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19. Certain Disputed or Doubtful Events in the History 
of Bengal, Muhammadan Period. 
Part I, 
By Monmonan Cuakravarti, M.A., B.L., M.R.A.S. 
A large number of facts and events in the pre-Mughal period 
of Bengal history still remain doubtful or unsettled. A few of 
them have been selected here for discussion, in the hope of draw- 
ing attention to them prominently. Their importance is un- 
doubted, and their solution will help in giving a clearer idea of the 
period. 
TI. THe Kaars Matixs or LAKHANAWATI, 
(¢) Ikhtiyar-ud-din, Muhammad-i Bakht-yar Khalji. 
His expedition to Nidiah is well known as the first Mussal- 
man invasion of Bengal. But about its 
bape Seas date considerable difference of opinion 
yar <n on 590 H. to 
WNidiah exists, making it vary from 
600 H.! The main anshority for the 
period in Bengal is Tabukat-¢ Nasiri of ge ay -i Saraj.2 It was 
composed sixty years later, facts of 658 H. aving been mentioned 
therein. ae not a contemporary, paring lived 1 in Lakhanawati 
soot camntics of consulting men and documents of the 
On this work as basis, the two later fees are to os ake out of 
court. Firstly, the events narrated in the career of Mubammad-i 
Bakht-yar (a summary of which is given at the end of this article), 
are more consistent with the earlier dates than the later ones. 
Secondly, the dominion of Sultan Ghiyas-ud-din Muhammad-i Sam, 
the elder brother of Sultan Muizzuddin ( who defeated Prthvi Rai), 
is said to have extended ‘‘from the east of Hindistan, from the 
frontier of Chin and Ma-chin as far as "Irak ” (p. 383). This state- 

1 600 H. in Stewart’s History of Bengal, ed. 1847, p. 27, an 
J.B.A 8. VI, 340; 599 H. in Thomas’ Chronicles of ‘i Pollan Pitas ay rete 
p. 110; 594 or 595 iH. * Wios hmann’s contributions, Part ITI, J.A.S.B. 1875, 
p 134, 135; 590 H., Raverty’ s translation of Tabakat-i Nasiri, p. 573, note 9, 
A 
2 Major Raverty’s translation (Bibl. Ind.) is quoted here throughout 
besides iia ae thereof have been translated in Sir H. Elliot's History 
of India, Vol. II, 266-383. 
