English
” Coming out, he quickly told the whole affair to Malik Andil, who again went in, and inflicting cuts with the dagger, finished off the eunuch’s life, and leaving his corpse in that cellar, locked it, and coming out sent a person to snmmou ghan Jahan, the Vizier. And after the arrival of the Vizier , he held a conncil for the election of a king. And since the son of Fath Shah was only two years old, the nobles were diffident as to how he could he placed on the throne, so that, in the morning, all the nobles being of one mind went to the bouse of the widow-queen of Fath Shah, related to her the story of the night, and said : “ As the prinoe is a child, yon should appoint one to manage the affairs of Government, until 124 the prince comes of age.” The queen, on learning their anxiety, knew what to say. She said : “I have made a vow to God that I would bestow the kingdom on the person who kills the murderer of Fath Shah.” 1 Malik Andil, at first, declined to accept the burden of kiugdom, but afterwards, when all the nobles collecting in that assembly unanimously besought him, he mounted the throne. The period of Sultan Shahzada’s reign according to one account was eight months, and, according to another account, two and a half months. After this incident in connection with Sultan Shahzada, for some years, it / became the ruling practice in Bengal that whoever slew the ruling king, and got an opportunity to seat himself on the throne, became recipient of homage and submission of the people, who did not protest against his installation.* In ope pam¬ phlet, the period of the rule of Sultan Shahzada is stated to be six months. God knows the truth. RKIGN OF MAJjIK ANDlL, THE ABYSSINTAN, STYLED FiRUZ SHAH . 3 When Malik Andil the Abyssinian, by his good fortune, took in lap the bride of the sovereignty of Bengal, he styled himself • This affords another instance to illastrate the great influence exercis¬ ed by Mnsalman ladies in the past, and the chivalrous deforence paid to their wishes by Musalmans. * “ The pretorian band of Abyss^nians, which Barbak Shah had introduc¬ ed into Bengal, became from the protectors of the dynasty the masters of the kingdom, and ennuchs were the actual rulers of the country. . . • What royalty at that time was in Bengal is well described by Abul Fazl, who sayB that after the murder of Fath Shah, low hirelings flourished; and Feriahta sarcastically remarks that the people would obey him who had killed a king and usurped the throne.” Blochraann’s Contr. (J.A.S. for 1873, p. 286). With Sultan Shahzada begins a succession of Habshi or Abyssinian kings, which terminated only with the rise of the Husaini dynasty of Bengal. 8 His name, as appearing on his coins (J.A.S.B. for 1873, p. 288), is Saifu-d-dm Abnl Muzaffar Firuz Shah. He was an Abyssinian or Habshi, and reigned from 893 to 895 A.H. (according to the testimony of coins); whilst histories give (inoorreotly) the year of his death to be 899. Ho was ( a< ^° r ing to Biy&z) the premier nobleman and a generalissimo under at *_ja He proved a wise king. 12f Firaz Shah, and proceeding to the metropolis of Gaur established himself there. In the directions of justice and liberality, he put forth noble efforts, and secured for his subjects peace and comfort. In that, daring the time he was a noble, Malik Andil had done great and heroic deeds, both his soldiers and subjects dreaded him, and did not lean towards disaffection. In liberality and generosity, he was matchless. In a short time, he bestowed on the poor the treasures and largesses of past sovereigns, who bad hoarded the "Same with considerable exertions and pains. It is said that ou one occasion iu one day he bestowed on the pool one lak of rupees. The members of Government did not like this lavishuess, and used to say to one another: “ 1 his Abyssinian does not appreciate the value of the money which has fallen into his hands, without toil and labour. We ought to set about dis¬ covering a means by which he might be taught the value of money, and to withhold his hand from useless extravagance and lavish- nesa.” Then they collected that treasure on the floor, that the king might behold it with his own eyes, and appreciating its value, might attach value to it. When the king saw the treasure, he enquired: “ Why is this treasure left in this place ? ” The members of Government said : “ This is the same treasure that you allotted to the poor.” The king said : “ How can this amount suffice ? Add another lak to it.” The members ;of Government, getting confounded, distributed the treasure amongst the beggars. Malik Andil, after reigning for three years, in 899 A.H. fell ill, and the light of his life was extinguished by the breeze of death. But the more reliable account is, that Firuz Shah also was slain at the hands of the Paiks. 1 A mosque, a tower and a reservoir in the city of Gaur, were erected by him. 1 For a humourous description of the cowardice of the Bengal Paiks (an Infantry corps of Bengal) in the time of Sul.fin Ilyas Shah (1353 A.C.), see Tarikh-i-Firuz §hahi by Zia’ Barni (Pens, text, Faso. 7, p. 593), from which the following is translated: “ And the well-known Bengal Paiks who for years dubbed themselves “ Abu Bangal,” and gave themselves martial airs, and pro¬ claimed their readiness to sacrifice their lives for Ilyas Shah the Bhang-eater, and used to attend that maniac of a monarch, in the company of the dusky- looking Bengali Rajahs—at the time of actual ware fare, put from fear their fingers into their mouths, ceased to be on the alert, threw down their swords and arrows, rubbed their foreheads on the ground, and were all put to the sword (by the army of Emperor Firuz Shah Taphlftk).” 126 THE REIGN OF SULTAN MAHMUD, SON OF FIRUZ SHAH. VVheu Firuz bnali passed to the secret-house of iiv,n istonce, the nobles and the ministers placed on the throne his eldest son, named Mahmud. And an Abyssinian slave, named Habasji Khan> became the Administrator-General of financial and administrative affairs, and his influence so completely pervaded all affairs of government, that, except a bare title, nothing of sovereignty was *eft to Mahmud Shah, and the latter was compelled to live in this way, until another Abyssinian, who was called Sid! Badr Diwiina, despairing of his ways, killed Habash Khan, and himself became the Administrator of the affairs of government. After some time, leaguing with the commandant of the Paiks, at night-time, he killed Mahmud Shah, aud next morning with the concurrence of the nobles of the palace, who were in league with him, he as¬ cended the throne, assuming the title of Muzaffar Shah. The reign of Mahmud Shah lasted one year. And in the history of Haji Muhammad Qaudahari, it is related that Sultan Mahmud Shah 1 was a sou of Fath Shah. Jashn IOiath 8 a slave of Barbag Shab, under order of Sultan Firuz Shah, trained him up; and after the death of Sultan Firuz Shah, Sultan Mahmud was placed on the throne. After six months hal passed, Habash Khan, harboured notions of sovereignty in his head. Malik Badr Diwana killing Habash Khan, as has been related before, himself mounted the throne. THE REIGN OF SlDl BADR, STYLED MUZAFFAR SHAH. When Muzaffar Shah mounted the throne in the city of Gaur, being very blood-thirsty and audacious, he slew many of *he l His name from coins and inscriptions (sec J.A.S. for 1873, p. 289), appears to be Nasiru-d-din Abut Mnjnhid MahmGd Shab. Though the histones generally call him a eon of Firuz §hah, the account of Hap Muhammad Qaudahari referred to in the text, namely, that Mahmud Shah waa * 8 ° n 0 Fath Shah, appears to be more reliable. Mahmud &hih re.gncd in 896 A^H. % “ Jashn Khan 99 in the text is evidently a copyist's mistake for KMn,” an eonncb-.lave of Barbag Shab, who according to H.ji Qaudahari, was entrusted by FM. Shih with the bnngmg np of Mahn. who’ wan only two years old, when hi. father Fath f ^d nd “al* Andil Firuz Shah ascended the throne, with the consent of Fath 8_ 9 127 learned and the piouR and the nobility of the city, and also killed the infidel Rajahs who were opposed to the sovereigns of Bengal. He bestowed on Syed Husain Sharif Mnki the office of Vizier, and made him Administrator of the affairs of Government. And he became assiduous in hoarding treasure, and by the connsel of Syed Husain, he cut down pay of soldiers, and set about building a treasury, and he committed oppressions in the collection of revenue. Consequently the people, receiving in¬ juries at the hands of Muzaffar Shall, became disgusted with him. Gradually, Syed Husain’s mind was also changed, so that matters came to this pass, that in the year 903 A.H., most of the principal noblemen, seceding from the king, went out of the city, whilst Sultan Muzaffar Shall with five thousand Abyssinians and three thousand Afghans and Bengalis entrenched himself in the fort of Gaur. For a period of four months, between the people inside, and outside, the city, fightings raged, and daily a large number of people were killed. 1 It is said that, daring the period Sultan Muzaffar was entrenched in the fort, whenever any one was captured and brought before him, he used to kill him with tho sword with his own hand, with a ferocity characteristic of the Abyssinians, so that the number of people killed by him amounted to four thousaud. At length, Muzaffar Rjjah, 8 sallying out with his force from the city, gave battle to the nobles, whoso leader was Syed Husain Sharif; and from both sides, twenty thousand men fell, either by the sword or the arrow.