A. H. 748.
A. D. 1347.

Dehly. In the year 748, he encamped at Sooltanpoor, about 30 miles from the city, where he waited till he could collect his army.

Kootloogh Khan, the King's preceptor, and the ex-viceroy of the Deccan, being then at the capital, sent a message to the King through Zeea-ood-Deen Burny, the author of the history of Feroze Shah, saying that this petty insurrection did not demand the presence of the King, himself volunteering to march, and bring matters to issue; observing, that the absence of the King, at this particular mo­ment, from Dehly might favour a rebellion in other quarters. This advice had no effect on Ma-homed Toghluk who continued his preparations for moving as before. An address now came from Azeez, the vintner's son, begging to be allowed to reduce the foreign chiefs of Guzerat, he being nearer to the scene, and having a sufficient force, as he supposed, for that purpose. The King as­sented, but expressed much doubt of his success, knowing him to be a dastard, and without ex­perience. Azeez advanced towards Guzerat; but in the beginning of the action he was panic-struck, and falling from his horse was taken and suffered a cruel death, while his army was totally defeated.

The King, when informed of this disaster, proceeded without delay. It was during this jour­ney that he told Zeea-ood-Deen Burny the his­torian, that he understood the people thought these rebellions arose out of his severe punishments; “but,” said he, “they shall never prevent them. “Crimes must be punished. You are a great his-“torian, and learned in the law, in what instances “are capital punishments warranted?”

The historian replied, “Seven sorts of criminals “deserve severe punishment. These are, 1. Apos-“tates from their religion. 2. Those who shed “innocent blood. 3. Double adulterers. 4. Re-“bellious persons. 5. Officers disobeying law-“ful orders. 6. Thieves. 7. Perverters of the “laws.”

The King then asked, “How many of these seven “are mentioned in the law of the Koran?” Zeea-ood-Deen said, “Three; apostates, shedders of “Mahomedan blood, and double adulterers. The “other four are punishable consistently with good “policy.” The King said, “All this may be very “true, but mankind has become much worse since “those laws were made.”

When the King reached the hills of Aboogur, on the confines of Guzerat, he sent one of his generals against the rebels. He encountered them in the vicinity of the village of Devy, and gave them a total defeat. The King now proceeded by slow marches to Baroach, and Mullik Mokbil was sent in pursuit of the rebels. This officer came up with them on the Nurbudda, put the greatest part to the sword; and the few who escaped took refuge with Man-Dew, Raja of Buglana, by whom they were plundered of their wealth.

On this occasion many of the Mogul chiefs fell; and the towns of Cambay and Surat were sacked by the King's troops. The King now resolved to seize the persons of the Ameer Judeeda of the Deccan; and he proposed doing it thus: Zein-ood-Deen Zund, entitled Movyeid-ood-Deen, and Mul-lik Mokbil, the son of Rookn-ood-Deen Tahnesurry, both of whom were the most disreputable fellows of the time, were employed and sent to Dowlu-tabad, to secure the Ameer Judeeda, and to bring them to punishment. Mullik Mokbil, according to orders, repaired to Dowlutabad, and summoned the Ameer Judeeda from Rachoor, Moodkul Koolburga, Bidur, Bejapoor, Gunjouty, Raibagh, Gilhurry, Hookerry, and Berar.*

The Ameer Judeeda, conformably to those orders, prepared to come to Dowlutabad; and when they arrived, Mullik Mokbil seized and despatched them, under a guard of 1500 horse, to the royal presence. On arriving on the Dec-can frontier, at the Manukpoonj pass, fearing the King had a design on their lives, they entered into a confederacy, and with one accord fell upon the guard, and slew Ahmud Lacheen who com­manded the escort, with many of his people, and the rest of the King's troops under the com­mand of one Hoossein Ally fled to Dowlutabad.

A. H. 748.
A. D. 1347.

The Ameer Judeeda pursued them closely, and before measures could be taken to put the place in a state of de­fence, they took it, being favoured by the garrison. Having experienced kindness from the viceroy, Alum-ool-Moolk, the insurgents spared his life and property, but the rest of the King's officers were put to death, and the public treasure was di­vided among the captors. The Ameer Judeeda of Guzerat and other parts, who had retired to the woods and mountains, hearing of the success of their brethren in the Deccan, joined them; and Ismael, one of their leaders, was proclaimed King, by the title of Nasir-ood-Deen.

Mahomed Toghluk, hearing of this revolution, left Baroach, and proceeded towards Dowlutabad. The Ameer Judeeda drew out their army, and waited to give him battle. The two armies met; and the insurgent troops, though greatly inferior in point of numbers, roused by their danger and wrongs, assaulted the royal troops with such vio­lence, that the right and left wings fell back, and the whole army was upon the point of flight. But many of the chieftains who fought in the van being killed, 4000 of the troops of the Ameer Judeeda fled, and night coming on, left the battle un­decided. A council was called by the Ameer Judeeda, who had suffered severely in the engage­ment, and it was determined that their King, Ismael, should retire into Dowlutabad, with a strong garrison. That the remainder should dis­perse till Mahomed Toghluk might quit the Deccan; when they resolved to re-assemble at Dowlutabad. Mahomed Toghluk, meanwhile, having ordered Imad-ool-moolk, then at Elich-poor, to pursue the fugitives, himself laid siege to Dowlutabad.

In this state of affairs, advices arrived that one Mullik Toghan, heading the Ameer Judeeda of Guzerat, had been joined by many of the ze­mindars, and had not only taken possession of Nehrwala the capital, but had put to death Moo-zuffur Khan, the Naib of Guzerat, had imprisoned Moiz-ood-Deen the governor, and after having plundered Cambay, was now besieging Baroach. Mahomed Toghluk, on hearing this news, left one of his generals to conduct the siege of Dowlutabad, and with the greater part of his army marched to Guzerat. He was plundered on his route of many elephants, and a great part of his baggage, by the Deccanees, by whom he was closely pursued. Having, however, arrived at Baroach, and en­camped on the Nurbudda, Mullik Toghan retreated to Cambay, whither he was followed by Mullik Yoosoof Bokraz, whom the King detached in pur­suit. Mullik Toghan engaged his pursuers at Cambay, and not only defeated them, but slew Mullik Yoosoof, and many other officers of dis­tinction. He also caused all the prisoners taken in the action, as well as those formerly in confine­ment, to be put to death, among whom was Moiz-ood-Deen, the governor of Guzerat.

Mahomed Toghluk, hearing of this cruelty, and breathing nothing but revenge, hastened to Cam-bay; but Mullik Toghan, unable to oppose him, re­treated, and the King, owing to the state of the wea­ther and bad roads, was obliged to halt at Asawul. * Here advices were received, that Mullik Toghan had recruited his army at Nehrwala, and was re­turning to give battle. The royal troops met him at Kurry. Mullik Toghan had injudiciously caused his men to be intoxicated with strong liquors, so that they attacked the royalists with the fury of mad­men; but the elephants in front checked their ap­proach, and eventually threw them into disorder. An easy victory was obtained: five hundred prisoners were taken and put to death, and an equal number fell on the field. The King despatched the son of Mullik Yoosoof Boghraz in pursuit of Toghan after the battle; but he quitted Nehrwala, and fled, with his family and followers, to Tutta, in Sind. The King, meanwhile, went in person to Nehrwala, and was employed for some time in re­storing order in Guzerat.

At this time news arrived from the Deccan that the foreign officers had re-assembled under one Hussun Gungoo; had defeated and slain the royalist general, Imad-ool-Moolk, and had expelled all the royal troops towards Malwa. Also, that Ismael had resigned his regal dignity, to which Hussun Gungoo had succeeded, under the title of Alla-ood-Deen Hussun Gungoo Bahmuny. Ma-homed Toghluk, on receipt of this information, began to consider his own severity might be the cause of all these disorders. He therefore re­solved to govern with more mildness for the future. In the first place, however, he sent for his nephew Feroze, and other nobles, with their troops from Dehly, in order to employ them against Hussun Gungoo.

Before these chiefs arrived, the Deccan army had become so formidable, that the King deter­mined, in the first instance, to settle Guzerat, and to reduce Girnal (now called Joonagur), after which, he intended to march in person to the Deccan. He spent the greatest part of that year in Guzerat recruiting his army, and in the follow­ing year he was taken up in besieging Girnal and in reducing Kutch. Nizam-ood-Deen Ahmud states, that Mahomed Toghluk took the fort of Girnal; but other authors of good authority relate, that he desisted from the attempt, on receiving offerings from the Raja; and that the fort of Girnal was not taken by the Mahomedans till it fell to the arms of Mahmood Shah, Begurra of Guzerat, A. H. 873. (A. D. 1469.) Zeea-ood-Deen Burny informs us, that Mahomed Toghluk, addressing him one day, said, that the disorders of the state were of such a nature, that he no sooner put down disaffection in one place than it broke out in another, and asked the historian to suggest to him some remedy. Zeea-ood-Deen replied, that when disaffection had once taken root so deeply in the minds of the people, it was not to be ex­terminated without tearing up the vitals of the state. The King, he observed, ought now to be convinced how little was to be effected by mere punishment; and he stated that the wisest men had recommended that a monarch, in his circum­stances, should abdicate the throne in favour of his heir, in order to obliterate the remembrance of former wrongs, and dispose the people to peace and good order. Mahomed Toghluk (says Burny) answered, in an angry tone, that he had no one whom he could trust, and that he was determined to scourge his subjects for their rebellion, what­ever might be the consequence.