Riyaz al-salatin 65.3

65.3

The Tabaqat-i-Akbari's notice of Bengal closes with an account of the reign of Nasrat Shah, the second king of the above Husaini dynasty. The fourth king of the Husaini dynasty, it may be of interest to remark, is the "El Rey Mamud de Bengala" of the Portuguese, who described Gaur, the capital at the time, as being "three leagues in length, well-fortified and with wide and straight roads, along which rows of trees were planted to shade the people." This Mahmud Shah died in 945 A.H. at Colgong (Kahalgaon), where he lies buried. nobility, and dissuade him from evil pursuits, it is all in vain ; for he is simply bent on hoarding wealth." In consequence, the nobles looked upon Husain as their friend, patron and sympathiser. As his virtues and Muzaffar Shah's vices were known to the public and to the elite, on the day that Muzaffar Shah was slain, all the nobles held a council for the purpose of electing a king, and favoured the installation of Syed Sharif Maki, and said, "If we elect you king, in what way will you conduct yourself towards us ?" Sharif Maki said : "I will meet all your wishes, and immediately I will allot to you whatever may be found over-ground in the city, whilst all that is under-ground I will appropriate to myself." The patricians as well as the plebeians fell in with this tempting offer, and hurried out to pillage the city of Gaur, which at this time eclipsed Cairo (in point of wealth).