58 ' Some account of the " Kaldn Musjeed." [June 



As it is desirable, that a biographical sketch of the founder of any 

 building illustrated should, where possible, accompany the detailed 

 accounts which will, it is hoped, be laid from time to time before the 

 Archceological Society of Dehli, with the view of comparing the archi- 

 tectural with the written records of the times, some account of Khan 

 Jehan, who built the Kalan Musjeed, is here annexed, derived chiefly 

 from Ferishta. The inscription explicitly mentions that the founder 

 was the son of another Khan Jehan, and we find this assertion sup- 

 ported by the historian, who informs us that the first Jehan was, in the 

 year of the Hijra 754, (A. D. 1349,) two years after the accession of 

 Feeroz to the throne of Dehli, and in the 44th of his life, appointed 

 Viceroy of Dehli, while the Emperor proceeded to Bengal on an expe- 

 dition against Elias (Ilyas Khaje Sultan Shums-ood-deen Bengara).* 



* Since the above was written we have been favored by Major M. E. Loftie, 30th 

 N. I., with the following' account of Khan Jehan the elder, extracted from the Taba- 

 kat Akbaree, which confirms the above, and furnishes still more ample details : 



Extracts from the Tabakdt Akbari, regarding Khan Julian the elder, the wazir of 

 Sultan Firuz Shah. 



" And in the year 754, after having- hunted in (the district of) Kalanur, he (Firuz 

 Shah) returned, and, at the time of his return, he laid the foundations of some lofty 

 buildings on the banks of the river Sarasuti. And he conferred upon Shaikh Sadru'd- 

 din, the son of Shaikh Bahau'd-din Zakariya, the title of Shaikhu'l-Islam, and, having 

 honoured Malik Kabul, who was the deputy wazir, with the title of Khan Jahan, he 

 made him the waztr of the empire."* 



"And also in the month of Shawal, in the year 754, having invested Khan Jahan 

 with the most ample authority, he (Firuz Shah) left him in the city (of Dehli), and 

 departed with a powerful force for Lakhnauti, in order that he might put an end to the 

 tyranny exercised by Ilyas Haji, who, having assumed the title of Sultan Shamsu'd-din, 

 and founded (or enlarged) the city of Pandua, had taken possession of the country as far 

 as the confines of Banaras." 



"After that, in the year 760, the Sultan (Firuz Shah) marched towards Lakhnauti, 

 leaving Khan Jahan in Dihli, as vice regent during his absence." 



" In the year 772,t Khan Jahan died, and his eldest son, Junan Shah, received the 

 title of Khan Jahan." 



* According to Ferishta, Khan Jahan was appointed wazir, by Firuz Shah, in the 

 year 752, when that monarch was advancing to the capital from the neighbourhood of 

 Thatha (Tattah) in Siud, where he had been called to the throne on the demise of Sultan 

 Muhammad Taghlik Shah. Sultan Muhammad died on the 21st of Muharram 752, and 

 Firuz Shah arrived at Dihli on the 2d of Jiajab, the same year, having been 158 days 

 upon the journey. On his way, he passed through the city of Ajudhan (also called 

 Pattan), in the province of Multan, where he visited the tomb of the celebrated Muham- 

 madan saint, Shaikh Faridu'd-din Shakarganj. From Ajudhan, he moved to Hansi, and 

 it was upon the march to that city, that Malik Kabul, waited upon him, and was raised 

 to the dignity of prime minister, with the title of Khan Jahan. (See Ferishta, Bombay 

 edition, p. 260). M. E. L. 



t Ferishta says 774 (v, Bombay edition), and Dow gives the same date. M. E. L. 



