at the head of a numerous army. The young prince disdained to observe the treaty imposed upon his father, and demanded of the invader the restitution of all the plunder as the price of his safety. A battle ensued, and the troops of Allah began to give way before superior numbers, when, by one of those critical occurrences which have so often decided the issue of conflicts and the fate of empires in the East, the tide of fortune was turned. Allah had left a detachment of 1000 horse to maintain the investment of the citadel; but, learning by his scouts, the situation of affairs, the commander galloped to the field of battle; and the dust they raised concealing the smallness of the reinforcement, the alarm was given, that the Tatar army had arrived. A panic flight took place; and Allah returned to the city as a conqueror, where a scene of carnage ensued, as the punishment of the alleged breach of treaty. Allah at length consented to evacuate the country, on receiving 600 maunds of pure gold, seven maunds of pearl, two of diamonds and other precious stones, one thousand maunds of silver, four thousand pieces of silk, and other precious commodities, surpassing in value all belief. In his retreat, he opened his way through Berar, Gundwana, Khandeish, and Malwah, though watched by hostile armies, and occasionally exposed to their desultory and irresolute attacks. History presents but few exploits that can be compared with this, as to either the boldness of the enterprise or the good fortune with which it was crowned.*

Soon after Allah's usurpation of the throne, intelligence was brought him, that the sovereign of Transoxiana had sent an army of a hundred thousand Mo

guls to take possession of the Punjaub and Moultan, and that they were carrying all before them with fire and sword. He immediately despatched his brother, Elich, with a great force to expel them. The two armies met in the district of Lahore, and the Moguls were defeated with the loss of upwards of 12,000 men. In the following year, they again entered India in still greater numbers, and driving all before them, advanced to the plains of Delhi. Allah now took the field in person, at the head of 300,000 horse, 2700 elephants, and infantry without number. "From the time that first the spears of Islam were exalted in Hindostan, two such mighty armies," says Ferishta, "had not joined in fight." The victory on the part of the imperial army was most complete; for which Allah was chiefly indebted to the general who commanded his right, and who, pursuing the enemy too far in advance of the main body, was surrounded and slain. He is said to have continued the slaughter thirty miles.

In the year 1300, Allah's generals reduced the kingdom of Gujerat, laying waste the country, and taking Neherwala, the capital. The rajah, abandoning it at their approach, took refuge in the dominions of the monarch of Deoghur; but his wives and family, his elephants and treasure, fell into the hands of the enemy. The vizier, with part of the army, then marched to Cambaat (Cambay), which, being "full of merchants, yielded a prodigious treasure to these sons of cruelty and rapine."

About two years after this, Allah besieged, and at length took, the fortified city of Rantampore, in Ajmeer, putting to the sword Ameer Deo, the rajah,

* This fort, Ferishta says, is esteemed the strongest in Hindostan. The siege occupied a year.

his family, and the garrison. In 1303, after a siege of six months, he took the strong fort of Chitore, the government of which he conferred upon his son, Khyzer, with regal dignities, as the capital of his territory.* About the same time, he sent an army by the way of Bengal, to reduce the fort of Arinkil (or Warangol, in Hyderabad), in the possession (if not the capital) of the Rajah of Telingana or Andhray; but this expedition was unsuccessful, and the invaders were eventually obliged to retreat in distress. While the .army were thus engaged, the Moguls again advanced to Delhi, and remained encamped for two months in face of the very inferior force which was left to guard the capital; when suddenly, from some unknown cause, (ascribed by some authors to supernatural intervention,) they made a precipitate retreat to their own country. The following year, they renewed their inroad, but were defeated in the Punjaub, with the loss of 7000 men; and their chiefs, being sent in chains to Delhi, were thrown under the feet of an elephant. To avenge their death, in 1305, the monarch of Maver-ul-nahr sent a powerful army, which, after ravaging Moultan, penetrated to Sewaulik; but they were at length met with by Allah's viceroy, and defeated with great slaughter, those who escaped the sword perishing in the desert, or being led captive to Delhi, to undergo a more painful death. These repeated losses did not, however, discourage the Moguls, who, shortly after, again invaded Hindostan in great force, and were again defeated by Tughlik, viceroy of Punjaub; and some thousands of prisoners were sent to Delhi, to be trodden to death by elephants. After this, Hindostan enjoyed a respite from their

This was the first time Chitore had been taken possession of by the Moslems. It is one of the strongest Rajpoot strongholds.

incursions for many years; and Tughlik retaliated by annual inroads into the provinces of Caubul, Ghizni, and Candahar, laying them under heavy contributions.

An

In the beginning of 1306, Ram-deo, Rajah of Deoghur, having neglected to remit the tribute agreed upon, Allah despatched a powerful army under his favourite general, Kafoor, to enforce his observance of the treaty. Ram-deo, being in no condition to oppose this great army, prudently left his son, Sinjoldeo in the fort, while he advanced with rich presents to propitiate the invader and to obtain a peace. amicable treaty being concluded, the Indian monarch accompanied Cafoor to Delhi, to pay his allegiance to the emperor, by whom he was received with the highest marks of favour and distinction. Besides being confirmed in his own dominions, he was invested with the government of other districts, for which he did homage, and had conferred upon him the title of Raj-rajan, prince of princes. A lak of rupees, moreover, was given to him, " to bear his expenses home;" an act of humiliating generosity.

In the year 1309, Cafoor was again despatched into the Deccan for the purpose of subjugating the kingdom of Telingana. He took the route of Deoghur, where Ram-deo entertained the general with great hospitality. On his approaching the frontier, Lidder-deo, Prince of Arinkil, shut himself up in his fortress, not having had time to make adequate preparations to oppose him in the field; and the other rajahs, his allies, also took possession of the strongholds round the country. After a siege of some

*In his way to the Deoghur country, he is said to have reduced Baglana, in the Mahratta territory; but it was a conquest the Mohammedans were unable to retain, and it has always remained in possession of Mahratta chiefs.

months, Arinkil was taken by assault, except the citadel; and the rajah was glad to purchase peace with the sacrifice of 300 elephants, 7000 horses, and money and jewels to a large amount, agreeing at the same time to pay an annual tribute. In the following year, Cafoor returned to prosecute his conquests, having orders to subdue Dhoor, Summund, and Maber.* After three months' march from Delhi, he arrived in the territories which they were commanded to reduce, and began to lay waste the country. Here, the Moslems were encountered by Bellal-deo, sovereign of the Carnatic, whom they defeated and took prisoner. In the temples of his kingdom, they found a prodigious spoil in idols of gold, adorned with precious stones, and other rich effects. In the capital, the conqueror built a small mosque, in which he ordered divine worship to be performed according to the Mohammedan faith, and the khutba to be pronounced in the emperor's name. Wearied at length with the work of plunder and desolation, Cafoor turned the points of his spears towards Delhi, where he presented to his master, 312 elephants, 20,000 horses, 96,000 maunds of gold, several chests of jewels and pearls, and other precious things, of value inestimable. It is said that, during this expedition, the soldiers threw away the silver as too cumbersome, such was the abundance of gold. According to the reports of these adventurers, it is added, no person wore, in those countries, bracelets, chains, or rings of any other metal; all the plate in

*The situation of these countries is doubtful. Dhoor is, perhaps, Doorydroog in Mysore. By Maber, Major Rennell understands the southern part of the Peninsula. It seems to comprehend the Coromandel coast.-See p. 4, note.

This mosque, Ferishta says, remained entire in his day, the infidels having respected it as a house consecrated to the Deity; but he does not tell us where it stood.