not slackened during the night, and the Moguls, finding next day that the breach was built up to such a height as to render it impossible to mount it without fresh mines, a truce was agreed upon on both sides. Mahommed Khan, whom Chand Sultana had appointed her Prime Minister, plotted against her; her government became more and more disturbed by internal factions, and whilst she was negotiating a peace with the Moguls, the soldiery, instigated by her opponents, broke into the female apartments and treacherously put her to death.

Chand Sultana is the favourite heroine of the Deccan, and is the subject of many fabulous stories. Even Khafi Khan mentions her having fired silver balls into the Mogul camp, and the common tradition at Ahmednugger is that when her shot was expended she loaded her guns successively with copper, with silver, and with gold coin, and that it was not until she had begun to fire her jewels away that she consented to make peace.

The history of Tara Bhye, given at page 72, is another proof of the ambition, ability and energy of Indian women, whilst that of the mother of Sivajee, the popular hero of the Deccan (born 1627) deserves mention. She was of good family and a woman of so much ability and character that during his father's absence in the Carnatic, Sivajee was left to the care of his mother and of his father's agent, a Brahmin. He appears from the first to have looked to her for counsel and sympathy in all his undertakings, his great object in life being to free himself from Mahommedan control. His tutor and guardian, Dadajee Konedeo, at first endeavoured to disuade the youth from his wild undertakings, but, failing

to do So, he appears to have succumbed to the force of Sivajee's character and to have come at last to share his

views.

His mother, an enthusiast in religion, believed herself to be visited by the goddess Bowhanee, whose revelations shadowed forth the future freedom of the Mahrattas from Mahommedan yoke, and the future greatness of her son. Later on, when his fame became established, no one doubted but that his mother's dreams and visions, which had become popular amongst his people, were in reality the divine revelations they pretended to be. He remained devoted to his mother, claimed her blessing on all his undertakings, however questionable, and never ceased to pay her every honour that affection and respect could dictate.

CHAPTER XII.

THE REMARKABLE WOMEN OF INDIA.-continued.

Noormahal, Consort of Shah Jehangire-Arjamund Banu,† (of the Taj), Consort of Shah Jehan-The Emperor's Daughters.

Noormahal.-No more extraordinary example of the triumph of beauty and ability over precedent, tradition, and every prejudice, religious as well as social, exists, than that of Noormahal, the light of the harem, who for twenty years, as the wife of Jehangire, reigned, with a power as absolute over the mighty empire of Hindostan as that exercised by Semiramis and Cleopatra over the kingdoms of Assyria and Egypt.

Her father, Chaja Aiass, a Tartar of noble blood but poor circumstances, became later the High Treasurer of the Empire of Hindostan, but his daughter Noormahal was born in the days of his adversity amongst the wilds of Western Tartary as her parents were wandering, in search of fortune, towards India. The beautiful Noormahal frequently accompanied her mother to the harem of Akbar, and here Prince Selim, heir to the throne, saw and loved her. He demanded her hand of her father, who replied that his daughter was promised to Shere Afkun, a young Persian lord. Noormahal, who appears

Afterwards Noorjehan.

+ Or Mumtazmahal.

to have been of a practical turn of mind, thought it wiser to take the magnificent Shere Afkun than to incur the danger of mating with the future Emperor. The Emperor Akbar absolutely refused to interfere or annul the engagement, and Shere Afkun was determined not to renounce his right-even for the heir to the crown-to the most beautiful woman in the world.

When Akbar died, and Selim ascended the imperial musnud, under the name of Jehanghire, Shere Afkun was soon removed to a happier sphere, and the lovely Noormahal transferred to the Zenana of the Emperor.

For some reason which does not appear, she remained six years in absolute seclusion; but the talk of her wit and beauty which reached the Emperor's ears at length determined him on visiting her. He found her in a plain muslin dress, surrounded by slaves dressed in the finest brocades and cashmeres. She had learned the charm of modesty during the period of her retirement ; and, with downcast eyes, she stood before the Emperor in all the unadorned simplicity of her dazzling beauty. The first question he asked her was why her slaves were dressed so much better than their mistress? to which the cunning Noormahal shrewdly made answer, "Those born to servitude must dress as it shall please those whom they serve. These are my slaves, and I make the burden of their bondage pleasant to them by every indulgence

in

my power. But I am your slave, oh, Emperor of the world! and must dress according to your pleasure, and not my own." Casting a necklace round her neck of forty pearls, each worth £4,000, Jehangire ordered the clever intrigante to be proclaimed Empress of the

World. From the humblest apartments of the Zenana she at once removed to those of the Sultana. She was permitted to assume the title of Shahi, or Empress; to change her name from Noormahal, Light of the Harem, to Noor Jehan, Light of the World; whilst the besotted monarch caused to be inscribed on the gold coin of the realm: "Gold has acquired a hundred degrees of excellence in receiving the name of Noor-Jehan." He was then forty-four years of age. Like another famous

Eastern Queen, "age could not wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety," and for twenty years her magnificence dazzled Hindostan. It was she who gave away the smallest as well as the greatest official appointments. From Western Tartary came crowds of cousins to share in the brilliant fortunes of the superb Empress. Her father was Prime Vizier; her brother, Asiph Khan, was first Omrah; Shah Jehan, the Emperor's favourite son, married her niece, the daughter of Asiph Khan; whilst Prince Sheriar, Jehanghire's third son, married her own daughter by her first husband, the luckless Shere Afkun.

Led by her, Jehanghire was induced to ill-treat and mistrust Mohabit Khan, to whom he had been thrice indebted for the safety of his kingdom; and in return Mohabit, by a coup-de-main, seized the Emperor and carried him off to his own camp. Noormahal escaped in disguise, and, calling her brother Asiph to her aid, mounted her elephant and prepared to rescue the Emperor. Though her daughter was wounded in the fray and sank fainting at her side, this daring woman pursued her way, until at length her troops were overwhelmed and she was forced to fly to Lahore.