English
When Nasir Khan the slave in retribution for his misdeeds ^yas killed, the nobles and the generals leaguing together, raised to the throne one of the grand-sons of Saltan Shamsu-d-din Bhangra wuo havi ottpuc t_y for this onerous charge, styling him 1 His name, as appearing on liis coin*, i 8 Najiru-d-din At.ul Muzaffar Mahmud Sh5h. With him commenced the restoration of the Ilyas Shihl dynasty in Bengal. He reigned for thirty-two years in peace (this peace being probably due to the wars that then prevailed between Jannpur and Delhi), and according to another account for ‘ not more than twenty-seven years,’ and died in A.H. 862. In the histories, he is simply called Ni?ir Shah. Dates of his reign, as ascertained from coins and inscriptions, aro 846; 861; 863; whilst the earliest dates ascertained for the reign of Barbak Shah, Mahmud Shah’s successor, is 865. Mahmud Shah therefore must have reigned till the beginning of 864 A.H. If his reign lasted twenty-seven years, this would put buck the commencement of his reign to 836 (the year in which Marsden’s Ahmad Shah.’s coin was struck), and render Mahmud Shah an opposition king during 14 years of Ahmad Shah’s reign which is doubtful. Inscriptions of this king from Satgaon, Dnccn, and Gaur have been published (Sej J A.S. for 1873, pp. 269, 271 and for 1872, p. 108). 120 Nasir Shah. Nasir Shah conducted himself with justice and liberality, so that the people, both young and old, were contented, and the wounds of oppression inflicted by Ahmad Shah were healed. The buildings of Gaur and the Fort there, were erected by this high-ranked king. Reigning thirty-two years over Bengal, he passed away like others before him from the world, and according to another account, his reign did not exceed twenty- seven years. -o- REIGN OF BARBAK SHAH, SON OF NASIRU-D- DlN. When Nasir Shah died, his son Bnrbak Shah mounted the throne. Ho was a sagacious and law-abiding sovereign. Inins time, the soldiers were happy and contented, and he also spent his life in comfort and ease. He died in 870 A.H. His reign lasted seventeen or sixteen years. -o- REIGN OF YOSUF SHAH. After the death of Barbak Shah, his son Yusuf Shah with the consent of the nobles and the elite of the kingdom ascended the throne. He was a sovereign of gentle temperament, solid us for1 Telfave of his subject, and virtuous and .earned and p.ous He reigned seven year*, and sir months, and d.ed in 887 A.H. . r “ rrsss s i n A.s° ft H 1873 U p C hattabak Stab undoubtedly reigned as bug in Bengal in 865 A.1I. (1460 A.C.) j . g B for 1873, p. 275) 2 His name from ( ^ affar YQsuf Shah. He appears to have appears to be J^ ain ® U 8 ' h he died . From l.is inscriptions fonnd at reigned from 8,.. to 886 A.H., ^ foUowirig dtt tes of his reign have Pantfaah, Hazrat Pan ua ’ QQ2 884 ‘ 885 (that is 1477, 1479, 1480 A.C.) been ascertained, name y,’ charged the Ulema to see the law of Ferishta says he was a echo to drink wine" (Blochmann . the Prophet duly observed. one aa Contr. J.A.S. for 1873, p. 275). J21 REIGN OP PATH SHAH, SON OP YOSUF SHAH. After the death of Yusuf Shah, his son Sikandar Shah, 1 ascended the throne. He had a little touch of lunacy. As he had no capacity for this important function, the nobles and the leaders deliberating that very day superceded him, and raised to the throne another son of Yusuf Shah, named Fath Shah. The latter was wise and sagacious. Observing with wisdom the usages of the rulers and sovereigns of the past, and bestowing on the nobles dignities according to their individual ranks, he pursued a liberal policy towards his subjects. In his reign, the gates of happiness and comfort were thrown open to the people of Bengal. It was then the established custom in Bengal for five thousand paiks to turn out every night with music, and for the king to go out for a while in the morning to receive their salute, and then to give them leave to depart, a new corps of paiks relieving them. One day, the eunuch of Path Shah, bear- ing the name of Barbag, leagued with the paiks, and slew Path Shah.* This event took place in the year 896 A.H. Fath Shah’s reign lasted seven years and five months. REIGN OP BARBAG, THE EUNUCH, STYLED SULTAN SHAHZADA. Barbag the eunuch, the faithless miscreant, after slaying his own master, placed himself on the throne,accord ing to the saying— When a forest is unteuanted, jackals give themselves the airs of lions. * Stewart calls him a "youth of the royal family”; other histories sny nothing about hi9 relationship. The Ain-i-Akbari gives him half a day; the Tabaqat gives him two and a half day9; Ferishta gives no period, and Stewart gives him two months (J.A.S. for 1873, p. 281). * llis name from coins and inscriptions (J.A.S. for 1873, p. 281), appenrs to be Jalilu d-din Abul Muzaffar Fath Shah, lie'appears from histories to havo reigned from 887 to 896 A.H.; bat inscriptions and coins shew that he reignod in 886 A.H. Some of his coins wore struck at Fnthabad (Faridptir town) in 886 and 892 A.H. These together with the inscriptions on Bnhn Salih’s mosque at Bandar, near Dacca (dated 886 A.H. or 1482 A.C.), of Bikrampur (Dacca District) on Adam Shahid’s mosque (dat^d 8SS A.H. or 1483), of Sunargaon on Moqqarabud-daulah-din’s mosqne (dated 889 or 1484 A.C.) are published in J.A.S.B. for 1873, pp. 282-285), and fix the dates of his reign. Fathabad (or Faridpur town) is named after him 16 122 He styled himself Sultan Shahzada.’. He collected together eunuchs from all places; and bestowing largesses on low people, won them over to his side, and attempted to enhance his rank and power. Finding that only his own peers would come within his olutohes, he tried to destroy the high and influential nobles. Out of these, the premier-nobleman, Malik Andil, the Abyssinian, who was on the frontiers, becoming apprised of the eunuch’s designs, planned to set his own capable son on the throne, and to finish off the eunuch’s life-work. At that time, the doomed eunuch thought of summoning Malik Andil, in order to im¬ prison him by means of a trap; then he issued orders sum¬ moning him. Malik Andil guessing the real significance of the summons, with a large number proceeded to meet the eunuch. Since the Malik observed great precaution in his ingress to and egress from the (larbar , the eunuch despaired of destroying him. In consequence, one day, the eunuch arranging an entertainment, showed great intimacy towards Malik Andil, and placing a Qoran, said : “ Place your hand on the Holy Book, and vow that you will not injure me.” Malik Andil vowed, “ So long as you are on the throne, I shall do you no injury.” Inasmuch as all the people were designing to destroy that miscreant eunuch, Malik Andil also schemed to avenge the murder of his benefactor, and leaguing with the porters sought for an opportunity. One night, whilst that miscreant was intoxicated by excessive indulgence in liquor, and lay asleep on the throne, Malik Andil, being led in by the porters, entered the harem , to kill the eunuch. When he found the latter asleep on the throne, he hesitated, on recollecting his vow. Suddenly, that miscreant over whom a fatality was hanging, by the will of Povidence which flings one from the thi'one of pride down to the dust of degradation, and places on another’s head the crown of sovereignty, owing to his intoxication from lfquor, sli PP ed down from the throne - Malik Andl1 delighted at this incident, and drew his sword on him but did not succeed in despatching him. Sultan Shahzada, awaking ; seeing himself in front of an unsheathed sword, seized Malik Andil, and being strong, in the wrestling, threw down the latter and sat on his chest. Malik Andil who held tightly ■ the ounuch’s head, did not let it go, bnt shonted out to Yngrn^ Khan who was standing outside the room to come up qmck Y Yugrnsh Khan, the Tnrk, with a number of Abyss.mans, mstantly *23 came in, and finding Malik Andil underneath the eunuch', hesi¬ tated in attacking with the sword. In the interval of search, the lights had fallen under the hands and feet of the two wrest¬ lers and had got extinguished, and all was dark. Malik Andil shouted out to Yugrush Khan, “ I am holding the hair of the eunuch’s head, and he is so broad and robust, that his body has become in a way my shield ; do not hesitate to strike with your sword, since it will not penetrate through, and even if it does, it does not matter; for I and a hundred thousand like me can die in avenging the death of our late master.” Yugrush Khan gent¬ ly inflicted some strokes with his sword on the back and shoulder of Saltan Shahzada, who feigned being dead. Malik Andil then got op, and along with Yugrn§h Kljan and the Abyssiniane, went out, and Tawachi Baahi, entering the bed-room of Sultan Shahzada, lighted up the lamp. Sultan Shahzada, fancying him to be Malik Andil, before the lamp was lit, from fear not mounting the throne, had escaped into a cellar. Tawachi Bashi proceeding towards the cellar, entered it; then again Sultan Shahzada feigned being dead. The Bashi cried out: “ It is a pity that rebels have killed my master, and ruined the kingdom.” Sultan Shahzada, fancying him to be one of his own loyal adherents, cried out: “ Look here, hold your peace, for I am alive,” and enquired where Malik Andil was. Tawachi said: “Thinking that he has killed the king, be has returned home with peace of mind.” Sultan Shahzada told him, “go out, call together the nobleB and eet them to fetch Malik Andil’s head, after killing him, and place watchmen in charge of the gates, warning them to be armed and on the alert.” Tawachi the Abyssinian replied : “Very well, now I go to effect a radical cure.