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CHAPTER CCXIV.

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A. D. 1413 to 1555.

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The Mogul Empire - Baber - Humaioon Shere Selim - Death of Humaioon. DURING the fifteenth century, a brilliant offset from the widely-scattered fragments of the Tartar empires transplanted itself upon the genial soil of Hindostan, occupying very nearly the whole peninsula. Here it long attracted the admiring gaze of the Western world for its grandeur, magnificence, and power; at a time, too, when all eyes were turned to India and the "gorgeous East," by the maritime discoveries and nautical enterprises of Portugal and Spain.

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This empire, the best consolidated, best regulated, and most politically perfect of all those the Tartars ever founded, was called the Empire of the Grand Moguls, because its rulers were descended from a Mongol, or Mogul, ancestry, and appointed Moguls to office. In a similar manner, the Turks now have power over Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, as the ruling caste. The empire was, in fact, so isolated in position, date, and character from the empires already described, that it forms a history by itself, of which we shall treat in the following chapters.

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Tamerlane's influence in India did not immediately disappear after his conquest of it; but the kingdom he founded there soon became thoroughly disorganized. Chizu, in 1413, held the throne in Tamerlane's name, but really exercised the sovereign power himself. He brought the kingdom into a degree of order and dignity. But, after him, it gradually declined, under five or six kings, till the time of Ibrahim II. During his reign appeared one of the most extraordinary men the history of India exhibits Baber, who contested the throne with him.

Baber was the son of the sovereign of two kingdoms in Western Tartary, called Fergana and Indija. This sovereign was great-great-grandson of Tamerlane. He called Baber to the throne at the age of twelve, and the history of this prince's youth is extremely romantic. At his father's death, which happened soon after, Baber's uncles besieged the capital, to take it from him; but a pestilence broke up their army. Having subdued several rebellious governors, the boy king took Samarcand; but as he would not allow his army to pillage it, half of them deserted him and went over to his brother, who usurped the throne, while Samarcand itself revolted. Only forty horsemen remained with Baber. He was now fourteen. With unconquerable buoyancy he set himself to making friends, and in two years was again a king.

His retaking of Samarcand, at the age of sixteen, is a singular instance of audacity and good fortune. From desertion and other causes, he found, on approaching the city, that he had but two hundred and forty men. Yet he boldly entered the place at dusk, and went to the house of a friendly chief; but, finding little encouragement, he fled from the city amidst the uproar the news of his arrival had caused. Encouraged by a dream, he came back at midnight, with a few followers, and sent them to scale a low part of the wall, by the aid of a hook rope. They did so unperceived, and, passing round, opened the gates, after killing the guard.

The party now ran through the streets, shouting, "Baber! Baber!" His friends, little dreaming that his force was so small, flocked to his standard; and, though there were thousands of soldiers in the city, under the orders of an able and enterprising Usbeck governor, Baber became master of Samarcand a second time. Here he was besieged for four months, As Moguls was, and has continued to be, the name by fled from the city at midnight, with a hundred followand sent to his kinsman for help in vain: at last, he which the rulers of India were first called in Europe, we use it hereafter instead of Mongols.

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ers, throneless and homeless.

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BABER-HIS FORTUNES-HIS DEATH.

When twenty years old, finding himself at the court | remain in India, but giving leave to return, to whoever of a certain prince, he said to him, "I have long preferred "safety to glory, ignoble ease to the manly been the football of fortune, and like a piece on a toils and dangers of war." He added, that after these chess-board, moved from place to place, vagrant as had left his ranks, he should then have about him only the moon in the sky, restless as a stone on the beach. those "whose valor would reflect honor on themselves, Give me now your friendly advice; my own resolves and glory on their king and country." The chiefs, have been unsuccessful." He was advised to push ashamed, smote their breasts, and swore never to forhis fortune in Cabul, then in a state of anarchy. Baber sake him. Many of the influential natives, too, who sat out immediately, and in two years was firmly had hitherto kept aloof, or opposed him, thinking he seated on the throne of that kingdom, where he made would but pillage the country and quit it, like Tamerhimself much beloved by his unwearied care and ex- lane,- now joined him. tensive benevolence to his people on the occasion of a destructive earthquake.

of death, abandoned such a kingdom? The voice of glory," continued he, "is loud in my ear, and forbids me to disgrace my name by giving up what my arms have with so much difficulty acquired. But as Death is at last unavoidable, let us rather meet him with honor, face to face, than shrink back to gain a few years of a miserable and ignominious existence; for what can we inherit, but fame, beyond the limits of the grave?" The whole assembly, as if inspired with one soul, cried out at once, "War! war!"

The force of his opponents, led by a claimant to the throne, amounted to more than one hundred thousand: the number of his own army was small. The battle that followed, was well contested. The Indians' left brigade drove back the right brigade of the Moguls, but were themselves driven back by the next brigade. The Indians then surrounded the Moguls, who, forming into a solid circle, resisted, without yielding an inch, till the enemy were weary. Baber, seeing the decisive moment had come, now placed himself at the head of the central brigade, and rushing "like a lion from the forest," as the native historian expresses it, drove all before him, and, in spite of a most obstinate and bloody resistance, put the whole Indian army to flight.

After some reverses, however, his chiefs in council still advised a partial retreat. Baber fixed his eyes But it was not long before he was shut out of his discontentedly on the ground, then sternly asked, capital by a revolt, and deserted by most of his army." What would the world say of a king, who, from fear He, however, boldly advanced, with five hundred men, against the usurper, who was at the head of twelve thousand troops, and challenged him to single combat. This was declined. He then challenged five of his chiefs, one by one, and slew them. The soldiers of the enemy then declared they would not fight against such a hero, but joined him, and carried the usurper back in chains to the capital, where he was forgiven. Baber took Samarcand again, and Bokhara, but did not keep them long. With the example of Tamerlane and the wealth of Hindostan before his eyes, the distracted state of that country invited Baber, now in his thirty-sixth year, to its invasion; and he had acquired the only quality his youth lacked generalship. Ibrahim II., emperor of India, was able and energetic, but unpopular with his people for his cruelty, and hated by his nobles for his arrogance. In several partial invasions, and victories, (1514 to 1523,) Baber showed himself magnanimous, even to traitorous foes; but in one instance, conforming to the sanguinary custom of the Tartars, he was guilty of putting his prisoners to death. At last, fifty miles from Delhi, Ibrahim met him with one hundred thousand horsemen and one thousand elephants. Baber had only thirteen thousand horse; but he marshalled them so well, that the unwieldy mass of the enemy was put to flight, with great slaughter, and Baber found himself emperor of Hindostan. The allegiance of the princes was easily assured to the victor; indeed, there was no public spirit left. According to an Oriental author, it was then "no shame to fly, no infamy to betray, no breach of honor to murder, and no scandal to change parties." As to the mass of the people themselves, a change of governors was generally but a change of oppressors, and there was a chance that a new tyrant might be of a better disposition than the old one; so that they generally looked forward to a conquest of their country with about as much hope as fear: indeed, the idea of patriotism is said not to exist in the Hindoo mind.

Baber distributed the immense riches of the treasury of Delhi wholly among his nobles and troops, his subjects in Cabul, and his other territories, and in charities, "reserving not a single dinar to himself." But his difficulties were not ended. The native princes combined together, and assembled a large army one of his own Afghan chiefs deserted to them, with the forces under his command. Provisions were scarce in Baber's army; the heat of the climate was daily killing the men; and, more than all, his chiefs begged him to return to Cabul.

Acting somewhat as the English king Henry V. did in France, under similar circumstances, Baber issued a proclamation, announcing his own determination to

Baber died in 1530, at the age of forty-nine. His brilliant character forcibly reminds us of the knights paladins of chivalry. Judged by the standard of that age, we see much about him that is admirable and pleasing. He was brave to imprudence, and merciful to a fault, and thus endangered, not unfrequently, his own safety." He so often pardoned ingratitude and treason, that he seemed to make a principle of returning good for evil."

Though stained with a massacre, in one instance, yet this was the common practice with Mahometan conquerors, and he does not appear to have been bloodthirsty or cruel, like them. Those who were about him were ever eager for plunder, but he often retarded his own success by checking their ruthless appetites; yet he ever shared with them freely what wealth he had. Once, when a certain fort was taken, the soldiers entered at the gate, and began an indiscriminate pillage: he rode amongst them, and restrained them by his voice, and by actual force; thus saving the honor of the commandant's family and his noble library.

Though nurtured and living amid scenes of violence, he still had time and taste to cultivate his mind, and heart to honor literature in others. During a sickness of eight months, not long before his death, he whiled away the tedium of confinement by composing a poem in honor of one of the saints. He was master also of the art of music, and wrote annals of his wars, in a style of great elegance and spirit.

HUMAIOON-SHERE-SELIM.

The following anecdote is told of his sense of justice, and it also shows his policy in encouraging commerce. When he was prince of Fergana, in West Tartary, a rich caravan of Chitta and China, which was crossing the mountains, was buried in the snow. He had all the goods well taken care of, and sent messengers to China for the owners. On the arrival of the owners, or their representatives, at the end of two years, he entertained them hospitably, and gave them all their goods, not even accepting a present, or payment of

expenses.

In person, Baber was a little above the middle height, well made, and vigorous. His habits were luxurious; though once, on the occasion of his last great battle, he vowed never more to drink wine, should he gain the victory. He improved the public roads, built resting-places for travellers, had the country measured in order to tax it equitably, and planted extensive gardens. Humaioon, the son of Baber, succeeded to a precarious sovereignty. He was of quiet tastes, an astronomer and astrologer, preferring to be an observer rather than an actor. He fitted up seven reception halls, dedicated to as many different celestial bodies: he received his military officers in the hall of Mars, his judicial in that of Mercury, whilst ambassadors, poets, and travellers were accommodated in the hall of the Moon. Rather than quarrel with his brother, Camiran, he gave him up the Punjaub, the country on the five rivers which form the Indus. But his most formidable enemy was an Afghan regent called Shere, "the lion," who received this name from his having killed an enormous tiger in presence of his king. Shere entertained the idea of driving the Moguls from India by uniting the Patans, or Afghans, with the natives. Dining one day with Humaioon, his plate was unprovided with a knife; whereupon he drew out his dagger and carved his meat. Humaioon observed, "That Afghan is not to be disconcerted with trifles; he is likely to be a great man.' Shere, thinking he had been betrayed, withdrew, and opposed the empe

ror in arms.

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Humaioon was unable to drive him from his fortress, being occupied with the king of Guzerat, who had commenced hostilities. To complete his perplexities, a conspiracy was formed to place another of Tamerlane's family on the throne. His vigor and skill soon overcame the king of Guzerat, and he displayed, in several instances, all his father's nobleness of character and brilliant courage. At one time, he would not attack the king at advantage, because the latter was engaged in holy warfare that is, besieging infidels. A romantic exploit, in taking the king's treasure fort, is related of Humaioon, which would have made the chivalrous heart of his father leap for joy. The emperor, having discovered that the fortress was supplied with daily provision through a wood, which covered a part of it, visited the place in disguise. He then came to the wood at midnight, with three hundred men, all provided with iron spikes: these they fixed in the wall, and ascended by them. Before sunrise, the whole were within the walls; and on their displaying a signal to the army outside, a general assault was commenced. Meanwhile, Humaioon and his three hundred fought their way, step by step, to one of the gates, which they opened, and thus immediately gained the fort.

Recalled to Agra by the treason of his brothers, whom he had in vain warned against disunion, which would inevitably deprive the Tamerlane family of the

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His

throne, Humaioon was returning to his capital. On his way he was met by Shere, with a numerous army, who cunningly detained him with negotiations, till the armies had been allowed to mingle together, and then, basely attacking the unprepared emperor, gained a complete victory, and compelled him to fly. brothers now gathered round the emperor, who might have retained his throne but for the desertion of one of them, Camiran, which occasioned a second defeat from Shere. He now fled, without a throne or home. Hindal, another brother, deserted him; frequent plots were laid to betray him and deliver him up to Shere, and he was reduced to great straits. During this time, his son, the famous Acbar, was born. Camiran took this son from him, and drove Humaioon to Khorasan; thence he went to the Persian court, where he was received in the noblest manner.

Shere was now sovereign of India. He took the title of shah, and busied himself in improving his dominions - but his character is stained with treachery. He reduced the power of the governors, and regulated the finances and the military. He built caravanserais at every stage from the Indus to Bengal, and dug a well at every two miles. He reared magnificent mosques, planted rows of trees along the high roads, and established horse posts for the quicker conveyance of intelligence. He devoted one fourth part of his time to administering justice, a fourth to the care of his army, a fourth to worship, and a fourth to rest and recreation. Such was the public security, that, says the native historian, "travellers and merchants, throwing down their goods, composed themselves to sleep, without fear, upon the highway." Shere was killed by accident, in 1545, after a reign of five years.

Selim, his son, succeeded to the throne, and reigned quietly, after subduing with difficulty the usual rebellion. He appears to have been, on the whole, an able and moderate prince. He displayed a taste for magnificence in building, and erected an intermediate caravanserai between those his father built. He died in 1553. The kingdom was now again plunged into disorder, and Humaioon was entreated by some parties to resume his authority. Humaioon, having excited the sympathy of the sister of the Persian shah, and some of his nobles, was allowed a troop of ten thousand horse to recover Cabul from his brothers. His chief obstacle to success was Camiran, whom no treaty could bind, and no kindness or generosity improve.

On one occasion, this wretch exposed Acbar, his own nephew, Humaioon's son, upon the wall, to deter the father from an assault; but being told that if harm happened to Acbar every soul in Cabul should die, he gave up the miserable design. Camiran soon after fell into his brother's power, who, in spite of all the mischief endured from him, received him with kindness and respect, only to be repaid, however, at the first opportunity, with perfidy of the blackest kind. Hindal supported Humaioon nobly, and died in his service.

At length, Camiran having fallen again into Humaioon's power, all the Mogul chiefs demanded his death for his repeated crimes: this demand was denied them by the king, and a revolt had nearly resulted from the refusal. Humaioon at length agreed, reluctantly, that, to prevent further mischief, Camiran should be blinded by means of antimony. A few days after, the king went to see his blinded brother. Camiran rose to meet him, exclaiming, " The glory of the king will not be diminished by visiting the unfortunate." Hu

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vw nen numaioon was mined back to mala, naving me me of prayers. I ne empere

no army fit for the undertaking, he fell into a profound melancholy. But his chiefs, making out some favorable omens to act on his mind through his superstition, he consented to cross the Indus with a small force, and took Lahore. His vizier defeated one army sent to oppose him; his son Acbar overcame another, of eighty thousand horse, many elephants, and a large train of artillery. The Moguls were so animated by the behavior of the young hero, says the Oriental historian, that they seemed even to forget that they were mortal men.

The victorious Humaioon reëntered Delhi, as emperor, in 1554, but died, the next year, from a fall.

the practice of those of his religio repeated the creed, - he then proclamation was ended. When he he supported himself upon a staff, w slipped upon the marble step, and th long from the top to the bottom of sunset, on the fourth day after, "1 flight to paradise," says the Persi gives us the above narration. He al the character of Humaioon, in one p been a worse man, he would hav monarch."

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Acbar

CHAPTER CCXV.

A. D. 1555 to 1559.

The Emperor, Acbar.

gallant alacrity of the young ki cried out that their lives and fortu

Byram - The Ayeen Acberry - Je- disposal.

hanghire - Noor Mahl Aurungzebe.

Shah Jehan

ACBAR, the Louis XIV. of the Mogul empire, was only in his fourteenth year when he succeeded his father, who had appointed his vizier, Byram, regent. Several highly popular measures favorably introduced the new reign; such as prohibiting the usual exaction of presents from the farmers, allowing all goods to pass toll free, and the abolition of the practice of pressing laborers to the wars.

Himu, vizier of one who held power during Humaioon's absence, on hearing of his death, marched to Delhi, and through the imprudence and cowardice of its governor, captured it. Acbar, seeing such a portion of empire rent from him, called Byram, addressed him by the name of father, and placed the entire management of affairs in his hands. As Himu's force was five times greater than Acbar's, the council of war of the latter advised a retreat to Cabul. This Byram opposed, and was so heartily seconded by

The armies met near Delhi, and the the troops of elephants so resolutel galling them with arrows, lances, an they became unmanageable, and did friends as foes. Himu, on a huge four thousand horse into the very he army. Being wounded in the eye, arrow, and with it the eye, and, tho wounded, continued the battle. Thro ous cowardice of his driver, who, pointed out his master, Himu was tal conducted to Acbar's presence. Byr it would be a good action to kill "that own hand. Acbar drew his sword, tears, only laid it on Himu's shoulder sternly reproving this untimely clem ness or generosity which had been emperor's family, - beheaded the pri

This imperious disposition of the pr his severity, soon created dissensions and his emperor. and resulted in the gn indeed has, not inappropriately, been Jehanghire, that is, "lord of the world," was th den Age of India. He was one of the title chosen by Selim, the son of Acbar. This princ t sovereigns that ever adorned or digni- ascended the throne at his father's death, in A. D. 160 In a work - the Ayeen Acberry, the The assumption of so arrogant a title betrays th cbar," - written under the immediate | weakness of the man - a character sufficiently di

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burst into tears, and threw himself at the

rone.

etching his hand to him, commanded him replacing him at the head of the princes, ed him: "If the lord Byram loves a milishall have the government of Calpi and which he may exercise his martial genius; rather to remain at court, our favor shall ng to the great benefactor of our family; evotion engage the soul of Byram to permage to Mecca, he shall be escorted in a ble to his dignity." Byram chose the last his way to the holy city, was basely asthe son of an Afghan chief whom he had e. Thus died a brave warrior and enlightman, whose inhumanity, partially the real severity of disposition, was doubtless a principle by repeated experience of ate effects of the clemency of the sover

ed.

ce of his purpose to recover the ancient empire, Acbar conquered the Deccan. repeatedly engaged in wars with rebels. are noticeable in his military character and decision of attack, before the eneollect or concentrate his strength; also rage and audacity, even to imprudence. the governor of Guzerat was besieged; march of a large army was impracticable, f the season. Acbar hurried to the bety, with but three thousand horse and 1 camels, travelling eighty miles per day. he river, so as to put retreat out of the was attacked by an army of seven thouHis little band, feeling that their empeng their danger, and had risked his life on their valor, fought with superhuman repulsed the enemy. In the eagerness bar was left with but two hundred horseing ground. A large body of fresh solnemy suddenly marched upon the little 3 one of those moments when men win their conduct.

rged at once upon the enemy, who regreatest haste, thinking that the whole or's troops must, of course, be coming er side of the hill to support the attack. es are noted, when he would risk his life st of the fight, like a common trooper. une and valor, which brought him trit of every danger, added to the une and skill of his government during a fifty-one years, impressed his subjects hat his powers of mind and body were

ment, me

farmsnes me regulations of the c

ferent departments, and the domestic economy of t empire, - from the collecting of the revenues and 1 care of the army, down to the stipends of the lad of the harem, the daily food of the king's came and the mode of serving up his dinner.

With respect to Acbar's personal habits - he spe the greatest part of the night in business, and in 1 tening to the discourses of philosophers and historiaı whom he delighted to collect around him. Abc three hours before day, musicians were introduce who performed vocal and instrumental music. Aft that an hour was spent by his majesty in silent praye Just before daybreak, people of all ranks were attendance, waiting the emperor's appearance. В side the opportunities of audience regularly afforde to all, the emperor occasionally appeared at a windo when petitions might be offered to him without ar intervention whatever. He abolished the immemori custom of prostration. He took but one meal dail and that so simple, that for months he did not tas animal food. He slept but little, and that chiefly the forenoon and evening.

His principles of government were, to gain ar secure the hearts of all; to prevent not only all inju tice, but all delay of justice; to be tolerant in religionand it is said he never even laughed at or ridicule any sect; and to be sparing of the lives of offender The whole country was divided into provinces, th governors of which were changed every three year Taxes must be demanded in an "affable" manne and the collector is to consider himself " the immed ate friend of the husbandman," and to lend him mone when he needs it, to be repaid at a favorable time His remarks on the administration of justice are pecu liarly admirable, for their clear, searching, and im partial character.

Acbar removed a great number of vexatious an injurious taxes, substituting one broad, equitable lev upon the land of the country, which he procured be carefully measured, and the tax fixed. He re mitted the navigation duties, and reduced those o manufactories. The coin was enhanced in value b improving its fineness. Literature and the arts wer never better encouraged, and the education of th people was made more universal, and its quality inca culably improved. He was not only the first man c the empire in station, but in accomplishments, inte lect, and virtue. He possessed that rare and fortuna combination of qualities for rule, remarks an autho by which he was enabled not only to project, or appreciate when others had projected, some of th loftiest principles of government, but to carry the himself into practice by his practical skill, and by a unwearied and personally laborious attention to th

details.

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