Events which preceded the King's accession. — Contests between the two Kings. — Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed occupies Dehly twice, but is expelled — succeeds the third time in driving out Aboo Bukr, who is eventually taken in battle, and confined for life. — Insurrection in Guzerat. — Furhut-ool-Moolk sent to quell it — proceeds thither, and proclaims himself king. — Islam Khan created minister — is accused by Khwaja Jehan of treason, and suffers death. — Khwaja Jehan created mi­nister. — The King marches against Bahadur Nahir of Mewat. — Sheikha Gukkur takes Lahore. — The King's ill­ness, and death — is succeeded by his son Hoomayoon, who dies after a short reign of 40 days.

NASIR-OOD-DEEN MAHOMED TOGHLUK, first as­cended the throne, in his father's lifetime, in the year 789, (A. D. 1387,) and we have seen how he was deposed and expelled by Baha-ood-Deen, and the other chiefs in confederacy with the Mogul officers of Guzerat and the household troops. We have also given a narrative of his transactions till he shut himself up in the fort of Nagrakote. The Ameer Judeeda having assassinated the late king's minister, Mullik Sooltan, who was also governor of Samana, Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed, according to

Rubbee-ool-
Awul 5.
A. H. 792.
February 21.
A. D. 1390.

their invitation, marched from Nagra-kote towards Dehly, where finding him­self at the head of 20,000 horse, he ad­vanced towards the capital, and on the 5th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, in the year 792, entered it at the head of 50,000 men, and occupied the palace of Jehan Nooma. The Prince Aboo Bukr was then in the opposite quarter of the city, called Ferozabad, and prepared for battle. On

Jumad-ool-
Awul 2.
April 18.

the 2d of Jumad-ool-Awul, the two parties engaged in the streets of Feroz-abad. At this time Bahadur Nahir of Mewat, with a strong reinforcement, arrived, and joining Aboo Bukr, he marched out of Feroz-abad next morning, and drove Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed, with great slaughter, quite out of Dehly. The latter retreated with 2000 horse only, across the Jumna into the Dooab, and despatched his son Hoomayoon, and several omras, to Samana to recruit his army, himself remaining in the town of Jalesur, on the banks of the Ganges. Having experienced throughout these transactions that the household troops of Feroze were his worst enemies, Nasir-ood-Deen gave orders to plunder all their estates in the neighbouring country, and to slay them wherever they might be found; in consequence of which, the zemindars attacked and killed some thousands of those per­sons, who had possessions in other parts of the kingdom; and the very cultivators, disgusted with the government of Aboo Bukr, witheld their rents, and enlisted under the banners of his rival.

In the mean time, Mullik Survur, the controller of the elephant stables, Mullik Nuseer-ool-Moolk, governor of Mooltan, Khowas-ool-Moolk, governor of Behar, as also Ray Survur and other rays (Hindoos), joined the Prince Mahomed with their forces, so that he collected, in a few days, another army of 50,000 horse. In this state of affairs, he

A. H. 792.
A. D. 1389.

appointed Mullik Survur his vizier, with the appellation of Khwaja Jehan; Mullik Nuseer-ool-Moolk became Ameer-ool-Omra, under the title of Khowas Khan; and Ray Survur received the title of Ray Rayan, after which Mahomed advanced a second time towards Dehly. Aboo Bukr drew out his army at the village of Koondly; and the Prince Mahomed having sustained a second defeat, was compelled to retreat again to Jalesur in the Dooab.

Hoomayoon, the son of the Prince Mahomed not many days after this event, appeared before Dehly, with the troops he had raised at Samana, and made an unsuccessful attempt on the capital, and being eventually overthrown at Paniput, fled to Samana. Notwithstanding these successes on the part of Aboo Bukr, he did not dare to quit the capital, being suspicious of a faction in the city in favour of his rival. Having at length pu­nished some of the most disaffected, he ventured to march about 40 miles towards Jalesur, where his uncle Mahomed was again collecting an army. The latter, having by this time concerted secret measures with the kotwal of Dehly, and other officers in the city, left his army with all his bag­gage at Jalesur, and advanced with 4000 chosen horse towards Aboo Bukr, but, avoiding an action, the Prince Mahomed made a rapid movement to the left, and passing the enemy's line, pushed forward to the capital. He there engaged the troops who guarded the walls, and having set fire to the Budaoon gate, forced his way into the city. When he had entered the palace, he was joyfully received by the citizens, who flocked to pay him their respects. Aboo Bukr closely pursued him, and arrived at Dehly on the same day, when forcing the guards which had been placed at the gates, he attacked the palace, expelled his rival, and recovered the town. The Prince Mahomed again fled to Jalesur, having lost the greater part of his army in this expedition.

Some time elapsed without any decisive action occurring, when Moobushir Hajib, commander of the household troops (known by the appellation of Islam Khan), revolted from Aboo Bukr, and wrote to the Prince, Mahomed Khan, promising that if he would make another attempt, he would support him with the greatest part of the house­hold troops. Aboo Bukr, hearing that his rival was again in motion, and having also discovered the disaffection of the household troops and others in his army, left Dehly and fled, with a small retinue to Bahadur Nahir of Mewat. The Prince

Rumzan.
A. H. 793.
August.
A. D. 1390.

Mahomed in the month of Rumzan, entered Dehly, and ascending the throne, assumed the title of Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed. He conferred the office of vizier on Islam Khan, to whom he owed his restoration. On finding himself firmly estab­lished, he ordered all the elephants which had been seized by the household troops of Feroze to be taken from them, and converted to his own use. Most of these troops, provoked at this circum­stance, left the city that night, and hastened to join Aboo Bukr. On the following morning, Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed ordered those persons of the household guard, who still remained in the city, to quit it in three days on pain of death, and never to appear there again. Notwithstanding this de­cree, many of them, unwilling to leave their fami­lies, concealed themselves. A search was in­stituted, and such as were found were put to death. Many persons, taken up on suspicion, declared they were Indians, and not foreigners, of which the household troops consisted. The King directed, that all such as could not pronounce certain words, viz. Kuh×ry Kuh×ry, or Goo×ra Goo×ry, * should be put to death; and it is said many foreigners having no connection with the household troops suffered on this occasion.

The new King, having recruited his army, de­puted his son, Hoomayoon, with a considerable force to attack the ex-King, Aboo Bukr. This Prince, aided by Bahadur Nahir, attempted to sur­prise the Prince Hoomayoon's camp at Kotla; but Hoomayoon by his own exertions, and those of the Vizier, Islam Khan, drove Aboo Bukr, after the most strenuous efforts, from the field. The new King reached Mewat about this time; and Aboo Bukr being reduced to surrender, was sent pri­soner to the fort of Meerut, where he died some years after.

A. H. 793.
A. D. 1390. On the King's return to Dehly, he received advices that Furhut-ool-Moolk, governor of Guzerat, had rebelled. Zuffur Khan, * the son of Wujee-ool-Moolk, was accordingly despatched with an army to suppress the insurrection; but for the details of this expe­dition the reader is referred to the History of Guzerat, which forms a part of this work.

A. H. 794.
A. D. 1391. In the year 794, Nursing Bhan and Sirvodhun, chiefs of the Rahtore Raj-poots, and Bheer Bhan, chief of the Byse Rajpoots, having thrown off their allegiance, the Vizier, Islam Khan, marched with a consider­able force against Nursing Bhan, the most power­ful of them. He was defeated, made peace, and attended the conqueror to Dehly; and the other two chiefs submitted without a struggle. At this period, the zemindars of Etawa rose in arms, and ravaged Bilgiram and the adjacent districts. Na-sir-ood-Deen marched against them in person, and having chastised them, levelled the fort of Etawa with the ground, after which, having proceeded by the route of Kunowj to Jalesur, he built a fort there, which he called Mahomedabad.

Advices were now received from Dehly, that the Vizier, Islam Khan, having made preparations to retire to Lahore and Mooltan, intended to create a revolt in those provinces. The King hastened to the capital, and charged him with his treasonable designs. The Vizier was condemned to death on the evidence of his own nephew, Hajoo, a Hindoo, who swore falsely against him. * Khwaja Jehan, who was thought to have promoted the Vizier's fall, was advanced to his office, and Mullik Mookurrib-ool-Moolk, who makes a figure in the next reign, was at the same time appointed governor of Mahomedabad.

A. H. 795.
A. D. 1392. In the year 795, Sirvodhun Rahtore, and Bheer Bhan Byse, appeared in arms, and Mookurrib-ool-Moolk was ordered to march with the troops, then at Mahomedabad, against them. The King, also in this year, marched to Mewat, to quell some disturbances in that place. On his return to Mahomedabad, being taken ill of a fever, he became occasionally delirious for some days. While in this feeble state of body news arrived, that Bahadur Nahir had plundered the country to the gates of Dehly: the King, though far from recovered, hastened to Mewat, attacked Bahadur Nahir at Kotla, and totally defeated him, and compelled him to fly to

Rubbee-oos-
Sany,
A. H. 796.
February,
A. D. 1394.

Jhirka. After this victory, he returned to Mahomedabad, in the month of Rub­bee-oos-Sany, of the year 796, and sent his son Hoomayoon to crush Sheikha Gukkur, who had rebelled and occu­pied Lahore. But before the Prince left Dehly, news was brought of his father's decease; for the King having had a relapse of his fever, expired

Rubbee-oos-
Sany 17.
A. H. 796.
February 19.
A. D. 1394.

on the 17th of Rubbee-oos-Sany at Ma-homedabad. He reigned about six years and seven months; and his body was deposited at Dehly, in the same vault with that of his father. Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed Toghluk was succeeded by his son Hoomayoon, who, on ascending the throne, as­sumed the name of Sikundur. He confirmed all his father's ministers in their offices; but being in a few days taken ill of a violent disorder, he was sud­denly cut off, after a short reign of only 45 days.