The third project also did great harm to the country. It increased the daring and arrogance of the disaffected in Hin-dustán, and augmented the pride and prosperity of all the Hindus. This was the issue of copper money.* The Sultán, in his lofty ambition, had conceived it to be his work to subdue the whole habitable world and bring it under his rule. To accomplish this impossible design, an army of countless numbers was necessary, and this could not be obtained without plenty of money. The Sultán's bounty and munificence had caused a great deficiency in the treasury, so he introduced his copper money, and gave orders that it should be used in buying and selling, and should pass current, just as the gold and silver coins had passed. The promulgation of this edict turned the house of every Hindu into a mint, and the Hindus of the various pro­vinces coined krors and lacs of copper coins. With these they paid their tribute, and with these they purchased horses, arms, and fine things of all kinds. The ráís, the village headmen and landowners, grew rich and strong upon these copper coins, but the State was impoverished. No long time passed before distant countries would take the copper tanka only as copper. In those places where fear of the Sultán's edict prevailed, the gold tanka rose to be worth a hundred of (the copper) tankas. Every gold­smith struck copper coins in his workshop, and the treasury was filled with these copper coins. So low did they fall that they were not valued more than pebbles or potsherds. The old coin, from its great scarcity, rose four-fold and five-fold in value. When trade was interrupted on every side, and when the copper tankas had become more worthless than clods, and of no use, the Sultán repealed his edict, and in great wrath he proclaimed that whoever possessed copper coins should bring them to the treasury, and receive the old gold coins in exchange. Thousands of men from various quarters, who possessed thousands of these copper coins, and caring nothing for them, had flung them into corners along with their copper pots, now brought them to the treasury, and received in exchange gold tankas and silver tankas, shash-gánís and dú-gánís, which they carried to their homes. So many of these copper tankas were brought to the treasury, that heaps of them rose up in Tughlikábád like mountains. Great sums went out of the treasury in exchange for the copper, and a great deficiency was caused. When the Sultán found that his pro­ject had failed, and that great loss had been entailed upon the treasury through his copper coins, he more than ever turned against his subjects.

The fourth project which diminished his treasure, and so brought distress upon the country, was his design of conquering Khurásán and 'Irák. In pursuance of this object, vast sums were lavished upon the officials and leading men of those countries. These great men came to him with insinuating proposals and deceitful representations, and as far as they knew how, or were able, they robbed the throne of its wealth. The coveted countries were not acquired, but those which he possessed were lost; and his treasure, which is the true source of political power, was expended.

The fifth project * * * was the raising of an immense army for the campaign against Khurásán. * * * In that year three hundred and seventy thousand horse were enrolled in the muster­master's office. For a whole year these were supported and paid; but as they were not employed in war and conquest and enabled to maintain themselves on plunder, when the next year came round, there was not sufficient in the treasury or in the feudal estates (iktá') to support them. The army broke up; each man took his own course and engaged in his own occupations. But lacs and krors had been expended by the treasury.

The sixth project, which inflicted a heavy loss upon the army, was the design which he formed of capturing the mountain of Kará-jal.* His conception was that, as he had undertaken the conquest of Khurásán, he would (first) bring under the dominion of Islám this mountain, which lies between the territories of Hind and those of China, so that the passage for horses and soldiers and the march of the army might be rendered easy. To effect this object a large force, under distinguished amírs and generals, was sent to the mountain of Kará-jal, with orders to subdue the whole mountain. In obedience to orders, it marched into the mountains and encamped in various places, but the Hindus closed the passes and cut off its retreat. The whole force was thus destroyed at one stroke, and out of all this chosen body of men only ten horsemen returned to Dehlí to spread the news of its discomfiture. * * *

REVOLTS.—* * The first revolt was that of Bahrám Abiya at Multán. This broke out while the Sultán was at Deogír. As soon as he heard of it he hastened back to his capital, and collecting an army he marched against Multán. When the opposing forces met, Bahrám Abiya was defeated. His head was cut off and was brought to the Sultán, and his army was cut to pieces and dis­persed. * * * The Sultán returned victorious to Dehlí, where he stayed for two years. He did not proceed to Deogír, whither the citizens and their families had removed. Whilst he re­mained at Dehlí the nobles and soldiers continued with him, but their wives and children were at Deogír. At this time the country of the Doáb was brought to ruin by the heavy taxation and the numerous cesses. The Hindus burnt their corn stacks and turned their cattle out to roam at large. Under the orders of the Sultán, the collectors and magistrates laid waste the country, and they killed some landholders and village chiefs and blinded others. Such of these unhappy inhabitants as escaped formed themselves into bands and took refuge in the jungles. So the country was ruined. The Sultán then proceeded on a hunting excursion to Baran, where, under his directions, the whole of that country was plundered and laid waste, and the heads of the Hindus were brought in and hung upon the ramparts of the fort of Baran.

About this time the rebellion of Fakhrá broke out in Bengal, after the death of Bahrám Khán (Governor of Sunár-gánw). Fakhrá and his Bengalí forces killed Kadar Khán (Governor of Lakhnautí), and cut his wives and family and dependents to pieces. He then plundered the treasures of Lakhnautí, and secured possession of that place, and of Sat-gánw and Sunár­gánw. These places were thus lost to the imperial throne, and, falling into the hands of Fakhrá and other rebels, were not recovered. At the same period the Sultán led forth his army to ravage Hindustán. He laid the country waste from Kanauj to Dalamú, and every person that fell into his hands he slew. Many of the inhabitants fled and took refuge in the jungles, but the Sultán had the jungles surrounded, and every individual that was captured was killed.

While he was engaged in the neighbourhood of Kanauj a third revolt broke out. Saiyid Hasan, father of Ibráhím, the purse-bearer, broke out into rebellion in Ma'bar, killed the nobles, and seized upon the government. The army sent from Dehlí to recover Ma'bar, remained there. When the Sultán heard of the revolt he seized Ibráhím and all his relations. He then returned to Dehlí for reinforcements, and started from thence to Deogír, in order to prepare for a campaign against Ma'bar. He had only marched three or four stages from Dehlí when the price of grain rose, and famine began to be felt. Highway robberies also became frequent in the neighbourhood. When the Sultán arrived at Deogír he made heavy demands upon the Musulmán chiefs and collectors of the Mahratta country, and his oppressive exactions drove many persons to kill themselves. Heavy abwábs also were imposed on the country, and persons were specially ap­pointed to levy them. After a short time he sent Ahmad Ayyáz (as lieutenant) to Dehlí, and he marched to Tilang. When Ayyáz arrived in Dehlí he found that a disturbance had broken out in Lahor, but he suppressed it. The Sultán arrived at Arangal, where cholera (wabá) was prevalent. Several nobles and many other persons died of it. The Sultán also was at­tacked. He then appointed Malik Kabúl, the náíb-wazír, to be ruler over Tilang, and himself returned homewards with all speed. He was ill when he reached Deogír, and remained there some days under treatment. He there gave Shaháb Sultání the title of Nusrat Khán, and made him governor of Bidar and the neighbourhood, with a fief of a lac of tankas. The Mahratta country was entrusted to Katlagh Khán. The Sultán, still ill, then set off for Dehlí, and on his way he gave general permission for the return home of those people whom he had removed from Dehlí to Deogír. Two or three caravans were formed which returned to Dehlí, but those with whom the Mahratta country agreed remained at Deogír with their wives and children.