218 Translations from the Tarikh i Firuz Shdhi. [No. 4, 



brought a warrant from the Sultan ; come over and hear its con- 

 tents." A confidential friend of this KotwaTs, however, among the 

 conspirators, gave him warning and informed him of the intended 

 reachery, so he refused to come, and keeping vigilantly on his guard, 

 had the gates of the new fort strongly secured. 



Haji Maula. with the other conspirators then repaired to the palace, 

 and having seated himself in the raised balcony of state, he released 

 the whole of the 'Alai prisoners, some of whom joined his cause. He 

 also took out bags of money from the treasury, and begun to squander 

 it among the populace. He likewise presented the rebels with arms 

 from the magazine, and horses from the stud ; and whoever became 

 his ally, had his lap rilled with gold. 



There was a Sayyid, who used to be called the son of Shah 

 Najaf, and on his mother's side was descended from Sultan Shams- 

 uddin. To this poor wretch's house, Haji Maula proceeded on horseback 

 with a large retinue, and bringing him by force to the palace, placed 

 him on the throne. He also compelled all the grandees and nobles 

 to come from their homes, and do homage to their Sayyid, and offer 

 him their allegiance. 



Thus from time to time he kept kindling the flame of turbulence, 

 and some ill-fated wretches, whose hour of death had arrived near at 

 hand, used from avaricious motives to come willingly and cheerfully 

 to him, and he conferred on these rebels all the royal appointments, and 

 paid homage himself. From fear of Sultan 'Alauddin, and their dread 

 of this miscreant, the people abandoned both sleep and food, and 

 passed their days and nights in the deepest anxiety. 



During the week that Haji Maula excited this revolt, news of it 

 was several times received by Sultan 'Alauddin ; but the intelligence 

 was never explicitly divulged throughout the camp, and no tumult 

 arose from it. 



On the third or fourth day of the Haji's insurrection, Malik 

 Hamiduddin Amir Koh, attended by his sons and relatives, every one 

 of whom was a roaring lion, forced open the Grhaznin gate, and entering 

 the city, made for the Bhandarkal gate, whereupon a distant conflict 

 with arrows was commenced between them and the rebels. On such 

 an occasion, the covetous and avaricious naturally set their lives on 

 the palms of their hands (i. e*, recklessly exposed themselves to 



