JULAL-OOD-DEEN FEROZE KHILJY.

Origin of the tribe of Khiljy. — Julal-ood-Deen puts to death the Prince Keiomoors. — Measures taken to form a new ministry. — The King affects remorse for his conduct, and re­spect for the late dynasty. — Manners of the court. — Encou­ragement to men of letters. — A relative of the late King sets up claims to the throne — is defeated, but pardoned, and an estate conferred on him. — The King's lenity reprobated by his clansmen — its ill effects. — Arrival of one Siddy Mowla, a re­ligious fanatic — engages in a conspiracy against the King. — Trial and execution of Siddy Mowla. — Public and domestic calamities of this period ascribed, by the writers of the times, to arise out of the death of Siddy Mowla. — Revolt at Run-tunbhore. — The King marches against it — relinquishes the siege — is reproached by his minister. — 100,000 Moguls in­vade Hindoostan — are defeated by the King in person. — The Moguls suffered to retreat without molestation. — Oghloo Khan and 3000 Moguls enter the King's service, and embrace the faith of Islam. — Quarters in the city of Dehly assigned to them. — Mogulpoora built. — Mullik Alla-ood-Deen, the King's nephew, takes Bhilsa in Malwa — receives great honours, and addition to his estates — leads the first Maho-medan army into the Dekkan. — Dewgur besieged. — The Raja pays tribute. — Return of Alla-ood-Deen — good con­duct of his army in its retreat. — The King is led to suspect that Alla-ood-Deen has designs on the throne — is warned both by his Queen and his minister against him. — The King marches to Gualiar to meet his nephew, and to ascertain his real views — is deceived by Alla-ood-Deen — retires to Dehly. — Alla-ood-Deen leads his army to his estate of Kurra. — Almas Beg, the brother of Alla-ood-Deen, employed by him to effect a reconciliation, and to bring the King to Kurra. — Julal-ood-Deen proceeds to meet his nephew — is assassinated.

NIZAM-OOD-DEEN AHMUD relates, that he has seen, in some respectable work, that the tribe of Khulich or Kalij, is descended from Khulich Khan, a son-in-law of Chungiz Khan, and that his history is this. Kalij Khan and his wife constantly dis­agreed, but he was afraid of throwing her off on account of the power of his father-in-law. At length, when Chungiz, having pursued Julal-ood Deen Khwaruzm Shah to the banks of the Indus, was on his return towards Eeran and Tooran, Kalij Khan, being well acquainted with the moun­tainous country of Ghoor and Joorjistan, watched his opportunity to throw off his allegiance to Chungiz Khan, and remained with his tribe, amounting to 30,000 families, in those hills. Upon the death of Chungiz Khan, none of his descend­ants thought fit to persecute Kalij Khan, who remained ever since in those hills; and, as the race of Ghoor was now seated on the throne of India, the Khiljies, on account of their vicinity, went to Dehly in parties, and remained there. Julal-ood-Deen Khiljy of Dehly, and Sooltan Mahmood Khiljy of Mando, are both descended from Kalij Khan, vulgarly called Khalij Khan, and from him the tribe is called Khiljy. But, according to the author of the Suljook-nama, Toork, the son of Japhet, the son of Noah, had eleven children, one of whom was called Khulich; and from him are descended the Khilchies or Khiljies. I conceive this account the most probable of the two, be­cause the Khiljies are often mentioned in the histories of the kings of Ghizny, particularly in the reigns of Subooktugeen and Sooltan Mahmood; and it is certain, that they existed anterior to the time of Chungiz Khan; but it is possible that Kalij Khan might be of the tribe of Khiljy, and that the father of Julal-ood-Deen, and the ancestor of Sooltan Mahmood of Malwa, may have both been descended in a direct line from him.

Julal-ood-Deen Feroze, at first, preserved, for some months, the young Prince Keiomoors alive, as a cloak to his usurpation; but having established himself firmly in his government, he caused him to be put to death. He was himself seventy years of age when he ascended the throne. He changed the colour of the royal umbrella from red to white; and was guilty of no further acts of cruelty, after the death of the young Prince, but became distin­guished for his humanity and benevolence. He had no great confidence in the loyalty of the people of Dehly, and therefore resided at Kelookery, which he strengthened with fortifications, and beau­tified with fine gardens and terraced walks by the side of the river. The omras, following the King's example, built palaces around, so that Kelookery became known by the name of the new city. Yooghrish Khan, the King's brother, was appointed Aariz-ool-Moomalik: the King's eldest son, Yekh-tyar-ood-Deen, received the title of Khan Khanan, and the second son that of Urkully Khan; * on each of whom estates were conferred, and they maintained separate establishments.

In like manner the King took under his especial protection his two nephews, Alla-ood-Deen and Almas Beg, the sons of his brother, Shahab-ood-Deen Musaood. He raised the former to high rank in the army, and the latter, who is known under the title of Alugh Khan, was made Master of the Horse (Akhoor Beg). He also appointed his nephew, Mullik Ahmud Hubeeb (his sister's son), to the office of Barbik. Mullik Khoorum was nominated Ameer-i-Dur, Khwaja Khuteer was made Prime Minister, and Fukhr-ood-Deen Mullik-ool-Omra retained his office of Kotwal.*

The chiefs and nobles of Dehly, who had for sixty years paid obeisance to the throne of the Toorks, and had always revolted at the idea of subjection to the Khiljies, forgot for the moment their wonted animosity to this race, and were so well pleased with the commencement of the reign of Feroze Khiljy, that they resorted to the new city of Dehly, and ranged themselves around his throne.

After being well satisfied of the disposition of all classes towards him, the King left Kelookery, and entered old Dehly in great pomp at the head of a splendid retinue. On arriving at the palace, he prostrated himself twice before the threshold, and then having ascended the throne, raised his eyes and hands to heaven, in the sight of the court, and exclaimed with a loud voice, “How shall I ever “be able to acquit myself of the gratitude I owe “to my God for these great benefits; who hath “raised me to that throne, before which I have “been accustomed all my life to bow down, and “who hath preferred me to this dignity, while “my compeers, many of whom are equally, and even “more deserving, stand around with their arms “folded, in token of obedience.” From thence he went towards the “Ruby Palace,” where he dis­mounted, as usual, at the outer gate. His nephew, Ahmud Hubeeb, observed, “Now that this palace “belongs to your Majesty, why do you dismount at “the outer gate.” He replied, “Under every cir-“cumstance, respect is due to my former Prince “and patron Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun, who in-“habited this palace.” His nephew Ahmud Hubeeb said, “Your Majesty will, at all events, “of course, make it your dwelling.” The King answered by saying, “This palace was built by “Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun, when he was only a “noble of the state, it is therefore the private “property of his family, and I have no right to occupy it.” His nephew observing, that “he would “find such minute distinctions inconsistent with “the great duties of a throne,” the King said, “It “might be so; but that considering his age, and “the few years which, in the course of nature, were “allotted to him, he could invade no man's pro-“perty without compunction of conscience.” He accordingly continued to proceed on foot through the several court-yards, and even when he entered the hall of audience, he took a seat on the spot where he was accustomed to stand among the nobles. He then said, “May God confound the house of “Atmeer Kuchun, and Atmeer Soorkha, who, by “aiming at my life, compelled me, from motives of “self-preservation, to adopt these measures. Had “this not been the case, I had still been in my “former station, and God knows how far that was “removed from the throne of Dehly. I was “content to have passed my life with the title “of Mullik or Khan, but having attained this ele-“vation, I am now astounded to think how I shall “fill it. For since, in spite of the munificence “and talents of Gheias-ood-Deen Bulbun and his “posterity, they were unable to retain the reins “of government in their hands, how shall I be “able to support the office to which I am raised. “God only knows, how it may fare either with “me or my descendants.” Some of the nobles of the court, famed for their experience and wisdom, held down their heads, and seemed lost in deep reflection, while others, young and bold, said to each other, “This is a strange sort of a king, who “has hardly placed his foot on the throne, but “he begins to think on the chance of losing it “again. How will he ever bring himself to “assume that bold and prompt line of conduct “which dares to punish, and seeks to remunerate, “when circumstances require him to do so?” In the evening of the same day, the King returned to the new city, where, for the present, he resided; and shortly after, he bestowed in marriage his two daughters (both remarkable for their beauty) on his nephews, whom he had taken under his pro­tection, viz. Alla-ood-Deen, and Almas Beg, (the latter) entitled Alugh Khan.