12 
HINDOOST-AN. 
likewife took his brother Mohammed, and compelled him 
to accompany his army. The Haves and numerous atten¬ 
dants of the royal houfehold, when the camels arrived on 
the banks of the Gelum, confederated with thofe who 
guarded the camels to plunder the lultan’s treafures. The 
troops, fenfible of the declining date of the imperial au¬ 
thority, and willing to (hare in the wealth they had a (lifted 
to acquire, immediately joined in the pillage, and in a 
moment all was uproar, rapine, and confufion, For, from 
plundering the king’s treafures, they foon began to make 
depredations on one another 5 and as each was fuperior to 
his neighbour in bodily ftrength, or milfile weapons, a 
larger proportion of the fpoil became his property. Ima¬ 
gination cannot conceive any thing more truly terrific, 
than a whole army thus combating each other, and yet en¬ 
gaged in boundlefs fpoliation. A number of lives were 
inhumanly facrificed during the conteft; and, when the 
fultan approached to punifli the offenders, notan arm was 
found to execute the vengeance he denounced. All were 
equally guilty ; and from their dread of punifhment, they 
had combined to depofe Maffud,- and to reftore the blind 
Mohammed once more to the throne. Maffud, on this 
extraordinary occafion, conducted himfelf with dignity 
and firmnefs ; and lolicited to pafs the remainder of his 
life in the caftle of Kurri. But fo reduced were now the 
circumftances of the degraded fultan, that he was compel¬ 
led to apply to the generality of his brother for money 
to pay the falaries of his menial attendants. It was then 
that Maffud in theanguifh of his heart exclaimed ; “ Oh ! 
cruel reverfe of fortune ! yefterday I was a mighty prince; 
three thoufand camels bending under the weight of my 
treafures. To-day I am forced to beg, and receive but 
the mere mockery of my wants.” 
Mohammed, not long after his fecond accelfion, per¬ 
ceiving that the lofs of fight rendered him incapable of 
bufinefs, refigned the fceptre to his Con Ahmed; who, 
not thinking himfelf fecure while Maffud lived, went in 
perfon to the caftle where he was confined, and, with the 
aftiftance of two hired ruffians, affaffmated that unfortunate 
prince. Modud, the fon of Maffud, no fooner heard of 
the tragical end of his father, than he was filled with rage ; 
and, at the head of a well-difciplined army, advancing to 
Gazna, he was there received with the loudeft acclama- 
mations of joy. Impatient to engage the fanguinary 
ufurper, he haftened to meet the enemy, who were march¬ 
ing from Moultan; and, the two armies coming to an ac¬ 
tion, the forces of- Ahmed weVe completely routed, and 
both himfelf, Mohammed, and the two murderers, were 
taken prifoners, and immediately ordered for execution. 
In commemoration of this great victory, Modud eredted 
a city upon the ipot where he obtained it, and called it 
Fatteabad, which fignifies the “ City of. Victory.” Here- 
turned with his victorious troops to Gazna, whither he 
carried the remains of his father to be interred ; and with¬ 
out farther oppofition afcended the vacant throne, in the 
year of the hegira 433, A.D. 1041. 
Amidft thefe domeftic quarrels of the Gaznavian prin¬ 
ces, the rajahs of the northern provinces of Hindooltan 
combined together to expel that race from all its bounda¬ 
ries. At the head of this combination was the rajah of 
Delhi, who left that city with a numerous army, which, 
in its progrefs, multiplied itfelf in fuch a degree, as to 
fweep all before it. Tannafar, long defiled by the unhal¬ 
lowed footfteps of Muffulmen, gladly opened her gates to 
thefe worlhippers of her numerous, but degraded, divini¬ 
ties. The fort of Naugracut was the next objedt of af- 
fault; but, being a more important poft, was both more 
ftrongly fortified and more vigoroufly defended. For 
four months the refolute garrifon, expecting fuccours 
from Lahore, refilled with firmnefs every hoftile attack. 
But thefe fupplies never arrived and the garrifon of Nau¬ 
gracut, wearied out, and famifhing for want of food, 
were at length compelled to furrender. Animated by 
thefe fuccefl'es, the Hindoo army immediately advanced 
to Lahore, and refolutely invefted that ancient city. The 
Mohammedans vigoroufly defended themfelves during the 
fpace of (even months ; at the end of which, finding they 
mult be rooted out by this defenfive mode of war, unlels 
they had fpeedy fuccours from Gazna, they bound them¬ 
felves by a foiemn oath, to devote their lives to victory 
or martyrdom; and, fuddenly fallying out of the city, 
prelented themfelves in battle array before the enemy’s 
camp. The Hindoos, aftonifhed at their appearance and 
intimidated by their fierce affpect, betook themfelves to 
flight, and were purfued with great (laughter by the tri¬ 
umphant Muffulmen. Modud, elated at this favourable 
turn in his affairs, began to meditate the entire conqueft 
of Hindooftan but a mortification of the bowels fuddenly 
carried him off, in the year of the hegira 441, A.D. 1049, 
after a chequered reign of nine years. 
Maflud II. the younger fon of Modud, then an infant 
of the age of four years, was placed on the throne by 
Abi, one of the generals of Modud ; while Hajib, another 
general, to whom a great part of the army was devoted, 
propofed, on the other hand, Abul Haflen, another fon of 
Modud, who, being older, feemed to poffefs a better title 
to the (iipreme authority. Expectation did not long wait 
in fufpenfe. The morning that was to decide the fate of 
the empire by a pitched, battle between thefe two generals 
rapidly advancecf; and, victory declaring in favour of Ha¬ 
jib, the unfortunate Maffud was, after a reign of fix days, 
depoled, and Abul Haflen, his elder brother, exalted to 
the throne. 
This new fultan feems to have reigned over the provin¬ 
ces of Southern Hindooftan without any moleftation, un¬ 
til the beginning of the enfuing reign of Abdul Reftiid, 
or Abdalralhid, as it is commonly written; who was the 
fon of fultan Mahmood, and had been, by the order of 
Modud, long imprifoned in one of the hill-forts. When, 
previoufty to that prince’s fudden death, his vizier, Ab- 
doi Ryfac, marched to repel the Turkifh Seljuks from 
Sejeftan, intelligence was brought him, during the expe¬ 
dition, that the mafter he ferved was no more. That 
faithful vizier was therefore deiirous of placing the crown 
where priority of birth feemed to determine its difpofal; 
and, aftuated by thefe fentiments, he releafed Abdalralhid 
from his confinement. The confequence was> that Ab- 
dalrafhid, having approached Gazna at the head of a for¬ 
midable army, gained a complete victory over Abul 
Haflen, and immediately afcended the throne. The un¬ 
fortunate fultan was fiiortly after feized, and doomed in 
his turn to confinement in the hill-fort of Didi. 
Abdalrafhid, the leventh king of Gazna and India, 
began his reign about the year 1052 of the Chriftian asra; 
and he marched an army againft the fort of Naugracut, 
which w r as once more taken by affault, after a clofe and 
vigorous inveftment. After this fuccefs, the fultan fent 
his general Togrol into the province of Seiftan, invefted 
with powers beyond any former governor, and armed 
with authority that in the end proved fatal to himfelf. 
After regulating the affairs of that province, and having 
an army at his command, Togrol conceived the dark de- 
fign of marching to Gazna, and dethroning the monarch 
who had heaped fuch favours upon him, and afcendinghim- 
felf the throne of the depofed monarch. The treacherous 
plan was no fooner formed than executed. Gazna was 
invefted, and the unhappy fultan, with the reft of the 
royal family, obliged to retire into the citadel for fecurity. 
The imperial army being abfent, there were but few troops 
in the city, and thofe by no means equal to its defence 
againft the numerous forces that affailed it. Togrol, hav¬ 
ing made himfelf mailer of the town, vigoroufly attacked 
the citadel, which he carried by affault; when a feene of 
blood and horror took place, at which humanity fhudders. 
The fultan, and nine of the blood royal, were inftantly 
put to death, with all thofe who attempted to defend 
them. Two only efcaped the general mafl'acre, Ferokhzad 
and Anca, a fon and daughter of Maffud. The former 
found means to make his efcape ; but the latter was com¬ 
pelled to wed the inhuman murderer of her race; who 
now 
