SOOLTAN KHOOSROW MULLIK BIN KHOOSROW GHIZNEVY

Is in possession of the territories in India occupied by his grand­father Beiram. — Ghizny recovered from the Toorkmans by Shahab-ood-Deen Ghoory. — Pishawur, and all the territory west of the Indus, occupied by Shahab-ood-Deen Ghoory — he invades Punjab, and besieges Khoosrow Mullik in Lahore — concludes peace. — Mullik Shah, the son of Khoosrow Mullik, is delivered up as a hostage. — Shahab-ood-Deen Ghoory returns to Lahore, and attacks it, but fails — he adopts a stratagem to seize Khoosrow Mullik, which succeeds. — The end of the dynasty of the Ghiznevides.

WHEN Sooltan Khoosrow departed this life, his son Khoosrow Mullik ascended the throne, which he adorned with benevolence and justice, extending his rule over all the provinces of India, formerly possessed by the Emperors Sooltan Ibra-heem and Sooltan Beiram. In his time, Sooltan Shahab-ood-Deen Mahomed Ghoory, the brother of Alla-ood-Deen, invaded the kingdom of Ghizny, which he reduced, and not satisfied with that achievement, marched an army into India, over­running the provinces of Pishawur, Afghanistan,

A. H. 576.
A. D. 1180.

Mooltan, and the Indus. He advanced at length to Lahore, and in the year 576 invested Khoosrow Mullik in his capital; but being unable to take the place, peace was concluded. Mahomed Ghoory evacuated the country, carrying with him Mullik Shah, the son of Sooltan Khoosrow Mullik, a child of four years of age, as hostage for the performance of the treaty.

The terms not being fulfilled by Khoosrow

A. H. 580.
A. D. 1184.

Mullik, Mahomed Ghoory, in the year 580, returned to Lahore; but being foiled in his attempt on the town, he subjected the open country to devasta­tion by fire and sword. He then repaired and strengthened the fort of Sealkote, where he left a strong garrison, and returned to Ghizny. In his absence Sooltan Khoosrow Mullik, in alliance with the Gukkurs, besieged the fort of Sealkote; but their enterprize proving unsuccessful, they were obliged to desist.

Some time after these events, Mahomed Ghoory, collecting his forces, attempted a third time to reduce the city of Lahore, which he effected by treachery in the following manner. While he was preparing for this expedition, he gave out, that it was intended against the Suljooks, writing at the same time to Khoosrow Mullik, that he was desirous of accommodating their differences by a treaty of peace. To convince him of the sincerity of his intention, he released his son Mullik Shah, and sent him back to La­hore with a splendid retinue. The escort had orders to make short marches, while his father Khoosrow Mullik, impatient to see him, advanced a part of the way to meet him. In the mean time Mahomed Ghoory, with 20,000 doaspa*

cavalry, marching with incredible expedition, by a circuitous route, turned the mountains, and cutting off Khoosrow Mullik from Lahore, sur­rounded his small camp in the night. The Em­peror awoke in the morning as if from a dream, and seeing no means of escape, threw himself on the mercy of his enemy. Mahomed Ghoory de­manded the instant possession of Lahore. The gates of the city were accordingly thrown open to receive him; and the empire passed from the house of Ghizny to that of Ghoor, as we shall see more fully in the history of that race.

A. H. 582.
A. D. 1186.
The reign of Sooltan Khoosrow Mullik lasted 28 years.