Ascends his father's throne — defies the power of Akbur. — Aseer besieged, and taken by capitulation; and Bahadur Khan, the last of the kings of Kandeish, becomes a state-prisoner in Gualiar.

A. H. 1005.
A. D. 1596.

AFTER the death of Raja Ally Khan, in the year 1005, he was succeeded by his son, Bahadur Khan, who was sup­ported by Khan Khanan, the general of Akbur Padshah. This prince soon abandoned himself to the pleasures of the seraglio, and neglecting altogether state-affairs, diverted himself with min­strels and dancers. At the period of the death of the Prince Moorad Mirza, in the town of Shahpoor, the Prince Daniel Mirza succeeded him. Bahadur Khan neither sent condolence on his brother's death nor congratulations on his accession to the command of the forces in the Deccan, as is cus­tomary; and when Akbur Padshah, a few years afterwards, arrived at Mando with the avowed in­tention of invading the Deccan, Bahadur Khan, instead of adopting the policy of his father in re­lying on the honour of Akbur, and going with an army to co-operate with him, shut himself up in the fort of Aseer, and commenced preparations to withstand a siege. To this end he invited fifteen thousand persons, including labourers, artisans, and shop-keepers, into the place, and filled it with horses and cattle, in order that they might serve for work, and eventually for food and other purposes. When Akbur Padshah heard of these proceedings, he sent orders to Khan Khanan, and to the Prince Daniel Mirza, to continue the siege of Ahmudnuggur, while he himself marched to the south and occupied Boorhanpoor, leaving one of his generals to besiege Aseer. The block­ade of this fortress continued for a length of time till the air from filth became fetid, and an epi­demic disease raged, caused by the number of cattle which daily died. At this period a prevalent report was spread, and generally believed in the garrison, that Akbur had the power of reducing forts by the art of necromancy, and that ma­gicians accompanied him for that purpose. Ba­hadur Khan, believing that his misfortunes arose from the above-mentioned cause, took no means to counteract the evils by which he was sur­rounded. He neither gave orders for the re­moval of the dead cattle, for the establishment of hospitals, nor for sending out useless per­sons, till at length the soldiers, worn out, be­came quite careless on duty; and the Moguls stormed and carried the lower fort called Mally-gur. Nothing could exceed the infatuation of Bahadur Khan, who, although he had then ten years' grain, and money to an enormous amount, still kept the troops in arrears; and they, seeing that no redress was to be expected, resolved to seize him, and to deliver him over to Akbur Pad­shah. Before this project was carried into effect Bahadur Khan discovered the plot, and con­sulted his officers, who all agreed it was too late to think of a remedy. The pestilence raged with great fury, the troops were completely exhausted, and nothing remained but to open negotiations for the surrender of the fort, on condition that the lives of the garrison should be spared, and that they should march out with their property. The terms were acceded to, with the exception of the last proposition regarding the Khan's private pro­perty, all of which fell into the King's hands; and Bahadur Khan, the last of the Farooky dynasty, humbled himself before the throne of Akbur Pad-

A. H. 1008.
A. D. 1599.

shah, in the year 1008: while the im­pregnable fortress of Aseer, with ten years' provisions, and countless treasures, fell into the hands of the conqueror.

The town of Bahadurpoor, near the city of Boor-hanpoor, was built by Bahadur Khan.