8. Volume 3 — part 8

3 The game of chess is here used to express the speaker's meaning.

them what he had heard from the minister ; telling them that they must contrive to show that matters were all right and proper. The goldsmiths replied that when they should be called to make the assay in the presence of the Sult4n they would have to go naked, excepting only the barest clothing required by decency; but that if a few grains of silver could be smuggled into the palace they would throw it into the crucible. Kajar Shah then proceeded to the charcoal dealers, and after making known his wishes they agreed to scoop out a piece of charcoal, to introduce a few grains of silver, and to seal up the aperture with wax. Next day the Sultan took his seat in a private apartment with his minister. Kajar Shah and his accusers were then called in. The gold- smiths also were brought in wearing the most scant clothing, and the charcoal dealers brought the charcoal and placed it before the goldsmiths. Several shashgdni pieces were placed in a crucible, which the goldsmiths put upon the fire. The Sultan entered into conversation with his minister, and while he was so engaged, the workmen adroitly threw into the melting pot the piece of charcoal which contained the silver. After a while the crucible was taken oiF the fire and allowed to cool. It was then taken before the Sultdn and (the contents were) weighed, when the weight corres- ponded to the estimate, and the shashgdni proving to be of full standard value, the informers were declared to be false accusers. The Sultan presented Kajar Sh&h with a robe, and bestowed on him other marks of favour. Khan-i JahAn then said that as the coin had come triumphant out of the test, Kajar Sh4h should be mounted on an elephant and paraded round the city, so that all men might understand that the shashgdni was of full value, and not to be charged with impurity. Kajar Shdh was accordingly carried through the city in triumph, and the two informers, being shown to be false, were banished. After awhile the minister caused Kajar Shdh to be dismissed upon some other charge. If there were no such wise ministers the affairs of States would fall into confusion, and the animadversions of the high and low would be cast upon the most excellent institutions.

Fifteenth Muhaddama. — Establishment of a Spuse of Charity and a Sospital.

Sultan Firoz founded an establishment (diwdn-i hhairdt) for the promotion of marriages. Many needy Musulmans were dis- tressed at having marriageable daughters, for whom they could provide no marriage portion. * * * Notice was given that any man having a marriageable daughter might apply at the diwdn-i hhairdt and state his case and his poverty to the officers of that establishment, * * * who, after due enquiry, might fix an allow- ance of fifty tankas for the first class of recipients, thirty for the second, and twenty-five for the third. * * * People, small and great, flocked to the city from all parts of the country, and re- ceived grants for purchasing housekeeping requisites for their daughters. * * *

The Shifd-khdna, or Hospital, also called, Sihhat-khdna. * * * The Sultdn, in his great kindness and humanity, established a hospital for the relief of the sick and afflicted, whether natives (dshnd) or strangers. Able physicians and doctors were appointed to superintend it, and provision was made for the supply of medi- cines. The poor afflicted went to the hospital and stated their cases. The doctors duly considered and applied their skill to the restoration of health. Medicines, food, and drinks were supplied at the expense of the treasury. * * *

When the Sultdn founded these institutions for the public benefit he settled some rich and well cultivated villages upon them, to provide for their expenses. Allowances were also granted to learned men and Kur4n readers. The author has understood from the best authority that the sum of thirty-six lacs of tankas out of the revenues of the kingdom were appro- priated to the payment of wages (idrdr), and that 4,200 afflicted persons received these monthly allowances. * * *

Sultan Firoz used to keep the 'ids, the Shab-i bardt, and the NavrTOZ (New Years Day) as public festivals. * * *

Seventeenth Mukaddama. — Engagement of musicians at the Palace on Fridays, after prayers.

Every Friday, after public service, parties of musicians from the four cities,^ athletes, and story-tellers, amounting in all to about three thousand persons, used to attend at the palace.

Eighteenth Mukaddama. — Inventions or new contrivances.

The Tds-i Ghariydlhas already been described in the eighteenth Mukaddama of the Third Book, etc., etc.

KisM V. — ToNsuEE OF FiKoz ShAh. The Petnce Fath Khan. The great Khans and Maliks. Close of the Ebign.

Mrst Mukaddama. — The Tonsure of Firoz Shah.

The Sultdn showed great respect to Shaikhu-1 Islam 'Alau-d din and Shaikhu-1 Isldm Farldu-d din Ajodhani. As long as he lived he paid much attention to the elders of religion, and towards the end of his reign he himself became a shaveling (mahluk).^ * * * In the year 776 h. (1374 a.d.), the Sultan went on a pilgrimage to the tomb of Sdlar Mas'ud Ghkxi at Bahrdich. He stayed there some time, and one night the spirit of Scildr Mas'ud appeared to him in a dream,^ and stroked his own beard with his hand, thereby intimating to the Sultan that age was prevailing over him, and that he must prepare for death. When he returned from the visit, many of the khans and amirs, out of love for the Sultdn, performed the tonsure.

Second Mukaddama. — Suppression of unlawful practices.

Abuses which had pressed upon the people in revenue matters, mal-practices in the administration of public business, and

' Three of the four MSS. write "ma&hluk, created," instead of " maWiJ, shaven," although there are passages which expressly mention the removal of the hair from the Sultin's head. Mr. Thomas's MS. has the word mahlulc correct.

3 The ghost of Mas'tid must apparently have attained a notoriety for revisiting the mortal world, and so the author of the Mir-dl-i Mas'udi only adopted a popular belief in asserting that he wrote his book under the inspiration of that spirit. See Vol. 11., p. 513.

breaches of the Holy Law were all forbidden. One of these (last) was the painting of portraits in the private apartments of kings. It was held right among monarchs to have painted chambers to gratify their eyes in retirement, but Firoz Sh4h, in his fear of God, prohibited the painting of portraits as con- trary to the Law, and directed that garden scenes should be painted instead.

Former kings used to have ornaments of brass and copper, silver and gold, in opposition to the Law ; these he interdicted. They had also used plates and drinking vessels of metal ; these also were forbidden, and he used only stone and earthenware table furniture. Pictures on banners and ensigns were also for- bidden.

Learned and holy men were also present in the Court of the Sultan, and whatever they objected to as being unlawful in the col- lection of taxes he forbad, even though it diminished the revenue. They brought to the notice of His Majesty several abuses which had sprung up in former reigns, and among them was that of ddngdna. Merchandize that had paid the regular zahdt, after being passed, was carried off to the zariba, again weighed, and an impost of one dang per tanka levied. A large sum was thus raised. Merchants, both natives and strangers, were sorely vexed with the proceedings at the ddngdna office, for they were subjected to annoyances and delays by the officials, and were quite helpless. In the city of Dehli there was an unlawful impost called mustag- hall — a ground rent levied from houses and shops, which pro- duced annually 150,000 tankas. It was also called Mrd-zamin, or ground rent. There was another unlawful tax oalleS. Jazdri, levied from butchers, at the rate of twelve Jitals for every ox they killed, and this brought a considerable sum to the treasury. The Mozi was an impost upon traders. When traders, native or foreign, brought grain, salt, sugar, or other goods into Dehli, laden upon bullocks,^ the customs officers used to seize these animals for a day and send them to old Dehli. In this old city

there were seven fortifications (hisdr), built by famous sovereigns ; but these buildings were old and falling to decay, and they fiir- nished an inexhaustible supply of bricks. The trader's animals were sent to this place for a day (roz) by the government officials, and had to convey one load of bricks from thence to Firozabad. No merchant who came to Dehli was allowed to depart until his animals had rendered this service. This made traders reluctant to come to the city, and, consequently, grain and salt began to grow dear.

The facts of these various imposts were brought to the know- ledge of his Majesty and were fully explained. The case of a trader was reported who had brought in three mans of cotton, which was carried to the ddngdna zariba and detained. The oflB.- cials would not take three ddngs proffered in payment, nor would they let it pass. While it was thus detained it caught fire and was burnt. Such was the hardship on traders. The rozi also was so oppressive that traders kept away from the city, and com- modities rose in price. The mustaghall, or ground rent, was levied from all classes ; — from widows and the very poorest people, so that it bore very hardly upon them.

The Sultdn, in his benevolence, * * * called to his presence the elders and learned men, the magistrates and revenue officers, and examined them upon these subjects. The doctors and elders all gave their opinion, which they supported by quotations from books of authority, that these imposts were opposed to the Law. So the Sultan ordered the abolition of them all. 'K.kd Nasru- llah, who was the Kdzi of the army, was mounted on an ele- phant, and was sent out to read publicly the royal proclamation of abolition. * * * The author of this work, who was then under Mur Khan, was present and heard this proclamation read. The numbers of people who crowded to hear it exceeded all computation. * * * The author has been informed that the loss incurred by the abolition of these imposts amounted to thirty lacs of tankas per annum. This abolition was proclaimed in 777 H. (1375 A.D.).

Third Mukaddama. — Burning of a Brahman before the Royal

A report was brought to the Sultan that there was in Dehli an old Brahman (zundr ddr), who persisted in publicly performing the worship of idols in his house ; and that the people of the city, both Musulmdns and Hindus, used to resort to his house to worship the idol. This Brahman had constructed a wooden tablet {muhrak), which was covered within and without with paintings of demons and other objects. On days appointed, the infidels went to his house and worshipped the idol, without the fact be- coming known to the public officers. The Sultdn was informed that this Brahman had perverted Muhammadan women, and had led them to become infidels. An order was accordingly given that the Brahman, with his tablet, should be brought into the presence of the Sultan at Firozabdd. The judges and doctors and elders and lawyers were summoned, and the case of the Brahman was submitted for their opinion. Their reply was that the provisions of the Law were clear : the Brahman must either become a Musulmdn or be burned. The true faith was declared to the Brahman, and the right course pointed out, but he refused to accept it. Orders were given for raising a pile of faggots before the door of the darbdr. The Brahman was tied hand and foot and cast into it ; the tablet was thrown on the top and the pile was lighted. The writer of this book was present at the darbdr and witnessed the execution. The tablet of the Brahman was lighted in two places, at his head and at his feet ; the wood was dry, and the fire first reached his feet, and drew from him a cry, but the flames quickly enveloped his head and consumed him. Behold the Sultan's strict adherence to law and rectitude, how he would not deviate in the least from its decrees.

Fourth Mukaddama. — Levy of the Jizya from the Brahmam.

• • • The Jizya, or poll tax, had never been levied from Brahmans ; they had been held excused, in former reigns. But

the Sultdn convened a meeting of the learned men and elders, and suggested to them that an error had been committed in holding Brahmans exempt from the tax, and that the revenue officers had been remiss in their duty. The Erahmans were the very keys of the chamber of idolatry, and the infidels were de- pendent on them. They ought therefore to be taxed first. The learned lawyers gave it as their opinion that the Brah- mans ought to be taxed. The Brahmans of all the four cities then assembled and went to the Kushk-i Shikar, where the Sultan was engaged in building, and represented that the Brahmans had never before been called upon to pay the Jizya, and they wanted to know why they were now subjected to the indignity of having to pay it. They were determined to collect wood and to burn themselves under the walls of the palace rather than pay the tax. When these pleasant words {kalimdt i pur naghmdt) were reported to the Sultdn, he replied that they might burn and destroy themselves at once, for they would not escape from the payment. He could not overlook the matter as former kings had done, and they must give up all hope of it. The Brahmans remained fasting for several days at the palace until they were on the point of death. They clearly perceived that the Sultan did not intend to spare them. The Hindus of the city then assembled and told the Brahmans that it was not right to kill themselves on account of the Jizya, and that they would undertake to pay it for them. In Dehll, the Jizya was of three kinds : 1st class. Forty tankas ; 2nd class, Twenty tankas ; 3rd class, Ten tankas. When the Brahmans found their case was hopeless, they went to the Sultan and begged him in his mercy to reduce the amount they would have to pay, and he accordingly assessed it at ten tankas and fifty jitaU} for each in- dividual.

Fifth Mukaddama. — Account of two giants and a dwarf; also of two bearded women _and other wonders of the reign^.

Sixth Mukaddama. — Memoir of the Khdn-i 'azam Tatar Khan.

Tatdr Kh^n was of Turk! origin. * * * In the reign of Ghiy4su-d din Tughlik Ghdzi, a king of Khurdsdn made an attack upon Multdn and Dipalpur, and was ravaging and wast- ing that country. He had a wife, a very handsome woman, from whom he could not bear to be absent, and so he took her with him on his campaign. She was pregnant, and was delivered of a child in the neighbourhood of Multdn and Dip^lptir. On that same night, Sultan Tughlik made an attack upon the army of her husband, which he defeated and put to flight. In the con- fusion the child was lefb in its cradle. * * * and was found by the soldiers of Sultan Tughlik. The Sultan was pleased with the child, brought him up like a son, and gave him the name of Tatar Malik. He was young when that Sultan died, but grew up in the reign of Sultdn Muhammad, and became distinguished for his courage, intrepidity, and military talents. * * * In the reign of Firoz Shkh. he obtained the title of Tdtdr Khan [and many marks of distinction^. * * * He collected a great number of commentaries on the Kuran, and having secured the assist- ance of a number of learned men, * * * he produced the com- mentary which he called the Tafsir-i Tatar Khani. He also compiled a law book,, called the Fatdwa-i Tatar Khdni. * * * He died some years after the accession of Firoz Shah.

Seventh Mukaddama. — Memoir of Khdn-i Jahdn.

The name of Khdn-i Jahan was Makbul. In his state of ignorance {i.e. when he was a Hindu) he was called Kattu. He was a native of Telingana, and a man of high position in his tribe, and he had attracted the favour of the Bdi of that country. When Sult4n Muhammad sent the Bdi of Tehngana to Dehli, the Rdi died upon the road. Kattu then presented himself to Sultan Muhammad, and made his profession of the Muhammadan faith. On being admitted to the honour of the faith, the Sultan gave him the name of Makbul, and bestowed on him many marks

of his favour. Sultdn Muhammad perceived in him many marks of sagacity and intelligence, so he made him deputy-wa^ir of Dehli, when he used to seal and place his signature on parwdnas as follows, " Makbul, slave of Muhammad Tughlik." Although he had no knowledge of reading and writing, he was a man of great common sense, acumen and intelligence, and was an orna- ment to the Court. In the reign of Sultin Muhammad he received the title of Kiwamu-1 Mulk, and a grant of the fief of Multdn. This was before he became deputy-wa^fr. In those days Khwaja-i Jahdn was wazir of Sult4n Muhammad. * * * When this Sultan died, and Sultdn Firoz attained the throne, Khwaja-i Jahan was desirous of giving the crown to a son of Sultan Muhammad, and opposed Sultan Firoz, as has been related in a former part of this work. Khw4ja-i Jahdn and Kiw4mu-1 Mulk were both in Dehli at the time, and when Firoz Shah approached the city, Kiwamu-1 Mulk went out to meet him, and helped him to get possession of the city. He was then made wazir _and received the title of Khdn-i Jahdri]. * * * When the Sultin departed from Dehli on affairs of State, or for hunting, he used, to leave Khan-i Jahan as his deputy, who, during his absence, rode about Dehli with a great display of power, * * * having his sons, grandsons, sons-in-law, and slaves in his train. * * * During the absence of the Sultan, the city was thus kept in subjection. After the death of the Khan, the Sultan ceased from his excursions, and only went out riding in the neighbourhood of the capital.

Kh&n-i-Jahdn had a great number of children. He was much devoted to the pleasures of the harem, and sought eagerly for pretty handmaids. It is reported that he had two thousand women of Eum and Chin in his harem, where he spent much of his time notwithstanding his onerous official duties. He had numerous sons, and the Sultdn made a provision that every son born to him should from his birth receive an allowance {nan) of 11,000 tankas for his maintenance, he also provided that every daughter on her marriage should receive an allowance

of 15,000 tankas. His sons and sons-in-law all wore caps and white waist-bands, and his magnificence reached to such a pitch, that the Sultan was often heard to say that Khan-i Jahan was the grand and magnificent king of Dehli.

'Ainu-1 Mulk was also called 'Ain M4hru. * * * He was a wise, accomplished, excellent, clever man, full of sound judgment and intelligence, * * * but during the reign of Sultan Muham- mad bin Tughlik his brothers had been guilty of some improper and unworthy action, through which he had properly been sent into disgrace. * * * One day Muhammad Tughlik held a general Court, * * * when he perceived 'Ainu-1 Mulk, and, pointing to him, said, that the misconduct of his brothers had deprived the State of his services, and the Sultdn gave orders that he should be re-instated in his position at Court. 'Ainu-1 Mulk was a clever and accomplished man of the highest ability. He wrote some excellent books in the reigns of Muhammad Tughlik and Firoz Shah. One of them is the 'Ainu-l Mullci, a popular and ap- proved work. * * In the reign of Firoz Shdh he was appointed to the office of Ashrdful-l Mamdlik, and entered actively upon his duties in the minister's office. But a dispute arose between him and the minister * * * which was carried to extremities. * * * The contention reached such a height that Khan-i Jahdn often uttered most bitter personal remarks in the presence of 'Ainu-1 Mulk, and the latter retorted in the same strain ; there was no delicacy between them. * * * Kh4n-i Jah^n told the Sultdn that he could no longer stay in the country, and therefore he wished to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. * * * * At length the Sultdn said to Khan-i Jahan, " I have given to you the ofiice of Diwdn-i wazdrat, all officers are under you, dismiss whom you please and give the office of Ashrdfu-l mamdlik to another." The wazir went home rejoiced, * * * and sent 'Ainu-1 Mulk his dismissal. When 'Ainu-1 Mulk received his discharge he did not go to the palace for three days, but on the third day he went and paid his respects to the sovereign. The Sultdn called him near, and observed that the world is ruined Toii III. 24

by dissensions, * * * * and as a quarrel had arisen between Kh4n-i Jahdn and him, there was granted to him the fiefs of Multdn, Bhakkar, and Siwistdn, whither he had better repair and look after their affairs. But 'Ainu-1 Mulk replied, that if he managed these territories he would not render his accounts to the office of the wazir, but that he would submit them to the Sultan himself. The Sultan accordingly ordered that the fief of Multdn should be removed from the jurisdiction of the minister, and told 'Alnu-l Mulk that he would himself receive his reports ^ and that his books would be sufficient. Upon these conditions 'Ainu-1 Mulk accepted the fiefs. The writer has been informed that when 'Ainu-l Mulk was thus dismissed, the chief servants met to consider the matter, and they observed that he had been disgraced through, the influence of the minister, and that the same might happen to them to-morrow. They therefore endeavoured to set the Sultan against Khdn-i Jahan. * * * 'Ainu-l Mulk had started for Multan, and had proceeded about twenty-four kos, when he received an order from the Sult4n directing him to leave all his train and return quickly. He did so with alacrity, and when he arrived in Dehli, the Sultan gave him a private audience, when the officers who were present observed that it was not right to give such predominance to Kh^n-i Jahan, and that it would be well to beware of him. The Sult4n looked towards 'Ainu-1 Mulk who said that * * * Kh4n-i Jahan was a wise and experienced minister, and that his removal would be a calamity to the State. These sentiments greatly pleased the Sultan. He afterwards consulted with him and asked him what ought to be done. He replied that the * * * wazir should be sent for, and that all fear and apprehension should be removed from his mind. * * * The minister was accordingly summoned, and when the officers who were sent to call him informed him of what had passed he was greatly amazed. * * * When the Sultdn saw he was disturbed in mind

' TMs seems to be the meaning of the sentence, but the exact words are " all that you may happen to do in the fief of Mult&n shall be listened to."

he reassured him, clothed him with a splendid robe and sent him away with many marks of favour. As the minister retired, radiant and happy, he embraced 'Ainu-1 Mulk and said, " I had never thought that you were so friendly towards me. I have been wrong and ungracious to you." 'Ainu-1 Mulk replied that he hoped that all misgiving would be removed from the mind of the minister, he had spoken warmly for him, notwithstanding their old feud, and all that he had said had been for the good of the throne of Sultan Firoz. Khdn-i Jahan strongly wished to take 'Ainu-1 Mulk home with him but he declined.

_Order of Precedence at Court]. Khdn-i Jah^n lived to a ripe old age, till he was more than eighty years old, and all his limbs had become very feeble. * * * He died in the year 770 H. (1368 A.D.), in the eighteenth year of the reign of Firoz Shah. When he died all Dehli went into mourning, and crowded to the mosques and tombs. [^Eulogy of the Khan.'] The Sultan was greatly affected at his death, and wept bitterly ; and he resolved in his mind that he would never more ride forth on any great enter- prize. * * *

When Khan-i Jahan held the fief of Mult^n, he had a son born to him. * * * He wrote to acquaint Sultan Muhammad Shdh of the fact, and that monarch directed that the child should be named Jundn Shdh. This was he who was afterwards known as Khan-i Jahan, son of Khan-i Jah4n. * * * After the death of his father, the Sultdn promoted him to the office of wazir, and bestowed on him this title. * * * He acted as minister under Firoz Shah for twenty years, * * * and the Sultdn committed all the affairs of the kingdom to his charge. But towards the end of the reign of Firoz Sh4h, * * * enmity broke out between the minister and Prince Muhammad KhAn, afterwards Sultan Muhammad Shkh. Their dissensions were the cause of great trouble and disaster to the country; old and young, small and great, suffered, and the country at length fell a prey to the inroads of the Mughals. The author has entered fully into the details of this quarrel in his memoir of Sultan Muhammad bin Firoz.

Eighth Muhaddama. — Memoir of Malik Ndib Bar-hak.

Ninth Mukaddama. — Memoir of Malik-i Muliiku-sh Sharf, ''Imddu-l Mulk, Bashir-i Sultdni.

• • • Some say that Sipdh-s&ldr Eajab, the father of Sult&n Piroz received 'Imadu-1 Mulk as part of his wife's dower, others that he purchased him with the price of some of his wife's jewels, and others assert that when Sultdn Firoz, after his accession, married a daughter of Sultdn Kutbu-d din, this lady- gave her slave 'Imadu-1 Mulk to her husband. * * * * The great wealth of 'Im&du-l Mulk has already been spoken of; it amounted to krors. The author was told that on one occasion bags were required for containing the coin, and 2,500 tankas were expended in the purchase of the material, the cost of each bag being four jitals. * * * When the accounts were brought before 'Imddu-l Mulk he objected to this extravagant outlay for bags, and directed that pits should be dug in the ground and the money placed therein like as com is stored.* * * There were many rich khans and maliks in the time of Firoz Shdh, but no one was so rich as he ; indeed there never had been one so rich in any reign or in any kingdom. It is said that he amassed thirteen krors. (of tankas) but he was avid in the acquisition of more. He held the fief of Eapri and looked very vigilantly after it. The clerks of the Exchequer (dirvdn-i wazdrat) were afraid of him, and they refrained from calling him to account, so that in the course of years a large balance was due by him. This fact became known to the Sultan,* * * When 'Imddu-l Mulk heard about the enquiry he drew up a statement of his wealth which he himself presented to the Sultdn, who read it without making any observation and returned it. * * One day 'Imddu-l Mulk brought a kror (of tankas) in bags to Court, and when the Sultan cried out " Bashir, what is this 1 " he replied that it was a small contribu- tion [chize 'alitfah) for the use of the servants of the court. The Sultan declined to take it, but 'Imddu-l Mulk urged its ac- ceptance. At length the Sultdn said, " Bashir is my property.

and so his property is mine. But this kror must not be placed in the public treasury, because that is the depository of the public revenue. Let it therefore be deposited with Makbtil the perfumer ('itr-ddr). Whenever Khan-i Jahdn required money for fitting out the equipage of the Sultan, he used to give notice to the Sultdn, and this kror in the hands of Makbtil was drawn upon for the necessary expenses.'^ But as money was continually coming in from ('Imadu-1 Mulk's) fief, which was handed over to Makbtil the perfiimer, the kror (of tankas), so long as the SultAn lived, was not diminished. * * * When 'Imddu-1 Mulk died the §ultdn decided that the wealth did not belong to the deceased. There were twelve krors, of which the Sultan took nine, leaving three for Malik Is'hak.

Tenth Mukaddama. — Memoir of Malik Saiyidu-l Hvj^db,

Eleventh Mukaddama, — Memoir of Malik Shamsu-d din Aburjd, Mustaufi- mamdlik.

Twelfth Mukaddama. — Memoir of 8hamsu-d din Ddmaghdni.

Thirteenth Mukaddama. — Destruction of a land of murderers ly

Fourteenth Mukaddama. — Attention shown to three subjects hy Firoz Shah towards the end of his life, viz., 1. Liberation of prisoners. 2. Restoration of mosques. 3. Bedressing the wrongs of the oppressed.

Mfteenth Mukaddama. — The lastfarewell of Saiyid Jaldlu-d din.'

Sixteenth Mukaddama. — Hepentance of Firoz Shah.

Seventeenth Mukaddama. — Resignation {taslim Icardan) of Firoz Shah to Khdn-i Jahdn.

Eighteenth Mukaddama. — Account of the charms {ahndli sihr) performed for Firoz Shah.

' Sir H. Elliot's and Mr. Thomas' MSS. here come to an abrupt termination, having been evidently copied, as before observed, from the same (imperfect) original.

2 The best MS. terminates abruptly in this chapter. The headings of the remain- ing three chapters are taken from the Preface.

[This little work, the production of the Sult§,ii Firoz Shdh, contains a brief summary of the res gestae of his reign, or, ses he designates them, his "Victories." Sir H. Elliot was un- able to obtain a copy of it, but considered its recovery very desirable, "as everything relating to the noble character of Firoz is calculated to excite attention." Colonel Lees also speats of it, but he had never seen it, and was not well in- formed as to its extent.! ]y[j,_ Thomas was more fortunate, for he possesses a copy which purports to have been written in 1139 H. (1726 A.D.), but it is quite modern ; the date therefore must be that of the MS. from which it was copied. The work is a mere brochure of thirty-two pages, and the editor has translated the whole of it, with the exception of a few lines in the preface laudatory of the prophet. It exhibits the humane and generous spirit of Firoz in a very pleasing unostentatious light, recording his earnest endeavours to discharge the duties of his station with clemency, and to act up to the teaching of his religion with reverence and earnestness.]

[Praises without end, and infinite thanks to that merciful Creator who gave to me his poor abject creature Firoz, son of Eajab, the slave of Muhammad Shah son of Tughlik Shah, His impulse for the maintenance of the laws of His religion, for the

1 Journal Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. IV., New Series, p. 446. See also Briggs' Ferishta, I., 462.

repression of heresy, the prevention of crime, aud the prohibition of things forbidden; who gave me also a disposition for' dis- charging my lawful duties and my moral obligations. * * * My desire is that, to the best of my human power, I should recount and pay my thanks for the many blessings He has bestowed upon me, so that I may be found among the number of His grateful servants. First I would praise Him because when irreligion and sins opposed to the Law prevailed in Hindustan, and mens' habits and dispositions were inclined towards them, and were averse to the restraints of religion, He inspired me His humble servant with an earnest desire to repress irreligion and wickedness, so that I was able to labour diligently until with^His blessing the vanities of the world, and things repugnant to religion, were set aside, and the true was distinguished from the false,

1. In the reigns of former kings the blood of many Musulmans had been shed, and many varieties of torture employed. Ampu- tation of hands and feet, ears and noses ; tearing out the eyes, pouring molten lead into the throat, crushing the bones of the hands and feet with mallets, burning the body with fire, driving iron nails into the hands, feet, and bosom, cutting the sinews, sawing men asunder ; these and many similar tortures were practised. The great and merciful God made me, His servant, hope and seek for His mercy by devoting myself to prevent the unlawfiil killing of Musulmans, and the infliction of any kind of torture upon them or upon any men.

" Thanks for God's mercies I will show. By causing man nor pain nor woe."

All these things were practised that fear and dread might fall

upon the hearts of men, and that the regulations of government

" ■Wonld'st thou see thy land at rest ? Keep the (headsman's) sword at rest ! "

Through the mercy which God has shown to me these severi- ties and terrors have been exchanged for tenderness, kindness, and mercy. Tear and respect have thus taken firmer hold of

the hearts of men, and there has been no need of executions, scourgings, tortures, or terrors. But this blessed result is altogether due to the mercy and favour of the Creator.

" Thy power is great, then mercy show : Pardon than vengeance better know. Greatness to thee from Heaven descends : Proneness to wrath thy God offends. "Withhold thine hand, some respite give, Nor kill the man thou might'st forgive ; Let not his body lifeless fall. His spirit thou cau'st ne'er recall. See how the mother's tender breast Is by her child's distress opprest. Boast not the hundreds thou hast slain, To save one life's a nobler aim. Thou shrinkest from the lancet's smart, Keep then thy sword from neck and heart. Seek not to shed a victim's gore, The life-stream stopped will flow no more. From deeds of blood thy hand restrain, Thy blood the assassin's blade may stain. That leader praise whose generous heart, Disdains with captives' lives to sport. From the well of fate he life will draw Who shields the wretch from tyrants' law. A vanquished foe should claim thy care, Then pity show— in mercy spare ! "

By God's help I determined that the lives {khun) of Musul- mans and true believers should be in perfect immunity, and whoever transgressed the Law should receive the punishment pre- scribed by the book and the decrees of judges.

2. The next matter, which by God's help I accomplished, was the repetition of the names and titles of former sovereigns which had been omitted from the prayers on Sabbaths and Feasts. The names of those sovereigns of Islim, under whose happy fortune and favour infidel countries had been conquered, whose banners had waved over many a land, under whom mosques and pulpits had been built and exalted, the fragrant creed had been extended, and the people of Islam had waxen strong and warlike, the names of these men had fallen into neglect and oblivion. So I decreed that according to established custom their names and

k- titles should be rehearsed in the khutba and aspirations offered for the remission of their sins.

" Would' st thou enjoy a lasting fame ? Hide not the merits of an honoured name ! "

3. In former reigns they used to collect frivolous, unlawful,

and unjust cesses at the public treasury, such as the Mandavi

bark, daldlat-i bazdrhd, jdrdri, amiri-tarab, gul-faroshi, jaribd-i

tambol, changi-ghala, kitdbi, Ulgari, mdhi-faroshi, sdbunkari,

rismdn faroshi, raughan-kari, nukhud-birydn, tah-bdzdri, jhaba,

kimdr-khdna, ddcl-banki, kotwdli, ihtisdbi, karhi, chardi, musd-

dardt. I had all these abolished and removed from the accounts,

and any revenue collector who exacted these cesses from the

people was to be brought to punishment for his offence.

"Better a people's weal than treasures vast, Better an empty chest than hearts downcast."

The money received in the public treasury should be derived from sources recognized by the Sacred Law, and approved by books of authority. First the khardj or tenth from cultivated lands, then the zakdt or alms, then the jizya or poll tax on Hindus and other separatists, then the khams or fifth of the spoil and of (the produce of) mines. No tax unauthorized by the declarations of the book should be received in the public treasury.

4. Before my time it was the rule and practice that in re- pressing infidelity four-fifths of the spoil was appropriated to the public treasury and one-fifth was given to the captors ; but the rule of the Law is that one-fifth should be taken by the State, and four-fifths allotted to the captors. The provisions of the Law had thus been entirely subverted. As the Law was thus set at nought, every man looked upon himself as the lawful owner of the spoil he captured. Hence, children borne by female captives were the offspring of fornication. To prevent these irregularities I decreed that one-fifth (of the spoil) should be taken by the State, and four-fifths given to the captors.

5. The sect of Shi'as, also called Rawdfiz, had endeavoured to make proselytes. They wrote treatises and books, and gave in-

« struction and lectures upon the tenets of their sect, and traduced

and reviled the first chiefs of our religion (on whom be the peace of God!). I seized them all and I convicted them of their errors and perversions. On the most zealous I inflicted punish- ment (siydsaf), and the rest I visited with censure (tdzir) and threats (tahdib) of public punishment (tashhir-i %ijr). Their books I burnt in public, and so by the grace of God the influence of this sect was entirely suppressed.

6. There was a sect of heretics (mulhid), and sectarians (abdh- tii/dn), who laboured to seduce the people into heresy and schism. They met by night at an appointed time and place, both friends and strangers. Wine was served, and they said that this was their religious worship. They brought their wives, mothers, and daughters to these meetings. The men threw them- selves on the ground as if in worship, and each man had inter- course with the woman whose garment he caught. I cut ofl" the heads of the elders of this sect, and imprisoned and banished the rest, so that their abominable practices were put an end to.

7. There was a sect which wore the garments of atheism, and having thrown oiF all restraint, led men astray. The name of their chief was Ahmad Bahdri. He dwelt in the city, and a party of his followers called him a God. They brought those people before me in bonds and chains, and informed me that he presumptuously made' himself a prophet, and said that there could be none of the grace of prophecy in any one who had not been admitted into his following. One of his disciples affirmed that a God had appeared in Dehli, that is, Ahmad Eahari. When these facts were proved against them, I ordered them both to be confined and punished with chains. I admonished the others to repent and reform, and I banished them to difiierent cities to put a stop to the influence of this wretched sect.

8. There was in Dehli a man named Euknu-d din, who was called Mahdl, because he affirmed himself to be the Imdm Mahdi who is to appear in the latter days, and to be possessed of know- ledge by inspiration. He said that he had not read or studied

under anyone, and that he knew the names of all things, a know- ledge which no prophet had acquired since Adam. He pretended that the mysteries of the science of letters Cilm-i huricf) had been revealed to him in a way never made known to any other man, and that he had written books upon the subject. He led people astray into mystic practices, and perverted ideas by main- taining that he was Euknu-d din, the prophet of God. The elders brought the facts of this case to ray attention, and gave evidence of what they had heard him say. When he was brought before me I investigated the charges of error and perversion brought against him, and he was convicted of heresy and error. The doctors of the Law said he was an infidel, and worthy of death, for having spread such vile and pernicious ideas among the people of Isldm. If any delay were made in putting them down they would spread like a pestilence, and many Musulmdns would stray from the true faith. A revolt (against religion) would follow ; and many men would fall into perdition. I ordered that this vile fellow's rebellion and wickedness should be communicated to all societies of learned men, and be made public to all men, high and low : and that in accordance with the de- cision of the doctors learned in the holy Law, the guilty should be brought to punishment. They killed him with some of his supporters and disciples, and the people rushing in tore him to pieces and broke his bones into fragments. Thus was his iniquity prevented. G-od in His mercy and favour, made me. His humble creature, the instrument of putting down such wickedness, and abolishing such heresy ; and guided me to effect a restoration of true religion. Thanks for this are due to the great and glorious God. Upon hearing or reading the facts here recorded, every well-wisher of His religion will admit that this sect was de- servedly punished, and for this good action I hope to receive future reward.

9. A person who was one of the pupils of 'Ain Mdhru,i had set himself up as a shaikh in the country of Gujardt, and having

got together a body of disciples, used to say, "Ana-l Sakk" (I am God). He commanded his disciples that when he used these words they were to say, " Thou art, thou art ! " He further said, " I am the king who dies not ;" and he wrote a book in which he inserted the words of his profession (kalamdt). He was put in chains and brought before me. The charge being proved, I condemned him to punishment, and his book I ordered to be burnt, so that his innovation (fasdd) might be prevented from spreading among the faithful people of Isldm.

10. A custom and practice unauthorized by the Law of Isldm had sprung up in Musulm^n cities. On holy days women riding in palankins, or carts, or litters, or mounted on horses or mules, or in large parties on foot, went out of the city to the tombs. Rakes and wild fellows of unbridled passions and loose habits, took the opportunity which this practice afforded for improper riotous actions. I commanded that no woman should go out to the tombs under pain of exemplary punishment. Now, thanks to the great God, no lady or respectable Musulman woman can go out on pilgrimage to the tombs. The practice has been en- tirely stopped.

11. The Hindus and idol-worshipers had agreed to pay the money for toleration (zar-i zimmiya), and had consented to the poll tax {jizyd), in return for which they and their families en- joyed security. These people now erected new idol temples in the city and the environs in opposition to the Law of the Prophet which declares that such temples are not to be tolerated. Under Divine guidance I destroyed these edifices, and I killed those leaders of infidelity who seduced others into error, and the lower orders I subjected to stripes and chastisement, until this abuse was entirely abolished. The following is an instance : — In the village of Maluh there is a tank which they call kund (tank). Here they had built idol-temples, and on certain days the Hindus were accustomed to proceed thither on horseback, and wearing arms. Their women and children also went out in palankins and carts. There they assembled in thousands and performed

idol worship. This abuse had been so overlooked that the bazar people took out there all sorts of provisions, and set up stalls and sold their goods. Some graceless Musulm^ns, thinking only of their own gratification, took part in these meetings. When intelli- gence of this came to my ears my religious feelings prompted me at once to put a stop to this scandal and offence to the religion of Isl^m. On the day of the assembling I went there in person, and I ordered that the leaders of these people and the promoters of this abomination should be put to death, I forbad the in- fliction of any severe punishments on the Hindus in general, but I destroyed their idol temples, and instead thereof raised mosques. I founded two flourishing towns (kasba), one called Tughlikpiir, the other Salarptir. Where infidels and idolaters worshiped idols, Musulmdns now, by God's mercy, perform their devotions to the true God. Praises of God and the summons to prayer are now heard there, and that place which was formerly the home of infidels has become the habitation of the faithful, who there repeat their creed and offer up their praises to God.

12. Information was brought to me that some Hindus had erected a new idol-temple in the village of S41ihpur, and were performing worship to their idol. I sent some persons there to destroy the idol temple, and to put a stop to their pernicious in- citements to error.

13. Some Hindus had erected a new idol-temple in the village of Kohdna, and the idolaters used to assemble there and perform their idolatrous rites. These people were seized and brought before me. I ordered that the perverse conduct of the leaders of this wickedness should be publicly proclaimed, and that they should be put to death before the gate of the palace. I also ordered that the infidel books, the idols, and the vessels used in their worship, which had been taken with them, should all be publicly burnt. The others were restrained by threats and punishments, as a warning to all men, that no zimmi could follow such wicked practices in a Musulman country.

14. It had been the practice in former reigns to use vessels of

gold and silver at the royal table, and sword-belts and quivers were ornamented with gold and jewels. I forbad these things, and I ordered the fittings of my arms to be made of bone, and I commanded that only such vessels should be used as are recog- nized by the Law.

15. In former times it had been the custom to wear orna- mented garments, and men received robes as tokens of honour from kings' courts. Figures and devices were painted and dis- played on saddles, bridles, and collars, on censers, on goblets and cups, and flagons, on dishes and ewers, in tents, on curtains and on chairs, and upon all articles and utensils. Under Divine guidance and favour I ordered all pictures and portraits to be removed from these things, and that such articles only should be made as are approved and recognized by the Law. Those pictures and portraits which were painted on the doors and walls of palaces I ordered to be effaced.

16. Formerly the garments of great men were generally made of silk and gold brocades, beautiful but unlawful. Under Divine guidance I ordered that such garments should be worn as are approved by the Law of the Prophet, and that choice should be made of such trimmings of gold brocade, embroidery, or braiding as did not exceed four inches [asdW) in breadth. Whatever was unlawfal and forbidden by, or opposed to, the Law was set aside.

Among the gifts which God bestowed upon me, His humble servant, was a desire to erect public buildings. So I built many mosques and colleges and monasteries, that the learned and the elders, the devout and the holy, might worship God in these edifices, and aid the kind builder with their prayers. The digging of canals, the planting of trees, and the endowing with lands are in accordance with the directions of the Law. The learned doctors of the Law of IslAm have many troubles; of this there is no doubt. I settled allowances upon them in pro- portion to their necessary expenses, so that they might regularly receive the income. The details of this are fully set forth in the Wakf-ndma.

Again, by the guidance of God, I was led to repair and rebuild the edifices and structures of former kings and ancient nobles, which had fallen into decay from lapse of time ; giving the re- storation of these buildings the priority over my own building works. The Masjid-i jdmi'' of old Dehli, which was built by Sultdn Mu'izzu-d din Sdm, had fallen into decay from old age, and needed repair and restoration. I so repaired it that it was quite renovated.

The western wall of the tomb of Sultdn Mu'izzu-d din S4m, and the planks of the door, had become old and rotten. I re- stored this, and, in the place of the balcony, I furnished it with doors, arches, and ornaments of sandal-wood.

The mindra of Sultan Mu'izzu-d din Sam had been struck by lightning. I repaired it and raised it higher than it was before.

The Sauz-i Shamsi, or tank of Altamsh, had been deprived of water by some graceless men, who stopped up the channels of supply. I punished these incorrigible men severely, and opened again the closed up channels.

The Sauz-i 'Aldi, or tank of 'Alau-d din, had no water in it,

and was filled up. People carried on cultivation in it, and had

dug wells, of which they sold the water. After a generation

, {karn) had passed I cleaned it out, so that this great tank might

The Madrasa (college) of Sultan Shamsu-d din Altamsh had been destroyed. I rebuilt it, and furnished it with sandal-wood doors. The columns of the tomb, which had fallen down, I restored better than they had been before. When the tomb was built its court (sahn) had not been made curved {kaj), but I now made it so. I enlarged the hewn-stone staircase of the dome, and I re-erected the fallen piers (pushti) of the four towers.

Tomb of Sultdn Mu'izzu-d din, son of Sultdn Shamsu-d din, which is situated in Malikpur. This had fallen into such ruin that the sepulchres were undistinguishable. I re-erected the dome, the terrace, and the enclosure wall.

Tomb of Sultan Kuknu-d din, son of Shamsu-d din, in Malik-

pur. I repaired the enclosure wall, built a new dome, and erected a monastery (khdnkdh).

Tomb of Sultdn Jaldlu-d din. This I repaired, and I supplied it with new doors.

Tomb of Sultdn 'A14u-d din. I repaired this, and furnished it with sandal-wood doors. I repaired the wall of the dhddr- khdna, and the west wall of the mosque, which is within the college, and I also made good the tesselated pavement {farsh-i ta'shib).

Tomb of Sultan Kutbu-d din and the (other) sons of Sultan 'A14u-d din, viz., Khizr Khan, Shddi Khdn, Farid Khdn, Sultan Shah4bu-d din, Sikandar Khdn, Muhammad Khan, 'Usman Kh^n, and his grandsons, and the sons of his grandsons. The tombs of these I repaired and renovated.

I also repaired the doors of the dome, and the lattice work of the tomb of Shaikhu-1 Islam Niz4mu-1 hakk wau-d din, which were made of sandal-wood. I hung up the golden chandeliers with chains of gold in the four recesses of the dome, and I built a meeting room, for before this there was none.

Tomb of Malik T4ju-1 Mulk Kafuri, the great wazir of Sultan 'Alau-d din. He was a most wise and intelligent minister, and acquired many countries, on which the horses of former sovereigns had never placed their hoofs, and he caused the khutba of Sultan 'Alau-d din to be repeated there. He had 52,000 horsemen. His grave had been leveled with the ground, and his tomb laid low. I caused his tomb to be entirely renewed, for he was a devoted and faithful subject.

The Ddru-l dmdn, or House of Rest. This is the bed and resting place of great men. I had new sandal- wood doors made for it, and over the tombs of these distinguished men I had curtains and hangings suspended.

The expense of repairing and renewing these tombs and colleges was provided from their ancient endowments. In those cases where no income had been settled on these foundations in former times for (procuring) carpets, lights, and furniture for the use of

travelers and pilgrims in the least of these places, I had villages assigned to them, the revenues of which would suffice for their expenditure in perpetuity.

Jahdn-pandh. This foundation of the late Sultan Muhammad Shah, my kind patron, by whose bounty I was reared and edu- cated, I restored.

All the fortifications which had been built by former sovereigns at Dehli I repaired.

For the benefit of travelers and pilgrims resorting to the tombs of illustrious kings and celebrated saints, and for pro- viding' the things necessary in these holy places, I confirmed and gave efi'ect to the grants of villages, lands, and other en- dowments which had been conferred upon them in olden times. In those cases where no endowment or provision had been settled, I made an endowment, so that these establishments might for ever be secure of an income, to afi'ord comfort to travelers and wayfarers, to holy men and learned men. May they remember those (ancient benefactors) and me in their prayers.

I was enabled by God's help to build a Ddru-sh shifd, or Hospital, for the benefit of every one of high or low degree, who was suddenly attacked by illness and overcome by suffering. Physicians attend there to ascertain the disease, to look after the cure, to regulate the diet, and to administer medicine. The cost of the medicines and the food is defrayed from my endowments. AH sick persons, residents and travelers, gentle and simple, bond and free, resort thither; their maladies are treated, and, under God's blessing, they are cured.

Under the guidance of the Almighty I arranged that the heirs of those persons who had been executed (hushta) in the reign of my late lord and patron Sultan Muhammad Shah, and those who had been deprived of a, limb, nose, eye, hand, or foot, should be reconciled to the late Sultan and be appeased with gifts, so that they executed deeds declaring their satisfaction, duly attested by witnesses. These deeds were put into a chest, which was placed in the Bdru-l dmdn at the head of the tomb of the VOL. III. 2S

late Sultdn, in the hope that God, in his great clemency, would show mercy to my late friend and patron, and make those persons feel reconciled to him.

Another instance of Divine guidance was this. Villages, lands, and ancient patrimonies of every kind had been wrested from the hands of their owners in former reigns, and had been brought under the Exchequer, I directed that every one who had a claim to property should bring it forward in the law-court, and, upon establishing his title, the village, the land, or whatever other property it was should be restored to him. By God's grace I was impelled to this good action, and men obtained their just rights.

I encouraged my infidel subjects to embrace the religion of the prophet, and I proclaimed that every one who repeated the creed and became a Musulmdn should be exempt from the jizya, or poll-tax. Information of this came to the ears of the people at large, and great numbers of Hindus presented themselves, and were admitted to the honour of Islam. Thus they came forward day by day from every quarter, and, adopting the faith, were exonerated from the jizya, and were favoured with presents and honours.

Through God's mercy the lands and property of his servants

have been safe and secure, protected and guarded during my

reign ; aqd I have not allowed the smallest particle of any man's

property to be wrested from him. Men often spoke to me

officiously, saying that such and such a merchant had made so

many lacs, and that such and such a revenue collector had so

many lacs. By reproofs and punishments I made these informers

hold their tongues, so that the people might be safe from their

malignity, and through this kiftdness men became my friends

" Labour to earn for generous deeds a name, Nor seek for riches to extend thy fame. Better one word of praise than stores of gold, Better one grateful prayer than wealth untold."

Under God's favour my heart was occupied with an earnest

desire to succour the poor and needy [fukra wa masdkin) and to comfort their hearts. Wherever I heard of a fakir or religious recluse, I went to visit him and ministered to his necessities, so that I might attain the blessing promised to those who befriend the poor.

Whenever a person had completed the natural term of life and had become full of years, after providing for his support, I ad- vised and admonished him to direct his thoughts to making preparation for the life to come, and to repent of all things which he had done contrary to the Law and religion in his youth ; to wean his affections from this world, and to fix them on the next.

I desired to act upon the sentiment of these lines—

" The practice of the great should he To succour honest men ; And when a good man dies, to see His children find a iriend."

When any government servant filling an important and respon- sible position was carried off under the decrees of God to the happy future life, I gave his place and employment to his son, so that he might occupy the same position and rank as his father and suffer no injury.

"Kings should make their rule of life To love the great and wise ; And when death ends this mortal strife, To dry their loved ones' eyes."

The greatest and best of honours that I obtained through God's mercy was, that by my obedience and piety, and friendli- ness and submission to the Khalifa, the representative of the holy Prophet, my authority was confirmed ; for it is by his sanction that the power of kings is assured, and no king is secure until he has submitted himself to the khalifa, and has received a confir- mation from the sacred throne. A diploma was sent to me fully confirming my authority as deputy of the khildfat, and the leader of the faithful was graciously pleased to honour me with the title of " Saiyidu-s Saldtin.'''' He also bestowed upon me robes, a banner, a sword, a ring, and a foot-print as badges of honour and distinction.

My object in writing this book has been to express my grati- tude to the All-bountiful God for the many and various blessings He has bestowed upon me. Secondly, that men who desire to be good and prosperous may read this and learn what is the proper course. There is this concise maxim, by observing which, a man may obtain God's guidance : Men will be judged according to their works, and rewarded for the good that they have done.

[This is an autobiographical memoir of the Emperor Timur, written in the Ohaghatdi Turki language, translated into Persian by Abii Talib Husaini, and dedicated to the Emperor Shah Jahan, who began to reign in a.d. 1628.

In the brief preface to his translation, Abu Talib states that he found the original Turki work in the library of Ja'far, Hakim of Yaman,^ and that it consisted of a history of Timtir, from the seventh to the seventy-fourth year of his age. The reticence of Abu Talib as to the authenticity of the original work, and the strangeness of the place for the discovery of a MS', in a Turki language, have given rise to the suspicion that there was no such work, and that Abu Talib made the statement to give greater authority to a production of his own. Major Davy, who first brought the work to notice, argued against this sup- position, grounding his opinion on the internal evidence of the work itself, and on the improbability of an author resorting to "an artifice which could tend only to diminish his fame and his profit." The probability is that Abu Talib knew nothing more of the work than what he learned from its own pages, and that when he had turned these into Persian he had nothing to add. Timtir's descendants seem to have had a partiality for writing

1 A person of this name was Pasha of Taman in 1610. — Astley's Voyages referred to by Stewart in the Preface to his translation.

their own memoirs, as in the instances of Bdbar and Jahangir ; and others, who did not profess to be their .own biographers, pro- vided for a record of their lives and actions being written. This family predilection is of itself something in favour of the authen- ticity of the work.

The fact of its being a genuine work, produced under the super- vision of Timur himself, can however be proved upon more certain evidence. Only thirty years after Tiraur's death, Sharafti-d din Tazdi wrote his celebrated Zafar-ndma, or Book of Victory, to commemorate the exploits of Timiir, and in his preface he details the sources from which his work was drawn, and the auspices under which it was written. To establish the veracity and au- thority of his history, he first describes, in the following words, the way in which a record of the events of Timur's reign was kept at the Court of thai Emperor.

" The third recommendation (of this my work, named Zafar- ndma) is its truthfiilnesS' — the exactness and verity of the ac- counts and descriptions of the various events of Timur's life, both at home and abroad. Men of the highest character for learning, knowledge, and goodness, Aighur officers and Persian secretaries, were in attendance at the Court of Timur, and a staff of them under the orders of the Emperor wrote down an account of everything that occurred. The movements, actions and sayings of Timur, the various incidents and affairs of State, of religion, and the ministers, were all recorded and written down with the greatest care. The most stringent commands were given that every event should be recorded exactly as it occurred, without any modification either in excess or diminu- tion. This rule was to be particularly observed in matters of personal bearing and courage, without fear or favour of any one, and most especially in respect of the valour and prowess of the Emperor himself. The learned and eloquent writers having recorded the facts, their compositions were polished and finished off in verse and prose. From time to time these writings were brought into the royal presence and were read to

the Emperor, so as to insure confidence by the impress of his approval. In this way the records of the various incidents and actions of the life of Timur, whether recounted in Turki verse or Persian prose, were revised and finally recorded in prose and verse. Besides this, some of the oiEcers of the Court wrote down the incidents of the reign of Timur, and took the greatest pains to ascertain the truth of what they recorded. Accomplished writers then moulded these productions into Turki verse and Persian prose."

Sharafu-d din then goes on to relate how his own royal patron Ibrahim, grandson of Timur, took the greatest interest in the com- position of the Za/ar-ndma how he procured from all parts of his dominions copies of the works relating to the life of Timiir, in prose and verse, in Turki and in Persian ; how he supplied him with men learned in Persian and Turki as assistants ; how re- ference was made to surviving actors in the events recorded ; how he wrote letters in all directions to settle discrepancies in the MSS., and how he had the work read to him in the rough draft and in the finished state.^

So the basis of Sharafu-d din's history was a work or works written under the direction or with the approval of Timur, and a comparison of the Zafar-ndma with the Malfuzdt proves the one to be a mere reproduction of the other. The events recorded and their succession are identical,^ and leave no doubt upon the mind that Sharafu-d din translated or wrote over again in an ornate style that history which had been compiled under Timiir's direction. Like Oriental writers in general, he half conceals the true origin of his book, and so exaggerates the magnitude and importance of his own labours, but the only difierence observable in the two works is, that one is the pro- duction of a skilful and accomplished writer, the other the work of a plain, laborious, and minute chronicler of events. With all

1 Petis de la Croix in his translation of the Preface of the Zafar-ndma, which is ahridged, and is less accurate than the rest of his translation, has made all this to appear as if it applied to Timiir.

2 So far at least as concerns the extracts in this volume.

the rhetoric and flourishes of the Zafar-ndma, the narrative is shorter than that of the detailed and verbose biography.

The Tuziikdt or Institutes v^ere translated into Enghsh by- Major Davy, and published under the editorship of Professor White, at Oxford, in 1783, and this work was turned into French by M. Langles, and published in 1787.

The Malfiizat or Memoirs, as far as the forty-first year of Timur's age, were translated into English by Major Stewart, and were published by the Oriental Translation Fund in 1830.

The MS. used by Major Davy and Major Stewart was im- perfect, ending abruptly with the forty-first year of Timiir's age. This MS. is now in the library of the Royal Asiatic Society, which library also possesses another imperfect copy. There is a similar defective copy in the library of the East India Office ; Sir H. Elliot also procured a defective copy in India, and there are several in the British Museum. These, in all probability, were derived directly or indirectly from one MS. But the British Museum has lately secured a perfect copy from the library of the late General Hamilton, which bears the marks of having once belonged to the Royal Library at Lucknow.

Besides the Version of Abu Tdlib, there is another, the work of Muhammad Afzal Bukh^ri. The author of this later version tells us in his preface that when Amir Abu Tdlib's translation had been read by the Emperor Shah Jahdn, it was found to contain errors and mistakes. Its statements occasionally difiered from those of the Zafar-ndma and other histories ; and while omitting events recorded in the Zafar-ndma, it added others of which no notice had been taken in that work. For these reasons he goes on to say : — " In the year 1047 of the Hijra, and tenth of his Majesty Shah Jah4n's reign (a.d. 1637),^ the royal orders were issued to me, the meanest of the servants of the Imperial Court (Muhammad Afzal Bukhdrl), to read and revise this book from beginning to end, and to assimi- late it with the Zafar-ndma, of the correctness of which no intelligent person can have a doubt, and compare it with some ' So, AbiJ TMib's version was finished between 1628 and 1637 a.d.

other trustworthy histories ; to omit some things which the translator had inserted, and to insert some occurrences which he had omitted; also to translate the Turki and Arabic sentences into Persian, and to correct several dates, which do not agree with the Zafar-ndma. * * * (The author) has exerted himself as much as possible in revising and correcting the said translation, and has thrown out all the unauthenticated passages which Abu Talib had inserted. He has inserted several passages that have been omitted by that translator, and he has thereby made the book conform with the Zafar-ndma." Major Stewart observes that " It appears in Dow's History of Hindustan that Mu- hammad Afzal was the name of the Emperor Shah Jahan's preceptor, and so he was probably the person employed to revise this work, but he has not complied with his promise of trans- lating all the Turki passages, although a native of Bukhara, where that language was well understood."

So the Zafar-ndma was based upon the Turki memoirs of Timtir translated by Abu Talib into Persian, and Muhammad Afzal was afterwards employed to bring these memoirs more com- pletely into accord with the Zafar-ndma, which was founded upon them. The alterations of Abu Talib's work are, however, made to appear greater and more important than they actually are. Major Stewart, after the translation of his fragment of Abu Talib's work, received two copies of Muhammad Afzal's, and he says in his Appendix : " I have minutely compared them with Colonel Davy's MS. as far as it extends, and find that the only additions they contain are extracts from Sharafu-d din's history, an explanation of some particulars omitted in the Memoire, and an attempt to prove that Timur was of the Sunni sect, although there is the strongest evidence that he was a very bigoted Shi'a.'" The editor of this work has made a comparison, though not a minute one, of the text of the following extracts as given in the MS. of Abu Tdlib in the British Museum, and in one of Mu- hammad Afzal's belonging to Sir H. Elliot, and he has found no greater differences between them than might be expected in two

MSS. of the same work. So far as regards the portion relating to India the works are identically the same. The concluding sentences dififer slightly in the two works, but in both Timiir is made to record his own death. Muhammad Afzal, the later writer, makes him briefly say, " I arrived at the village of Atrar i and died;" but Abu Talib is more specific, saying, "At night, on the 17th of the month of Sha'ban (March 19, 1405 a.d.), calling upon the name of God, I lost my senses, and resigned my pure soul to the Almighty and Holy Creator " (and pure it was if blood could make it pure !). Major Stewart has noticed this apparent record by Timtir of his own death, and shows that it ought not to stamp the work as a forgery. In the fourth clause of his Testament Timur says, " I desire that this my Testament, and whatever I shall say to the last moment of my existence, shall be written in my Memoirs as if proceeding from my own mouth." This instruction has only been carried a trifl-e too far. The narrative given in this work of Timur's expedition to India has been closely followed by Mirkhond in the Rauzatu-s Sa/d, used by Price in his Retrospect of Mahommedan History.

Two MSS. of Muhammad Afzal's work have been used for the following extracts. One belonging to the Nawab of Jhajjar, and a copy of a portion of the work made for Sir H. Elliot from a MS. belonging to the Raja of Balamgarh. Up to page 421 the translation is the production of Mr. 0. E. Chapman, of the Bengal Civil Service ; the remainder has been prepared by the Editor.]

The History of my expedition against Hindustan.

About this time there arose in my heart the desire to lead an expedition against the infidels, and to become a ghd%i ; for it had reached my ears that the slayer of infidels is a ghdsi, and if he is slain he becomes a martyr. It was on this account that I formed this resolution, but I was undetermined in my mind whether I should direct my expedition against the infidels of China or against the infidels and polytheists of India. In this

' A large town two parasangs or leagues north of the Sihfin (Jaxartes).

matter I sought an omen from the Kurdn, and the verse I opened upon was this, " 0 Prophet, make war upon infidels and un- believers, and treat them with severity."

My great officers told me that the inhabitants of Hindustan were infidels and unbelievers. In obedience to the order of Almighty God I determined on an expedition against them, and I issued orders to the amirs of mature years, and the leaders in war, to come before me, and when they had come together I questioned the assembly as to whether I should invade Hindustan or China, and said to them, "By the order of God and the Prophet it is incumbent upon me to make war upon these infidels and polytheists." Throwing themselves upon their knees they all wished me good fortune. I demanded of the warrior chief- tains whether I should direct my expedition against the infidels of Hindustan or China. At first they repeated fables and wise sayings, and then said, in the country of Hindustan there are four defences, and if any one invading this extensive country breaks down these four defences, he becomes the conqueror of Hindust§,n.

The first defence consists of five large rivers, which flow from the mountains of Kashmir, and these rivers unite in their course, and passing through the country of Sind, flow into the Arabian Sea, and it is not possible to cross them without boats and bridges. The second defence consists of woods and forests and trees, which, interweaving stem with stem and branch with branch, render it very difficult to penetrate into that country. The third defence is the soldiery, and landholders, and princes, and Eajas of that country, who inhabit fastnesses in those forests, and live there like wild beasts. The fourth defence con- sists of the elephants, for the rulers of that country in the day of battle equipping elephants in mail, put them in the van of their army, and place great confidence in them, and they have trained them to such a pitch that, lifting with their trunks a horse with his rider, and whirling him in the air, they will dash him on the ground.

Some of the nobles said in reply that Sultan Mahmiid Subuk- tigin conquered the country of Hindustan with 30,000 horse, and established his own servants as rulers of that region, and carried off many thousand loads of gold and silver and jewels from that country, besides subjecting it to a regular tribute, and is our amir inferior to Sultan Mahmud ? No ;, thanks to Al- mighty God, to-day a 100,000 valiant TAtdr horsemen wait at the stirrup of our amir; if he determines upon this expedition Al- mighty God will give him victory, and he will become a ghdzi and mujdhid before God, and we shall be attendants on an amir who is a ghdzi, and the army will be contented and the treasury rich and well filled, and with the gold of Hindustan our amir will become a conqueror of the world and famous among the kings of earth.

At this time the prince Sh4h Eukh said : "India is an extensive country ; whatever Sultan conquers it becomes supreme over the four quarters of the globe ; if, under the conduct of our amir, we conquer India, we shall become rulers over the seven climes." He then said : " I have seen in the history of Persia that, in the time of the Persian Sultans, the King of India was called Dardi, with all honour and glory. On account of his dignity he bore no other name; and the Emperor of Eome was called Ccesar, and the Sultdn of Persia was called Kisra, and the Sult4n of the Tatdrs, Khdkdn, and the Emperor of China, Faghfur; but the King of frdn and Turan bore the title of Shdhinshdh, and the orders of the Shdhinshdh were always paramount over the princes and Rdjds of Hindustdn, and praise be to God that we are at this time Shdhinshdh of Ir4n and Turan, and it would be a pity that we should not be supreme over the country of Hindustan." I was excessively pleased with these words of Prince Shah Rukh. Then the Prince Muhammad Sultdn said : " The whole country of India is full of gold and jewels, and in it there are seventeen mines of gold and silver, diamond and ruby and emerald and tin and iron and steel and copper and quicksilver, etc., and of the plants which grow there are those

fit for making wearing apparel, and aromatic plants, and the sugar cane, and it is a country which is always green and verdant, and the whole aspect of the country is pleasant and delightful. Now, since the inhabitants are chiefly polytheists and infidels and idolaters and worshipers of the sun, by the order of God and his prophet, it is right for us to conquer them. My wazirs informed me that the whole amount of the revenue of India is six arbs; now each arb is a 100 krors, and each kror is a 100 lacs, and each lac is a 100,000 miskdls of silver. Some of the nobles said, " By the favour of Almighty God we may conquer India, but if we establish ourselves permanently therein, our race will degenerate and our children will become like the natives of those regions, and in a few generations their strength and valour will diminish." The amirs of regiments Qtushundt) ■were disturbed at these words, but I said to them, "My object in the invasion of Hindustan is to lead an expedition against the infidels that, according to the law of Muhammad (upon whom and his family be the blessing and peace of God), we may con- vert to the true faith the people of that country, and purify the land itself from the filth of infidelity and polytheism ; and that we may overthrow their temples and idols and become ghdzis and mujdhids before God." They gave an unwilling consent, but I placed no reliance upon them. At this time the wise men of Islam came before me, and a conversation began about the pro- priety of a war against infidels and polytheists ; they gave it as their opinion that it is the duty of the Sultdn of Islam, and all the people who profess that "there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah," for the sake of preserving their religion and strengthening their law, to exert their utmost endeavour for the suppression of the enemies of their faith. And it is the duty of every Muslim and true believer to use his utmost exertions in obedience to his ruler. When the edify- ing words of the wise men reached the ears of the nobles, all their hearts were set upon a holy war in Hindustan, and throwing themselves on their knees, they repeated the Chapter of Victory.

When I girded up my loins for the expedition, I wrote to Hazrat Shaikh Zainu-d din to the effect that I had determined on a religious expedition to Hindustan. He wrote in the margin of my letter : "Be it known to Abu-1 Ghazi Timur (whom may Grod assist) that great prosperity in this world and the next will result to you from this undertaking, and you will go and return in safety." He also sent me a large sword which I made my sceptre.

In the meanwhile there came a petition from the Prince Pir Muhammad Jahangir, from the confines of Kdbulistan, the government of which country, from the boundaries of Kunduz and Bakaldn and Kabul and Ghazni and Kandahar, was vested in him. When I looked at this petition it was thus written : " Since, according to your order, I arrived in this country, I have acted towards all the people conformably to the exalted order and wisdom-increasing counsels of the great king. When I had satisfied my mind with the conquest and settlement of this kingdom, I turned my thoughts towards the acquisition of some of the provinces of Hindustan. I enquired concerning the con- dition of that country, and received the following account : that the city of Dehli is the capital of the sovereigns of India, and after the death of Sultan Firoz Shkh, two brothers among his nobility, of whom one was named Mallu and the other Sarang, becoming very powerful, established their independence, giving the nominal sovereignty to one of the sons of Sultdn Firoz Shah, by name, Sultan Mahmud, they kept the real power in their own hands, and virtually governed the empire, Mallu, the elder brother, lives at Dehli, about the person of Sultan Mahmud, and Sarang is established in the city of Multan, for the protection of that country. When I became acquainted with these matters, acting according to the practice of the great king, I wrote a letter and sent it to him (Strang) by an ambassador, purporting that since the fame of the victories and conquests, and of the extensive empire of the great king is spread all over the world, it is certain that it must have reached him also. The great king has appointed me to the government of those provinces which lie on

the borders of Hindustan, and has ordered that ' If the rulers of Hindustan come before me with tribute I will not interfere with their lives, property, or kingdoms ; but if they are negligent in proffering obedience and submission, I will put forth my strength for the conquest of the kingdoms of India. At all events, if they set any value upon their lives, property, and reputation, they will pay me a yearly tribute, and if not, they shall hear of my arrival with my powerful armies. Farewell.' When the ambassador reached the presence of Strang at Multan, he was treated with great respect and consideration ; but in reply to his letter, Sarang said, 'It is difficult to take an empire like a bride to your bosom without trouble and difficulty and the clashing of swords. The desire of your prince is to take this kingdom with its rich revenue. Well, let him wrest it from us by force of arms if he be able. I have numerous armies and formidable elephants, and am quite prepared for war.' With these words he dismissed the ambassador. But when this unsatisfactory answer was brought back to me, I issued immediate orders for the armies to assemble from all quarters, together with such of the nobles as were in my province, such as Amir S4ikal Kandahdri, and other amirs,'^ and soldiers. I got ready for the invasion of Hindustan. I plundered and laid waste the country of the Aghdnis who inhabit the mountain Sulaimdn, and marching steadily forwards I crossed the river Indus, and assaulted the city of Uch, and through the good fortune of the great king, I took it. Leaving a body of men there as a garrison, I proceeded to Multdn, which I besieged; but as Sarang had carefully fortified and strengthened this fortress, the siege has been protracted for some days, and, indeed, I aip at this moment engaged in the siege, giving an assault twice every day. All the nobles have displayed great valour and intrepidity, more especially Tlmur Khwdjah, the son of Amir Akughd, and I am now waiting for further instructions.'" When I had read this letter, my previous resolution was con- firmed and strengthened.

The holy war against the infidels of Sindustdn.

I acted in such a manner that by the spring of that year I had collected the soldiery from all parts of the countries under my sway ; and in the auspicious month Eaj^b, a.h. 800 (March, 1408), which may be expressed according to the rule of Abjad, by the words karibfath, appointed the prince 'Umar, the son of Prince Mirz^ Shah, my viceroy in Samarkand, and leaving him some of the nobles and soldiery, I placed my foot in the stirrup at a lucky moment, and quitting my capital Samarkand, directed my course towards Hindustan. Marching on, hunting as I went, I reached Turmuz, and ordering the construction of a bridge of boats over the Jihiin, I crossed that river with my whole army and encamped at the village of Khulm. Beating the drum of departure from that place, and passing in my march Grhaztik and Samankan, I arrived at Indarab, and the nobles and people of that place, high and low, pouring out in crowds to meet me, all at once set up a great cry and lamentation, demand- ing justice. I sent for a number of the nobles and chief men among them and instituted an enquiry into this matter.

On their knees they made representation demanding pro- tection from the infidel Kators and the Siycih-poshes, saying, we have brought our petition against these oppressive infidels to the presence of the king of Isldm, for the infidel Kators and the Siyah-poshes exact tribute and black mail every year from us who are true believers, and if we fail in the least of our settled amount, they slay our men and carry our women and children into slavery, so that we helpless Musulmdns fly for protection to the presence of the great king that he may grant to us oppressed ones our hearts'" desire upon these infidels. On hearing these words the flame of my zeal for Isl4m, and my affection for my relio-ion, began to blaze, and I addressed those Musulm^ns with the following consolatory words : — By the help and assistance of Almighty God I will grant you your hearts' desire on these oppressive infidel Kators and Siydh-poshes, and I will relieve

you who are MusulinS,ns from the tyranny of these unbelievers. They all lifted their hands invoking blessings on me.

Account of the holy war against the infidel Kators and the 8iydh-poshes.

I immediately selected ten battalions from my array, and giving the command to Prince Shah Eukh, left him in charge of the remaining forces and baggage, in Tildk Ghundn, and Diktur, while I myself set my foot in the stirrup to chastise the infidel Kators. Setting spurs to my horse I marched forward in great haste, accomplishing two days journey in the twenty-four hours. When I arrived at the place called Parydn I detached prince Rustam and Burhan Aghlan Jujitar, who were reckoned among my chief nobles, against the country of the Siyah-poshes, which lay on the left hand. With them I sent some of the nobility and a body of 10,000 cavalry, while I myself pursued my march towards the mountains of Eator. When I made enquiries concerning the extent and condition of that kingdom from Muzid, who was the chief man of Indarab, he informed me that the length of the kingdom of Kator stretches from the frontier of Kashmir to the mountains of Kabul, and there are many towns and villages in this country. One of their large cities is called Shokal, and another Jorkal, which latter is the residence of their ruler. The country produces fruits in large quantities, such as grapes, apples, apricots, and various other kinds. Rice and other grains are cultivated. Much wine is made, and all people, great and small, drink of it. The people eat swine's flesh. Cattle and sheep abound in this country. Most of the inhabitants are idolaters ; they are men of a powerful frame and fair complexion. Their language is distinct from Turki, Persian, Hindi, and Kashmiri. Their weapons are arrows, swords, and slings. Their ruler is called 'Addlshu.^ When I arrived at Khawak I perceived a dilapidated fort which I resolved to repair,

1 [The Zafar-ndma writes this name " Ud&shri ; " only one of the four admits the IJ]

so I immediately gave orders to the soldiers to that effect, and it was speedily executed. As most of the route was rocky and precipitous, I ordered most of the nobles and all the soldiers to leave horses, carpels, and superfluous baggage in this fort. In obedience to this order most of the nobles and all the soldiers ac- companied me on foot, while I, relying on the assistance of Almighty God, pressed steadily forward to the conquest of Kator and began to ascend the mountains. In spite of the heat of the wind there was so much snow on the hills that the feet of both men and cattle helplessly sank in it. I was therefore obliged to halt during the day, but at night when the snow congealed I pursued my way over the frozen surface of the ice till I reached the top of the mountain. At day-break, when the ice thawed, carpets and horse-rugs were spread upon its surface and the horses were kept upon them. At night-fall we again went on as before, and in this manner I crossed several lofty mountains, but the nobles were obliged to send back to the fort several of the horses they had brought with them. When I reached the top of a lofty mountain, such that there can be none higher than it, I found that these wicked infidels had taken up their position in the caverns of the mountain, the entrances of which were blocked up with snow, so that they were almost inaccessible, nor, in spite of all my exertions, could I find a way to descend the mountain. , I was obliged to give orders to my brave soldiers to get down as best they could. The nobles and soldiery now began the descent. Some lying down on their sides and sliding over the snow, rolled themselves down to the bottom. Others fastening cords and long tent ropes to their waists and attaching one end of the ropes to the trees and rocks which were on the top, let themselves gently down. As for me, I gave orders that they should make me a basket of planks and wicker work. When they had made the basket they attached firmly to each of its four corners a rope 150 yards in length, and as I, since I undertook this expe- dition against the infidels, had made up my mind to undergo all manner of trouble and fatigue, I took my seat in the basket,

and a body of men taking* hold of the ends of these ropes lowered away gently till the rope had all run out, and then some persons scrambling down to before where I was, cleared away the snow and ice with spades and mattocks, and made a place for me to stand upon. The first body of men then having descended to this place, again lowered me gently down as far as the ropes would reach. At the fifth repetition of this ma- ncBuvre I reached the bottom of the mountain. When in this manner all the nobles and soldiers had got down, some of the horses, my own private property, which had accompanied me, were let down in the same manner, that is, by attaching ropes to their legs and shoulders, but out of the whole number only two reached the bottom in safety, all the others being dashed to pieces. When no more of my people remained above, since my object was the extermination of the infidels, grasping my sceptre- sword in my hand I marched forward on foot one parasang into that rocky country, together with my nobility and troops. At the earnest petition of the nobles I again mounted, but all the chiefs, with their soldiers, kept on steadily marching on foot at my stirrup. The ruler of Kator had a fort, on one side of which was a river, and beyond the river a lofty mountain reaching down to the water. As the infidels in this fort had gained intelligence of my approach a day before my arrival, and dread had taken possession of their hearts, they had removed their wealth and property from the fort, and having crossed the river, had taken refuge in the mountain which was very lofty, and abounded in caves very difficult of access. On its being represented to me that this fort was the most important stronghold of the ruler of Kator in those parts,. I resolved to subdue it. When I ad- vanced into the neighbourhood of the fort I did not perceive a trace of the infidels, and when I came to the place itself I saw that they had abandoned it and fled. I obtained a booty of many sheep and some other things here, and ordered that they should set fire to the houses and buildings of the city, in the midst of which the fort was built, and that they should level it

with the ground. Then crossing the river in haste and pursuing the track of the enemy, I reached the skirts of the mountain on the top of which the infidels had taken up their position in defiles and other strong places. I immediately gave orders to my valiant and experienced troops to ascend. Raising their war cry and shouting the takbir, they rushed to the attack, and before all the rest Shaikh Arsldn Aztuman Kabak Khan, who is a lion in the day of battle, mounting the hill on the left hand, com- menced the fight. Leading his men upon the infidels he put them to flight, and following up the enemy entered the fastnesses of the rock and sent numbers of the impious unbelievers to hell. Tawachi 'Ali Sultdn, also on his side, made a valiant assault upon the foe, and with his own regiment charged and routed the infidel enemy, sending numbers of them to hell. Amir Shdh Malik too, on his side, displayed great valour, making a great slaughter of the infidels and driving them completely out of the mountain. Mubashlr Bahadur and Mankali Khw^jah, and Sunjak Bahadur, and Shaikh 'Ali S41ar, and Musa Zakmdl, and Husain Malik Kiichin, and Mir Husain Kur, and the other nobles, displayed great valour and used their swords well. They all proved their zeal for Islam on the unbelieving foe, and having overpowered the infidels they put many of them to death, and took possession of their fastnesses. Only a few of the enemy succeeded in sheltering themselves, wounded and worn out with fatigue, in their caverns. Of my troops only fourteen persons lost their lives, and that was in effecting the passage of the mountain. Some of the infidels held out in their defiles for three days and nights, but sending my valiant troops against them I so pressed them that they were obliged to surrender and call for quarter. I sent Ak Sultan to them with the message that if they would consent to submit unconditionally and would all become Musul- mans and repeat the creed, I would grant them quarter, but otherwise I would exterminate them to a man. When Ak Sult4n reached the infidels with this message, which he explained to them through the medium of an interpreter conversant both

with their language and with Turki, they all proffered submis- sion, and repeating the necessary formula, embraced the Mu- hammadan faith. Relying upon this external profession I spared their lives and property, and gave orders that no one should interfere with their lives, wealth, or country. I then clothed some of them in dresses of honour and dismissed them, I halted with my army there for that night, and these black-hearted infidels made a nocturnal assault on the regiment of Amir Shdh Malik, but as this leader was on his guard, the enemy were foiled in their intentions. Numbers of them were slain, and 150 fell into our hands alive, who were afterwards put to death by my enraged soldiery. As soon as it was day I ordered my troops to attack on all four sides at once, and forcing their way into the defiles to kill all the men, to make prisoners the women and children, and to plunder and lay waste all their property. In obedience to these orders, my nobles and troops making a valiant assault on all sides at once, and putting to the sword the remnant of the infidels, consigned them to the house of perdition. They made prisoners of their women and children, and secured an enormous booty. I directed towers to be built on the mountain of the skulls of those obstinate unbelievers, and I ordered an engraver on stone, who was in my camp, to cut an inscription somewhere on those defiles to the effect that I had reached this country by such and such a route, in the auspicious month of Rama- zdn, A. H. 800 (May, 1398) : that if chance should conduct any- one to this spot he might know how I had reached it. At this time I had received no intelligence of Prince Rustam and Burhan Aghldn, whom I had detached against the country of the Siy^h- poshes, and since this same Burhdn Aghlan on a former oc- casion, when I had appointed him to the command in a predatory incursion, had displayed great sloth and military incapacity (to retrieve which negligence I had given him the command on the present occasion), a doubt entered my mind as to what he could be doing. One night, too, I dreamt that my sword was bent, which I interpreted into a certain token that Burhdn Aghlan

had been defeated. T immediately appointed Muhammad Kzki, who was one of those whom I had brought up,i to go and ascer- tain something respecting him, and I put under his command Daulat Sh6,h and Shaikh 'Ali, the son of Airakuli Adighur, and Shaihk Muhammad, and 'Ali Bahddur, with a body of 400 men, 100 of whom were Tatars and the remaining 300 Tdjiks, and gave them a native of Kator as a guide. Muhammad Azad with his band of heroes immediately commenced his march, and crossing lofty mountains full of snow and ice, and passing through narrow defiles, rolling in many places over precipices and sliding over the icy surface, finally got out of the mountains and into the open country. When Muhammad Azdd having extricated himself from the mountains, reached the fortress of the Siydh-poshes, he found it deserted, for they had abandoned it from their dread of the army of Islam, and had taken refuge in their mountain defiles. Now Burhdn Aghlan's adventure had been as follows : — When he, with the nobles under his command, , such as Isma'il, and Allahdad, and Subakh Timur,' etc., etc., and the troops reached the fort he found it empty, and incautiously following the footsteps of the enemy, came to the defiles. They had left a few troopers and a few foot soldiers as a guard below, and the infidels rising from their ambushes, fiercely assailed the true-believers. Such was the cowardice and military incapacity of Burhdn Aghlan that he threw away his arms and fled without striking a blow. When the troops saw the flight of their leader they lost heart and were defeated, and the infidels following them closely raised full many a true believer to the rank of a martyr. Of the amirs of the regiments, Daulat Sh4h, and Shaikh Husain Suchi, and Adina Bahadur displayed great valour, but after slaying many of the infidels they finally drank the sherbet of martyrdom ; Burhan Aghldn, leaving many horses and suits of armour a prey to the infidels, escaped.