The minister, Khwaja Jehan, proceeds to Joonpoor, and esta­blishes his independence. — Sarung Khan, viceroy of Mooltan, defeats the Gukkurs — recovers Lahore out of their hands, and becomes independent at Depalpoor. — His brother, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, creates a revolt in the capital. — The inhabit­ants take opposite sides. — Three parties in Dehly, each sup­porting a king. — Civil war in the capital for three years. — All the provinces become independent. — Invasion of India by Teimoor (or Tamerlane).

HOOMAYOON having yielded to the power of fate, violent disputes arose among the nobles regarding the succession. They at length fixed on Mah-mood, a youth, the son of the late King, Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed, whom they placed on the throne. Khwaja Jehan retained the office of vizier; Mookurrib-ool-Moolk, having received the title of Mookurrib Khan, became Vukeel-oos-Sultanut, and was created Ameer-ool-Omra; Sâdut Khan was appointed Barbik; Sarung Khan was made governor of Depalpoor, and Dowlut Khan was nominated to the office of chief secretary.

The apparent weakness of the government, arising out of the King's minority and the dissensions of the nobles, encouraged the surrounding chiefs to revolt. For instance, Khwaja Jehan, the minister, having assumed the title of Mullik-oos-Shurk, founded an independent kingdom at Joonpoor, * and even forced the King of Bengal to pay him tribute. In the opposite direction, Sarung Khan, governor of Depalpoor, collected the troops of the province of Mooltan, and the north-west divisions of the state, and advanced against the Gukkurs, who waited for him at Ajoodhun, about 24 miles from La­hore. A battle ensued, and the Gukkurs being defeated, their chief, Sheikha, took refuge among the mountains of Jummoo. Sarung Khan, after this victory, left his younger brother, Adil Khan, in Lahore, and returned himself to Depalpoor, where he established his head-quarters. In this year, the King, leaving Dehly in charge of Moo-kurrib Khan, marched towards Gualiar and Byana, accompanied by Sâdut Khan Barbik, and many

A H. 796.
A. D. 1394.

other chiefs. Having arrived in the neighbourhood of Gualiar, Moobarik Khan, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, the brother of Sarung Khan, and Mullik Alla-ood-Deen Dhar-wala, conspired against the life of Sâdut Khan, who having timely information of the plot, slew Moobarik Khan and Alla-ood-Deen, but Mulloo Yekbal Khan escaped to Dehly. Though this conspiracy was thus checked for the time, the con­tentions which arose in consequence obliged Sâdut Khan to return to the capital. On his approach, Mookurrib Khan, the Ameer-ool-omra, had prepared to come out to pay his respects; but learning that Sâdut Khan had sworn vengeance against him for affording protection to Mulloo Yekbal Khan, he returned to the city, and shutting the gates, pre­pared to make a resolute defence. The city was now besieged for three months, till the King's party, convinced that the war not only originated,

Mohurrum,
A. H. 797.
October,
A. D. 1394.

but was prosecuted solely on account of Sâdut Khan, accommodated matters with Mookurrib Khan, and in the month of Mohurrum 797 the King was admitted into Dehly.

Mookurrib Khan, encouraged by this event, marched out the next day with all his force against Sâdut Khan, but was defeated with great loss. The rains having set in, and it being impossible for Sâdut Khan to keep the field, he struck his tents, and marched into Ferozabad. He then sent for Noosrut Khan, the son of the Prince Futteh Khan, the eldest son of the late Feroze Toghluk, from Mewat, and set him up in op­position to Mahmood Toghluk, under the title of Noosrut Shah. But a new faction breaking out in Mewat disconcerted his measures. The household troops of the late Feroze Toghluk had joined Sâdut Khan; but incensed at his conduct towards them, they prevailed on the keepers of the elephants to join them, and having seized the Prince Noosrut, placed him on an elephant, and advanced against Sâdut Khan, and expelled him from the city of Ferozabad. Being thus deserted by his followers, Sâdut Khan sought protection with Mookurrib Khan, by whom he was put to death.

A. H. 797.
A. D. 1394. The misfortunes of the state daily in­creased. The omras of Ferozabad, and some of the provinces, espoused the cause of Noosrut Shah. Those of Dehly and other places supported the title of Mahmood Toghluk. The government fell into anarchy: civil war raged every where; and a scene was exhibited, unheard of before, of two kings in arms against each other residing in the same capital. Tartar Khan, the son of Zuffur Khan of Guzerat, and Fuzl-oolla Bulkhy, entitled Kootloogh Khan, joined the Prince Noosrut at Ferozabad. Mookurrib Khan and other chiefs espoused the cause of Mahmood Toghluk; while Bahâdur Nahir and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, with a strong body of troops, occupied the fort of Siry, * and remained neuter, but were prepared to join either party according to circumstances. Affairs remained in this state for three years, with asto­nishing equality; for if one monarch's party had at any time the superiority, the balance was soon restored by the neutral chiefs.

The warfare thus continued as if it were one battle between the two cities, wherein thousands were sometimes killed in a day, and the casual­ties occasioned by the slain were supplied by fresh reinforcements from different parts. Some of the governors of the provinces took little share in these civil dissensions, hoping to make advantage of them, by becoming independent in the end.

A. H. 798.
A. D. 1395. In the year 798, Sarung Khan, the governor of Depalpoor, having some differences with Khizr Khan, governor of Mool-tan, made war against him. After several en­gagements with various success, victory declared for Sarung Khan, who, seizing on Mooltan, ag­grandised his power, and in the following year advanced to the capital, and reduced Samana. Noosrut Shah directed Tartar Khan, then governor

Mohurrum 1.
A. H. 799.
Oct. 4.
A. D. 1396.

of Paniput, and Almas Beg, to oppose him. They engaged and defeated Sarung Khan, on the 1st of Mohurrum, 799, and compelled him to fly to Mooltan.

On his arrival in that city, intelligence reached him that the Prince Peer Mahomed Jehangeer, the grandson of Teimoor, having laid a bridge of boats over the Indus, had crossed, and invested Oocha. Sarung Khan instantly despatched his deputy, Mullik Taj-ood-Deen, and the greater portion of his troops, to reinforce Mullik Ally, the governor of Oocha. Mirza Peer Mahomed Je-hangeer, hearing of this movement, advanced to the Beea, and falling on the Mooltanies by sur­prise, just as they crossed the river, defeated and drove them into the stream, so that more were drowned, perhaps, than fell by the sword. A few of the discomfited army only made good their retreat to Mooltan. Mirza Peer Mahomed Je-hangeer pursued the fugitives, arrived about the same time with them, and obliged Sarung Khan to confine himself to the fort. After a siege of six months, he was reduced, from want of provi­sions, to surrender at discretion, and Mirza Peer Mahomed took possession of Mooltan; but Sa-rung Khan, in a few days, found means to effect his escape.

In Dehly, Mulloo Yekbal Khan, having dis­agreed with Mookurrib Khan, abandoned the cause of Mahmood Toghluk, and sent a mes­sage to Noosrut Shah, offering to join his party. This proposal was readily accepted: the parties met, and went to the palace of Siry, where they swore mutual friendship on the Koran, at the tomb of Khwaja Kootb-ood-Deen Bukhtyar Kaky. A quarrel now took place between Mahmood Togh-luk and Mookurrib Khan; and about three days after, another rupture occurred between Mulloo Yekbal Khan and Noosrut Shah, when the former, regardless of his oath, formed a conspiracy to seize the latter. Noosrut Shah, informed of the plot, thought it advisable to quit the palace of Siry, and Mulloo Yekbal Khan, intercepting his fol­lowers in his retreat, took all his elephants, treasure, and baggage; while the unfortunate Prince, being in no condition to keep the field, fled to his vizier, Tartar Khan, at Paniput.

Mulloo Yekbal Khan, having obtained possession of Ferozabad, increased his power, and strove to expel the King, Mahmood, and his partisan Moo-kurrib Khan, from the old city. At length, by the mediation of some nobles, peace was concluded be­tween the parties; but Mulloo Yekbal Khan, per­fidious as he was, and regardless of the sacred oaths of the treaty, attacked Mookurrib Khan in his own house, and slew him. He also seized Mahmood Toghluk, and deprived him of all but the name of King.

Mulloo Yekbal Khan now marched from Dehly, accompanied by the pageant King, Mahmood, against Noosrut Shah and Tartar Khan at Paniput. Tartar Khan, leaving his elephants and baggage in the fort, passed by him by forced marches, and avoiding his army, arrived before Dehly, and in­vested it. Mulloo Yekbal Khan, trusting to the strength of the force he left in the city, besieged Paniput, and carried it by escalade on the third day. He then hastened back to Dehly, whence Tartar Khan, having failed in his attempt, fled to his father Zuffur Khan, in Guzerat, and Mulloo Yekbal Khan entering the city, began to restore the government to some order. Meanwhile, to com­plete the miseries of this unhappy people, news arrived, that Teimoor Beg had crossed the Indus, with an intention to conquer Hindoostan.