1 SIKANDAR: IBRAHIM LODI. 121
2 Shirki dynasty of kings having become extinct during the struggle. In the
3 year 1451 the king made a tour through the Panjab, and visited Multan,
4 where he re-organized the army and settled the affairs of his western
5 provinces. The following year, the viceroy of Multdn rose in rebellion, but,
6 on the king marching in that direction, the disturbance was quelled and
7 order restored in the Panjdéb. The king suffered from chronic disease, of
8 which he died in 1488, after a long and prosperous reign of thirty-eight years
9 and eight months.
10 Ferishta relates that, in his youth, Behlol used to pay his benedictions
11 to Sheda, a celebrated darvesh of Samana. One day, while the youth was
12 present, the darvesh, in a fit of enthusiasm, exclaimed: “ Who will give
13 Rs. 2,000 for the kingdom of Delhi?” SBehlol said he had only Rs. 1,600
14 which he had saved in his life, and had it brought before the darvesh. The-
15 holy man accepted the present, and, laying his hands on Behlol’s head,
16 called out “Shah bash, Beta,” literally meaning “Be thou king, my son.”
17 The friends of Behlol ridiculed the idea of his wasting his money thus,
18 but Behlol observed: “If matters should turn out as the darvesh has fore-
19 told, I have made a cheap bargain; if not, the blessings of a holy man can
20 do no harm.” :
21 Behlol was a liberal, mild and just prince, He treated his courtiers as
22 his friends, and could seldom be induced to mount the throne, as he said:
23 “Tt is enough for me that the world knows that I am a king; no object could
24 be gained by my making a display of my royalty.”
25 SIKANDAR LODI.
26 On the death of Behlol, his son, Nizém Khan, ascended the throne,
27 under the title of Sikandar Lodi. No event of interest ta the Panjab is
28 recorded in his reign. He reduced the Hindu Raéjds of Bundelkhand and
29 Northern Malwd, and maintained the reputation of his fathor by his adminis-
30 tration of the country. He was in the midst of preparations for the in-
31 vasion and reduction of Gwalior, when he was seized with an attack of
32 quinsy, to which he succumbed, expiring on the 14th of December, 1617,
33 after a reign of twenty-eight years and five months.
34 A prince of high literary attainments, and himself a poet of more than
35 ordinary merit, Sikandar was ever the munificent patron of all literary men.
36 Among the works compiled in his reign is the Farhang Stkanduri. He
37 bestowed liberal allowances on religious men, and distributed alms and food
38 to needy people every Friday. He encouraged charity, and whenever he
39 heard an instance of a generous act done by any of his nobles, never failed
40 to commend it, saying: “You have laid foundation of a virtue; you will
41 never repent it.” He destroyed the temples of idolatry, and in Muttra had
42 mosques and bazaars built opposite the bathing stairs leading to the river.
43 The shaving of beards and heads by barbers on occasions of Hindu pilgrim-
44 ages was prohibited during his time.
45 IBRAHIM LODI.
46 Sikandar Lodi dying at Agra, his son, Ibrahim Lodi, ascended the throne.
47 He caused his own brother Jalal Khan to be imprisoned, and subsequently
48 put to death. His acts of cruelty and severity procured for him numerous
49 enemies, and general dissatisfaction arose among the nobility. The governor
50 of Behar declared his independence and defeated the king’s troops in several
51 engagements. Doulat Khan Lodi, viceroy of Léhore, also revolted, and
52 reduced all the country as far south as Delhi. Prince Ala-ud-din, uncle of
53 His tour in the Pan-
54 jab, 1451,
55 His death, 1488.
56 Anecdote,
57 The character of
58 Behlol,
59 Nizim Khan ascends
60 the throne, under the
61 title of Sikandar
62 Lodi.
63 His death, 1617,
64 His character,
65 His encouragement
66 of charity.
67 His intolerance to
68 the Hindus.
69 Ibrahim, his son,
70 succeeds, 1517,
71 Discontents and
72 rebellions,
73 Sri Satguru fagjit Singh JieLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com