Mullik Kafoor produces a spurious testament of the King, nominating his youngest son, Oomur Khan, his successor, and appointing Mullik Kafoor protector, during his minority.— Mullik Kafoor procures the King's eldest sons, Khizr Khan and Shady Khan, to be blinded, and another son, Moobarik, is imprisoned for the same purpose. — Mullik Kafoor espouses the mother of the young King. — Plot of the officers of the guards to kill the protector. — Mullik Kafoor is assassinated. — The Prince Moobarik is raised to the throne. — The young King, Oomur Khan, is deprived of eyesight, and con­fined for life in the fort of Gualiar.

IN the history of Sudr Jehan of Guzerat, we are informed that the day after the death of Alla-ood-Deen Khiljy, Mullik Kafoor assembled the omras, and produced a spurious testament of the deceased King, in which his youngest son, the Prince Oomur Khan was appointed his successor, and Mullik Ka-foor regent, during his minority; setting aside alto­gether the right of primogeniture of Khizr Khan and of the other princes. Oomur Khan, then in the seventh year of his age, was accordingly placed on the throne, and Mullik Kafoor began his adminis­tration. His first measure was to send a person to Gualiar, to put out the eyes of the Princes Khizr Khan and Shady Khan. His orders were inhu­manly executed; and the Sooltana, their mother, was put into closer confinement, and her property seized. Moobarik Khan, the third son of Alla-ood-Deen, was also taken into custody, for the purpose of having his eyes put out. However ridiculous it may appear, Mullik Kafoor, though an eunuch, married the mother of the Prince Oomur, the late Emperor's third wife. But the mother of the Prince Moobarik, the late King's second wife, having heard that the regent intended to put out

A. H. 716.
A. D. 1316.

the eyes of her son, acquainted Sheikh Nujm-ood-Deen, and he gave her some hopes that the threatened misfortune should be prevented.

Meanwhile, Mullik Kafoor, as a cloak to his designs, placed the young King every day upon the throne, and ordered the nobles to pay their respects as usual. He sent one night a band of assassins to cut off the Prince Moobarik Khan; but when they entered his apartment, he conjured them to remember his father, whose servants they had been. He then untied a string of rich jewels from his neck, which probably had more influence than his entreaties, and gave it them. They abandoned their purpose; but when they got out, they quar­relled about the division of the jewels, which they at last agreed to carry to the chief of the foot-guards, and acquaint him with what the Prince had said, and with their instructions from Mullik Kafoor. Mullik Musheer, the commander of the foot-guards, and his lieutenant, who both owed every thing to the favour of the deceased king, shocked at the villany of Mullik Kafoor, and finding their men willing to second them, con­spired against the eunuch. They accordingly entered his apartment a few hours after, and assas­sinated him, with some of the principal eunuchs, who were attached to his interest. This event happened 35 days after Alla-ood-Deen's death.

The Prince Moobarik Khan was released from confinement, and the reins of government placed in his hands. He, however, did not immediately assume the diadem, but acted for the space of two months as regent or vizier for his brother, till he had brought over the nobles to his interest. He then claimed his birthright, deposed his brother, and succeeded to the regal dignity. But, according to the barbarous custom and policy of those days, he deprived the Prince Oomur Khan of his eye­sight, and confined him for life in the fort of Gualiar, after he had borne the title of King for three months and some days.