The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-01

they had reosived under the Turkish Sui
tans. Besides organizing more than
Russian system Of espionage among the
Moslems, the Sultan devised special meas
ures of repression for the Hindoo. Tho
latter was to be 20 reduced In means as
to be left unable to keep horse 10 ride on,
TO carry arms. TO wear fine cloths. or 10
enjoy any Of the luxuriee OF life. He was
to be taxed TO the extent of half the produce
Of his land and TO pay duties on all his bur
faloes. goats and other mich cattle. The
taxes were to be levied equally on rich and
poor at 80 much per acre, 80 much per AMI.
NAL The new rules were strictly carried
out. with the result that no gold or silver,
not even q betel nut, rega rded as so CT e,r-
ing and stimulative TO Pile ire. was TO DO
seen In q HiDdoo house. and the wives CT
the impoverished native oficials we're re-
duced to taking service In Moslem families
These regulations were enforced against
the protests Of learned Moslems. who point' d
oct that they ran counter TO the dictates
Of the Koran
Ala-ad -din's ION, Mubarak Shah. who
assembled the throne In 1915. had for favor
lite Hindu parish Of the lowest c.ass from
Gujarat; who within five years murdered
his master and proclaimed himself Sultan
The reign OF an unolean pariah was, OF
course, as revolving to the Hind os them
selves a. TO the Moslems. In the course OF
a few months the usurper was killed, and
was succeeded by We eran Moslem soldier.
Taghlak. The new Sultan was by birth
Karauna, a term explained a. meaning a
half the son Of sn Indian. or, possi-
bly,, Biluchi mother by q Tatar father. 1t
Ia In his son Mohamme1 ibn Taghlak that
the Karauna dynasty eliminated. Our
author, indeed, regards Mohammed Tash-
lax as the most striking figure In medieval
India. He was not only great warrior and
a statesman, but a scientist and man OF
letters. a.s idess we're far beyond his age
His plans were those Of a man Of trained
intellect and tutoted imagination. He
was perfect In the humanities OF his day,
keen student Of Persisp-which In Indian
education played the part that Latin did In
medieval EMopo-a master Of style. SUI
premely eloquent in an age OF rhetoric,
philosopher trained In logic and Greek
metaphysics, with whom scholars feared TO
argue, a matht matician and a lover OF
medical and physical research. To these
qualifications were added q natural genius
for original conceptions, a marvellous mem
ory and an indomit able will. His idea OF
central capital for his far-stretching do
minions and his plan Of a nominal token
currency, like most OF his schemes, wee
good. but he made no Allowance Tor the ma
tive dislike Of innova' Ions. and, when h,s
people grew disconnected and rebeued
against his novel measures. he showed him.
self merciless Hence with the best intsn-
tons, and with admirable theories, but
without patience, balance or the sense Of
proportion, Mohammed TaghlAk was
failure. His reign was one long series OF
reyolts savaRely repressed; his subjects,
whom he wished TO benefit, grew to loathe
him; all his projects came to nothing. and
when, after = reign Of twenty-siI years,
he die /, he left q shattered empire and an
impoverished and rebellious people.
There IL no doubt that. In the early years
of his reign, Mohammed TaghlAk ruled
a State wider and moro splendid than any
OF his predecessor. contemporary
writer gives list OF twenty -thrse provinces
subject to his rule. from 0ujarat by the
Indus to flanagan in Orisa and Lakhnauu
in Bengal. and from Lahore near the Hirna-
layss TO the Malabar coast. Never again
iii the time Of Aurangzib did King Of
Delhi hold % wide sway. Gradually
the colossal empire shrank. Some OF tho
revolts were never suppressed. and Bengal
and the Deccan were lost 70 the Kingdom.
Henceforth Sutans Of the Bahmanid dy-
nasty ruled all the provinces south OF the
yindhyas for one hundred and eighty years.
Renoal also long remained independent,
though Firoz, the successor Of Mohammed
Tashlak, twice attempted 10 bring II back
under subsection.
The long reign Of Firoz Shah, which
ended in 1888, assuaged the troubles OF the
peoples, but did not strengthen the au.
thority Of the Crown. The sovereign was
loved, perhaps respected, but certainly
not feared. The dread impressed by the
despotism OF q Balkan, an Ala-ad-din or .
Nohammed Taghlsk was like forgotten
dream. The people did not rebel. because
they had nothing to gain BY revolution.
In the social structure. howe yer. there
were elements OF the Sultan's creating
tina, made for dixinte grafton. The custom
Of depending upon a strong body OF slaves
for civil and military service had far
reaching consequences. Many OF these
slaves were converted, or nominally con-
verted Hindus. and 70 some Of these rene
eadss were assigned the great hefs OF the
Empire. However sincere their loyalty TO
Firox, they were bound by no such ties TO
his succcssors. and their influence tended
70 encourage that Independence on the
part OF the Hindus which he'd been fostered
nv the Sultan's mild rule. The inter
marriage Of the royal family and other
disnitaries with Hindu women produced
no real amalgamstion betwssn peoplsA
edetually sundered by raos. religion and
social customs The Hindus paid tributs
whsu oompsllsd, but thsir frs~ tribes and
aristocrstic chisfs we're always eager 70
shAks on the yoke Of the forslgnsss. and
In the years following tbs dssth Of Thos
one Of the most notable features Of the
dis, urbed period 10 the isrss psr played
in politics by Hindu lsAAsu. vhsthss
slsyss converted 10 tbs Court religion. o.
Raiss Who had Asssrtsd thsar Independence
but we're no, sbove eDlosgtans ,nsoTrsssioss
With thrlr renegade fellow ooantsymsn.
A s,roas ruler might possibly Asvs
ohscksd the dissntssssiien which ss