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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[AUGUST, 1899.
root and branch; so, foreseeing and dreading the attack of the royal army, he sent a deputation of his chief men to the foot of the throne, and by the interest of the confidential servants of the court, represented his readiness to submit to the Sultan's authority and to pay tribute if his offences were pardoned. The Sultan in his mercy pardoned the inhabitants of the fort, and after taking security prohibited his troops from plundering it.
The Sultan was for a long time engaged in reducing Telingânâ and conquering the districts in possession of the infidels. Some who humbly submitted to his rule and agreed to pay tribute he confirmed in possession of their districts. Having made Ibrahim Sanjar Khâu head of the army, he sent him in command of a division to conquer that country and concilinte the people; and conferred on him as a jáger the fort of Bhonagir and several districts.
After that the Sultan returned to his capital and resigned the affairs of government into the hands of Miyan Maḥmad Nigam-ul-Mulk, who was the wisest man of his age, unequalled in learning and one of the descendants of the illustrious shekh, Shekh Farid Shakar-bar ;73 and he consigned to Khalf Hasan the port of Dhabol and all the ports on the coast.
In this year the Sultan in the interior of the fort of Muḥammadabad Bidar laid the foundation of a palace and portioo (pishgah) of extraordinary height and beauty.74 When he had completed the building Shekh Asart - owing to the perfection of whose fame it is unnecessary to speak in terms of praise -- visited the Sultan's court and composed two verses in eulogy of this palace, and the Sultan was so pleased that he presented him with 700,000 Dakhani tankah, which may be equivalent to about 1,000 tuman ,76 upon which Shekh Azari said :
"Your gifts can only be carried on beasts of burden."76
The Sultân gmiled, and added to his previous gift 25,000 more tankeah for the expenses of his journey and the cost of carrying (the money). The shekh, after suitably thanking the Sultan for the abundance of his favours and kindness, agreeably to his desire, returned to his native country.77 By this generosity and kindness on the part of the Sultan he obliterated the names of the kings of the world from the register of the generous, and to the end of the world exalted the banner of his good reputation among the sons of man.
Maulana Sharf-ud-Din Mazandarant, who was one of the disciples of Shah Ni'mat-Ullah, inscribed in beautiful handwriting two verses on the door of the palace, and the Soltán presented to him also 12,000 tankah.
When the Sultan had reigned for a period of twelve years he resigned the crown and throne of sovereignty to the heir apparent, Prince Zafar Khân, who was the eldest of the Sultan's sons and adorned with the jewel of knowledge and generosity and the ornament of mildness and bravery; and all the nobles, ministers and generals plighted their fealty to him.
To Shakar bar = raining sweetnces, eloquent.
T4 The date of the building of the palace is not given. The description is so extremely hyperbolical in style that 1 shall not weary the reader by translating it.
16 I have not been able to ascertain either the value or weight of the Dakhanf tankah or Persian laman (or twman) of that period. The tankah was a copper coin, and the weight of 700,000 of them must have been very considerable,
لايعمل عطايا كم إلا مطايا كم 1
Shekh Azart died at Asfarfyin, a city of KhurAsan in A. . 866 (A. D. 1461) at the age of eighty-two. The following chronogram records the date of his death :
: کہ مصاح حيانش کشت بيضو و از آن تاریخ فوتش کشت خسرو
شيۓ زمانہ دریغا آذري چر ار ثاني خشرو بود در شعر
Alas! for Azeri, Shekh of his days, The light of his life is shorn of its rays. Being Khusrau the second in posey, In KR CARAV the date of his donth you will see.
