PREFACE.

THE reign of Akbar, which the Fifth Volume left un­finished, is in this volume brought to a close. Copious Extracts have been drawn from the great Akbar-náma of Abú-l Fazl, a work as yet but little known to the European reader except by vague reputation. Some Extracts relating to the closing years of Akbar's reign have also been taken from the continuation of the Akbar-náma by 'Ináyatu-lla. Another and smaller Akbar-náma by Shaikh Illáhdád, otherwise called Faizí Sirhindí, has also been laid under contribution; but it does not fulfil the expectations which had been formed of it, as it proves to be little more than a compilation from the Tabakát-i Akbarí and the greater work of Abú-l Fazl. Some curious and interesting personal details have been derived from the Memoirs of Asad Beg, an officer in Akbar's service. His statements place the Imperial government in an unfavourable light, and are far from exalting the personal character of the monarch. The original writers upon the life and times of Akbar may now be considered as exhausted, for their writings have all been diligently searched, and there cannot remain much to be yet gleaned.

A considerable portion of the volume is occupied with notices published by Sir H. Elliot in his original Volume I., and all the contents of that publication have now been re-printed.

The history of the reign of Jahángír depends almost entirely on the Memoirs written by himself or under his direction; for although there are other professed historians of the reign, they mainly draw their in­formation from the Memoirs, and rarely venture upon an independent statement. It has long been known that there were different works, claiming to be Auto­biographies of Jahángír. The copious Extracts which are given in this volume leave little room for doubt as to which must have been the more approved and authentic version.

The Note in the Appendix, on the Early Use of Gun­powder in India, is a reprint, with some alterations and additions by Sir H. Elliot himself. The Comments on the Institutes of Jahángír are entirely his own work. Two other Notes were prepared under his direction and superintendence. Sir H. Elliot's notice of Firishta's great history appears in this volume, and the Editor has taken the opportunity of supplying an oft-expressed want, by giving a complete translation of the Introduc­tion to that voluminous work.

The following is a list of the articles in this volume with the names of the respective writers:—

XLII.—Akbar-náma of Abú-l Fazl—Editor.
XLIII.—Takmíla-i Akbar-náma—“Lieutenant” Chalmers.
XLIV.—Akbar-náma of Faizí Sirhindí—Editor and “Ensign”
F. Mackenzie.
XLV.—Wáki'át-i Shaikh Faizí—“Lieutenant” Prichard.
XLVI.—Wikáya of Asad Beg—B. W. Chapman, Esq., B.C.S.
XLVII.—Táríkh-i Hakkí—Reprint from old volume.
XLVIII.—Zubdatu-t Tawáríkh—Reprint from old volume.
XLIX.—Rauzatu-t Táhirín—Reprint from old volume.
L.—Muntakhabu-t Tawáríkh—Reprint from old volume.
LI.—Táríkh-i Firishta—Reprint from old volume.
LII.—Ma-ásir-i Rahímí—Reprint from old volume.
LIII.—Anfa'u-l Akhbár—Reprint from old volume.
LIV.—Táríkh-i Salím Sháhí or Túzak-i Jahángírí—Major Price.
LV.—Wáki'át-i Jahángírí—Sir H. M. Elliot, Editor, and others.
LVI.—Tatimma-i Wáki'át-i Jahángírí—Editor.
LVII.—Ikbál-náma—Editor.
LVIII.—Ma-ásir-i Jahángírí—Sir H. M. Elliot and Editor.
LIX.—Intikháb-i Jahángír Sháhí—Sir H. M. Elliot and a munshí.
LX.—Subh-i Sádik—Sir H. M. Elliot.

APPENDIX.

A.—Early Use of Gunpowder in India—Reprint from old volume.
B.—Extracts from a work of 'Abdu-l Hakk Dehlawí—Major
A. R. Fuller.
C.—Comments on the Institutes of Jahángír—Sir H. M. Elliot.
D.—Translations from Shash Fat'h-i Kángrá—A munshí and Sir
H. M. Elliot.
E.—Translation of the Introduction to Firishta's History—Editor.
F.—Bibliographical Notices—Reprint from old volume.