1854.] A Sketch of the Mahomedan History of Cashmere. 449 



seized and burnt to death by the cruel Asad Khan, who now became 

 more tyrannical than ever, and, according to the expression of the 

 historian, "killed men like birds." Stories are told of his extreme 

 cruelty; amongst others a story is current in Cashmere of his 

 throwing into the fire his own infant child who it appears had 

 offended his cleanliness. At length (R. 1200,) the Emperor Timoor 

 Shah (A. D. 1785,) despatched an army against him under Muddud 

 Khan Sakzie, who succeeded, after a long campaign, in defeating 

 Asad Khan, who fled to Poonch, but receiving no asylum there, he 

 shot himself. Muddud Khan then assumed the temporary govern- 

 ment for four months, (A. D. 1787,) when Meerdad Khan Kasijie 

 succeeded him, but died after seven months : Moola Jaffer Khan 

 (A. D. 1788,) succeeded for three months ; till the arrival of Jooma 

 Khan Kasijie, who was governor for four years, during which 

 period he went several times to pay his respects to the Emperor. 

 He died in Cashmere, and Kamootoola Khan succeeded for three 

 months and twelve days, (A. D. 1792). Meer Hazar Khan Kasijie 

 was then appointed Soobahdar : but soon afterwards Timoor Shah 

 died and was succeeded by his son Zeman Shah, (A. D. 1793.) 



A. D. 1793. — Taking advantage of Timoor' s death Meer Hazar 

 refused tribute and set up for himself; upon which the new 

 Emperor Zeman Shah despatched Mirza Khan, (al-Kozyie) the 

 rebellious governor's father, to endeavour to bring him to his alle- 

 giance. Meer Hazar Khan however imprisoned his father on his 

 arrival, and openly threw off all allegiance to the Emperor ; who 

 shortly afterwards sent an army under Ahmed Khan Shihungchee 

 Bashee to bring him to his senses. Hazar Khan however closed 

 the Baramoola road, and suspecting some of his Hindu retainers of 

 treachery, bound them in large cooking vessels, (or boilers) and 

 thus threw them into the river Jhelum. He was nevertheless 

 defeated and fled to the city, where he took sanctuary in the Shah 

 Hamedan Mosque, but he was enticed out, thrown into prison and 

 sent before the Emperor. He had enjoyed power little more than 

 a year. 



Ahmed Khan after remaining three months in Cashmere was 

 relieved by Kaffyat Khan, and proceeded to Kabool with Hazar 

 Khan and some other prisoners. Kaffyat Khan after nine months 



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