By the blessing of God favourable seasons and abundance of the necessaries of life prevailed in the reign of Fíroz Sháh, not only in the capital, but throughout his dominions. During the whole forty years of his reign there was no appearance of scarcity, and the times were so happy that the people of Dehlí forgot the reign of 'Aláu-d dín, although no more prosperous times than his had ever fallen to the lot of any Muhammadan sovereign. 'Aláu-d dín took such pains to keep down the price of the neces­saries of life, that his exertions have found a record in famous histories. To the merchants he gave wealth, and placed before them goods in abundance, and gold without measure. He showed them every kingly favour, and fixed on them regular salaries.* In the reign of 'Aláu-d dín the necessaries of life were abundant through excellent management,* but through the favour of God grain continued cheap throughout the reign of Fíroz Sháh, with­out any effort on his part. Grain was so cheap that, in the city of Dehlí, wheat was eight jítals a man, and gram and barley four jítals a man. A camp follower could give his horse a feed of ten sírs of corn (dalída) for one jítal. Fabrics of all kinds were cheap, and silk goods, both white and coloured, were of moderate price. Orders were given for the reduction of the price of sweet­meats, in unison with the general fall of prices.

During the forty years of this sovereign's reign, cheapness prevailed. If occasionally prices rose from bad seasons, or from scarcity of rain, and reached one tanka per man, it was only for a short time. The good fortune of the Sultán prevailed, so that no dearth occurred. Such was the prosperity that, throughout the Doáb, from the hill of Sakrúdih and Kharla to Kol, not one village remained waste, even in name, nor one span of land uncultivated. In the Doáb there were fifty-two parganas flourishing, and a similar (state of prosperity) prevailed elsewhere. The like prosperity prevailed in every fief (iktá'a) and district (shikk). Thus, in the district of Sámána, there were four prosperous villages within one kos, and the inhabitants were happy and free from care. Such perfect happiness did the king­dom enjoy in those days.

Sultán Fíroz had a great liking for the laying out of gardens, which he took great pains to embellish. He formed 1,200 gardens in the vicinity of Dehlí. Such of them as were private property, or were religious endowments, after* due investigation of the titles, he settled for with their owners. All gardens received abundant proofs of his care,* and he restored thirty gardens which had been commenced by 'Aláu-d dín. In the neighbour­hood of Salaura he made eighty gardens, and in Chitúr forty-four gardens. In every garden there were white and black grapes, of seven [named] varieties. They were sold at the rate of one jítal per sír. Of the various articles grown in the gar­dens, the government share of the produce amounted to 80,000 tankas, without taking into account the dues of the owners and gardeners.

The revenues of the Doáb in this reign amounted to eighty lacs of tankas; and under the fostering care of this religious sovereign, the revenues of the territories of Dehlí were six krors and eighty-five lacs of tankas (60,850,000). The Sultán, throughout his reign, in his great sagacity and prudence, en­deavoured to circumscribe the extent of his dominions, but still the revenues amounted to the sum stated. All this large revenue was duly apportioned out; each Khán received a sum suitable to his exalted position, the amírs and maliks also obtained allowances according to their dignity, aud the officials were paid enough to provide a comfortable living. The soldiers of the army received grants of land, enough to support them in comfort, and the irregulars (ghair wajh) received payment from the government treasury. Those soldiers who did not receive their pay in this manner were, according to necessity, supplied with assignments (itlák) upon the revenues. When these assignments of the soldiers (wajh-dárs) arrived in the fiefs (iktá'át), the holders used to get about half of the total amount from the holders of the fiefs. It was the practice of certain persons in those days to buy up these assignments, which was an accomodation to both parties. They used to give one-third of the value for them in the city, and receive one half in the districts. The purchasers of these assignments carried on a traffic in them, and gaining a good profit, many of them got rich and made their fortunes.

Sultán Fíroz, under Divine inspiration, spread all the revenues of his territories among his people. The various districts of the fiefs were also divided. Khán-i Jahán, the wazír, exclusive of the allowances for his retainers, friends, and sons, received a sum of thirteen lacs of tankas, or instead of it sundry fiefs and districts. Other chiefs were similarly provided for, according to their merit; some receiving eight lacs of tankas, others six lacs, and others four lacs. All the kháns and maliks grew rich in his reign, and had vast stores of wealth, and jewels and diamonds of great value. When Malik Shahín Shahna, who was naib-amír of the majlis-i kháss, died, and his effects were examined, a sum of fifty lacs of tankas, in cash, was taken out of his house, besides horses, valuables, and jewels in abundance. The enormous wealth left by 'Imádu-l Mulk, Bashír-i Sultání, was well known, and is well remembered. An account of it will be given in the fifth book of this work. The Sultan being thus beneficent, all men, high and low, were devoted to him.

Seventh Mukaddama.—Affairs of the Army.

* In the reign of Fíroz Sháh there was an army of 80,000 and sometimes 90,000 horse, exclusive of slaves. These men remained on service all the year. Horses of little value were often brought to the registry office (díwán) and were passed as serviceable. Stories about this often reached the ears of the Sultán, but he treated them as if he had never heard them. When the year drew to a close, and there remained yet many men who had not presented their horses, the clerks made a statement to his Majesty of the number of men that had not yet registered their horses. An order was then issued granting two months' grace for the production of the animals. When this term was passed a statement was again made of the men who had not produced them. In those days Malik Razí, a very venerable and righteous man, was deputy 'ariz, and administered the business of the army in a very proper manner. He used to point out to the Sultán that those men who had not brought in their horses were generally members of a troop, that their assignments (itlák) had been sent into the districts to realize the amount of their pay, and when that was effected they would come into the city. But before this could be accomplished the year passed by, and the poor men remained in a state of distress. Many of those who had failed were employed in other business (masálihí and). On hearing these kind representations the Sultán said, that if any man had been sent on business (masálih) by his commanding officer, and the year should end while he was absent, without his making any statement of the fact or presenting his horse, then if he were discharged, it would go ill with him, and mourning would fall upon his house. The Sultán also directed that sub­stitutes should be found by the officers for all men who went away on business. The soldier himself who was absent might put in his appearance at the office of the chieftain in whose dis­trict he was; he might also produce his new horse there, so that all inconvenience might be spared the poor soldier. Thus the kindness of the Sultán for his people was such as no father or brother could show. [Story of the Sultán overhearing a soldier complain that he was unable to produce his horse at the muster.] The Sultán told him to go and arrange matters with the clerks of the office, and he replied that his difficulty was that he had not got the necessary money. The Sultán inquired how much was wanted, and the soldier said that if he had a gold tanka he could get a certificate for his horse. He then ordered a tanka to be given to him. On receiving the coin the soldier went to the office, and placing it in the hands of the clerks, he got the certificate; he then returned to the Sultán and expressed his thanks.