Page:Madras in the olden time Volume 1.djvu/41

 forthwith, and an immense store of diamonds and pearls were found concealed in the belly of the idol.

But to our story of India. Successive dynasties reigned first at Ghiznee, and afterwards at Dell; and gradually extended their conquests over Hindustan and a large part of the Dekkan. The Ghaznavide dynasty was succeeded by an Afghan dynasty; and then followed the Slave kings, the house of Khilji, and the house of Toghlak. The history of their reigns is nothing more than the annals of conquest, of disputed successions, of assassinations, of massacres, and of rebellions and their suppression. It extends over the usual period of four centuries, namely from A. D. 1000 to A. D. 1400; a period which commences with the invasions of Mahmoud, and closes with the still more terrible invasion of Timour the Tartar, and the sack, the conflagration, and massacre at Delhi. During the anarchy which attended this last event, many of the Hindoo powers in Southern India recovered their independence; but subsequently, after the lapse of a century or so, they were again overthrown by Mahommedan adventurers, and their territories formed into Mahommedan kingdoms. ‘Two of these kingdoms are worthy of especial mention from their connection with the subsequent history of Madras; namely, the two great kingdoms of the Dekkan, —Bijapoor and Golconda. Both were established about A. D. 1500 ; and neither were overthrown until the reign of Aurungzebe, and about half a century after the first foundation of Fort St. George.