Syud Shureef ascends the throne under the title of Alla-ood-Deen II. — his promptitude in restraining his soldiers from plunder — he disbands the Paik guards — his death.

ON the following morning, after the death of Moozuffur, Syud Shureef ascended the throne, and assumed the title of Alla-ood-Deen. During his administration he imputed to his sovereign every vice, particularly that most unpopular one, of penury combined with avarice; but there is no doubt the minister not only encouraged these feelings, but he may be said to have fed his pro­pensity to amass treasure, through the unpopular measure he recommended of disbanding his army. It was by these insinuations that this crafty politician managed to obtain the ascendency over his king, while at the same time he sti­mulated the military chiefs to revolt, by exposing him to their hatred, and succeeded in securing their good will towards himself. Moozuffur being removed, Syud Shureef met with no difficulty in assuming the lead in the government, and in subsequently obtaining the crown. On his acces­sion he found himself obliged at first to permit the besiegers to sack the town of Gour, but in a day or two he commanded all plundering to cease; which order not being obeyed, he put to death twelve thousand of the marauders. By this means he not only stopped its further progress, but appropriated to his own use the property these people had secured for themselves. Amongst this booty were many golden vessels, out of which the people of Bengal of large property were accus­tomed to eat. This luxury was carried in those days to such excess, that whoever could produce most solid gold plate at an entertainment was con­sidered the greatest man. This species of vanity is even at this period prevalent throughout Bengal.*

Alla-ood-Deen, who was a sensible man, shortly after his accession disbanded the Paik body-guard, which had been of late years the cause of the death of so many princes. He also dismissed the Abys­sinians; and as this latter class had acquired the character of regicides, no town in Bengal, after their dismissal, would permit them to domicile therein, so that they were constrained, though re­luctantly, to retire to Guzerat and the Deccan. Alla-ood-Deen, in a short time, established such an excellent system of government as had not been witnessed in Bengal for many years. This prince ruled with justice for a considerably longer period

A. H. 930.
A. D. 1523.

than any of his predecessors, until the year 930, when he died a natural death, after a reign of twenty-seven years.