In the 7th year of Khusró’s reign, i.e., in 583 A.H. (1187 A.D.) Ghayásuddín,* King of Ghór, invaded India and succeeded in dethroning Khusró at Láhór and taking him a prisoner. He sent him to Ghazní and killed all the members of the house of Ghazní who fell into his hands.

After conquering some parts of Hindustán, Ghayásud­dín

Princes of the house of Ghór, who ruled Sind through their lieutenants, Ghayásuddín and Shahá­buddín.*

Ghórí, when returning to Khurá­sán died at Hirát in 599 A.H. (1202 A.D.) Some say he died in 582 A.H. (1186 A.D.) and was buried in the dome which stood in the big mosque of the place. He was succeeded by his brother Shahábuddín, who proceeded with an army to Hindustán, took Multán and Uch and appointed Kutbuddín Abík* to lead an expedition against Sind. Accordingly Kutbuddín came to Sind and conquered it in the course of 3 months, and leaving Saiful Malúk as Governor in charge of that province started for Dehlí, where he joined Sultán Shahá­buddìn, who after conquering several towns and forts, took possesion of Dehlì, which, since that time became the capital city, of Hindustán. Shahábuddìn put Kutbuddìn on the throne of Dehlì and himself returned to Khurásán, as he had received the sad news of the death of his brother Maghfiruddín.*

While in his native country, Shahábuddín commenced the organization of an expedition to be ready in 3 years time, to go to Turkistán. While these preparations were going on, he heard that a party of Khókhars had revolted in the direction of Láhór and hastening to the spot, he punished the ring-leaders. But on his return, when near the village of Damík, he fell under the dagger of a headman of Khókhars. His reign lasted for 32 years and some months, reckoning from the conquest of Ghazní. He lelft a daughter to inherit a large treasure of gold, silver and jewels. He is said to have had 500 maunds of beautiful diamonds. From this the amount of money in his possession may be guessed. He invaded India 9 times; twice he was defeated but seven times he was suc­cessful. He was pious, kindhearted and just. He respected good and wise men and patronized them in every way.

When Kutbuddín heard of the death of Shahábuddín

Kutbuddín Íbak.

he proclaimed himself as an indepen­dent king of Dehlí under the name of Kutbuddín Beg Rashíd, and he forcibly secured posses­sion of the whole of Hind and Sind. After a reign of 14 years, he was killed in 607 A.H. (1210 A.D.) by a fall from his horse on a racing ground at Láhór.*

On the death of Kutbuddín, the nobles of Dehlí put his

Árámshah bin Kutbuddín.

son Árámsháh on the throne, but they soon found him to be a weak prince and incapable of ruling such a large empire. They therefore sent for Shamsuddín Eltamish and raised him to the throne instead of Arámsháh. The whole empire of Hindustán was then divided into four parts or divisions.

(1)	The central part, with Dehlí as its capital, was given to Shamsuddín Eltamish.
(2)	Uch, Multán and Sind remained in the hands of Násiruddín Kabá-chah.*
(3)	Lakhnao was secured by the princes of the houses of Khiljí;
	and
(4)	Láhór, with the surrounding country, came to the lot of Tájuddín Yeldóz.

About the same time a detachment of the army of

Násiruddín Kabáchah.

Changez Khán arrived to fight with Násiruddín.* The latter being unable to meet the enemy in the open field, put himself into the fort of Multán, to which the Mughuls instantly laid seige. The blockade lasted for 40 days, after which period the belligerents finding it not an easy task to take the fort turned back. Násiruddín now remained in an undisturbed possession of Sind and was soon joined by several chiefs of Ghór and Khiljí, who had been obliged to leave their country owing to the disturbance caused by Changez Khán. Násiruddín tried his best to gain the good will of these chiefs by bestowing favours upon them. In 623 A.H. (1226 A.D.), however, Malak Khàn Khiljí, with his men, invaded Sind and took possession of Sehwán and other places. Nàsiruddín proceeded to meet him. He killed Malak Khán in battle, but he soon had to face a stronger enemy, viz., Shamsuddín Eltamish, who in 624 A.H. (1227 A.D.) sent his wazír Nizámulmulk Muhammad son of As-ad against Uch. In the course of the next year, the wazír quietly took possession of that town and proceeded to Bakhar in order to take that fort. Násiruddín Kabáchah, who was at the latter place, now lost heart and fled by boat but was accidentally drowned in the river.

Since 624 A. H. (1227 A. D.) Nizámulmulk had remained

Shamsuddín Eltamish.

in charge of the administration of Sind. In 630 A. H. (1232 A. D.) Shamsuddín appointed Núruddín Muhammad to be the governor of the province and himself returned to Dehlí, where he died on Monday, 20th of Shuabán 633 A. H. (1235 A. D.)

In 637 A. H. (1239 A. D.) Mas-úd Sháh son of Ferózuddín

Masúd Sháh bin Ferózud­dín.

ascended the throne of Dehlí. In 643 A. H. (1245 A. D.) it was reported to him that the Mughals had invaded Sind and laid siege to the fort of Uch. Mas-úd Sháh therefore immediately started to defend the place. Hearing of his approach, the Mughals fled to Khuràsán by the Indus. Masúd Sháh then turned to Bakhar dismissed Nuruddín Muhammad and appointed Jaláluddín as the governor of Sind. He then returned towards Dehlí. At Multán he made a long stay, spending his time in drinking liquor with some of his boon companions. The nobles of the state seeing the profligate behaviour of this prince, sent secret messages to Masúd’s uncle Nàsiruddín Mahmúd who was at Babráj, entreating him to come and occupy the throne. Accordingly he came to Dehlí and on Sunday, the 23rd of Muhrram 644 A. H. (1246 A. D.) Masúdsháh was taken prisoner. After two days Násiruddín was proclaimed king of the country. Shortly after Masúd Sháh died.

For the first 4 years of his reign Násiruddín ruled the

Násiruddín Mahmúd bin Shamsuddín Eltamish.

country quietly. In the first year, 649 A. H. (1251 A. D.), the 22nd of Shawwál, he started from Dehlí with a large army to Láhór, Multán, Uch and Bakhar. He even proceeded as far as Sehwán, where he appointed Kalích Khán to be the ruler of the place. Next he left the administration of Uch and Multán in the hands of Sanjar, and himself returned to Dehlí. Sortly afterwards Nàsirud­dín made preparations to go to Lakhnao, but as his ministers did not consider his absence from the capital expedient, he deputed Jaláluddín to go with an army and subdue the rebellious people of the place.

About the close of 656 A. H. (1258 A. D.) an army of Mughals invaded Uch and Multán. Nàsiruddín hastened to expel them, but the former retreated without any engagement. So the king returned to his capital.

It is said of Násiruddín that he was a very good writer, or copyist. He used to write two copies of the Koran a year and the proceeds realized by the sale of the same he utilized for his kitchen expenses, as they were the lawful earnings by his own manual labour. Once the king learnt that a copy of the Koran written by him was purchased at a very high price by a nobleman, and so he ordered that in future his writings be sold secretly and at a low price. He had only one wife and no concubine, and she used to cook his food. On one occasion, she complained to him that her hands were giving her pain and suggested that a female slave might be purchased to serve as a cook. But the king replied that he did not consider it proper to spend money on private account from the public Treasury.

Násiruddín died on the 15th of Jamádissání, 664 A.H. (1265 A.D.) after a reign of 19 years, 3 months and some days. He had no issue.

Ghayásuddín a slave of Shamsuddín Eltamish, was

Ghayásuddín.

next placed on the throne of Dehlí, vacated by Násiruddín. He held all the divisions of his kingdom with a firm grasp and began to rule the country on very good and just principles of law. Many desolate places were populated in his days. The roads were thrown open to free traffic and communi­cation. The troops were paid regularly. In short he was a very wise and able king.

In the very commencement of his reign he deputed his son Sultán Muhammad to rule the provinces of Láhór, Multán and part of Sind. This young prince was himself pious and learned, and was fond of men known for piety and learning. He passed a great portion of his time in the company of Shekh Bahá-uddìn, Zakariyyá* and Shekh Faríduddín Shakarganj, the celebrated saints of the time and of Amír Khusró* and Amír Hasan, the celebrated poets and learned men of Dehlí. The latter he treated as his courtiers, giving them regular monthly allowances and periodical rewards. When on one occasion Shekh Usmán Marwandí, the biggest saint of Sind, who is known as Lál Shahbház Kalandar,* came to Multán, the king received him with marked reverence and entreated him to make a long stay in the city. But that saint could not comply with his request and went away without tarrying long there. On another occasion, when in a singing party in which Shekh Baháuddín Zakariyyá’s verses were being rehearsed in the presence of his two sons, Shekh Usmán and Shekh Sadruddín, while many of the saint’s followers began to sing and dance in an ecstasy, the king out of respect stood weeping bitterly with his hand on his breast.

It is said that Ghayásuddín had been married to a daughter of Sultán Shamsuddín. Once in a moment of spiritual frenzy Ghayásuddín divorced his wife thrice, but when he returned to his usual mood he repented of what he had done. And as according to the Muhammadan Law he could not have her as his wife again before she was married to another person, it was arranged that the princess be married to Shekh Sadruddín, in the hope that that pious man would not hesitate to divorce her again without touching her, for the pleasure of the King. But after the girl was taken as a bride to the Shekh’s house, she would not return to the palace of the King, whose whims and frenzies had greatly tried her patience. She cried aloud calling that pious man to help her and not to throw her again into the clutches of her former husband. The Shekh was so much moved at her entreaties that he flatly refused to divorce her according to the previous arrangement. The King therefore revenged himself on the saint for that breach of promise.

It is also said of this King that twice he sent messen­gers from Multán to Shekh Saadí, the celebrated poet of Shíráz,* who was his contemporary, inviting him to come to Multán and make a permanent residence there. But as the Shekh was a very old man he could not come, and instead, he sent a boat full of his compositions and a letter of recommendation for Amír Khusró of Dehlí, who had become his special friend.

In 683 A.H. (1284 A.D.) Changez Khán sent Kutlugh and Taimúr with a large army to Hindustán. When they arrived within the limits of Láhór, Sultan Ghayásud­dín’s son Muhammad went with 30,000 men to meet them. A battle ensued in which prince Muhammad was slain, but the Mughal army was defeated and Kutlugh and Taimúr left the country. Ghayásuddín left his grand son Kai Khusró to rule Multán and Sind in place of his father Muhammad, and himself passed his time quietly, bewailing the loss of his son. He died in 685 A.H. (1286 A.D.)

Jaláluddín, the son of Feróz Khiljí was one of Sultán

Jaláluddín Khiljí.*

Ghayásuddín’s servants. The Khiljís are said to have been descended from Khaljí Khán. This Jaláluddín was a brave man but possessed very little wisdom. By slow degrees, however, he won his way and in 688 A.H. (1289 A.D.) was placed on the throne of Dehlí. Some of the chiefs and nobles submitted to him of their own accord; others he compelled by force to submit to him. In 693 A.H. (1293 A.D.) Jaláluddín came to Láhór and nominated his son Arkalí Khan, to the rulership of Multán and Uch, and appointed Nasrat Khán to be the ruler of Sind. Arkalí Khán was a good and brave man. Twice he went to different parts of Sind to punish the rebellious chiefs. In 695 A.H. (1295 A.D.) Jaláluddín was killed by his nephew and son-in-law Alá-uddín, who took possession of the throne.

After Aláuddín proclaimed himself king of Dehlí

Aláuddín.

he began to give presents to and distribute favours among the noblemen of the state, but with all that his subjects in general had an aversion to him for his wicked deed in murdering his uncle and father-in-law.

In the beginning of 696 A. H. (1296 A. D.) he began to move actively in settling the affairs of Sind and Multán, about which he was very anxious, because the late king Jáláluddín’s son Arkalí Khán was at Multán. Aláuddín therefore hastened to send his brother Ulugh Khán with 40,000 men in that direction. Ulugh Khán laid siege to the fort of Multán. After three months of blockade, the people inside the fort were compelled to leave Arkalí Khán to his fate and opening the gates at night joined Ulugh Khán. Through the intercession of Shekh Ruk­nuddín Arkali Khán was allowed to make his exit from the fort. Aláuddín then appointed Nasrat Khán to go with 10,000 men through the Districts of Multán, Uch, Bakhar, Sehwán and Tattá, to put down adverse tribes and appoint trustworthy men as Governors of the several towns and forts and himself return to Multán, which he should form his head-quarters.

In 697 A.H. (1297 A.D.) news was received of the capture of Sehwán by Mughul forces, from Sístán. A fine was imposed upon the people of the place who had come out to oppose them. Nasrat Khán therefore hastened from Multán to Sehwán by boat with a large army and with military stores and machines. The Mughuls came out to fight with him but were soon defeated and driven away. The king’s forces therefore returned to Bakhar. Meanwhile Aláuddín ordered Ulugh Khán to invade Gujrát with some Sind forces, viâ Jesal­mer. Accordingly Ulugh Khán came to Jesalmer and took that fort after killing a large number of Hindús. He left two of his trustworthy men in charge of the place and himself proceeded with his army to Gujrát and completely conquered that province. By these repeated successes, Aláuddín’s power was much confirmed through­out the length and breadth of his kingdom, which at this time extended on the east, south and west to the sea, and on the north to Bengal, Gujrát and Sind. Every part of this kingdom was ruled by governors and magistrates appointed by him. It is said that every week he used to receive reports regularly from different parts of his country. His death occurred on the 6th of Shawwál 700 A.H. (1300 A.D.)