a forgotten empire-vijayanagar-第14节

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aughtered　the　people　without　mercy；　by　their　actions　seeming　to　discharge　the　treasured　malice　and　resentment　of　ages。　Sultan　Firoze　Shaw；　in　the　exigence　of　distress；　requested　aid　of　the　sultan　of　Guzarat；　who；　having　but　just　acceded　to　the　throne；　could　afford　none。　At　last　fortune　took　a　turn　favourable　to　his　affairs；　and　the　enemy；　after　repeated　battles；　were　expelled　from　his　dominions　by　the　Sultan's　brother；　Khankhanan；　but　these　misfortunes　dwelt　on　the　mind　of　Firoze　Shaw；　now　old；　and　he　fell　into　a　lingering　disorder　and　lowness　of　spirits。〃

The　Sultan　desired　the　throne　for　his　son　Hasan；　husband　of　the　beautiful　Pertal；　but　on　Ahmad　Khankhanan　taking　up　arms　to　support　his　intended　usurpation　and　advancing；　supported　by　most　of　the　nobles；　to　the　capital；　Firuz　gave　way　and　nominated　him　Sultan　in　his　stead。

Firuz　died　on　September　24；　A。D。　1422；＇103＇　and　Khankhanan　became　Sultan　of　Kulbarga　under　the　title　of　Ahmad　Shah　I。

The　first　act　of　the　new　monarch；　after　〃impressing　the　minds　of　his　people　with　affection　to　his　government〃　　probably；　that　is；　after　an　interval　of　a　few　months　　was　to　strengthen　his　army　in　order　to　take　revenge　for　the　invasions　of　the　Raya；　and　having　made　all　preparations　he　advanced　to　the　attack。　Deva　Raya's　generals　collected　their　troops；　sent　for　aid　to　Warangal；　and　marched　to　the　Tungabhadra　where　they　encamped。　From　this　it　appears　that　they　had　retired　from　the　Doab　after　their　successful　raid。　The　Sultan　arrived　on　the　north　bank　of　the　river　opposite　the　Hindu　camp；　and　LAAGERED；　if　we　may　use　the　term　now　in　fashion。　Firishtah　says　that　he　〃surrounded　his　camp　with　carriages　（carts　and　waggons）；　after　the　usage　of　Room　（Turkey　in　Europe）；　to　prevent　the　enemy's　foot　from　making　night…attacks。　Here　he　halted　for　forty　days。〃　We　are　now；　therefore；　probably　in　the　dry　season　at　the　beginning　of　the　year　A。D。　1423；　for　if　the　river　had　been　in　flood　there　would　have　been　no　fear　of　the　enemy's　crossing　it。　In　the　early　months　of　the　Christian　year　that　river　is　usually　shallow　in　the　open　country　east　of　the　Hindu　capital　and　away　from　the　hills　that　surround　it；　having　only　thin　streams　running　in　its　rocky　bed。　Indeed；　Firishtah　himself　tells　us　that　the　river　was　at　that　time　fordable。

Then　ensued　a　dramatic　episode。　The　Muhammadan　cavalry　had　crossed　the　river　and　devastated　the　country　of　the　Raya；　who　remained　inactive；　and　the　Sultan　determined　on　a　direct　frontal　attack。　The　troops　of　Warangal　deserted　the　Raya　and　withdrew。

〃Early　in　the　morning　Lodi　Khan；　Aulum　Khan；　and　Dillawer　Khan；　who　had　marched　during　the　night　and　forded　the　river　at　distance；　reached　the　environs　of　the　enemy's　camp。　It　happened　that　the　roy　was　sleeping；　attended　by　only　a　few　persons；　in　a　garden；　close　to　which　was　a　thick　plantation　of　sugar…cane。＇104＇　A　body　of　the　mussulmauns　entered　the　garden　for　plunder；　and　Dewul　Roy；　being　alarmed；　fled　almost　naked　into　the　sugar…cane　plantation。　Here　he　was　found　by　the　soldiers；　who　thought　him　only　a　common　person；　and　　having　loaded　him　with　a　bundle　of　canes；　obliged　him　to　run　with　it　before　them。　Dewul　Roy；　rejoiced　at　his　being　undiscovered；　held　his　peace；　and　took　up　the　burden　readily；　hoping　that　he　should　be　discharged　as　a　poor　person　or　be　able　to　make　his　escape。

〃They　had　not　gone　far　when　the　alarm　of　Sultan　Ahmed　Shaw's　having　crossed　the　river；　and　the　loss　of　the　roy；　filled　the　camp；　and　the　Hindoos　began　to　disperse。　The　sultan　entered　the　camp；　and　Dewul　Roy's　masters；　hoping　now　for　more　valuable　plunder　than　sugar…cane；　hastened　to　join　their　own　fronds；　leaving　him　to　shift　for　himself。　Dewul　Roy　ran　with　his　own　troops；　and　about　noon　came　up　with　some　of　his　nobles；　by　whom　he　was　recognised　and　received　with　great　joy。　His　safety　being　made　known；　his　army　rallied　into　some　order；　but　as　he　regarded　the　late　accident　as　an　ill　omen；　he　laid　aside　all　thoughts　of　engaging　in　the　field；　and　fled　to　Beejanuggur。＇105＇

〃Ahmad　Shaw　not　stopping　to　besiege　the　city；　overran　the　open　country；　and　wherever　he　came；　put　to　death　men；　women；　and　children；　without　mercy；　contrary　to　the　compact　made　by　his　ancestor　Mahummud　Shaw　with　the　roies　of　Beejanuggur。　Laying　aside　all　humanity；　whenever　the　number　of　the　slain　amounted　to　twenty　thousand；　he　halted　three　days；　and　made　a　festival　in　celebration　of　the　bloody　work。　He　broke　down　the　idol　temples；　and　destroyed　the　colleges　of　the　Bramins。　During　these　operations　a　body　of　five　thousand　Hindoos；　enraged　to　desperation　at　the　destruction　of　their　country　and　the　insults　of　their　gods；　united　in　taking　an　oath　to　sacrifice　their　lives　in　attempting　to　kill　the　sultan；　as　the　grand　author　of　all　their　sufferings。　For　this　purpose　they　employed　spies　to　observe　his　motions；　that　they　might　seize　the　first　opportunity　of　action。

〃It　happened；　that　the　sultan　going　to　hunt；　in　the　eagerness　of　chase　separated　from　the　body　of　his　attendants；　and　advanced　near　twelve　miles　from　his　camp。＇106＇　The　devoted　infidels；　informed　of　the　circumstance；　immediately　hastened　to　intercept　him；　and　arrived　in　sight　when　even　his　personal　attendants；　about　two　hundred　Moguls；　were　at　some　distance　from　him。　The　sultan　alarmed；　galloped　on　in　hopes　of　gaining　a　small　mud　enclosure　which　stood　on　the　plain　as　a　fold　for　cattle；　but　was　so　hotly　pursued；　that　some　broken　ground　falling　in　his　way；　he　was　not　able　to　cross　it　before　his　pursuers　came　up。　Luckily　some　archers　at　this　instant　arrived　to　his　aid；　so　that　the　enemy　were　delayed　sufficiently　to　give　the　sultan　time　to　reach　the　enclosure　with　his　friends。　The　infidels　attempted　to　enter；　and　a　sharp　conflict　took　place；　all　the　faithful　repeating　the　creed　of　testimony；　and　swearing　to　die；　rather　than　submit。。。。　Their　little　troop　being　mostly　killed　and　wounded；　the　assailants　advanced　close　to　the　wall；　which　they　began　to　throw　down　with　pickaxes　and　hatchets；　so　that　the　sultan　was　reduced　to　the　extremity　of　distress。　At　this　critical　juncture　arrived　Abd…al…Kadir；　first　armour…bearer　to　the　sultan；　and　a　body　of　troops；　with　whom；　fearful　of　some　accident　having　happened　to　occasion　his　absence；　he　had　left　the　camp　in　search　of　his　master。　The　infidels　had　completed　a　wide　breach；　and　were　preparing　to　enter；　when　they　found　their　rear　suddenly　attacked　The　sultan　with　his　remaining　friends　joined　Abd…al…Kadir　in　attacking　the　enemy；　who　after　a　long　struggle　were　driven　off　the　field；　with　a　loss　of　a　thousand　men；　and　about　five　hundred　of　the　mussulmauns　attained　martyrdom。　Thus　the　sultan；　by　the　almost　inspired　caution　of　Abd…al…Kadir；　acceded；　as　it　were；　a　second　time；　from　the　depths　of　danger　to　the　enjoyment　of　empire。＇107＇　It　deserves　place　among　the　records　of　time；　as　a　remarkable　event；　that　two　sovereigns　at　the　head　of　armies；　should　fall　into　such　danger　for　want　of　numbers；　and　both　escape　uninjured。。。。

〃after　this　event　Ahmed　Shaw；　having　laid　waste　the　whole　country；　marched　to　Beejanuggur；　which　he　kept　so　closely　blocked　up；　that　the　inhabitants　were　reduced　to　the　greatest　distress；　when　Dewul　Roy；　to　spare　his　people；　sent　ambassadors　to　the　sultan　entreating　peace；　to　which　he　consented；　on　condition　that　he　would　send　the　tribute　of　as　many　years　as　he　had　neglected　to　pay；＇108＇　laden　on　his　best　elephants；　and　conducted　by　his　son；　with　his　drums；　trumpets；　and　all　the　other　insignia　of　state；　to　his　camp。　Dewul　Roy；　unable　to　refuse　compliance；　agreed　to　the　demands；　and　sent　his　son　with　thirty　favourite　elephants；　loaded　with　treasure　and　valuable　effects。　The　sultan　sent　some　noblemen　to　meet　him；　and　after　being　led　in　ceremony　through　the　market　and　great　streets　of　the　camp；　he　was　brought　to　the　presence。＇109＇　The　sultan；　after　embracing；　permitted　him　to　sit　at　the　foot　of　his　throne；　and　putting　on　his　shoulders　a　magnificent　robe；　and　girding　him　with　a　sabre　set　with　jewels；　gave　him　twenty　beautiful　horses　of　various　countries；　a　male　elephant；　dogs　for　the　chase；　and　three　hawks；　which　the　Carnatickehs　were　till　then　strangers　to　the　use　of。　He　then　marched　from　the　environs　of　Beejanuggur；　and　on　his　arrival　on　the　bank　of　the　Kistnah　dismissed　the　roy's　son　and　returned　to　Koolburga。〃

To　form　some　idea　of　the　date　of　this　cessation　of　hostilities　we　must　see　what　follows　in　Firishtah's　narrative。　The　historian　states　that　during　the　year　of　the　Sultan's　return　to　Kulbarga　there　was　a　grievous　famine　in　the　Dakhan；　and　〃the　next　year　also；　no　rain　appearing；　the　people　became　seditious。〃　These　two　years　were　probably　A。H。　826；　827；　extending　from　15th　December　A。D。　1422　to　23rd　November　1424。　He　continues；　〃In　the　year　828〃　the　Sultan　marched　against　Warangal。　The　last　campaign　began　about　December　A。D。　1422；　and　since　we　must　allow　some　months　for　Ahmad's　blockade　of　Vijayanagar；　which　resulted　in　his　reducing　the　inhabitants　to　a　state　of　starvation　so　that　the　Raya　was　compelled　to　capitulate；　the　date　for　the　end　of　the　war　cannot　be　safely　placed　earlier　than　the　winter　of　the　year　A。D。　1423。　During　these　twelve　months；　however；　there　was　a　famine　and　failure　of　rain；　so　that　the　Sultan　may　have　been　able　to　traverse　the　cotton　plains　lying　between　Vijayanagar