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HISTOliY OK INI>IA.
[Hook I.
(!iu. A.I). 14 K).
Mo()l)!irik Bucoeoils Kliizr Kh;i[i.
Uinvortliy reign of Mahomed, his son.
Bheilole Lody aim3 at the throne.
years, presents few imi)Oi'tant events; but liis conduct contrawts favourably with - that of his predecessors, and the inliabitants of Delhi showed their respect ior liis memory by wearing black, their garb of mourning, during three days.
Mo()l)arik, Khizr Khan's eldest son, succeeded him, in virtue of a nomination by his father, when he felt his end approaching. His first military (jperati'^ns were carried on in the Punjab, where he succeeded, but not without difficulty, in suppressing a serious insurrection. The rebel, Jusrut Gukkur, though repeatedly defeated, managed always to escape, and to a|)pear unexpectedly in some other quarter as strong as ever. He even succeeded in creating a divei-sion in his favour by forming an alliance with Ameer Sheikh Ally, a Mogul chief in the service of Shahrokh Mirza, governor of Cabool. and inducing him to make an incursion into Scinde. The King of Malwah, takinj; a^lvantajje of these di.sturb- ances, invested Gwalior, in the hope of adding it to his dominions. Moobariks attention was thus fully occupied ; and liis whole reign of thirteen years fur- nishes nothing more important than a succession of revolts. HLs temper, said tf) have been so equable that he never spoke in anger during his life, was probably iU fitted for the times in which he lived. A conspiracy, in which some of liLs own family were implicated, was formed against him, and he was basely assassinated in the new city of Delhi, while at worship in a mosque.
Prince Mahomed, Moobarik's son, though not one of the actual perpetiu- tors of his father's mui-der, was perfectly cogniztmt of it, and endeavoured to turn it to account by immediately mounting the throne. His fu"st act was to proclaim his own shame and guilt, by rewarding the conspirators. The appoint- ment of the ringleader, Survui"-ool-Moolk, to the office of vizier, produced general inchgnation; and a confederacy was formed, which soon broke out into open rebel- lion. The malcontents marched at once upon Delhi; and Mahomed, seeing that his vizier was chiefly aimed at, thought he might save himself by abandoning him to his fate. The vizier, however, was too crafty to be thus caught ; and no sooner learned that the king was in communication with his enemies, than he formed a band of assassins, and broke into the palace in order to mui'der his master. He, too, had been put on his guard, and had laid a trap for the vizier, who fell into it and was cut to pieces.
Mahomed, now apparently on good terms Avith the confederates who had laid siege to Delhi, thought himself safe ; and, throwing ofi" all restraint, spent his time in sensual indidgence. The administration of affairs, thas neglected, fell into disorder ; discontent prevailed, and an insiurection broke out in Mooltan among the Afghans. Bheilole Lody, who had placed himself at their head, had previ- ously usurped the government of Sirhind, and now made himself master of Lahore, Depalpoor, and all the country as far south as Panipiit. Bheilole, unable to cope with the royal army which was sent against him, was driven into the hills, and, abandoning open force, determined to try the effect of intrigue. This he managed so dexterously that the king, on his suggestion, ]iut one of bis
