English
1 By chance, thoy came to Bengal, and stayed in the mouza of Chandpur in the zilla of Itadha, 8 and both the brothers took their lessons from the Qazi of that place. On knowing their noble pedigree, the Qazi married his daughter to Husain Shah. After this, he entered the service of Muzaffar Shah, and reached the office of Vizier, as has been related before. When he ascended the throne in the city of Gaur, after some days, he forbade the people from the pillage of the city, and when they did not cease, he slaughtered twelve thousand plunderers ; then these stayed their hands from the work of pillage. And making search, ho found much of tho hidden treasures including thirteen hundred plates of gold. From ancient times, the custom in the country of Lakhnauti and East Bengal was that rich people preparing plates of gold, used to take their food thereon, and on days of carnivals and festivities, whoever displayed a large number of golden plates, became the object of pre-eminence. And this custom up to this time prevails amongst the rich and high-ranked people. Sultan ‘Alau-d-din Husaiu Shah, since he was a wise aud sagacious sovereign, shewed eonsiderateness towards the influential nobles, and raised his select officer’s to high positions and trusty offices. And he prohibited the Pailcs —whose faithlessness and regicides had be¬ come characteristic—from guarding the Palace, and totally dis¬ banded them, so that no harm might befal him. Aud in place of the Paiks, in the Guard-room and on the Band-stand, he appoint¬ ed other body-guards. And he also expelled totally the Abyssini- ans from his entire dominions. 1 A town in Turkestan. a That is, the Western Bengal tract. See however, note 13 to p. 48, where Professor Blochmann identifies Chandpur, near Alaipnr on the Bhairab, in Jesaoro district. Since these Abyssinians were notorious for their wickedness, regicides and infamous conduct., obtaining no footing in Jaun- par and Hindustan, they went to Gujr^t and the Dakhin. Sultan ‘Alau-d-din Husain Shall, girding up the waist of justice, unlike other kings of Bengal, removed his scat of government to Ekdala, which adjoins the city of Gaur. And excepting Husain Shah, noono amongst the kings of Bengal made his scat of government anywhere, except at Pandua and the city of Gaur. As he was himself of noble descent, according to the saying, “ Every thing turns back to its origin” he took the Syeds, Mughals and Afghans by the hand, and sent cflicicnt District Officers to different places, so that peace in the country being secured, anarchy and revolutions which had occurred during the period of the Abyssinian kings, etc., vanished* and all disloyal elements were reduced to order. And subjugat¬ ing the Rajas of the environs and conquering up to Orissa, ho levied tribute. After this, lie planned to couquer Assam, which is north-east of Bengal. With an overwhelming army consisting of infantry and a numerous fleet, he marched towards that king¬ dom, and conquered it. Aud conquering the whole of that country up to Kamrup, Kamtah and other districts which were subject to powerful Rajas, like Rup Narain, and Mai Kuuwar, and Gasa Lakhan and Lachrai Naraiu and others, he collected much wealth from the conquered tracts; and the Afghans demolishing those Rajas’ buildings, erected new buildings. The Raja of Assam not being able to oppose him, relinquishing his country, fled to the mountains. The king, leaving his son 1 with a largo army to I This was Prince Danyal (incorrectly known as Dulal Ghari). This invasion of Assam took place in 1498 A.C. Seo J.A.S. for 1872, p. 83o. Particnlars of this invasion of Assam .in 1498 A.C. or 903-4 A.H. are given in the Alamgimamali pp. 730 and 731 and the Assam Buranji (J.A.S., for 1874, p. 281). Husain Shah’s conquest of Kamiup and Kamta (western Assam) Is also chronicled in a contemporaneous inscription of 907 A.H. (1501 A.C.) in a Madrasah or College fonnded by Husain Shah at Gaur. This inscription is also published in J.A.S., for 1874, P . 303. Unsain ^hah’s first Governor of Western Assam or Kammp wos his son, Prince Danyal-the ^me prmco who erected the vault over the shrine of Pit Nafa in Monghyr fort in 903 A C whilst returning from a mission on behalf of his father to meet Sultan Sikandar Lodi in Bchar, and immcdiatly before setting ont on this Assam expedition (Badaoni, p. 317 Vol. I). He was followed as Governor of Assam by Masunder Lazi, who was succeeded by Sultan Ghia^u-d-dm who introduced a colony of Muhammadans into Assam. 133 complete Hie settlement of Hie conquered country, returned triumphant and victorious to Bengal. After the withdrawal of the king, his son devoted himself to the pacification and defences of tho conquered country. But when the rainy season set. in, owing to floods, the roads aud tracks became closed ; and the Rajah with his adherents issued from the hills, surrounded 1 lie Royal army, engaged in warfare, cut ofF supplies of provisions, and in a short time put all to the sword. Aud the king, erecting a fort on tho bank of the river Bhatali, 1 bestowed great efforts on the improvement and advancement of the Kingdom of Bengal. And erecting and establishing Mosques and Rest-houses at different places in every district, lie conferred numerous gifts on saints and recluses.* And for the maintenance of the Rest-house in connec¬ tion with the eminent saint, Nur Qntbu-l-'Alam, he endowed several villages, and every year, from Kkdala, which was the scat of his government, he used to come to Pandua, for pilgrimage to the blight shrine of that holy saint.* And because of his meed¬ worthy coortcousncss aud affable deportment, and owing to thp exuberance of his good sense and wisdom, he ruled for a long period with complete independence. In the year 900 A.H., Sultan Husain Sharql, ruler of the Jaunpur kingdom, on being defeat¬ ed and pursued by Sultan Sikandar, proceeded to Colgong (Kahlgaon),* and took shelter with Sultan ‘Alan-d-dln Husain Shah. The latter, paying regard to the refugee’s rank, provided him with means of comfort, so that relinguisliing anxieties and cares of sovereignty, Sultan "Husain Sharql passed the rest of his life at the above place. Towards tho end of ‘Alau-d- din’s reign, Muhammad Babar the Emperor invaded Hindus¬ tan. Sultan Husain Shah, in the year 927 A.H., died a natural death. His reign lasted 27 years, and according to some, 24 years, * Stewart lias ‘ Bateah,’ and says it is the name of a stream, which also bears the name of Oaudak. I do not know how far Stewart is correct. * He also fouuded Madrasahs or Colleges for the advancement of lcnrning, as is evidenced by tho testimony of the contemporaneous inscription of 907 A.H. published in J.A.S.B., for 1874, p. 303. This inscription opens with tho remarkable saying of the Prophet, “ Search after knowledge even as far as China*” “ W| l^ltf " * Sec note p. 48. * See Bndaoni, p. 316, Vol. I. 134 and according to others, 20 years and 5 months. Amongst the sovereigns of Bengal, none has been equal to ‘ Alau-d-din Husain Shah. And traces of his beneficence in this country are well- known to all. Ho had eighteen sons. Na§rat Shah, after his father, became king of Bengal. o THE REIGN OF NASRaT SHAH, 1 SON OF ‘ALAU-D-DiN HUSAIN SHAH. • —— When Sultan ‘Alau-d-din Husain Shah died, the adherents of the kingdom and the members of the government placed on the throne his eldest son, named Nasrat Shah, commonly known as Nasib Shah, who was wise and just, and well-behaved, and in affairs of administration was more proficient than his other brothers. The most laudable work that he performed was that, instead of imprisoning his brothers, he doubled the offices which had been conferred on the latter by their father. And capturing the Rajah of Tirhut, he killed him. And he set two officers, named ‘Alau-d-din and Makhdum ‘Alim, otherwise known as Shah ‘Alim, and who were sons-iu-law of Husain Shah, for the conquest of the limits of Tirhut and Hajipur, 2 and posted them there. And when Emperor Babar, killing Sultan Ibrahim, 3 son of Sultan 1 Hia name, as appearing on his coins and inscriptions, is Nafira-d-din Abul Muzzafar Na?rat Shah. (See J.A.S.B. for 1873, pp. 296 and 297). Historians call him also Nasib Shah,(Baclaoni, p. 348), but perhaps whilst as a prince.be held the name of Nasib Khan. He appears to have reconquered Chittagong Tract (see Tarikh-i- Hamidi and J. A.S. for 1872, p. 336), and to havo subdued Tirhut and Hajipur tracts in North Behar-and to have also held temporary sway over Azimgarh in the N.-W. Provinces (see Sikandarpur Azimgarli inscription published in J.A.S. for 1873, p. 296). Kharid mentioned in this inscription is on the right bank of the Ghagra river. Nasrat Shah reigned from 929 to 939 A.H. (J.A.S. for 1872, p. 332). 8 Hajipur was long the hcad-quarters of the Bengal Governors of Behar from the time of Haji Ilyas, and was founded by Ilaji llyds aUas Shams* d din Ilyas, king of Bengal. It sank in importance with the transfer of the hcad-quarters to Patna, on the establishment of Mughal rule under bmperor Akb r‘lbriibim Lodi, son of Sikandar Lod. and grandson of defeated and killed by Babar at the decisive battle of Pan.pat in 15-6 A.O. or 932 A H See the graphic description of this decisive battle in Badaa (kr„ terf, Vol. I, pp 334-336.) By tU. sreat battle, the severe,goty of i I 135 Sikandar Lodi, conquered the great empire of Hindustan, many of the Afghan Ornra escaping, sought refuge with Nagrat Sljah. And at length, Sultan Mahmud, 1 brother of Sultan Ibrahim, being expelled from hia kingdom, came to Bengal. Na§rat Shah showing kindness to every one, bestowed on all pargannahs and villages, in accordance with their respective rank.