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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[NOVEMBER, 1899.
kind and all kinds of animals; and in His great mercy freed the people from trouble and disquietude. Praise be to God for His beneficence !
In the midst of these affairs the Sultan was informed that the perfidious Raya of Orissa, with a large force of foot and horse, had invaded the territories of Islam. Nizam-ul-Mulk Bahri, who was situated as a barrier between the country of the infidels and the territories of Islâm, owing to the numbers of the enemy's force, was unable to cope with them, hastened towards Wazirabad. The Sultan ordered his army to be assembled in all haste at the town of Malikpur,31 near Ashtür,31 on the bank of a tank which was one of the innovations of Malik Hasan Nizam-ul-Mulk Babri. According to orders they flocked there from all parts, and in a short time an immense force was assembled; and the Sultan marching with them, in due time arrived near the fortress of Rajamundri (Rajamahendri). From that innumerable force the Sultan picked out 20,000 men with two horses each, and leaving the minister Khwajah Jahan in the royal camp in attendance on the prince (Mahmûd Khân) he himself with the picked troops proceeded to Rajamundrt; and was accompanied on this occasion by the Prince of the Apostles, Shah Muhabb-Ulláh, grandson of Shah Ni'mat-Ulláh.
When they arrived in the neighbourhood of the fortress of Rajamundri, they saw an immense city, on the farther side of which the infidel Narsinha Baya with 700,000 cursed infantry and 500 elephants like mountains of iron had taken his stand. On this side of the river he had dug a deep ditch, on the edge of which he had built a wall like the rampart of Alexander, and filled it with cannon and guns and all the apparatus of war. Yet notwithstanding all this army and pomp and pride and preparation, when Narsinha Raya heard of the arrival of the Sultan's army, thinking it advisable to avoid meeting their attack, he elected to take to flight.
When the Sultan became aware of the flight of the enemy he appointed Malik Fath-Ulláh Darya Khan with several other amirs of his conquering army to go in pursuit, and in slaughter. ing and plundering to strive their utmost. Darya Khân, accordingly, with his division pursued the infidels as far as the fortress of Rajamundrt, and laid siege to it. The Sultan also followed him with all speed and raised his victorious standards at the foot of the fortress. The noise of the war-drums and trumpets was such that the infidels imagined it was the trumpet of Isrâfil.33 Orders were given to the army to surround the fortress, and with cannons, guns, arrows and all the engines of war to reduce the besieged to extremities and deny them the necessaries of life.
It had nearly arrived at that stage that the face of victory was reflected in the mirror of the desires of the royal troops, when suddenly the commander of the fortress cried for quarter. The Sultan in his exceeding mercy and kindness took pity on those unfortunate people, pardoned their offences and gave them a written promise of quarter. The governor of the fortress riding on an elephant of gigantic size went to pay his respects to the Sultan. He made his obeisance and was enrolled among the Turki, Tilangi and Habshi slaves.
The Sultan with some of the nobles and great men went out on the summit of the fortress, and signified his wish that the rites of the faith of Islâm should be introduced into that abode of infidelity. He appointed to the charge of the fortress the same person to whom it had been formerly assigned,33
After that the Sultan went forth, and exalting his victorious standards, proceeded towards his capital, where he turned his attention to the administration of justice and looking after his Bubjects and army. He liberally rewarded the officers and brave men of his army.
In the midst of these events Adil Shah, Wali of Asirgadh and Burhanpur, who bad been constantly in subjection to the Sultans of the Dakhan, and recited the khutbah and The acgel of death, who is to blow the last trumpet. Nizam-ul-Mulk Babri,
Not identified.
