Before proceeding further with the history of the monarchy of Dehly and the Moghul dynasty, it is necessary to revert for a while to those independent Mahomedan kingdoms which, from the death of Mahomed Toghluk in A.D. 1351, had arisen in various localities in India, and which, as well for their power and magnitude as for their effects upon India at large, cannot be overlooked. By a review of them, the chronological events of India will be connected and maintained up to the establishment of the Moghul dynasty. BOOK III. CHAPTER I. OF THE MAHOMEDAN KINGS OF KASHMERE. records of Kashmere THERE is no portion of India perhaps of which the genealogical records are so complete and indisputable as those of Historical Kashmere, which, from the very earliest ages until its annexation to the Moghul empire, had held indepen- recapitulated. dent existence. The Raja Turangiri,' a genealogical record of the province, the authority of which is not questioned by any of the most eminent Indian chronologists, begins with the Kaurává dynasty, in 3714 B.C., which continued till B.c. 2448, when the first Gonardya dynasty commenced, and continued till 1217 B.C. After an interval not accounted for, the second Gonardya line began, which lasted 1013 years, and ended in 216 B.C., and was followed by the Aditya, for 192 years-168 B.C. to 23 A.D. -when the Gonardya being restored, ruled for 433 years, or till A.D. 579, and was succeeded by the Nágas or Karkotás, in A.D. 615, who continued for 260 years, or till A.D. 873. The Utpála dynasty in succession lasted 84 years, or from A.D. 875 to 959; and the last Hindoo or mixed dynasty, from 960 A.D. to 1275 A.D., or more properly to 1294, if a single reign of a Bhóta king and his wife be reckoned. The whole of the foregoing dynasties were Hindoos, Booddhists, and snake and fire worshippers, which, with adoration of the sun, seem to have been the pervading faiths in Kashmere from B.C. 3714 down to A.D. 1294, or 5008 years. Shah Meer minister. The Mahomedan chronicle does not begin till 1315 A.D., when a Hindoo rajah, named Séna Déo, reigned in Kashmere, and a Mahomedan, one Shah Meer, was admitted into becomes his service, who rose gradually to the office of prime minister, under Séna Déo's son, Rajah Runjorn. On the latter's death, the throne was claimed and occupied by Rajah Anund Déo of Kashgar, by whom, however, the Mahomedans were K expelled from court. A revolt was the consequence, the vexation attendant on which caused the rajah's death in 1326. His wife, Kowla Dévy, for a short time endeavoured to maintain her late husband's authority, but, being defeated by Shah Meer, ultimately married him, when Shah Meer declared himself king, under the title of Shumsh-ood-deen. The king became famous in Kashmere for his reduction of vexatious imposts, light taxation, and the vigour with which he repelled Tartar invasions; but, having attained a great age, he abdicated the throne in A.D. 1349, and died in the same year. Who, under the title of Shumah-ood king, 1326. deen, becomes Edward III. king of Eug land. Shah Meer abdicates and dies, A.D. 1349. Junsheed, 1349. Retires, 1351. The late king had left his dominions divided between his two sons, Jumsheed and Ally Sheer, and the latter immediately claimed part of the government. This brought on a civil war, in which Jumsheed was defeated; when he seems to have withdrawn his pretensions altogether, and, after a troubled reign of fourteen months, retired from the contest; and was succeeded by Ally Sheer, under the title of Allaood-deen, who reigned till A.D. 1363, when he died. The prince Siah Mookh, or 'black face,' succeeded his Shahab-ood brother under the designation of Shahab-ood-deen. He was an enterprising and warlike monarch, who, passing the natural mountain boundary of the province, carried his arms southward, till he encountered the Jám of Sinde, on the Indus, who was sorely defeated by him. On his return, the Rajah of Nagrakote tendered his submission, and became a dependant of Kashmere. Dies, 1363. deen, 1363, Alla-ooddeen, 1351. Shahab-ood-deen diéd in 1386, having nominated his brother Hindál as his successor, who ascended the throne under the title of Kootub-ood-deen, and died A.D. 1396. He had left a son, by name Sugga, who took the title of Sikunder, to which afterwards he added 'Boot-Shikun,' or Iconoclast, from the number of idols and temples which he destroyed in Kashmere. At the instance of his minister, a converted Brahmin, he broke up all the idols of gold and silver, and destroyed, as far as it was possible to do, the Cyclopean temples of the ancient faith in Kashmere. In other respects Sikunder would appear to have been a temperate and virtuous monarch. He died in 1416, leaving three sons, and he declared that the eldest, Ameer Khan, should succeed him. Ameer Khan was a minor; but, out of respect for his father, he was placed on the throne as Ally Shah, and continued to reign for some time, when he formed a desire to travel into India, and left the government under charge of his younger brothers Shady Dies, 1386. Tamerlane conquers Georgia. Kootub-ooddeen, 1386. Dies, 1396. Sikunder, 1396. Dies, 1416. Ally Shah, 1416. Dies, 1472. Heldur, 1472, Khan and Mahomed Khan. The consequences, as may be supposed, were revolt. Ally endeavoured to regain his Deposed. kingdom, but failed; and Shady Khan was crowned in Zein-ool-abidhis stead in 1422, under the designation of Zein-ool- deen, 1422. abid-deen. His first acts were to withdraw the edicts against Hindoos. Brahmins were permitted to return to the country, and worship after their old manner; temples were rebuilt, and the profession of all religions tolerated. He constructed canals and reservoirs, and his general administration was wise, just, and effective. He was a great patron of literature and of the arts and music; the science of the latter being improved by treatises written on the subject. In his personal habits he was temperate and virtuous, having only one wife, to whom he was strictly faithful. These qualities did not, however, secure him against the jealous disputes of his sons, which, though quelled as they broke out, continued in a greater or less degree to embitter his life, till his death in 1472, at the age of 69. On his father's death, Hajy Khan was crowned, under the appellation of Heidur. His conduct belied the expectations that had been formed of him; and, after a vicious and profligate career of fourteen months, he was accidentally killed. His son Hassan succeeded him, who, after a reign troubled by domestic feuds and intrigues, Hassan, 1473. died in 1486. The eldest son of the late king, the Dies, 1486. Prince Mahomed, was a minor, aged seven years; he Mahomed, was, however, placed on the throne, the prime minister, Syed Hassan, acting as regent. The very strict seclusion in which the young prince was kept by the Syed party excited great public suspicion and discontent, and became the source of a war at the capital between the people and the Syeds, who defended themselves desperately; but the city of Serinugger, in which they resided, was at length stormed by the populace, who rescued their young king, and he was formally crowned. The discordance of the early part of his reign continued till its America close. Futteh Khan, the grandson of King Zein-ool- discovered, abid-deen, opposed him, and civil war ensued; but Mahomed was finally deserted by his adherents, and fell into the hands of Futteh Khan in 1496, by whom he was Mahomed confined. Killed, 1473. 1486. 1495. deposed, 1496. Futteh Khan, Futteh Khan now ascended the throne, and continued to reign till 1505, when a party was formed in favour of King Mahomed. Futteh Khan was defeated, and deposed; 1496. but having assembled an army, again deposed Mahomed, Deposed, who had reigned about ten months. Mahomed now sought refuge at the court of Sikunder Lody of Dehly, succeeds. 1505. Mahomed who sent an army with him for the recovery of his kingdom. The Kashmere forces were defeated, and while MahoFutteh Khan; med for the third time recovered his kingdom, but recovers Futteh Khan fled into India, where he died in 1507. Is again deposed by his kingdom. Futteh Khan dies, 1507. From this period till 1524 no event of particular interest appears to have occurred; but in that year, Mullik Atchy, a former minister, rebelled, defeated the king, and placed him in confinement, raising to the throne the Prince Ibrahim. These constant revolutions brought upon Kashmere the interference of the Emperor Babur, who sent an army into the province to restore order. Ibrahim was deposed, and Nazook, grandson of Mahomed, placed on the throne by the imperial general; but as soon as the force had retired, Abdool Makry, the former prime minister, who was again in authority, sent for the old King Mahomed, who was in confinement at Lohkote, and replaced him on the throne, and he reigned till 1532, when he declared his grandson, Nazook, to be his successor. In the same year the Tartars of Tibet invaded Kashmere, and were repulsed, but not without having caused much damage and loss. King Mahomed reigned till the year 1535, when he died of fever, after a troubled and chequered career of nearly fifty years. This brings the history of the kings of Kashmere up to the accession of the Moghul emperors, and what remains of it belongs to that period, and will be detailed in its proper place. Mahomed deposed, 1525. Ibrahim succeeds, 1525, and is deposed. Nazook, 1525. CHAPTER II. OF THE MAHOMEDAN KINGS OF GUZERAT, A.D. 1305 to 1443. THE remote Hindoo dynasties of Saurashtra, or Guzerat, have been already traced in Chapter XIII. Bk. I. down to the dynasties up Vullabhis or Bullabhis, A.D. 525. After that period, the local dynasties, if there were any who aspired to rule the Early Hindoo to the Mahomedan conquest. whole of the country, became very obscure; and it is most probable that individual chiefs retained their territories, and ruled them, without any attempt at confederation, for more than a hundred years after the Bullabhis. From A.D. 696, however, a restoration of the Balhára line was made at the capital, Anhulwara, which continued till A.D. 935. And in A.D. 746 the Chowra clan rose to power at Anhilpoor, and continued till A.D. 942, in seven successions. Sawunt Singh was the reigning prince in A.D. 935, and bestowed his eldest sister in marriage upon Mool Raj, |