Is elevated to the throne of his brother by Lallcheen. — Plot of his cousins, Feroze Khan and Ahmud Khan, against his go­vernment — they fly to Sagur, and collect troops — march to the capital, and are repulsed — retire to Sagur — make over­tures, and are pardoned — are received at court. — The bro­thers obtain partisans at the capital — they seize the King, and deprive him of sight. — Lallcheen is taken, and given over to Gheias-ood-Deen, who, though blind, puts him to death with his own hands.

SHUMS-OOD-DEEN ascended the throne in his fif­teenth year, and, intimidated by the fate of his pre­decessor, was content with the mere name of king. Lallcheen received the title of Mullik Naib; * and the nobility, who had escaped the sword, seeing no safety but in submission, bowed to his authority. The Queen-mother, herself originally a slave, paid the utmost deference to Lallcheen, chiefly from her anxiety for her son's safety. She advised him to adopt every measure recommended by the minister, to whom, she observed, the King owed his crown; and she entreated him not to listen to any malicious suggestions which might be made against his benefactor. Lallcheen, on his part, behaved to the Queen-mother with much respect, frequently sending her valuable pre­sents, and using every means to secure her con­fidence and favour.

Dawood Shah Bahmuny left behind him three sons, Mahomed Sunjur, (blinded by order of the Princess Roohpurwur Agha, as has been before re­lated,) Feroze Khan, and Ahmud Khan. The two last (by the same mother) were at the time of their father's death between six and seven years of age. Their uncle, Mahmood Shah, had treated them with parental tenderness, and educated them in a manner becoming their rank, taking care to have them accomplished in all military exercises, under the preceptorship of Meer Feiz Oolla Anjoo Shirazy. Mahmood Shah, having no son at that time, gave to each of the princes one of his daughters in marriage, and would sometimes say, that Feroze should be his suc­cessor. He frequently seated him by his side on the throne, and declared that none of his house was more deserving, or likely to add greater lustre to it. When the Almighty blessed Mahmood with sons, he appointed the eldest, Gheias-ood-Deen, his successor, and conjured Feroze Khan and Ahmud Khan, on his death-bed, to be loyal and obedient to him. They accordingly served him with submission and fidelity.

Gheias-ood-Deen Shah being deposed and blinded by Lallcheen, his sisters instigated their husbands to revenge his death; but Lallcheen discovering their intentions, complained to the King, and ac­cused them of treason, hoping, by this means, to excite his fears, and obtain an order for their death. Shums-ood-Deen Shah being deaf to his insinu­ations, Lallcheen represented the circumstances to the Queen-mother; and observed, that if she did not get rid of the brothers, her son would be dethroned, and she, who was suspected of an at­tachment to his person, would be exposed to the utmost danger. These arguments had more effect on the Queen than her son, who was at length induced to consent to the seizure of his cousins. They, however, obtained intelligence of the de­sign, and escaped from Koolburga to the fortress of Sagur.

Suddoo, a slave of the royal family, com­manded in Sagur. He was rich and powerful, and received the Princes with open arms, omitting nothing to evince his attachment to them. On the next day, Ahmud Khan and Feroze Khan ad­dressed a letter to Shums-ood-Deen Shah, as also other letters to the principal nobility, stating, that their design was only to expel Lallcheen, whose treachery to the late king, and whose other nu­merous crimes, which had cast dishonour on the royal family, were known to all. They demanded, therefore, that he should be punished, after which, the Princes promised to pay due submission to the authority of Shums-ood-Deen Shah: declaring, till this object were obtained, they would use every means in their power to effect his destruction.

Shums-ood-Deen Shah, consulting his mother and Lallcheen, sent back an answer which served only to inflame the Princes, who, with the as­sistance of the commander of Sagur, having col­lected three thousand horse and foot, and with the full confidence that other troops would join them from the capital, marched towards Koolburga. Disappointed in this expectation, they halted for some time on the banks of the Beema, without being aided by any chief of consequence. It was, however, agreed, that the Princes should advance with the regal canopy carried over the head of Feroze Khan. On this occasion his brother Ahmud Khan was raised to the rank of Ameer-ool-Omra, Suddoo to that of Meer Nobut, and Meer Feiz Oolla Anjoo to the office of Vakeel, or minister.

On the arrival of the Princes within four coss * of the city, Lallcheen distributed great sums of money to the officers and troops, and marched out with Shums-ood-Deen Shah to oppose them. A severe engagement took place in the vicinity of the town of Merkole, and the brothers, being defeated, fled with their adherents to Sagur. The power and presumption of the Queen-mother and Lallcheen at length grew to such a height, that many of the officers of the court privately offered their services to the brothers, whom they advised to procure pardon from Shums-ood-Deen Shah, and repair to Koolburga, in order to concert plans, at leisure, for forwarding their views.

Feroze Khan, relying on these assurances, sent Meer Feiz Oolla Anjoo and Syud Kumal-ood-Deen, with other respectable persons, to the Queen and Lallcheen, representing that fear only had occasioned their rebellion, of which they now sin­cerely repented; and promising, if the King would send them letters of pardon, to repair to court. The Queen-mother and Lallcheen, well pleased at these overtures, sent the letter required, replete with flattering assurances of forgiveness.

Soon after the arrival of this communication, the two brothers were sitting on a terrace, and con­sulting whether or not they might venture to go to Koolburga, when a Kashmeerian madman passed by and exclaimed, “I am come, O Feroze of happy “auspices, to conduct thee to Koolburga, and to “make thee King.” Regarding this as a happy omen, they proceeded immediately to Koolburga; where they received dresses and gifts from the King. But Lallcheen and Feroze Khan were, from the first moment, suspicious of each other, and continued on their guard.

About a fortnight after their arrival, on Thursday

Suffur 23.
A. H. 800.
Nov. 15.
A. D. 1397.

the 23d of Suffur, in the year 800, Feroze Khan came into the durbar, attended by twelve silehdars * devoted to his inter­est, and about three hundred of his other followers at the same time obtained admittance into the fort, one or two at a time. He then sent for his brother Ahmud Khan, upon whose arrival he told Lallcheen, that some of their relatives were come from their estate, in order to pay their respects to the King, and he requested that orders might be given to the porters to admit whomsoever he should send for.

Feroze Khan taking care to occupy Lallcheen's attention in conversation, his brother went out on pretence of introducing his relatives; but in at­tempting to pass with twelve persons at once he was stopped by the guards, and fancying that the plot was discovered, he resolved to run all ha­zards, and to attack those on duty. The sentries being overpowered, Ahmud Khan rushed into the durbar, where no opposition was made but by Lallcheen's sons; the rest of the assembly instantly fled. Shums-ood-Deen Shah and his minister hid themselves in a subterraneous apartment; and the three hundred adherents of Feroze Khan, as had been preconcerted, attacked and put to flight the dependents of Lallcheen in the courts of the palace; so that the plan succeded according to design.

Feroze Khan having put chains on the King and Lallcheen, confined them in the apartment to which they had fled for shelter, while himself, accompanied by the nobility, repaired to the hall of audience, and ascended the Tukht-i-Feroza, thus fulfilling the prediction of the Kashmee-rian; and having assumed the title of Feroze Shah Roze Afzoon, begirt himself with the sword of Alla-ood-Deen Hussun Gungoo. Having now established his authority, he deprived the late king of his eyes, and confined him in the fortress of Bidur. At the same time sending for Gheias-ood-Deen from his prison at Sagur, he gave over Lallcheen to his resentment. That Prince, though quite blind, having ordered Lallcheen to be placed before him, slew him with one stroke of his sabre. He then entreated Feroze Shah to allow him to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca; which request being acceded to, he sailed from Choul, and arrived in safety at the holy city; where he resided till his death, which occurred many years after. During his lifetime, Feroze made him a liberal allowance of five thousand golden ashruffies, * and sent him annually rich clothes.

The reign of Shums-ood-Deen only lasted five months and seven days.