Ascends the throne, and secures the person of his brother Sahib Khan. — Sahib Khan is released, and is proclaimed King. — Mahmood retires from Mando, and meets with assistance from Medny Ray, an officer of his government. — The Prince Sahib Khan is defeated, and flies. — The Prince Shahab-ood-Deen dies on his road from Kandeish to Malwa, leaving a son, the Prince Musaood. — The governor of Bhilsa espouses his cause, while the governor of Chundery espouses that of Sahib Khan. — The King of Dehly joins the league in favour of Sahib Khan, but it is dissolved by the ability of Medny Ray, who obtains an entire supremacy in the government. — Sooltan Mahmood retires to Guzerat, and obtains the aid of Moozuffur Shah. — Mando taken from the Hindoos, and Sooltan Mahmood is replaced on his throne. — The Guzerat army retires. Sooltan Mahmood is defeated and taken prisoner by the Hindoos, but is restored to his government. — The King of Guzerat dies. — Contests for the throne. — Sooltan Mahmood of Malwa receives one of the pretenders at his court, where he carries on intrigues against Bahadur Shah of Guzerat. — War ensues. — Mando taken by the King of Guzerat. — Sooltan Mahmood and his family fall into the hands of Bahadur Shah — they are sent to Champanere, and are put to death on the road thither. — Extinction of the race of Khiljy.

ON the news of the death of Sooltan Nasir-ood-Deen reaching his son Shahab-ood-Deen, he re­linquished the idea of prosecuting his journey towards Dehly, but returning to Malwa, arrived at the capital, while his young brother, Mah-mood, still remained at Nalcha. The command­ant of Mando, Mahafiz Khan, having refused him admittance, the Prince fled to Aseer on the ap­proach of his brother Mahmood, who, on enter­ing Mando, was formally crowned with great pomp; upon which occasion no fewer than seven hundred elephants, with velvet housings embroi­dered in gold, formed part of the procession. Shortly after his accession, a conspiracy was formed against one Buswunt Row, a personal favourite of the King, who had attended him from the period of his birth; and he was put to death by the con­spirators, who declared that he had laid a scheme to overturn the government: they also stated, in an address to the crown, that one Nizam-ool-Moolk, another of the King's friends, had trodden in the footsteps of Buswunt Row, and they con­sequently insisted on his being delivered over to them for trial. The King was alarmed at these desperate encroachments on his prerogative, but thought it advisable to give up Nizam-ool-Moolk to be tried, reserving the punishment in his own hands; but in spite of his wish to spare him, the King was constrained to banish him. Mahafiz Khan, the governor of Mando, presuming on the King's easy temper, had the boldness to ad­dress him one day in open durbar in the following words: “Your elder brother is now in confine-“ment in this fort, and only waits for an op-“portunity to put you to death, and ascend the “throne. If you have any desire to retain your “crown, your only chance of securing it is to “order his immediate execution. If not, you “will merit the fate which awaits you.” The King was at first confounded with this language, and asked the governor in an angry tone how he presumed thus to address him? Mahafiz Khan, seeing he had gone too far to retreat, continued to answer the King in a disrespectful tone and manner. The King, unable to restrain himself, seized the sword which lay by his side, and with­out drawing it from the scabbard struck Mahafiz Khan two blows on the head with all his strength. The blood flowed from the wound, and Mahafiz Khan made his escape home, where collecting all his personal attendants and guards, he marched to the palace. The nobles, who rather promoted than wished to suppress the rebellion, remained quiet in their houses; while the King, collecting his body­guard, consisting chiefly of foreigners, such as Arabs, Persians, and Abyssinians, made a stand in the palace-yard, and compelled Mahafiz Khan, after having lost many men, to retreat to his own house. The King now used his endeavours to collect a larger force, but in vain; for most of the officers with their retainers had joined Mahafiz Khan. The royal party remained under arms all night, and in the morning, assisted by some of the inha­bitants, forced their way out of the fort. The King's departure was the signal for Mahafiz Khan to release the Prince Sahib Khan, and to place the crown on his head. Sooltan Mahmood, having en­camped on the plain, summoned the chiefs of pro­vinces to attend him; and the first person of rank who joined his standard was Medny Ray, a Raj­poot chief, accompanied by all his family, and a large force of his tribe. After him came Shirza Khan, governor of Chundery, and subsequently many other nobles of the surrounding districts. The King now issued a proclamation, inviting, with promises of promotion, all persons who should quit the standard of Sahib Khan and Mahafiz Khan, and join the royal army. At the same time he marched towards the capital, and was opposed by the rebel forces. A severe engagement took place, during which the Prince Sahib Khan charged in person at the head of a small body of cavalry, and attacked the King's personal guard, but he was repulsed. The fate of the action was eventually decided by the gallant conduct of Medny Ray and the Rajpoot infantry, who preserved a compact phalanx, and with spears and daggers broke the enemy, and obliged Sahib Khan to take refuge in the fort of Mando, many of his troops being compelled to seek protection in the caves sur­rounding the hill. Sooltan Mahmood, unwilling to drive his brother to extremity, sent word to him, that notwithstanding what had happened he for­gave him on account of their mother, and pro­mised to allow him a stipulated annual amount, which he might receive wheresoever he chose, provided he relinquished the idea of ascending the throne, which, the King observed, he considered it his duty to defend with his life. Sahib Khan, relying on the strength of the fort, refused to accede to terms. Sooltan Mahmood now closely invested the place, and received overtures from some of the chiefs within, that they would admit him into the fort by a certain gate. The Prince Sahib Khan, and Mahafiz Khan, discovering the correspondence, and placing no further reliance on their adherents, secured all the jewels they could collect, and made

Shuval,
A. H. 917.
December,
A. D. 1513.

their escape to Guzerat in the month of Shuval, in the year 917; where a dispute having arisen between the Prince Sahib Khan and the ambassador of Shah Is-mael of Persia, he was compelled to quit Guzerat * also, and go to Aseer; where having collected three hundred cavalry he went to Gavul, and solicited the assistance of Imad Shah. That prince being on friendly terms with Sooltan Mahmood refused his aid to replace him on the throne, though he assigned to him an estate and the revenue of a few villages. Meanwhile, Sooltan Mahmood, having been re-established on his throne, gave a new form to his government. It is proper to observe here, that at the period when Sooltan Mahmood made his escape from the capital, his eldest brother, the Prince Shahab-ood-Deen, who had taken refuge with the ruler of Kandeish, marched towards Mando, for the purpose of bring­ing forward his claims to the throne, both as the eldest son of the late Sooltan Nasir-ood-Deen and because he had been originally declared heir-apparent. His constitution, however, being weak, and the heat of the weather excessive, he contracted a fever on the road†, * which terminated his existence, leaving his son, Mukhsoos Khan, under the care of his minister, Yekbal Khan, who instantly proclaimed the boy's title to the throne, under the name of Sooltan Hooshung II. Finding, however, on his arrival in Malwa, that Sooltan Mahmood was firmly seated on the throne, after showing some trifling opposition, the Prince and his minister threw themselves on the King's mercy. Shortly afterwards Medny Ray, * who had gained an undue influence in the King's councils, persuaded him that both Yekbal and Mukhsoos Khan were carrying on a treasonable correspondence with the King of the Deccan. Sooltan Mahmood, too easily giving credence to these insinuations, ordered Yekbal Khan to be killed the next day as he came to the dur­bar, a sentence which was carried into execution before all the by-standers. Sooltan Mahmood, at the instigation of Medny Ray, sent for Bohjut Khan, governor of Chundery, and some other chiefs, to the capital; but they were so much alarmed, both at the influence of Medny Ray and at the sudden execution which had just taken place, that Bohjut Khan, in particular, pleaded the near approach of the rainy season as an ex­cuse for non-attendance at court. The King took no measures against Bohjut Khan, but deputed Munsoor Khan, a nobleman of rank, to reduce Sikundur Khan of Bhilsa, and bring him to court. On hearing of this, Sikundur Khan abandoned Bhilsa, and proceeding to the south, occupied the country lying between Kuhndwa and Shahabad, * where the rays of Gondwana had brought a large force to assist him. Under these circumstances, Munsoor Khan wrote to court that the troops with him were insufficient to oppose the united arms of the rays of Gondwana and Sikundur Khan. Medny Ray, wishing to see the whole of the old officers disgraced, in order to secure to himself all the court influence, answered the letter in the King's name, telling Munsoor Khan that the appearance of the royal troops alone would be sufficient to deter the enemy from attack, and that his application for a reinforcement was merely a subterfuge to avoid fighting. Munsoor Khan, astonished at the tenour and style of this letter, marched instantly with Bukhtiar Khan, and joined Bohjut Khan at Chundery. The King, hearing of the assemblage of troops at that place, took the field in person, and proceeded to D'har, having previously sent Medny Ray with his own adherents and one hundred and fifty elephants against Sikun-dur Khan. Medny Ray soon induced the forces of Sikundur Khan to disperse; and having made terms with the latter chief, both returned with Medny Ray to Bhilsa, which was again restored to Si-kundur Khan. The influence of Medny Ray after this event increased daily. On his return to camp, he heard that a faction at Mando had created one of their party king, and had placed on his head the white canopy, from off the tomb of Sooltan Gheias-ood-Deen; but the kotwal of the city having behaved with much presence of mind and resolution, had put a stop to the commotion, and restored order. Bohjut Khan of Chundery and his party, perceiving the inordinate and increasing power and influence of Medny Ray, were more than ever alarmed; and they accordingly deputed persons to Gavul, inviting the Prince Sahib Khan to return, and to assume the reins of govern­ment ; * writing, at the same time, a petition to Sikundur Lody of Dehly, stating that the infidel Rajpoots had gained an alarming ascendency over the Mahomedans in Malwa; and that one Medny Ray, a chief of that tribe, had virtually become master of the country and its resources, having persuaded the King to destroy many of the old and confidential officers of the state, while those who were left had taken the alarm, and fled to dif­ferent parts of the kingdom. The petition pro­ceeded to state, that although Sooltan Mahmood now regretted having exalted Medny Ray, and having placed all his reliance on the Rajpoots, yet he had so given himself up into that chief's hands, that he not only refused to listen to his Mahomedan officers and subjects, but seemed willing, in concert with his Hindoo minister, to cut off the few who remained. That as for the laws of the prophet, and the true worship, they had been wholly aban­doned every where, and that the mosques had been converted into receptacles for infidels. It was indeed expected that Ray Rayan, the son of Medny Ray, would in a short time openly declare his accession to the throne. “If, then,” says the petition, “your Majesty will condescend to send a “force, around which the faithful may rally, Sahib “Khan, the brother of the present king, will enter “the country, and public prayers may be read in “his name as King of Malwa in Chundery and in “the surrounding districts.” Mahafiz Khan, the partisan of Sahib Khan, who defended the fort of Mando, and had fled to Guzerat with that prince, was now at Dehly; and a force consisting of twelve thousand cavalry, under the command of Imad-ool-Moolk Lody and Syeed Khan, accom­panied by Mahafiz Khan, marched to raise Sahib Khan to the throne of Malwa, with the title of Sooltan Mahomed.