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HISTORY OF INDIA.

[JiooK I.

Bheilole founds the Lody Afghan dynasty.

A.D. m:;1. possession of all tiio royul effects. The king wsts urg((l to li}iHt<;n baxrk to lii.s capital and strike a decisive blow, but he only made frivoloas excas^jH for ihJay. One day it was the weather, which made it fli.sagreeable to travel ; another day it was the stars, which pronounced it unlucky. The vizier made better ukc of the time, and invited Bheilole Lody to assume the government. Bheilole set out at once, but gave a new specimen of his Afghan craft by wi-iting to Ala-u- din that his only object in going was to expel the vizier. This wa.s too much even for the imbecile monarch to believe ; and he voluntarily took the step to which he saw he would soon be forced, by formally abdicating the throne in Bheilole's favour, on condition of being permitted to reside quietly at Budaoon. Here the remainder of his life, extending to nearly twenty-eight years, was spent. He had previoasly reigned seven years at Delhi.

Bheilole, the founder of the Lody Afghan dynasty, began his reign in 1450. The circumstances of his birth were extraordinary, and being interpreted t<> portend his future greatness, very probably contributed to realize it. Before he was bom his mother was killed by the fall of her hoase. Her husband, Mullik Kaly, governor of a district in Sirhind, immediately ordered her body to be opened, and, strange to say, the life of the infant was saved. His uncle, Mullik Sultan, who had been appointed governor of Sirhind with the title of Islam Khan, rewarded his valour by giving him his daughter in marriage, and making him his heir, to the exclusion of his o^vn full-grown sons. Islam Khan had usually retained 12,000 Afghans, mostly of his owii tribe, in his service. The greater part of these joined Bheilole. The King of Delhi harl his suspicions roused as to the ultimate objects of the Afghans; and, by inducing Jusrut Gukkur to take the field against them, drove them to the hills. Here Bheilole headed them, made many predatory incursions, and, by the liberality with which he divided the spoil, attracted great numbers to his standard The vizier, Hissam Khan, whom the kinsr sent against him, was signallv defeated The result, as has been ah*eady related, was that Bheilole foimd means to ingi'atiate himself with the king, was adopted as his son, and at last succeeded in displac- ing Moobarik, who retired into private life, and went to reside, despised or forgotten, at his favourite residence of Budaoon.

Aftei' Bheilole succeeded, he continued for a time to treat the vizier, to whom he was mainly indebted for his elevation, with gi-eat respect ; but after- wards, thinking he presumed too much on what he had done, he caused some of his servants to seize him. The vizier, though not aware of the offence which he had given, expected nothing but death ; but Bheilole told him that, in gratitude for past services, he had a security for his life ; the only thing necessary now was, that he should cease to intermeddle with public affairs, and spend the rest of insuiTection his life in retirement. In 1451, during an absence of Bheilole in Mooltan. a for-

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midable insuiTection broke out, headed by Mahmood Shah Shui'ky, King of Jounpoor, who advanced with a large army, and laid siege to Delhi. Bheilole