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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1899.
reached him [Ahmad Nizam-al-Mulk], he marched with his arıny to the assistance of the Sultan.si
When the rebel army heard of his approach they were much alarmed, and began to waver. The prince with his brave troops attacked the rebels, and in one engagement put them to flight, and pursuing them for several farsangs, slaughtered many of them, both great and little. A few only managed with much difficulty to escape. The prince after being greatly distinguished by royal favours, took his leave, and returning to his own country, looked after the welfare of his subjects in Junir and Châkan.
After that the Sultan marched with his army to make war against the country of Telingana and on reaching Warangal pitched his camp within sight of the fortress.
At this time a clique of Habslis in the service of the Sultan had the utmost confidence placed in them; and owing to the power they possessed in the affairs of government, used to behave in a very imperious manner; and being at enmity with the Malik Naib were constantly trying to get rid of him by repeating to the Sultan speeches and stories tending to prejudice him against the minister. So many slanders and lies did they concoct against that incomparable minister that the heart of the Sultan was turned against him, and they obtained from the Sultân an order for the minister's execution, but waited for an opportunity of carrying it out. When the Malik Na,ib became aware of their treacherous intentions towards him, he fled from the camp of the Sultan and hastened to the capital, Bidar. Since the cup of the life of that minister of pure disposition had become full he did not as he ought to have done go to Junnar to the prince, Sultan Ahmad Nizâm-ul-Mulk Bahri, but instead went to Bidar in hopes of assistance from Pasand Khân, who was one of his dependents. The unreliable Pasand Khân at first made him solemn promises. Outwardly he showed him obedience and submission, but, secretly he sent a person to the Sultan and gave his promise that when the Sultân should arrive in the neighbourhood of the capital, he would put to death the Malik Na,ib and send his head out from the fortress, on condition that the Sultan should accord him his favour and grant him immunity from his royal displeasure. The Sultan, in accordance with the proposal of the foolish Pasand Khan, sent him a written promise of support, and afterwards himself proceeded to Bidar.
When the Sultan arrived in the neighbourhood of the capital, Pasand Khan - who after that became notorious for ingratitude-martyred the Malik NA,ib, and having cut off his head, threw it outside the fortress. The Sultan then proceeded to his palace and took his ease.
At this time the power and authority of the people of Habshah and Zangbar in the service of the Sultan had increased a thousand-fold, and the other State officials had no longer any power except in name. The whole country and the offices and political affairs of the kingdom and the government treasuries they divided among themselves, and arrogantly ignoring the sovereign, themselves governed the kingdom. But since the star of their good fortune had now reached its zenith, after continuing for a long time undiminished : as is invariably the rule with fortune as well as the revolving heavens - the star of that clique began to decline. The Turks, who are & war-like and blood-thirsty race, got into their hands most of the affairs of importance and the highest dignities; thus Hasan Khân Khurasant became Khwajah Jahân, Jamál-ud-Din Şahib-i Hauz obtained the title of 'Ain-ul-Mulk and 'Ali Turk that of Jahangir Khân.
11 It was this Ahmad Nix Am-ul-Mulk who, few years afterwards, became the founder of the Niyam Shah dynasty of Ahmadnagar. Though here called "Sultan" and "ShAhzadah," he of course did not bear either of those titles at this time. I have not translated the numerous ornate phrases prefixed to his name. The reason why the author speaks of him in such flattering terns is obvious when we remember that the Burhan-i Ma,asir is essentially a history of the Nigam ShAht dynasty the Bahmani portion being only an introduction to the rest.
The whole of this paragraph is one long, 'involved sentence in the text, and I have been obliged to inyert tho order and split it up in order to make it intelligible in English,
