse, and Mullik Mookudur, plunginginto the water, dragged him out by the hair, and cut off his head. At that very instant, seeing some of the enemy coming towards him, he hid the head in the sand, and sending the body into the stream, began to bathe himself in the river. The party questioned him about their king, and then went off without suspicion.
Mullik Mookudur's party, in the mean time, having cut off every body they found in the royal tents, dispersed themselves in such a manner among the enemy, who were now in the utmost confusion, that most of them escaped in the crowd. Toghrul Khan being no where to be found, and the panic having run through the whole army, the flight became general, and each thought only of his personal safety. Those of the forty heroes who survived remained in the rear, till the enemy were quite gone off the field. They then came back, and chanced to meet Mullik Mookudur, with whom they returned to Mullik Yar Beg's camp, who instantly sent the head of Toghrul Khan to the King.
The King arrived the next day with the main
army. He called to him the two gallant brothers,
and commanded the youngest to relate the particulars
of the exploit. He heard it with surprize,
but instead of praising him, as he expected, he told
him that his rashness was inconsistent with a due
regard to prudence, and lectured much more to
the same purpose. In a few days, however, he
conferred high titles and honours on both brothers.
Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun, finding the enemy had
dispersed, returned to Bengal, and put to death
every member of the rebel's family. He did not
even spare his innocent women and children; and
he carried his rigour so far as to order the execution
of a hundred holy mendicants, together with
their chief Kullunder.
*
This man was in high
favour with the rebel Toghrul, who had shortly
before presented him with three maunds of gold to
support his sacred fraternity. Gheias-ood-Deen
having appointed his son, Kurra Khan, King of
Bengal, bestowed on him the ensigns of royalty,
and the spoils of Toghrul Khan, except the elephants
and treasure, with which he himself returned
to Dehly. The King was absent on this expedition
altogether three years. After his return, he conferred
dignities upon Fukhr-ood-Deen Kotwal, who
had ruled Dehly with great wisdom during his
absence. He then visited the learned men at their
own houses, made them rich presents, and, at their
instigation, published an act of grace to all insolvent
public debtors who were in confinement,
striking off, at the same time, all old balances of
revenues due to the crown. Notwithstanding this
appearance of humanity, either the policy or natural
cruelty of his disposition rendered him unmerciful
to all rebels. He ordered posts to be
erected in the market-place for the execution of
the prisoners taken in the late expedition; and it
was with the utmost difficulty that the kazies, muf-