the Scripture name for a king of Babylon, called by profane authors Belesus or Belesis, Nabonassar or Nannaros. Baladan was at first no more than governor of Babylon; but having entered into a confederacy with Arbaces, governor of Media, and rebelled against Sardanapalus, king of Assyria, both generals marched against him with an army of 400,000 men, and were defeated in three different battles. The Bactrians, however, deserted the king, and having gone over to Baladan and Arbaces, the rebels, thus reinforced, attacked their enemy in the night, and made themselves masters of his camp. After Baladhan's misfortune, Sardanapalus retreated to Nineveh, and left the command of his army to his brother-in-law Salamanes. The conspirators attacked Salamenes, and defeated him in two great battles; after which they laid siege to Nineveh. Sardanapalus sustained the siege for three years; but the Tigris, in the third year, overflowing its banks, beat down twenty furlongs of the walls; upon which the conspirators entered the city and took possession of it, after Sardanapalus had burnt himself and all his most valuable effects upon a funeral pile erected for the purpose in his palace. Baladan was acknowledged king of Babylon, as Arbaces was of Media.

BALAGHAUT Ceded Districts. This country, which is in the south of India, comprehends an extensive table-land, supported like a terrace by the stupendous mountain wall of the Ghauts. It is a vast extent of level plains, stretching from the Krishna to the southern extremity of the Mysore, and is named Balaghaunt, or "Above the Ghauts," in contradistinction to Payenghaut, or "Below the Ghauts." This tract of country, which was acquired by the British in 1800, comprehends all the territory south of the Toombuddra and Krishna rivers, which are its proper boundaries, and which, owing to its elevated surface, are the only large rivers which it possesses. The country, the greater proportion of which is under dry cultivation, produces sugar, indigo, and cotton. In 1806 a census was made out of the population, which amounted to 1,917,376. After these districts were obtained from the Nizam in 1800, they were placed under the management of Colonel Munro, and since this period they have made great advances in population and prosperity. In the course of seven years the land revenues increased from 1,006,593 to 1,517,272 pagodas; and the inhabitants, from being a horde of lawless freebooters, were reclaimed to habits of civilization and submission to the laws. In the year 1808 the total amount of the revenue was 1,809,570 pagodas. In ancient times these provinces formed part of the Hindoo kingdom of Bijanagar; and many of the modern polygars claim their descent from the officers, and some from the royal family, of that kingdom. On the fall of the Mogul government it was broken into several independent states. It was conquered by Hyder between the years 1766 and 1780, but in 1800 was transferred to the British.