Peru-Shah Followed The Example Of His Father And Grandfather In
Securing His Kingdom Against Foreign Enemies, And Built The City Of Diu
In Memory Of A Victory Over A Chinese Fleet.
Sultan Mahomet his son
succeeded, and reigned at the time when Vasco de Gama discovered India.
He left the kingdom to his son Modafer, as most worthy; but in
consequence of a civil war, Modafer was slain, and his youngest brother
Mahomet Khan was raised to the throne.
An elder brother Latisa Khan
aspired to the kingdom, but without success; and after a succession of
civil wars it fell to Badur, or Behauder Khan, who was king of
Guzerat at this period. The former king Modafer divided the
possessions belonging to Malek Azz who was lord of Diu among his three
sons, which destination gave great displeasure to his own sons who
coveted these territories. But Badur was chiefly dissatisfied, and
even poisoned his father Modafer Khan. After this parricide, he fled
to the king of Chitore, where he killed a person even in the presence of
the king at an entertainment, and fled to Delhi. He there professed
himself a Calendar or religious person, to shun the punishment due to
his crimes. These Calendars go about loaded with iron chains and live
abstemiously; yet with all their outward shew of religious austerity,
they practice all manner of lewdness and wickedness in secret. They
enter into no town, but blow a horn on the out-skirts, that people may
bring them alms. Sometimes they go about in bands of two thousand or
more, laying the country under contributions.
After remaining some time among the Calendars, Badur got notice of the
distractions prevailing in Guzerat, and went there with his chains in
search of the crown, and acquired the favour of the people so strongly
by his pretended religious austerity, that he was proclaimed king. To
secure his ill-gotten power, he caused Madrem-al-Mulk to be flayed alive
for having raised his youngest brother Latisa Khan to the throne, and
put to death all his brothers. Being desirous to take off Malek Saca
lord of Diu, Saca fled, and was succeeded by his brother Malek Tocam.
In the year 1527, one Stephen Diaz Brigas, a Portuguese who had fled his
country for some crime, came to India as captain of a French ship with
forty Frenchmen, and putting into Diu was there made prisoner with all
his men, who were cruelly put to death by order of Badur.
While at Champaneer in 1527, ambassadors came from Baber, padishah or
emperor of Delhi, demanding homage and tribute for Guzerat, as part of
his dominions. At first Badur was disposed to have slain these unwelcome
messengers; but he dismissed them, saying that he would carry the answer
in person. He accordingly drew together an army of 100,000 men and 400
elephants, with a great train of artillery. But he was prevented from
carrying his designs into execution, in consequence of a great town
called Doitabad being taken by Nizam-al-Mulk; and though he recovered
it, he met with great loss of men, chiefly by the weather, it being
winter, some of his men being slain by a shower of stones as large as
oranges[196]. Certain men came to Badur, from the kingdom of the
Colii[197], who demanded tribute; but he flayed them alive. In 1529,
Badur marched with 70,000 horse and 200,000 foot into the dominions of
Nizam-al-Mulk, where he did much damage. In the same year Baber padishah
of the Moguls of Delhi, marched with an army for the reduction of
Guzerat; but met with so much loss in a battle with the king of
Cheitore in Agimere that he was forced to retire to Delhi.
[Footnote 196: The story in the text is difficultly intelligible. I am
apt to believe that the great army belonged to Baber, the Great Mogul,
designed for the reduction of Guzerat, but turned aside for the recovery
of Dowlatabad in the Deccan, and that the shower of stones of the text
is to be understood of hail. - E.]
[Footnote 197: Who these were does not appear. - E.]
Badur invaded the kingdom of Mandou[198], and killed the king by
treachery. He then imprisoned all the kings sons, and distributed the
wives and daughters of the deceased king among his officers.
Salahedin, one of the principal officers of that kingdom fled to
Raosinga, a place almost impregnable by nature and art, but was
inveigled into the power of Badur and forced to turn Mahometan. Badur
then besieged the mountain fort of Raosinga, and commanded the women
belonging to Salahedin to come out; but they sent word that they would
not do so unless along with Salahedin, who was accordingly sent into the
fort for that purpose. His women, about 500 in number, exclaimed against
his becoming a Mahometan, saying they would rather be all burnt alive
than delivered to the enemy. Whereupon Salahedin, with 120 men who
guarded his zenana, slew them all upon a pile of wood, where they were
burnt with all his riches. After this Badur went against Chitore with an
army of 100,000 horse, an innumerable infantry, and 600 cannon, and
besieged Chitore for two months, at the end of which it surrendered. By
this conquest Badur was in possession of three considerable kingdoms.
[Footnote 198: Probably Malwa. - E.]
At this time Tristan de Ga, as formerly mentioned, was at the court of
Badur on an embassy from Nuno de Cuna to treat of peace, but which
negociation was delayed by sundry accidents, and in particular by the
death of the Great Mogul, of whom Badur was in great fear. Through
covetousness Badur discontinued the pay of many of those leaders who had
served him with great fidelity in his late conquests, on which account
4000 men of note deserted from him to the Mogul. One of his officers
named Mujate Khan endeavoured to convince him of the dangerous effects
this conduct might have upon his affairs; in reward for which Badur sent
him on some frivolous pretence to Diu, and at the same time sent secret
orders to Melek Tocam to put him to death; but Tocam disdained to
execute the tyrannical order, and advised the faithful Mujate Khan to
save himself by flight.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 99 of 217
Words from 100115 to 101179
of 221361
