Ascends the throne at the age of thirteen, and is supported by the foreign troops — his brother Abdool Kadur disputes his title, and is supported by the Deccanies. — The King's half-brothers fly to their uncle the King of Beejapoor. — The King declares war against Beejapoor — besieges Sholapoor. — Death of the King of Beejapoor. — The war prosecuted. — Hoossein Nizam Shah retreats to Peitun — is besieged in Ahmudnuggur. — Peace concluded. — The fort of Ahmudnuggur strengthened. — War renewed. — The King of Golconda joins in an alliance with the King of Ahmudnuggur against the King of Beejapoor and the Raja of Beejanuggur. — The King of Ahmudnuggur loses six hundred pieces of cannon in one action. — Ahmud-nuggur besieged a second time. — The enemy lose twenty-five thousand men by the swelling of the Sena river during the night. — Peace concluded. — Confederacy of the Moslem kings of the Deccan against Ramraj Raja of Beejanuggur, who is defeated and slain. — Death of Hoossein Nizam Shah I.

HOOSSEIN NIZAM SHAH succeeded his father in the thirteenth year of his age. His full-brother, the Prince Abdool Kadur, with the other princes, fled from the capital on the same day, and from that moment two parties were formed in the go­vernment: the foreigners and Abyssinians em­bracing the cause of Hoossein Nizam Shah, and the Deccanies (both Mahomedans and Hindoos) that of Abdool Kadur, who was, however, at length deserted by his party, and flying to Berar, sought an asylum with Imad-ool-Moolk.

Shah Ally and Meeran Mahomed Bakur fled to their uncle, Ibrahim Adil Shah, at Beejapoor, and Shah Heidur having gone to his father-in-law, Khwaja Jehan Deccany, at Purenda, laid claim to the throne. Hoossein Nizam Shah hesitated not to march against the pretender, Shah Heidur, who with Khwaja Jehan was obliged to seek refuge at the court of Beejapoor, and Purenda fell to the Nizam Shahy forces. On the occurrence of this event, Ibrahim Adil Shah openly espoused the cause of Shah Heidur and Khwaja Jehan, and declaring war against Hoossein Nizam Shah, marched to the fort of Sholapoor, which had been taken during the last reign. In the mean time, Hoossein Nizam Shah having formed an alliance with Imad Shah of Berar, and receiving from that prince a rein­forcement of seven thousand cavalry, moved to raise the siege of Sholapoor, an account of which expedition has been given in the history of Ibrahim Adil Shah.

Seif Ein-ool-Moolk, who had left the Nizam Shahy service and gone over to Beejapoor, being driven from that kingdom, asked leave to return to Ahmudnuggur, which was granted him by Hoossein Nizam Shah, by whom he was subse­quently treacherously put to death. His family, however, was saved by the gallantry of his chief dependent, Kubool Khan, who conducted it in safety to Golconda, where the latter was received into the service of Ibrahim Kootb Shah. Seif Ein-ool-Moolk was celebrated throughout the Deccan for his courage, and for the efficiency of his party of horsemen, with whom he lived on the terms of a brother. At this time, Ibrahim Adil Shah dying at Beejapoor, Hoossein Nizam Shah, in concert with Ibrahim Kootb Shah of Golconda, marched to invade that country; but the latter not entering with zeal into the cause, and returning to his capital, Hoossein Nizam Shah was also com­pelled to fall back on Ahmudnuggur. Ally Adil Shah, the successor of Ibrahim, now formed an alliance with Ramraj and Ibrahim Kootb Shah; while Hoossein Nizam Shah made fresh overtures to Imad-ool-Moolk of Berar, who having met him

A. H. 967.
A. D. 1559.

in the year 967, at the town of Sonput, on the banks of the Godavery, received his daughter in marriage on that occasion.

In the same year, also, Hoossein Nizam Shah detached Mahomed Wostad Nyshapoory and Chu-leby Roomy Khan * against the fort of Reevadunda, built by the Portuguese on the sea-coast, who having made peace, promised not to molest the subjects of the Ahmudnuggur state. He also carried his arms into Kandeish, and subdued the fortress of Galna.

In the mean time, the allied sovereigns of Bee-japoor, Golconda, and Beejanuggur, invaded the Nizam Shahy territories, and the forts of Kul-liany and Sholapoor were demanded as the terms of peace; which being refused, the confederates reached Ahmudnuggur with an army amounting to one hundred thousand horse and nine hundred thousand infantry.

Hoossein Nizam Shah, unable to cope with these forces, fled from Ahmudnuggur to Peitun, whence he deputed embassies to Imad-ool-Moolk in Berar, to Meeran Moobarik Shah Farooky of Kandeish, and to Ally Bereed Shah at Bidur, so­liciting each of them to march to his assistance. Khan Jehan, the brother of Ally Bereed Shah, having left Bidur some time before, had entered the service of Duria Imad-ool-Moolk, whom he now not only dissuaded from rendering any assistance to the King of Ahmudnuggur, but even prevailed on him to allow him to take the command of six thousand horse, and march to the frontier to attack him. This measure was, however, anticipated, and Khan Jehan was so completely defeated by a small detachment of Nizam Shahy horse, that he was ashamed to return to Imad-ool-Moolk, and came over to the Adil Shahy army. The allies now laid siege to Ahmudnuggur; but Ibrahim Kootb Shah, unwilling that Ally Adil Shah should add this fort to his dominions, connived at supplies passing through his camp to the garrison. At the same time, also, Moolla Inayut Oolla Névayut, then in the Kootb Shahy service, kept up a com­munication both with Hoossein Nizam Shah at Peitun and with the besieged. As these pro­ceedings could not long remain secret, Ally Adil Shah and Ramraj demanded an explanation of Ibrahim Kootb Shah, who, without affording it, decamped during the night and marched to Gol­conda, while Moolla Inayut Oolla finding his way first into the fort, afterwards joined Hoossein Nizam Shah at Peitun. Duria Imad-ool-Moolk, after the defeat of Khan Jehan, by way of repar­ation to Hoossein Nizam Shah, sent a large force under Jehangeer Khan to join him. This division was employed to cut off the supplies of the be­siegers, which soon produced a famine; and all cir­cumstances combined to compel the allies to raise the siege and to encamp at Ashty, where it was determined to send one division of the army to Purenda, and another to Ousa, and that after having secured supplies, to return to the siege of Ahmudnuggur.

Hoossein Nizam Shah, however, having deputed Kasim Beg and Moolla Inayut Oolla to Ramraj to sue for peace, it was granted on the following conditions:—

First, That he should cede the fortress of Kul-liany to Ally Adil Shah.

Secondly, That he should put to death Jehan-geer Khan, who commanded the auxiliary troops of Duria Imad-ool-Moolk, who had been extremely active against the enemy.

Thirdly, That Hoossein Nizam Shah should sub­mit to pay Ramraj a visit, and to receive a pân * from his hands.

Hoossein Nizam Shah, to save his kingdom, ac­cepted the terms, and fulfilled the second article, by employing a band of assassins to put to death the gallant Jehangeer Khan in his tent. After having thus, at the instigation of an infidel, murdered one of the faithful, and verified the proverb, that “there is no faith in princes,” he proceeded to the camp of Ramraj, who rose on his entering his tent, and took him by the hand. Hoossein Nizam Shah, who possessed great pride, called for a basin and ewer, and washed his hands, as if they had been pol­luted by the touch of Ramraj, who said, in his own language, “If he were not my guest I would cut off “his hands and hang them round his neck;” then calling for water, he also washed; and such were the bad feelings which prevailed, that a tumult nearly occurred on the spot. Hoossein Nizam Shah, on giving the keys of Kulliany to Ramraj, said, “I give them to you as a present.” Ramraj im­mediately sent them to Ally Adil Shah, and gave Hoossein Nizam Shah pân, when he returned to Ahmudnuggur without visiting Ally Adil Shah. On his arrival, he caused the fort, which was ori­ginally built of mud only, to be rebuilt with stone, and a deep ditch to be excavated around it. The treaty of peace was concluded by Kasim Beg and Moolla Inayut Oolla on the part of Hoossein Nizam Shah, and by Venkatadry and Yeltumraj on the part of Ramraj.

A. H. 970.
A. D. 1562. In the year 970, Hoossein Nizam Shah and Ibrahim Kootb Shah met in the neighbourhood of Kulliany, where they celebrated the marriage of Beeby Jumally, the eldest daughter of the former, with the latter so­vereign, and immediately after laid siege to that fortress. In this situation they were attacked by Ramraj and Ally Adil Shah, who were also joined by Ally Bereed Shah from Bidur, and Boorhan Imad Shah from Berar, who had lately succeeded his father, Duria Imad Shah, in the government. The latter prince was particularly incensed against Hoossein Nizam Shah for his shameful assassination of Jehangeer Khan. On the approach of these forces Hoossein Nizam Shah sent his family into the fort of Ousa, and accompanied by Ibrahim Kootb Shah marched with seven hundred pieces of ordnance of different calibres, and five hundred elephants, to within twelve miles of the enemy. It happened that he had scarcely encamped, when a violent storm came on, which blew down all the tents, and the rain pouring in torrents, his cattle, and his guns in particular, were rendered almost useless, the latter being immovable in the heavy black clay in which he was encamped. On the following morning the enemy's Bergy horse cut in upon Ibrahim Kootb Shah's lines, whose army fled without making resistance; and Hoossein Nizam Shah, finding himself deserted, commenced his retreat also, taking with him only forty out of seven hundred pieces of ordnance, which he had brought into the field.*