Souda, (language characters) his real name is Mirza Muhammad Rafi'a, to
which he subsequently added his poetical title " Souda,"
and is now commonly known by the appellation of llirza
Eafiiis Souda. He was a native of Dehli but resided at
Lakhnau, and his Diwan and Kasaed contain a variety
of poems on various subjects ; also Idyls. Elegies and
other miscellaneous pieces in Hindustani verse. These
volumes are held in the highest estimation all over India.
They include a number of encomiastic poems on the late
Nawab 'Asaf-uddaula of Lakhnau, and many other
persons of high rank and power, both at Lakhnau and
Dehli ; not the least remarkable of which is an eulogy
on the late Mr. Richard Johnson. The satires of this
poet are also numerous and admirable ; but having
created him many enemies, to avoid the consequences of
their anger, he feigned himself insane, and took the
poetical name of Souda or madman, but he is frequently
known by the appellation of " Malik-ush-Shuara," or
king of poets. He died at Lakhnau in the year 1781
A. D., 1195 A. H., aged 70 years. 'Asaf-uddaula of
Lakhnau gave him a stipend of 6,000 rupees a year.
He was a pupil of Siraj-uddin 'All Khan 'Arzu.
Soudai, Baba of Abiward, (language characters)
a poet who had formerly assumed for his poetical title
" Khawari" but as he used to go about the streets with-
out a turban or shoes, people gave him the title of
" Soudai," i. e., distracted, which he subsequently used in
all his compositions. He lived in the time of Shahrukh
Mirza. He died 1448 A. D., aged 80 years.
Soz, (language characters), the poetical name of Sayyad Muhammad, who
flourished in the reign of the emperor Shah 'Alam, and
is the author of a small Diwan in Urdu. He died in 1797
A. D., 1212 A. H. Another Soz is mentioned in the
" Mirat-ul-Khayal" who lived in the time of 'Alamgfr.
He was a native of Bukhara and brought up in India.
Sozan, (language characters), poetical appellation of Nawab Ahmad 'AH
Khan Shoukat Jang son of Nawab Iftikhar-uddaula
Mirza 'AH Khan, and nephew of Nawab Salar Jang. He
Hved in the time of Nawab 'Asaf-uddaula of Lakhnau,
and is said to have been a good Urdu poet.
Sozani, Hakim, (language characters) sumamed Shams-uddm
Muhammad of Samarkand, a Persian poet who derived
his origin from Salman Farsi one of the first companions
of Muhammad. Some authors say he was a native of
the city of Nakhshab, and others pretend of Samarkand.
It is said that when he was a student at Bukhara, he
conceived so great a friendship for the apprentice of a
needle-maker, that he himself learned that profession,
and he therefore assumed the takhallus of Sozanf.
(Sozan means a needle.) He is considered the best
humoristic poet of his time, and is the author of a poem
called "Kasaed Sozani," or elegies, written in a very
devout style, containing nearly 8,000 verses. During his
youth he was a great debauchee ; but when advanced in
years, he became very devout, made the pilgrimage of
Mecca and died in 1173 A. D., 569 A. H., at Samarkand,
aged 80 years. One of his friends declared that he had
appeared to him after his death (in^ dream) and said
that G-od had forgiven all his sins for the sake of one of
his verses, in which expressing his humiUty and contri-
tion he says, "0 Lord, I offer unto thee an oblation,
not to be found in thy treasury. Accept thou my sins,
my poverty, my repentance and my nothingness."
Subaktagin, (language characters), surnamed Nasir-uddin,
a man of Turkish descent, who, according to some
historians, was purchased as a slave by Alaptagin Sultan
of Ghazni, who perceiving in him the promise of future
greatness, raised him by degrees to posts of confidence
and distinction ; and his character obtained him the
support of all the adherents and officers of that prince.
He was raised to the throne of Ghazni after the death nf
Abu Is-hak the son of Alaptagin 977 A. D., 367 A. H.
He enlarged its dominions, and became the first of a
family, called Ghaznawi, and by us Ghaznavides, which
outshone, at one period, the glory of the proudest
dynasties of Asiatic monarchs. He conquered a part of
.India, which, when connected with his former posses-
sions of Ghazni and Kabul, gave him a kingdom that
extended from Khurasan to the Panjab. Subaktagin
reigned 20 lunar j'ears, and died in August, 997 A. D.,
Shaban, 387 A. H., aged 56, near Balkh, from which
place his remains were conveyed to Ghazni for interment.
He was succeeded by his son the celebrated Sultan
Mahmud. Including Subaktagin sixteen kings of his
race reigned at Ghazni and Lahor. Their names are as
foUow : —
List of the Ohaznavide dynasty of Persia and India, including Khurdsdn, Maioar-un-nah; Bukhdrd, ij-c. Capital Ghazni. 1. Nasir-uddin Subaktagin. Ismail appointed successor, but displaced by his brother. 2. Sultan (Yemin-uddaula Abu'l Kasim) Mahmud. 3. Muhammad, his son, deposed instantly and blinded. Muhammad, restored and again deposed. 4. Masaud I, another son, deposed and killed. 5. Maudud, son of Masaud. 6. Masaud II, reigned only six days. 7. Abu'l Hasan 'AH son of Masaud I. 8. Abdur Rashid son of Mahmud. 9. Farrukhzad son of Masaud. 10. Ibrahim his brother. 1 1 . Masaud III son of Ibrahim. 12. Sheizad. 13. Arsalan Shah. 14. Bahram Shah fled to Labor. 15. Khusro Shah ruled at Labor. 16. Khusro Malik ruled at Labor, 'Kings of the family of Ghor. Ala-uddin Hasan Ghori. Malik Saif-uddin. Ghayas-uddin Muhammad Ghorf. Shahab-uddin Muhammad Ghorf. Taj-uddin Eldiiz.
Subhan Bakhsh, Maulwi, (language characters),
author of a modern history of jurisprudence, or rather
of jurists in Urdu, compiled from the works of Ibn-
Khallikan and Sayiiti, entitled " Farjuma Tan'kh-al-
Hukmae wa Tazkirat-al-Mufassirfn." It was published
at Dehli in 1848 A. D.
Sub-hani, Maulana, (language characters)a poet whose
native country was Najaf Ashraf, commonly called Kufa,
from which place he never stirred all the time of his
Hfe. He lived at the same period in which Shaikh Faizi
and Zahiiri flourished, and wrote nothing but Rubais
in the Pei-sian language on different subjects of which
12,000 were collected after his death.
Sub-hi, (language characters) a poet who served under Sultan Shujaa the son of Shah Jahan.
Suchet Singh, (language characters) a Sikh chief, who joined
the rebels after the murder of Maharaja Sheir Sin"-h
was attacked by Hira Singh, near Lahor, his force dis-
persed and himself killed about the 6th April, 1844.
On hearing of the death of this chief, no less than 95
females of his family sacrificed themselves at Lamba.