A.

PERSIAN MANUSCRIPTS, BELONGING TO THE TRANSLATOR, WHICH HAVE BEEN REFERRED TO, AS AUTHORITIES FOR THE FACTS OF THE HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION, OR MAY BE HEREAFTER CITED IN THE ANNOTATIONS.

<Arabic> Habíbu-s-Sair, compiled by Mír Khawand Sháh, otherwise named Mírkhond, in the end of the fifteenth century. I possess only the second volume, which is neatly written, and does not appear to have been copied in India.

<Arabic> Táríkhi Alfí, or the history of one thousand years, by Mullah Ahmad, the son of Nasr Allah of Nineveh. This general history of Mohammedan transactions was compiled at Agra, in Hij. 995, A.D. 1587, by order of Mohammed Jalál-ud-dín Akbar, Emperor of Dehlí. It is one of the general works used by Ferishta in compiling his general history of India. The second and third volumes of the work are in my possession, and were taken from a copy which once belonged to the library of Khuld Manzal Bahádur Sháh, the eldest son of Aurangzíb.

<Arabic> Tabakát Akbarí, by Nizámu-d-dín Ahmad Bakhshí, the son of Mohammed Mokim, of Hirát. It is an excellent general history of India, composed during the reign of Akbar, about Hij. 991, A.D. 1583. The plan of this work appears to have suggested to Ferishta the idea of his general history of India; and this author has borrowed from it largely. Nizám-ud-dín Ahmad was Bakhshí, or military paymaster, of the troops in Gujarát, and is frequently mentioned by the author of the Mirát Ahmadí. My copy of the work was written in Hij. 1071, A.D. 1660.

<Arabic> Akbar Námah and Ayín Akbarí, by the learned Shaikh Abul Fazl, the renowned minister of the Emperor Akbar. My copy is complete in three volumes, and was copied, Hij. 1044, A.D. 1634.

<Arabic> Táríkhi Ferishta, the history of Ferishta, which has been well translated by Colonel Briggs. The Persian copy to which I have occasionally referred is one which was lithographed at Bombay.

<Arabic> Tazkarat-ul-Mulúk, or a memoir of Kings, by Rafi-ud-dín Ibrahím Shírází, of Bíjápúr. The author lived in the time of Ibrahím Ádil Sháh II. of Bíjápúr, and commenced to write about the time that Ferishta finished his history, or A.D. 1608. This work is a memoir of the author's own times, from A.D. 1559 to A.D. 1636, and is very rare.

<Arabic> Jahángír Námah, a history of the Emperor Jahángír of Dehlí, written by Motamad Khán. This work was used by Colonel Dow in composing the second volume of his Indian history.

<Arabic> Táríkhi Sháh-Jahán, by Mírzá Amína. This history of the Emperor Sháh Jahán, the father of Aurangzíb, afforded materials for his life in Colonel Dow's second volume.

<Arabic> Táríki Khafí Khán, sometimes called the Muntakhab-ul-Lubáb, an excellent history of India, from the time of Báber, written by Mohammed Háshim, commonly entitled Kháfí Khán. I only possess the second volume, containing the reign of Aurangzíb.

<Arabic> Fatúhát Álamgírí, or victories of Au­rangzíb, written by Shrídás, a Nágar Bráhman of Gujarát. The author was a spectator of the occurrences he details: and was in the service of the Shaikh-ul-islám, the son of Abd-ul-Wahháb Ahmadábádí. This work is very rare, and was copied at Nahr­wálah Patan, in Hij. 1163, A.D. 1749.

<Arabic> Maásir-ul-Omará, or biography of the Nobles, by Samsámu-d-daulah Sháh Nawáz Khán. Two copies of this work are in my possession.

<Arabic> Dastúr-ul-Amal Sháhinsháhí, or the imperial regulations and political divisions of Hindústán and the Dekhan, compiled by Munshí Thakor Lál.

<Arabic> Haft Iklím, a geographical and biographical treatise, composed by Amín Ahmad Razí.

With regard to the system of orthography followed in this translation, it is necessary to say a few words. Most of the consonants are to be pronounced as in English. The lisping <Arabic> is expressed by s, instead of th, adopted by some oriental orthographers; <Arabic> by j; <Arabic> by ch, as in the word church; <Arabic> by kh, a guttural, and pronounced like the Greek <Arabic>, or the German ch, as in the Scotch word loch; <Arabic> by t; <Arabic> by z; <Arabic> by s, &c. In spelling the vowels, (<Arabic>) Fat'ha, has been expressed by a; for (<Arabic>) Kisra, i, as in the Italian; for Zamma, or Pesh, (<Arabic>), u or o, according to what the pro­nunciation seems to require. The spelling of some names, familiarized by time to the English ear, and not far wide of the proper pronunciation, has been retained.