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MAY, 1874.]
ASIATIC SOCIETIES.
"History informs us that Kamata was invaded, about 1498 A. D., by Husain Shâh, and legends state that the town was destroyed, and Nilamba, the last Kamata Râjah, was taken prisoner. He escaped, however, and disappeared; but people believe that at some time in future he will be. restored. The Kâmatâ family was succeeded by the Koch dynasty, to which the present Maharaja of Koch Bihar belongs. The new Rajas secured their possessions by erecting along the boundary a line of fortifications, many of which are still in excellent preservation.
"The prevalence of human sacrifices in Koch Bihar is known from the Atm. The Haft Iqlim has the following: There is a cave in this country which, according to the belief of the people, is the residence of a Deo. The name of the Deo is At, and the people are zealous in their worship. Once a year they have a feast, when they kill all sorts of animals found in the country, believing that the meritoriousness of the slaugh ter comes from Ai. They likewise kill on the same day the Bhogis, who are a class of men that have devoted their lives to Ai, saying that Âi has called them. From the time they become Bhogis, they may do what they like; every woman is at their command, but after one year they are killed.""
The Historical part deals principally with-I. The Initial Period,' or the reigns of the governors of Lakhnauti appointed by the Dihli sovereigns, from the conquest of Bengal by Muhammad Bakhtyâr Khilji, A. D. 1203 to 1338 A.D. II. The period of the independent kings of Bengal, from 1338 to 1538.
The first of these has been already dealt with by Mr. E. Thomas in his Initial Coinage of Bengal, but Prof. Blochmann has some interesting additions to make from Bihâr Inscriptions.
The following he gives as the governors of Bengal from Saifuddin Aibak to Bughrâ Khân. The dates differ slightly from Mr. Thomas's list on p. 8 of his Chronicles.'
Saifuddin Aibak. Dies at Lakhnauti in 631. Tabq. p. 239.
"Izzuddin Abul Fath Tughril Tughân Khân, governor from 631 to 5th Zi Qa'dah 642. Tabq. p. 245. He withdraws to Audh, and dies on the 29th Shawwâl 644.
"Qamaruddin Timur Khân, governor from 5th Zi Qa'dah 642 to 29th Shawwâl 644, when he too dies. Tabq. p. 246.
"Ikhtiyaruddin Yüzbak Tughril Khân proclaims himself king under the title of Sultan Mughisuddin. Perishes in Kâmrup. Tabq. p. 263. No dates are given.
147
"Jalaluddin Mas'ud, Malik Jâni Khilji Khân, becomes governor on the 18th Zi Qa'dah-656 (or 17th Nov. 1258). Tabq., pp. 206, 225. "Izzuddin Balban was governor in 657, in which year he was attacked by Tajuddin Arsalân Khan Sanjar i Khwârazmi, who, however, was captured or killed by Izzuddin. Tabq. p. 267.*"
"Muhammad Arsalân Tatar Khân, son of Arsalân Khân Sanjar. He had been for some time governor when the emperor Balban ascended the throne (664). Barant, p. 66. After a few years he was succeeded by
"Tughril, who proclaimed himself king under the name of Sulțân Mughişuddin." No dates are given.
"Bughra Khân, Nasiruddin Mahmûd, second son of Emperor Balban."
In the second period the line of independent kings commences with
1. Fakhruddin Abul Muzaffar Mubarak Shah, who "had been Silándár, or armour-bearer, to Bahrâm Khân, the Dihli gor. ernor of Sunnârgåon, and on his master's death, in 739 A.H., or 1338 .D., proclaimed there his independence.
"According to the Tabaqát-i-Akbart, Firishtah, and the Riydz ussálațin, Mubarak Shah was killed by 'Ali Mubarak in 741, after a reign of two years and some months. But as his coins extend over a period of more than ten years, from 739 to 750, it looks as if the date given in the histories should be corrected to glo ai sten years and some months.""
2. 'Alauddin Abul Muzaffar 'Ali Shah, the title assumed by 'Ali Mubarakaccording to the histories, reigned one year and five months. Mr. Thomas (Chronicles, p. 265), however, gives a coin of the year 742, and he adds that he has seen coins of 744, 745, and 746. "From the fact that the coinage of Mubarak Shâh is restricted to the Sunnârgaon mint, and that of 'Ali Shâh to Firâzâbad (i.e., Panduah), we may conclude that the former held Eastern, and the latter Western Bengal. "But 'Ali Shah was vigorously opposed by Hâji Ilyâs, who struck coins in Panduah, 'Ali Shah's capital, in 740 and 744, and in uninterrupted succession from 746 (probably the correct year when 'Ali Shah was overcome by him) to 758."
3. Ikhtiyaruddin Abul Muzaffar Ghazi Shah, probably the son of Mubarak Shah, is supposed to have reigned in Eastern Bengal from A. H. 751 to 753.
4. Shamsuddin Abul Muzaffar Ilyas Shah, previously known as Haji Ilyâs, the foster-brother of of 'Ali Mubarak, "having in
* Hence Tajuddin Khân should not be put among the governors of Bengal.
