[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Tārīkh-i Firishta](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta) › [History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs) › 73.5 # Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 73.5 History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 73.5 - **Language:** English ### [73.5.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.1) Though the rays of the Carnatic had never before given their daughters in marriage to any persons but those of their own cast, and deemed it degrading to intermarry with strangers, yet Dew Ray, out of necessity, complied; and preparations for celebrating the nuptials were made by both parties. For forty days communication was open between the city and the King's camp, a distance of fourteen miles. Either side of the road was lined with booths both of Mahomedans and Hindoos; while the jugglers, dancers, and buffoons of the Carnatic, displayed their skill to amuse passengers. Khan Khanan and Meer Fuzl Oolla were deputed, in great state, to Beejanuggur, with the customary presents of a bridegroom; from whence, at the expiration of seven days, they brought the bride, with a rich portion and offerings from the Ray, to the King's camp. Dew Ray having expressed a desire to meet his son-in-law, Feroze Shah, in the excess of his politeness, consented to pay his father-in-law a visit, attended by his bride. A day being fixed, the King proceeded with the bride to Beejanuggur, leaving the camp in charge of Khan Khanan. He was met on the road by Dew Ray in great state. From the gate of the city to the palace, being a distance of nearly six miles, the road was spread with cloths of gold, velvet, satin, and other rich stuffs. ### [73.5.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.2) The two monarchs rode on horseback together, between ranks of beautiful boys and girls, who waved over their heads plates of gold full of incense and silver flowers, which they scattered abroad, to be gathered by the populace. This ceremony being over, the inhabitants of the city, both men and women, made offerings according to their rank. After passing through a square in the centre of the city, the relatives of Dew Ray, who had lined the streets, made their obeisance, and joined the cavalcade, marching on foot before the two Kings. On their arrival at the palace gate. Feroze Shah and the Raja dismounted from their horses, and ascending a splendid litter, set with valuable jewels, were carried together to the apartments prepared for the reception of the bride and bridegroom. Dew Ray then took his leave, and retired to his own apartments. The King, after being feasted magnificently for three days, took leave of the Ray, who pressed upon him richer presents than he had before given, and attended him four miles on his way to his camp, before he returned to the city. Feroze Shah was offended, however, at his not going with him to his camp, and said to Meer Fuzl Oolla that he would one day have revenge for the affront offered him by such neglect. This remark being conveyed to Dew Ray, he made use of some offensive observations, so that, notwithstanding the union of the two families, their enmity was not allayed. ### [73.5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.3) Feroze Shah, having returned to the capital of his dominions, despatched persons to bring the beautiful daughter of the goldsmith and his family to court, on whose account the war had originated. Her beauty was found to surpass all that had been reported of it; and the King, conceiving that he was too old to espouse her himself, conferred her in marriage on his son Hussun Khan, and gratified her parents with rich gifts and grants of land in their native country. The lady, meanwhile, was committed to the care of the King's aunt till the nuptial preparations were ready, when the knot was tied amid great rejoicings and princely festivals. Feroze Shah, being a great encourager of astronomy, caused an observatory to be built in the year 810, on the summit of the pass near Dowlutabad; but this work being interrupted by the death of Hakeem Hussun Geelany, the astronomer, it was left unfinished. ### [73.5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.4) In the year 815, the King went, on pretence of hunting, into the country of Gondwara, which he laid waste, and brought away near three hundred elephants. Soon afterwards, hearing that the celebrated saint Syud Mahomed Geesoo-duraz had arrived near Koolburga, from Dehly, he went from Ferozabad to visit him, and sent all the nobility of the court to meet him. He was at first treated with much attention; but on the King finding him deficient in learning and science, he withdrew his favour. Khan Khanan, the King's brother, entertained the highest veneration for the Syud, and not only built a superb palace for him, but spent great part of his time in attending his lectures. Khan Khanan was never absent from his "wujd," or ecstasies, at which times he distributed large sums to the attendants of the durgah, and to dervishes. ### [73.5.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.5) In the year 818, the King having fixed on his son Hussun, a weak and dissipated Prince, to succeed him, conferred on him a royal cap and waistband, with a chutr or canopy, several royal pavilions, and some elephants, the emblems of sovereignty. At this time, also, he invited the nobles to acknowledge him as his successor, and requested the holy Syud to give him his blessing; but the saint answered, that to one chosen by the King the prayers of a poor beggar could be of no avail. Feroze Shah, dissatisfied with his reply, sent to him again; on which the Syud observed, that as the crown was decreed to descend to his brother Khan Khanan, by the will of Providence, it was in vain for him to bestow it on another. The King was much alarmed, and ordered the Syud to quit the city; pretending that his durgah was too near the palace, and that the crowds of his disciples and students were dangerous to the peace of the capital. The holy man immediately obeyed, and retired out of the town to the spot where his tomb now stands; and his followers soon erected for him a magnificent dwelling. In the year 820, the King despatched ambassadors to the Ray of Tulingana, demanding some years' arrears of tribute, who sent the sums due, with several valuable presents in addition. In the middle of this year, Feroze Shah formed the design of reducing the fortress of Pangul, now called Bilcondah, situated about eighty fursungs (two hundred and forty miles) from Adony. ### [73.5.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.6) Without regarding his relationship to the Ray of Beejanuggur, he marched and commenced the siege, which extended to two whole years; at the end of which time, it not being the will of Heaven that it should then fall, a pestilence broke out in the royal army, in which, men and horses died every day in great numbers. Discontent and fear filled the minds of the survivors; and many officers of the first rank, quitting the camp with their followers, retired to their estates. At this crisis, Dew Ray, having collected his army, and having obtained assistance from all the surrounding princes, including the Raja of Tulingana, marched against the King, with a vast host of horse and foot. Feroze Shah, though he judged his army unequal to oppose the Hindoos, yet, impelled by a sense of pride, gave battle in spite of the remonstrances of his officers. Meer Fuzl Oolla, who commanded the troops of Islam, charged the infidels with great valour, and routing their centre, fell upon their right wing, and was on the point of obtaining the victory, when one of his own attendants, said to be bribed for the purpose by Dew Ray, inflicted a severe wound on his head, of which he instantly died. This fatal event changed the fortune of the day: the King was defeated; and with the utmost difficulty, and not without very great efforts on his part, effected his escape from the field. ### [73.5.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.7) The Hindoos made a general massacre of the Mussulmen, erected a platform with their heads on the field of battle, and pursuing the King into his own country, laid it waste with fire and sword. They subsequently took many towns, broke down mosques and other holy places; slaughtered the people without mercy; and by their savage conduct seemed desirous to discharge the vengeance and resentment of many ages. Feroze Shah, in the exigence of his distress, requested aid of the King of Guzerat, who having but just ascended the throne could afford none. At last fortune took a turn more favourable to his affairs; and the enemy, after repeated battles, were expelled from his dominions by the King's brother, Khan Khanan. But these misfortunes dwelt on the mind of Feroze Shah, now old, and he fell into a lingering disorder, which affected his spirits and his intellect. During his illness, he gave the reins of government into the hands of two of his slaves, — one named Hooshyar, and the other Bedar; strengthening their influence with the whole weight of his authority. These ministers, jealous of the popularity and ambition of Khan Khanan, remarked to the King, that the government of the Deccan could only be secured to his son Hussun Khan when the kingdom should be cleared of the power and influence of Khan Khanan. Feroze Shah, recollecting the prediction of Syud Mahomed Geesoo-duraz, determined, by causing his brother to be blinded, to prevent the possibility of his ascending the throne. ### [73.5.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.8) Khan Khanan, informed of this design, prepared for flight. During the night, he went with his son, Alla-ood-Deen, to the dwelling of the holy Syud, to request his advice and blessing; who taking the turban from his son Alla-ood-Deen's head, divided it into two parts, and tied one round the head of the father, and the other round his son, and then extending his hands over them, predicted sovereignty to both. Khan Khanan, after this ceremony, returned to his house; and having spent the remainder of the night in preparation for his departure, issued from the gates at dawn of day, with four hundred faithful companions. At the gate he was saluted with the title of King, by one of his earliest acquaintance, a celebrated merchant named Khulf Hussun, of Bussora, who had heard of his intentions. Khan Khanan desired him to hasten to his own dwelling, lest he should be seen by the officers of the court, and suffer on his account. To this Hussun remarked, that to be a companion in the days of prosperity, and to cast the dust of inconstancy in the eyes of a friend in adversity, was unbecoming a virtuous man; that while he had a spark of life he should be loath to quit his patron; and he hoped he would receive him among the number of his servants, and permit him to perform some service of importance. Khan Khanan, pleased with these professions of attachment, consented to Khulf Hussun accompanying him; ### [73.5.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.9) saying, that if he should ever attain the throne, Khulf Hussun should be his guide and minister. He then left the city, and in the evening arrived at Khan- Khananpoor, the revenue of which town he vowed to assign to the use of the Syuds of Mecca and Medina, Nujuf and Kurbula, should he become king. Hooshyar and Bedar, on learning the flight of Khan Khanan, went with anxious impatience to the King, and having obtained permission to go in pursuit, marched with expedition, attended by four thousand horse, and some war elephants. Khan Khanan proposed concealing himself till he could prevail on some of the nobility to support his cause; but his companion Khulf Hussun dissuading him, sent to Koolburga, Bidur, and Kulliany, from whence he procured a number of malecontents to join his standard. Some days passed in moving from place to place to avoid fighting, when, at last, the King's ministers being reinforced, all hope of escape seemed cut off, the royalists being eight thousand strong, and the whole force of Khan Khanan not exceeding one thousand cavalry. In this crisis, a band of grain merchants, called in Hindoostan Bunjaras, who were on their way from Berar with two thousand head of oxen, encamped in the neighbourhood of Kulliany, as also three hundred horses, which some dealers had brought from Lahore for sale. ### [73.5.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.10) Khulf Hussun, taking advantage of this incident, purchased them all, and making red and green banners, after the custom of the Deccan, mounted a man with a flag on each ox. He placed a few cavalry in front of this mock force, with orders to appear at a distance, when the engagement should commence, and to give out, that some chiefs had arrived from their estates to assist Khan Khanan. Khan Khanan at first regarded the scheme as childish, but at last consented to adopt it. In the morning, he moved slowly towards the King's troops, encouraging his own men, by declaring that certain noblemen were hastening to join him, and were then only a few miles distant. Hooshyar and Bedar, also, dreading the event of his being reinforced, eagerly accepted the offer of battle, hoping by this means to prevent the junction of reinforcements. When the action had begun, Khulf Hussun advancing his horse in front of the oxen, and waving his banners, appeared marching from behind a wood at some distance, which made the enemy conclude that the expected chiefs were arrived to Khan Khanan's assistance; and a vigorous charge being made at the same instant, the right wing of the royalists broke in confusion. Hooshyar and Bedar, who were in the centre, seeing their men fly, and terrified at the approach of the supposed succours, were routed and driven from the field, after offering a slight opposition. ### [73.5.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5.11) Khan Khanan, thus unexpectedly victorious, pursued the fugitives, and after taking many elephants and horses, was shortly after joined by numbers of the royal troops from all quarters. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-firishta~en-briggs.73.5) · Pramāṇa