THE HISTORY OF INDIA, AS TOLD BY ITS OWN HISTORIANS. THE MUHAMMADAN PERIOD. EDITED FROM THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE LATE SIR H. M. ELLIOT, K.C.B., EAST INDIA COMPANY'S BENGAL CIVIL SERVICE, BY PROFESSOR JOHN DOWSON, M.R.A.S., STAFF COLLEGE, SANDHURST. VOL. II. LONDON: TRÜBNER AND CO., 60, PATERNOSTER ROW. 1869. [All rights reserved.] 184701-B PREFACE. In this volume the history of Muhammadan rule in India is commenced. The first volume was, from the nature of the materials, introductory in its character; this opens with the accounts of the earliest inroads of the Ghaznivide conquerors. The copious extracts which it brings together from the oldest and most approved of the native historians supply ample means for tracing the rise and progress of that power which was destined to bring the whole peninsula under its sway, and to stand for seven centuries a conspicuous and brilliant example of the strength and weakness, the crimes, vices, and occasional virtues of Musulmán despotism. The history is here carried down to the year 1260 A.D., embracing the consecutive annals of the Ghaznivides, the Ghorians, and the Slave Kings, as far as the end of the reign of Násiru-d dín. The lives of the other Slave Kings will be drawn from the Táríkh-i Firoz Sháhí of Zíáu-d dín Barní, which, as its name implies, is a work more particularly devoted to the reign of Fíroz Sháh, and must, from the date of its composition, occupy a place in the next volume. The portion of history over which this volume extends may be considered as nearly complete, though some scattered notices of the period embraced will be drawn occasionally from later writers, and Khondamír's account of the Ghaznivides will appear hereafter as the principal extract from the Habibu-s Siyar. Since the publication of the first volume of this edition, some animadversions have appeared in print upon the absence of any recognition of the assistance rendered to Sir H. M. Elliot in the preparation of the materials for this work; and one or two special claims have been made for acknowledgments of aid contributed and work done. The Editor is informed, by those best acquainted with the circumstances, that Sir H. M. Elliot was especially anxious to acquit himself of all obligation for assistance so rendered to him; but still, care has been and will be taken to acknowledge fully every contribution deserving of notice. It so happened, however, that the whole of the matter in the first volume, with the exception of two anonymous translations, was the work of Sir H. M. Elliot himself, his munshis, or the present Editor. Sir H. M. Elliot was assisted by many friends, both English and native, in his search for rare works, and |