f the policy which prevailed during the dynasty of Tamerlane
naturally conducts me to the next, which is the fourth era in this
history: I mean the era of the Emperor Akbar. He was the first of the
successors of Tamerlane who obtained possession of Bengal. It is easy to
show of what nature his conquest was. It was over the last Mahomedan
dynasty. He, too, like his predecessor, Tamerlane, conquered the prince,
not the country. It is a certain mark that it was not a conquered
country in the sense in which we commonly call a country conquered, that
the natives, great men and landholders, continued in every part in the
possession of their estates, and of the jurisdictions annexed to them.
It is true, that, in the several wars for the succession to the Mogul
empire, and in other of their internal wars, severe revenges were taken,
which bore resemblance to those taken in the wars of the Roses in this
country, where it was the common course, in the heat of blood,--"Off
with his head!--so much for Buckingham!" Yet, where the country again
recovered its form and settlement, it recovered the spirit of a mild
government. Whatever rigor was used with regard to the Mahomedan
adventurers from Persia, Turkey, and other parts, who filled the places
of servile grandeur in the Mogul court, the Hindoos were a favored,
protected, gently treated people.

The next, which is the fifth era, is a troubled and vexatious
period,--the era of the independent Subahs of Bengal. Five of these
subahs, or viceroys, governed from about the year 1717, or thereabouts.
They grew into independence partly by the calamities and concussions of
that empire, which happened during the disputes for the succession of
Tamerlane, and partly, and indeed principally, by the great shook which
the empire received when Thamas Kouli Khan broke into that country,
carried off its revenues, overturned the throne, and massacred not only
many of the chief nobility, but almost all the inhabitants of the
capital city. This rude shock, which that empire was never able to
recover, enabled the viceroys to become independent; but their
independence led to their ruin. Those who had usurped upon their masters
had servants who usurped upon them. Aliverdy Khan murdered his master,
and opened a way into Bengal for a body of foreign invaders, the
Mahrattas, who cruelly harassed the country for several years. Their
retreat was at length purchased, and by a sum which is supposed to
amount to