430 A Sketch of the Mahomedan History of Cashmere. [No. 5. 



greater outrages (A. D. 1585,) against the rival sect of Soonees, 

 whom he compelled to call aloud the Shiah confession of faith 

 ( <sdJ| Jj ^Le ) to their great scandal. The Kazi of the city 

 refusing to do this, they put him to death by tying him to the 

 tail of an elephant, and in that manner dragging him through the 

 city. The Soonee historians relate, that on this occasion, such a 

 noise thundered from the surrounding mountains, that several ladies 

 of the king's zenana, who were near their time, became mothers on 

 a sudden. 



This act of cruelty and oppression determined the Emperor Akbar 

 to subjugate the country, and accordingly he despatched an army of 

 30,000 horse under his admiral Kasim Khan and the fugitive Hyder 

 Chukk, who entered Cashmere by the Hurpore pass. Nothing 

 daunted, Yakoob Shah, though with an inferior army, marched to 

 engage the enemy, and drew out his forces in order of battle, but 

 being at this crisis deserted by his nobles, (A. D. 1586,) he was 

 forced to fly across the mountains to Kishtewar with an escort of 

 60 horse. Kasim Khan now obtained possession of the capital, 

 (A. D. 1586,) but soon after jealous of the respect paid to his colleague 

 Hyder Chukk by the native Cashmeries, imprisoned him. Yakoob 

 Shah however was by no means of a disposition to surrender his 

 country without a struggle ; he rallied round his standard a few 

 gallant spirits, advanced from Kishtewar, and after several desperate 

 actions with detachments of the Emperor's army, in which he was 

 generally successful, he made a rapid march and suddenly appeared 

 on the hill of the Takt-i-Soliman overlooking the city of Srinugger 

 where he pitched his camp. 



Kasim Khan now attacked him with his whole army, and a despe- 

 rate conflict took place in which Yakoob Shah (A. D. 1586,) 

 although worsted with the loss of his commander-in-chief Shums- 

 ood-deen Chukk and many other of his principal adherents, still 

 retained his position. 



The Chukks now determined to make one desperate effort for the 

 independence of their country, and rallied round the brave Yakoob 

 Shah who still sternly held his ground on the Takt-i-Soliman. This 

 gallant tribe, now a mere handful of men, fell with inconceivable 

 fury upon the Emperor's army, and fairly drove it into the city, 



