*

The character of Feroze. — Feiz Oolla Anjoo created minister. — The southern provinces invaded by Dew Ray, Raja of Beejanuggur. — Berar invaded by Nursing Ray of Kehrla. — The King marches to the south, and compels the Raja of Bee-januggur to pay him 440,000l. for the expense of the war. — The King marches north to Berar. — The Raja of Kehrla defeated. — The King deputes an embassy to Teimoor (Ta-merlane), who confers on Feroze the sovereignty over Malwa and Guzerat. — Secret negotiations by the kings of Malwa and Guzerat at the court of Beejanuggur. — War renewed with Beejanuggur. — Beejanuggur invested. — The country ravaged by the Mahomedans. — Bunkapoor reduced. — The Raja gives his daughter to Feroze, and makes peace. — Feroze takes Pangul. — War renewed. — The subversion of the Ma-homedan kingdom is threatened. — The Hindoos are eventually defeated by the King's brother Ahmud. — Feroze's intellect becomes impaired — his imbecile conduct. — The King's bro­ther Ahmud aims at possessing the throne — his endeavours to effect that object, and his eventual success. — Death of Feroze Shah Bahmuny.

FROM various historians we learn, that Feroze Shah excelled his predecessors in power and magnifi­cence, and that in his reign the house of Bahmuny attained its greatest splendour. He compelled the Ray of Beejanuggur to give him his daughter in marriage, though contrary to the custom of the Hindoos, who marry only in their own cast. Nei­ther did he fail to promote the true faith, having made four-and-twenty glorious campaigns, by the success of which he greatly enlarged his dominions. He took the fort of Bunkapoor, and subjected the greater part of Tulingana to the yoke of Islam. He was the first of the Deccan kings who wore a crown set with jewels in the form of a turban. He prided himself much on his liberality (one of the chief virtues of kings), and acquired thereby great reputation. He was guilty of no offences against the doctrines of religion but that of drinking wine and listening to music. He fasted often, and regularly observed the prescribed ceremonies of the holy law. He would often express con­trition for his two bad propensities, but said, that as music elevated his soul to the contemplation of the Deity, and as he did not drink wine so as to affect his reason, he hoped he should obtain par­don hereafter from a merciful God.

He was much addicted to women, and he con­sulted, therefore, the holy men in what way he might gratify his passions without infringing the law, which allowed only of four wives. Some said that he might divorce one and marry another, as often as he pleased, but this opinion being unsatisfactory, the point was referred to Meer Feiz Oolla Anjoo his minister. Feiz Oolla observed, that in the time of the Prophet and the first Ca­liph, the Moottea * was allowed; and though abro­gated in the reign of the second Caliph, it was still legal, according to the tenets of the Sheeas. The Soonees denied the orthodoxy of this doctrine; and much debate took place among the learned in con­sequence. All the various commentaries were now consulted in favour of the opinions of each party, till at length the King, being convinced by the reasoning of the Sheeas, received into his haram three hundred females in one day. According to Hajy Mahomed Kandahary, Feroze Shah made a point of copying sixteen pages of the Koran every fourth day, after which he engaged in public business. He gener­ally spent his time till midnight in the company of divines, poets, reciters of history, readers of the Shah Nama, and the most learned and witty among his courtiers. In this assembly he laid aside all restraint; observing, that when he sat on the throne to transact business he was a sovereign, and necessarily obliged to assume state, in order to make a due impression on the minds of the people, so that the authority of government might be supported; but that in their company he re­garded himself as a private individual, and wished to be treated without form or ceremony. He de­sired that all the members of these parties might come in or go out at will; that each person might call for what he chose to eat and drink, and speak freely on all subjects but two, which he forbade being introduced: the first regarded affairs of state, and the second slander of an absent person.

Moolla Isaac Surhindy, a man of great learning and wit, observed one day to the King, that his desiring his attendants to wave ceremony towards him on these occasions was contrary to the practice of all other kings; the truth of which he illustrated by relating an anecdote of a circumstance which happened between Ameer Subooktugeen Ghiznevy and the philosopher and astrologer Anwury. The King, having heard the story, smiled, and observed, that such conduct could only proceed from princes void of justice, and that he hoped such weakness was not in his disposition. Those who frequented the King's assemblies had ample experience how far he excelled most princes in the uniformity of his behaviour and the consistency of his conduct.

Many curious anecdotes are related of Feroze Shah by Moolla Dawood Bidury, the introduction of which here would only occasion prolixity, and perhaps cause my being accused of departing from truth; so that I shall not give them to my readers. But as that of Subooktugeen and the phi­losopher Anwury has been mentioned, it may be proper to give the story in the words of Moolla Dawood.

“It is related that the philosopher Anwury, one “of the wonders of his age, performed many sur-“prising deeds. On account of his great learning, “and the condescension used towards him by the “King, he was permitted to indulge in a degree of “freedom which in the end grew displeasing. One “day while Subooktugeen was sitting on the terrace “of a lofty building in the palace of Ghizny, An-“wury entered the gate. The King commanded “him to foretell by which route he would next “quit the palace. Anwury, immediately fixing “his astrolabe, took an observation of the heavenly “bodies, and having finished it, wrote the result “on a piece of paper, and placed it under a pil-“low. Subooktugeen gave orders for part of the “eastern wall of the palace to be thrown down, “and went out. On examining the paper, it ap-“peared Anwury had anticipated what the King “had done. Subooktugeen, enraged at the philo-“sopher's success, ordered him in his passion to be “cast headlong from the turret of the palace. “Luckily a net received Anwury, who escaped “without injury. The King then asked him if “he had foreseen this? to which the philosopher “replied he had; and calling for his book, pointed “out a prediction that he should, upon such a day, “fall from a high place, and escape unhurt. This “displeased the King still more, and he ordered “him to be confined. Six months afterwards, while “the philosopher was still in prison, one of his “slaves going to the market was told by a di-“viner, that from certain omens he perceived in “his aspect much good fortune, which he would “foretell him for a certain sum. The slave gave “what was demanded; on which the diviner told “him that he had a master in distress, who in a few “days would be delivered from his troubles, and “receive a dress of honour. The slave ran and con-“gratulated his master, who reproved him for his “credulity, and for going into such bad company. “Three days after, it happened that Hussun My-“mundy took an opportunity, upon the King's con-“versing with him on astrology, to mention the “unfortunate Anwury, lamenting, that instead “of rewards and honours for his two surprising “predictions he had been doomed to a gloomy “dungeon. The King replied, that certainly “Anwury was unrivalled in science, but men “of learning should know mankind better; for, he “observed, kings are like children, and must be “flattered to be pleased. After these remarks, he “commanded Anwury to be released. On his “way from prison to the court, Anwury met the di-“viner, and was constrained to confess, that other “persons besides philosophers could sometimes “foretell events. The King honoured Anwury “with a dress, a thousand pieces of silver, a horse, “and a male and female slave; at the same time “expressing his concern for what had happened.”

Feroze Shah, every year, despatched vessels from the ports of Goa and Choul to procure the manu­factures and curious productions of all quarters of the world, but particularly to invite to his court per­sons celebrated for their talents; whom, he would frequently observe, should be regarded as the choicest productions of all countries. He used to say that kings should draw around them the most learned and meritorious persons of all nations, so that from their society they might obtain information, and thus reap some of the advantages acquired by tra­velling into distant regions of the globe. The King had so excellent a memory that he could converse in many languages; a practice he exercised, as far as practicable, towards foreigners. It was sufficient to hear a circumstance once related to enable him to retain it in mind ever after. He was a good poet, and often made extempore verses. He was well ac­quainted with several sciences, and particularly fond of natural philosophy. On Saturdays, Mondays, and Thursdays, he heard lectures on botany, geometry, and logic, generally in the day, but if business interfered, at night. It is said, that he even ex­celled Mahomed Toghluk in literary attainments.