HISTORICAL SUMMARY.
Heg. 790 (A.D.1388).—Feroze Toghluk was succeeded on the throne of Delhi by his grandson, Gheias-ood-Deen Toghluk, who was murdered, after a reign of only five months and a few days.
Heg. 791 (1389).—The late king’s murderers raised to the throne Aboo Bukr, another grandson of Feroze Toghluk; he was deposed after a reign of eighteen months, and succeeded by his uncle, Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed Toghluk.
Heg. 793 (1390).—Mahomed, after having silenced all opposition, entered Delhi in the month Rumzan, and ascending the throne, assumed the title of Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed.
Heg. 794 (1391).—The Vizier Islam Chan was condemned to death for a projected revolt, on the evidence of his own nephew Hajoo, a Hindoo, who swore falsely against him, in consequence, as it is supposed, of his uncle having embraced the faith of Islam.
Heg. 795. (1392).—The king was taken ill of a fever, at Mahomedabad, and became delirious for some days.
Heg. 797 (1394).—Mahomed, having suffered a relapse of the fever, died, after a short reign of six years, and was succeeded by his son Humayoon, who took the name of Secunder, but was suddenly cut off, forty-five days after his accession to the throne, when Mahmood, a younger son of Nasir-ood-Deen Mahomed, succeeded him.
Heg. 799 (1396).—Gheias-ood-Deen ascended his fathers throne in the Deccan, and, having given offence to one of the household slaves, was dethroned by him, and confined in the fort of Sagur.
Heg. 800 (1397).—Shums-ood-Deen, brother to the deposed king, was raised to the throne, but was dethroned after a reign of five months and several days; the slave being put to death by Gheias-ood-Deen, whom he had deposed and blinded.
Heg. 801 (1398).—Ameer Timoor, commonly called Tamerlane, arrived on the banks of the Indus, took the town of Bhutnere, ravaged the whole country, and having, in different encounters with the idolaters, made nearly a hundred thousand prisoners, ordered them all to be massacred. The conqueror made himself master of Delhi, where he caused himself to be proclaimed Emperor,and the usual titles to be read in his name in all the mosques. The fine mosque, built by Feroze Toghluk, on the stones of which he had inscribed the history of his reign, was so much admired by Timoor, that he carried the same architects and masons from Delhi to Sarmakand to build one there upon a similar plan. Having given up the city to a general pillage, and committed a dreadful massacre of the inhabitants, the conqueror commenced his retreat to his own country. After a while, those who had quitted the city returned to their homes, and Delhi in a short time assumed its former appearance of populousness and splendour.
Heg. 811 (1408).—Mahmood Toghluk returned to Delhi.
Heg. 814 (1412).—The king, indulging too eagerly in the diversion of hunting, caught a fever, of which he died. With him fell the kingdom of Delhi from the race of Toorks, the adopted slaves of the Emperor Shahab-ood-Deen Ghoory, who were of the second dynasty of the Mahomedan princes of India. The disastrous and inglorious reign of Mahmood Toghluk continued, from first to last, twenty years and two months.
Heg. 815 (1412).—Dowlut Chan Lody, an Afghan by birth, was raised to the throne by general consent of the nobles, after the death of Mahomed Toghluk; but was deposed and put to death by Khizr Chan, after a nominal reign of one year and three months.
Heg. 817 (1414).—Khizr Chan ascended the throne of Delhi, and was the first of the fourth dynasty of her kings. In the first year of his government, he sent Mullik Tohfa with an army towards Kuttehr, which place he reduced. Nursing Ray was driven to the mountains, but upon paying a ransom, his territories were restored to him. This year a band of Toorks, the adherents of Beiram Chan, assassinated Mullik Ladho, governor of Surhind, and took possession of his country.
Heg. 821 (1418).—A conspiracy was formed against the king’s life; but having detected the conspiracy, Khizr Chan commanded the household troops to fall upon them and put them to death.
Heg. 824 (1421).—The king died in the city of Delhi, and, as a token of respect for his memory, the citizens wore black for three days.[17]The nobles having assembled, elevated Moobarik, the son of Khizr Chan, to the vacant throne.
Heg. 825 (1422).—The king, having marched to Lahore, ordered the ruined palaces and fortifications to be repaired, and returned to Delhi.
Heg. 826 (1422).—The king deposed Mullik Secundur from the vizierat, and raised Suvuur-ool-Moolk to that office.
Heg. 830 (1426). Moobarik laid siege to Byana for sixteen days, but, on the desertion of part of the garrison, Mahomed Chan, the governor, surrendered at discretion, and with a rope about his neck was led into the royal presence.
Heg. 832 (1428).—The king marched to Mewat, and entirely subdued that country, compelling the inhabitants to pay him tribute.
Heg. 833 (1430).—Ameer Sheikh Ally having made himself master of Toolumba in Moultan, plundered the place, and put to death all the men able to bear arms. He likewise burned the town, and carried the wives and children of the inhabitants into captivity.
Heg. 835 (1432).—The king deprived his vizier of the government of Lahore.
Heg. 839 (1435).—Moobarik ordered a city to be founded upon the banks of the Jusuna, which he called Moobarikabad, and made an excursion towards Surhind, in order to take the diversion of the chase. On the way he received advices that Surhind was taken, and the head of the rebel Folad was presented to him, after which he returned to the new city.
According to custom, on the ninth of the month, Rujub Moobarik went to worship in a mosque lately built in the new city, with only a few attendants, and was put to death by a band of Hindoos clothed in armour, who entered the sacred edifice while the king was performing his devotions. The vizier immediately raised to the throne Mahomed, one of the grandsons of Khizr Chan. One Ranoo, a slave of the vizier, being nominated collector of the revenues of Bayana, endeavouring to obtain possession of the fort, was opposed and slain by Yusoof Chan Lodi.
Heg. 840 (1436).—The vizier, aided by several conspirators, broke into the royal apartments with drawn swords, in order to put the king to death. The latter, however, having intimation of their design, placed a guard in readiness to counteract it, which, on a certain signal, rushed out upon the conspirators, who fled. The vizier was killed as he was passing the door, and the other conspirators, being afterwards taken, were publicly executed.
Heg. 849 (1445).—The king’s power decaying rapidly, the Zemindars of Bayana placed themselves under the government of Sultan Mahmood Khiljy, of Malwa, and Syud Mahomed falling sick, he died a natural death, leaving behind him the character of a weak and dissolute prince. He reigned twelve years, and was succeeded by his son Alla-ood-Deen.
Heg. 854 (1450).—Alla-ood-Deen, having adopted Bheilole Lody as his son, formally abdicated the throne in his favour, on condition of being permitted to reside without molestation at Budaoon. Alla-ood-Deen dwelt at Budaoon until his death, which happenedA.H.883,A.D.1478, his reign at Delhi being seven years, and his retirement at Budaoon nearly twenty-eight.
FOOTNOTES:[17]The Mahomedans as well as Christians wear black for mourning.
[17]The Mahomedans as well as Christians wear black for mourning.
[17]The Mahomedans as well as Christians wear black for mourning.