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THE fflSTORY OF INDIA.
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THE
HISTORY OF INDIA,
▲8 TOLD
BY ITS OWlf HISTORIANS.
THE MUHAMMADAN PERIOD.
THE POSTHUMOUS PAPEBS
or THE I.4TB
SIR H. M. ELLIOT, K.C.B.,
EDITED AND CONTINUED
BY
PROFESSOR JOHN DOWSON, M.R.A.S.,
nXTW COLUtOS, SAVDHUB0T.
VOL V.
• LONDON:
TEUBNER AND CO., 57 and 59, LUDGATE HILL.
1878. [All rightt rntrved.']
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snPHUf AU8TIM Ain> 80X8,
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PREFACE.
In this Yolume the history of the Afghan dynasty is completed. The reign of Humaytin is also finished, and the annals of Akbar's reign are carried on to the thirty-eighth year.
The Afghan Tdrikha are of no great literary yalue, but they are the best authorities for the period of which they treat. The first of them, the Tdrikh-i SaUtinri Afdghana^ has never before been translated; but the other, the Makhzan-i Afghdni or Tdrlkh-i Khdn-Jahdn Zodi, is the book translated by Dom in his work entitled " The History of the Afghdns:'
Some notices of the first reign of Humayun are given by the Afghan historians, and his overthrow and ex- pulsion are described by them from the Afghan side of the question in this and the preceding volume. The Humdyunrndmd of the veteran historian Khondamir gives some curious accounts of the regulations estab- lished by Humayun in the early part of his reign. This is followed by a few extracts from the valuable Tdrikh4 Bashidi of Mirza Haidar, the brave and adventurous cousin of the Emperor Babar. The work is a general history of the Mughal Khans, and does not contain
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Tl PREFACE.
much about India ; but the Mirza was a vigorous writer, and what he has recorded of his Indian experience is very vivid and interesting. Some few passages have been extiiacted from the Memoirs of Humaytin, written by his personal attendant Jauhar, and translated into English by Major Stewart. But the general history of this reign has been drawn from the Tabakat-i Ahbari of Niz&mu-d din Ahmad. Sir H. Elliot's intention has thus been carried out ; for he had fixed upon the narra- tive given in the Tdrikh-i Saldtin-i Afdffhana^ which proves to have been copied verbatim from the Tabakdt.
Sir Henry. Elliot had made no provision for the im- portant reign of Akbar, nor did he leave any notes indicating the MSS. he intended to employ. * So it has fallen to the Editor to select and translate some history in illustration of this period. The rule of this work has been to prefer original contemporary writers, or, in the absence of actual contemporaries, those nearest in point of time. This rule reduced the choice to two works — the Tahakdt-i Akbari of Nizam Ahmad, and the Aklar-nama of Abti-1 Fazl; for the Muntakhabu-t Taw&rikh of Badd6ni is avowedly founded on the Tahakdt^ and the Akhar-namd of Shaikh lUahdad Faizl Sirhindi contains very little that has not been borrowed either from the Tabakdt or the greater Akbar-ndma of Abu-1 Fazl. The latter work is of considerable length, and is written in a very ornate style ; so the Tabakdt seemed best suited to the requirements of this work.
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PREFACE. TU
It has aocordingly been translated in full, and only such passages as are trivial and irrelevant have been passed over. The reputation of the TabafcdUi AkhaH stands very high in India, and European writers also have joined in its praisea As a oontemporary history, it is certainly of very high authority, though it does not exhibit much literary ability. The narrative is often disjointed and fragmentary, but the language is manly and simple, and in striking contrast to the polished phrases of Abiik-1 Fazl. The To^akdt extends only to the thirty-eighth year of Akbar's reign ; the history of the latter end of the reign will be drawn from the works of Abii-1 Fazl, Shaikh IlHhddd, and other writers, and will appear in the next volume.
In addition to the Tabakat-i Akbari^ some extracts have been made from the Tdrikh4 Alfi^ a general history compiled under the direction of the Emperor Akbar, and more copious selections have been taken from the Muntakhahu-t Tawdrikh of 'Abdu-1 Kadir Bada^ni. The latter writer introduces into his work much original matter; and all that he says about the personal aflfairs of the Emperor and his religious opinions is of great interest. Extracts from the two Akhar-namas relating to the earlier part of the reign will appear in the next volume; so that although the history of the first thirty-eight years of the reign is comprised in the present volume, it will not be quite complete until those passages are printed. The Ain-i
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Vlll PREFACE,
Akbari is the greatest monument of the reign of Akbar, and a new translation by Mr. Blochmann is now in course of publication in the Bibliotheca Indica, enriched with copious notes. That work supplies many of the deficiencies of the historians, and Mr. Blochmann's labours have happily made it quite unnecessary to do more here with \bB Ain-i Akbari than to refer to his yaluable production.
The notes in the Aj^ndix are entirely the work of Sir H. Elliot, and are printed exactly as he left them.
The following is a list of the articles in this volume with the names of the respective writers : —
XXXIV.— Tarikh-i Salatin-i Afaghana—" Ensign '* C. P. Mac- kenzie, and a little by Sir H. M. Elliot XXXV.— Tarikh-i Khan-Jahan Lodl— "Ensign" C. F. Mac- kenzie and Sir H. M. Elliot XXXVL— Humayun-nama— Sir H. M. Elliot's mwMhi. XXXVn.— Tarikh-i Rashidi— Editor. XXXVm.— Tazkiratu-1 Waki'at— Major Stewart. XXXIX.— Tarikh-i Alfi— Sir H. M. Elliot and the Editor. XL.— Tabakat-i Akbari— Editor. XU.— Tarikh-i Badauni— Sir H. M. Elliot and the Editor.
Appendix,— The whole by Sir H. M. Elliot
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CONTENTS OF VOL. V.
PAGK
XKXIV.—Tdrikh't8aldHn4Afdghana,o{AhmsAYkdgiT - 1
'XXKV.—Mahhzan'iAfghdni and Tdrikh-i Khdn^ahdn Lodi,
of Ni'amatu-lla 67
XXXYL — Humdy^n-ndma, of Ehondamir 116
XKKYJJ^—TdHJch'i Baahidi, of Haidar Mirz& Doghlat - - 127
XXKYm.—TazhiraithlWdkrdt,o{Je^uhax 136
IIXSIX.— Tdrikh-i Alfi, of Manlana Ahmad and others - - 160
XL.— 7a2»a]bi^»ilJb&aW,ofNiz4ma-ddinAhmad,6akh8hi 177
:KIA.—MwUahhabU't Tawdrikh; or, Tdrikh4 Badd&ni, of
MuUa 'Abdu-1 K&dir Badauni 477
APPENDIX. A. — On the Capture of Nasibin by means of Scorpions - - - 550
B.--On Knsddr 567
C. — On Fire-worship in Upper India 569
D. — On the Knowledge of Sanskrit by Muhammadans - - - 570
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CORRIGENDUM.
Vol. v. p. 116, lines 4 and 6, dele the wonb '* in all probability."
ADDENDUM.
Yol. IT. p. 289. ** Shaikh Zain was one of the most learned men of the time, and translated in an elegant style the memoirs written by the late Emperor B&bar.*' — Bad&tinl, Text, vol. i. p. 341.
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HISTORIAIfS OF ITOIA.
XXXIV. TARtKK'I SALATtN-I AFAGHANA,
OF
AHMAD YKDGtXR.
[Ahmad Yadoar, the author of this work, describes himself in his Preface as an old servant of the 8&r kings, and says that D&dd Sh&h gave him orders to write a History of the Afghan Sult&ns, and thus do the same for them as the Tabakdt-i Ndairi and Zi&-i Bami had done for the kings of their times. The book commences with the reign of Bahlol LodI, and the last chapter narrates the defeat, capture, and execution of Himd. The author mentions incidentally that his father was tcazir to Mirza ^Askari, when the latter was in command of Hum&ydn's adranced guard in his campaign in 6ujar&t ; and he also several times names the Tdrikh-i Nizdmi and the McCdanU'l Akhbdr'i Ahmadi as the works from which he copied.^
The date of the composition of this work has not been ascer- tained, but as it was written by command of D&ud Sh&h, who died in 984 h., and as it quotes from the TdHkh-i Nizdmi (Tahakdi'i AkbaH), which was written seventeen or eighteen
^ [I am indebted for these partieiilan to Mr. Blochmann, who has kindly supplied them from the MS. in the Library of the Asiatio Society of Bengal.— £i>.]
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2 AHMAD YADGAE.
years afterwards in 1001-2 H., the probability is, that it was completed soon after the latter date and before the Makkzan-i Afghdniy which was written in 1020 H, Like the other Afgh&n historians, Ahmad Y&dg&r shows a great liking for marvellous and ridiculous stories, but pays little regard to dates. He gives but very few, and he is incorrect in that of so well-recorded an event as the death of Hum&ytin. The deficiency of dates may, however, be the fitult of the copyist, as blanks are left in the MS. for dates and headings. Sir H. Elliot found the work to " differ much from Ni^amatu-Ua,*' but to " give the idea of being subsequent to the Tdrikh-i Dditdi.** Still, though it " generally follows the Tdrikh'i DdUdi closely," there are occasionally "great differences; details being omitted, and novelties introduced." The history of the reign' of Hum&yun is copied verbatim from the Tabakdt-i Akhari; only one short variation has been discovered.
The MS. in the Library of the Asiatic Society of Bengal contains 224 pages, of 11 lines to the page.
By far the greater part of the following Extracts were trans- lated by '^ Ensign " 0. F. Mackenzie, but a few, noted where they occur, are from the pen of Sir H. EUiot.]
EXTEACTS.
*******
The siege of Dehli by Mahmiid Shdh Sharki} Mahmtid Sharki was instigated to attack Sult4n Bahlol by his wife, who was the daughter of Sultdn 'A14u-d din. She represented to her husband that the kingdom of Dehli had belonged to her &ther and grandfather, and who was BahloU that he should usurp their dominion P If her husband would not advance, she herself would bind on her quiver, and oppose his pretensions.
Being galled by these taunts, Sult&u Mahmud came to Dehli in the year 856 H. (1452 a.d.), with a powerful army, and 1000 1 [Translated by Sir H. EUiot.]
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TAEIKH-I SALATIK-I APAGHANA. 3
mountain-like elephants. At that time, Salt&n Bahlol was near Siihind, but Khw&ja B&jazid, and Sh&h Sikandar Sarw&ni, and Bibi Matu, the wife of Isl&m Kh&n, with all the Afgh&n families, had taken refuge at Dehli. There being bat few men, Bibi Matu dressed the women in male clothes, and placed them on the battlements to make a show of numbers. One day, Sh&h Sikandar Sarw&ni was seated on the wall, when one of Sult&n Mahmud's water-carriers was taking away some water from a wdl nader the bastion. Sh&h Sikandar drew his bow, and sent an arrow ^ right through the bullock that was carrying the water- bags, and from that time no one dare come near the fort.
But as Sult&n Bahlol delayed to relieve the garrison, they began to despair of succour ; and as the enemy advanced their redoubts and trenches, and discharged their sheUs with such precision that no one could venture out of his house, they were reduced to propose terms of surrender, offering to give up the keys of the fort to any of Mahmdd's officers, on condition of their being allowed to leave the fort unmolested. Accordingly, Saiyid Shamsu-d din took the keys to Daryd 'Kh&a Lodi, who had invested the fort, and asked to say a few words to him first in private. When Dary& Kh&n had sent away his attendants, the Saiyid inquired, ^' What is your relationship to Sult&n Mahmud P*' Daryd Kh&n replied, " There is no relationship. I am his servant." The Saiyid then asked, ^^ How are you related to Sult&n Bahlol?" Daryd Eh&n replied, '' I am a Lodi, and he also is a Lodi.**' The Saiyid then placed the keys of the fort before him, saying, "Have regard to the honour of your mother and sister (who are now in the fort), and save the ladies from disgrace." Dary& Eh&n said, " What can I do P Actuated by fraternal motives, I have intentionally delayed capturing the
1 The TdHkh^ Dd&di sajB it was eleyen palms long, and the distance to which it reached was 800 feet ; and that though it penetrated the water-bags as well as the hullock, jet the entire arrow was buried on the other side in the earth.
s The Tdrikh-i DdM is fuller :—*' We are brothers: he is a Lodi, and I am a Lodi ; his mother is my mother, and his sbter is mj sister.*' This explains the allusion to " mother and sister " which occurs below.
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4 AHMAD YABGAR.
fort, but SqU&ii Bahlol delays to make his appearance. For the present do you retain the keys, and wait to see what I shall be able to effect in your behalf."
Dary& Kh&n then went to Solt&n Mahmud, and explained to him about the surrender of the keys and their restoration, ob- serving that Bahlol, according to common report, was advancing with a large army, and that it would be better first to pay attention to him ; for should he be conquered, DehU would of itself &11 into their hands. The Sult&n inquired what had better be done under the circumstances. Daryi Eh&n suggested that he and Fath Eh&n should be despatched against Bahlol, so as to prevent his passing P&n{pat. This counsel being approved of, they were sent with 30,000 horse and forty war elephants against Bahlol, who by this time had advanced as far as Narela. Mahmud's army encamped two ko9 on the side of Narela, and on the very night of their arrival the enemy twice carried off their bullocks, camels, and horses. Next day, both armies were drawn up in battle array. The army of Bahlol amounted to 14,000 cavalry.
*♦««***
Suttdn BahloVs expedition against the Mdnd, and against Ahmad Khdn Bhatti}
Some time after, Sult&n Bahlol marched out against the £&n&, and pitched his camp at Ajmir, where he collected a powerful force.' Ghattar S&l, son of the B&n&'s sister, was at Udipur with 10,000 cavalry. Kutb Khdn advanced towards that place, and fought an action with the rascally infidel. At first, the Sult&n^s army was repulsed by the impetuous onset of
1 [Translated by Sir H. EUiot]
' This transaction is not mentioned by any other historian, nor do we find it in the Bfijptit Annals. One engagement between the Imperialists and Mew&ils is recorded in the time of R&i Mai, who ascended the gaddi in a.d. 1474, but the particnlars differ in every respect. We are also told in general terms, that Mew&r had to contest her northern boundary with the dynasty of Lod£.— Tod, AsmaU of Mqfoithan, toL i., p. 292.
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TAETKH-I SALATrN-I APAGHANA. g
the infideld, and seyeral Afgh&ns obtained martyrdom in that contest ; but, in the end, Eutb Kh^ and Kh&n-kh&n&n FarrauH, determining to sell their lives dearly, advanced to close combat with swords and daggers, and so completely routed their black- fiiced foes, that Ohattar S&l was slain in the fidd ; and so many infidels fell, that a pillar was raised of their heads, and streams of their blood began to flow. Five or six elephants, forty horses, and much plunder fell into the hands oi the Sult&n's soldiers, while those of the Bdnd took to flight. Subsequently, the E&n& made peace, and in l/dlpdr prayers were offered and the coin was struck in the name of the Sult&n.
After that, the Sult&n carried his victorious army into Mdn- khir.^ He plundered and depopulated that entire country, and the army acquired great booty. Thence he returned to Sirhind, and after two or three months, advanced with his troops towards Lahore, where he passed some days in festivities.
At that time, Ahmad Kh&n Bhatti,' who had acquired great power in the country of Sind, and had 20,000 cavalry under him, had revolted against the Governor of Mult&n ; whose petition arrived^ representing that Ahmad Kh&n was plundering the villages of Multin, and that if the Lord of the World would not come to the rescue, he himself would not be able to hold .his own in Mult&n ; and that after the loss of Mult&n, the Panj&b would be exposed to ravage. The Sult&n, vexed at this intelli- gence, appointed 'Umar Kh&n, one of his chief nobles, and Prince B&yazid, to command an expedition against Ahmad Eh&n, at the head of 30,000 valiant horsemen. After taking leave of the Sult&n in all honour, they moved by continued marches from Lahore till they reached Mult&n, where they were joined by the Governor, who acted as their guide till they reached the enemy's country.
Ahmad Eh&n, proud in the strength and courage of his
^ One of the anecdotes related bj this author mentioiu the entire destraction of M6nkh&r, and the deportation of its inhabitants. The Tdrlkh-i DdUdi g^ves the same facts, bat speaks only of *' a Tillage in i\i% pargana of M6nkh&r." — ^MS., p. 34.
* These transactions with Ahmad Kh&n are not related by any other historian.
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6 AHMAD TADGAB.
army, disregarded the Imperialists, and, not thinking it worth his while to move, sent his nephew, at the head of 15,000 cavalry, to oppose them. That youth was desperately enamoured of a strumpet, who was indeed surpassingly beautiful, and he never moved out on any excursion of pleasure or hunting without being accompanied by her ; and, even on the day of battle, he seated her in an *amdri, mounted on an elephant, and carried her with him. Naurang Elh&n, for that was his name, detached D&ud Kh&n with 10,000 cavalry against the Imperialists, and the two parties charged each other with such impetuosity that rivers of blood began to flow. In the end, D&ud Kh&n was slain, and his troops defeated. When those who had fled from the field informed Naurang Khfin of the disaster, he took leave in sorrow of his mistress, and arrived on the field of battle, where he displayed such valour and desperation that he clove several men of the Sult&n^s army in twain, and felled them firom their horses. At last, a ball from a camel-gun cut him also in half, and killed him.
When the news of Naurang Kh&n's &te reached his mistress, she, being endowed with a masculine mind, put on a suit of armour, bound round her waist a gilt quiver, and placing a helmet on her head, joined the army of Naurang Kh&n. Upon consultation with his brother, she recommended that he should send all the troops to pay their respects to her, and should give out that the prince, the son of Ahmad Eh&n, had arrived, in order that the enemy might be distracted, and not entertain the persuasion that they had really killed the commander of their enemy^s troops. Accordingly, all the cavalry dismounted, and made their obeisances, while the kettle-drums resounded with loud notes of joy. The Imperialists, notwithstanding their victory, were perplexed, and in the midst of their doubts, were suddenly attacked so iuriously by Ahmad Kh&n's army, that they were put to flight. Ahmad Khan, when he heard of the victory of his army and the salutary aid afforded by that woman, was astounded with joy ; and when he saw her arrive, decked in
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TAEfKH-I SALATtN-I APAGHANA, 7
martial array, he praised her yaloor and conduct, and bestowed jewels upon her to the valne of 10,000 rupees.
On the other hand, Prince Bayazfd, after punishing the men who fled from the field of battle, sent for another army, and two or three great nobles were despatched to his assistance with large reinforcements. When these had all joined, they made an inroad upon Ahmad Eh&n's territory, and he, after many battles, was at last taken prisoner and put to death, while his country was sequestered and included in the Imperial domain. B&yazid returned yictorious to the court of Sult&n Bahlol, by whom he was received with royal benignity.
The reign of Sultdn IbrdMm LodL
Some historians relate that when Sikandar died, he left two sons by one wife : the first, Snlt&n Ibr&him ; the second, Jal&l Eh&n. When Ibr&him grew up, and became celebrated for his personal beauty and excellent disposition, the nobles determined to place him on the throne, to which they accordingly raised him on Thursday, the 7th of Zi-l hijja, a.h. 923 ^ (Nov. 1617). On that day, all thosef who were attached to the royal person prepared the tents, embroidered with gold and adorned with jewels, and .spread carpets of various colours, worked with gold thread. They placed the throne of Sikandar, covered with gems of price and jewels of great value, on a coloured carpet. The tributary kings and nobles wore beautiful dresses and embroidered garments, and resembled the flowers blooming in a garden. The horses and elephants were decked with the most magnificent trappings. So splendid a coronation had never been witnessed, and the people consequently long remembered the day on which this fortunate and youthful monarch obtained the crown.
The nobles and pillars of the State then gave Ibr&him's
1 The Makhimt^ A/if hdnimdiTdrikh'iKhdn-JahdnLodiaa.ji]ie Sth of Zi-lka'da, which is doubtten correct, for our author concurs with the other historians in repre- senting that his predeeessor died on the 7th of Zi-l ka*da.
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g AHMAD YADGAR.
brother by the same mother, the title of Sult&n Jal&lu-d din (he had been previously called Jaldl Eh&n), and seat him with many officers and a large army to take charge of the kingdom of Jaunptir. Four months afterwards, ^Azam Ham&yun Lodi ^ and the Kh&n-kh&n&n Farmuli came from their estates to congratulate the King, and took that opportunity of accusing the nobles attending on His Majesty, saying, that it was a great error for two persons to share a kingdom, and that two sovereigns could never rule together. As the poet says :
*' One body cannot cover two souls, Nor one kingdom own two monarohs."
Accordingly, Sult&n Ibr&him cast the agreement which he had made with his brother into the recess of oblivion ; and after taking advice, came to the conclusion that as the Sh&hz&da was not thoroughly established, and had not as yet arrived at the seat of his government, it would be best to vmte and tell him that the Sult&n required his presence to aid him in transacting certain momentous affairs ; that he should come unattended ; and that after they had consulted together, he might return to the seat of his government,*
Haibat Kh&n, the wolf-slayer, who was noted for his extreme cunning, was despatched on this errand, and directed to cajole the Sh&hz&da to return with him. It is said, that walls have ears, and an account of this arrangement had, before this, come to the ears of Jal&lu-d din, so that he was not entrapped by the flattering speeches and attempts at deception which Haibat Kh&n used profusely, and therefore he would not consent to come.
^ There was also an 'Azam Hum&ytin Sarw&ni, whom we shall find afterwards men- tioned under this reign. It was a title, not a name ; and we find B&bar thus speaking of it: <*One of these titles in Hinddst&n is *'Azam Hnm&ytfn,' another is 'Kh&u Jah&n/ another < Eh&n-kh&n&n/ The title of Fath Eh&n's father was <'Azam Ham&y6n.' As I saw no propriety in any one's bearing this title except Hnm&ydn himself, I abolished it, and bestowed that of < £h&n Jah&n ' on Fath Eh&n Sarw6ni." — Memoir8j p. 844.
' The Tdrikh»i Khdn-Jahdn adds, that the nobles were determined to keep np this agitation for their own sakes, *'as they neyer considered it oonyenient that publio affairs should be under the restraint of one absolute monarch."
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TARrXH-I SALATIN-I AFAGHANA. 9
Haibat Elh&n reported his unsuccessftil mission, and the King then sent divers other courtiers ; these were also unsuccessful, as the Sh&hz&da steadily refused to go with them.^ After this, the Sultdn wrote /artndns containing expressions of kindness and goodwill to all the nobles Skudjdgirddra of the sdba of Jaunp6r, and promised them munificent rewards if they would forsake their allegiance to Jal&l Eh&n, and refuse to treat him as their ruler. He sent secretly a confidential servant to certain of the nobles, bearing dresses of honour, horses, etc., and commanded them, on the receipt of this farmdn^ to renounce allegiance to Jal&l Eh&n.
As it was decreed by &te, that Jal&la-d dm should not reign, many of the grandees deserted him, and became his enemies. At this period Sh&hz&da Jal&l Eh&n, having set up a jewelled throne, and covered the doors and walls of his palace with brocade, sat there in state on the 15th of Zi-1 hijja, 923 a.h. (Dec. 1517). He gave audience to the servants of the State, the courtiers and the soldiers, to all of whom he presented dresses of honour, swords,
^ These Gircmnstanoes will be found differently related by Firishta. See Briggs, Tol. L, p. 690. Sikandar Lodi dying at Agra, his son Ibr&hlm succeeded to the throne. At a yery early period, contrary to the custom of his father and grand* Iklher, he made no distinction among his officers, whether of his own tribe or other- wise, and said publicly, that Irings should hare no relations or clansmen, but that aU should be considered as subjects and serrants of the State ; and the Afgh&n chiefs, who had hitherto been allowed to sit in the presence, were constrained to stand in front of the throne, with their hands crossed before them. Shortly after his accession a conspiracy was formed by the Lodf chiefe, by whom it was agreed to leaye Ibr&hlm in quiet possession of Dehll and a few dependent provinces, and to raise the Prince Jal&l Kh&n, his brother, to the throne at Jaunptir. The Prince, accordingly, march- ing from K&lpl in conjunction with the disaffected chieft, ascended the throne of Jaunp6r. He appointed his cousin, Fath Eh&n, his wagir, who gained oyer all the officers of the eastern proYinces to his interest Kh&n Jah&n Loh&nT was at this time proceeding from Baprl to congratulate Ibr&him on his accession ; when, falling in with the disaffected nobles, he blamed them severely for causing divisions in the kingdom, which, he said, would be attended with fatal consequences to the family of Lodi. The chiefs, admitting the impropriety of their conduct, determined, as the Prince Jal&l Kh6n could not be yet well established, to divest him of his newly- assumed dignity ; and accordingly they sent Haibat £h6n Jalw&nf, with letters, to recsdl him before he reached JaonptSr. Haibat Eh&n, however, having overacted his part, the Prince Jal&l Khftn suspected some plot, and excused himself from coming. The ehieft, unaware tiiat he suspected thom, deputed Shaikh Muhammad Farmull and odiera to enforce their request ; but the Prince proceeded to Jaunpfir.
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girdles, daggers, horses, elephants, titles, and honours, according to their respective ranks. Having thus gained the good opinion of the people, he opened the gates of charity to the poor and needy, and increased their allowances; and having thus established his authority, he ceased to obey Sult&n Ibr&him, and caused the khutba to be read and coin to be struck in his own name. When he felt himself sufficiently powerful, he sent confidential agents to 'Azam Hum&ylin, who was at that time besieging the fort of E&linjar,^ and wrote to him, saying, ''You are in the place of my father and uncle, and are well aware that the compact has not been broken by me. Sult&n Ibr&him, of his own accord, gave me a portion of the inheritance which our &ther left, because I was his own brother, the son of the same mother. He has broken the phial of the con- nexion which we derived from our parent's womb with the stone of unkindness. You ought to protect and help me because I am oppressed.**^ Previous to this ^Azam Hum&yun had been ill-disposed towards Sult&n Ibr&him. He was moved by the supplications of Jal&l Eh&n, and raised the siege of the fort. He entered into a treaty and compact with Jal&lu-d din, and told him that he ought first to obtain possession of Jaunpdr, and then see what was best to be done. He then advanced towards Oudh by an uninterrupted succession of marches. The governor of that place, finding himself unable to contend with him, fled towards Karra, and sent information of what was passing to Sult&n Ibrahim, who wished to start immediately with some picked men for the purpose of repressing the disturbance. By the advice of certain of the nobles, he confined four of his brothers in the fort of Hansi, and entrusted them to the charge of Muhammad Kh&n with 500 horse. He, moreover, summoned
1 So says the Tdrihh^ Lditdl (MS. p. 144) ; but the Makhum-i Afghdni (MS. p. 126) and the Tirikh-i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi (MS. p. 140) say <<Gwftli&r." Bom (p. 71) erroneously translateB ** held the fort of Gualyar," instead of ** besieged." The two last authorities also mention that Jalidu-d din was advancing in foroe against 'Ajtam Hum&yiin, when he sent his conciliatory message ; that he despised the mere kingdom of Jaunpfir; and, aspiring to a higher dominion, had proclaimed himself at K6lpi as he rival of hisbrotheri and the claimant of the whole empire.
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all the nobles into hia private apartment, and gained them to bis side bj making them presents in gold, and giving them titles and dignities; after which he ordered the bakhshia to issue arrears of pay to the army, and give them one month^s gratuity. On Thursday, the 24th of Zf-1 hijja, he proceeded in the direc- tion of Jaunp6r by nninterrupted marches, and on arrival at Bhuig&nw received intelligence that 'Azam Hum&ynn and his son Fath Kh&n had forsaken Sult£n Jal&lu-d din, and were on their way to pay their respects. The Sult&n was delighted at this news, and caused his army to halt, in order that he might make due preparations for their reception. On the day fixed for ^Azam Hum&yun's coming, Ibr&him sent a large concourse of his principal chieftains to meet him ; and when he made his obeisance, his head was exalted by the many marks which he received of the royal fevour. The Sult4n also pre- sented khiVaU of cloth of gold, girdles, jewelled daggers, and some of his most valuable elephants to 'Azam Hum&yiln, whom he rendered grateful by these attentions. Meanwhile he ap- pointed some of the principal nobles to conduct the war against Jal&lu-d din, and furnished them with a large army, war elephants, and all other needful equipments. Jal&lu-d din had marched towards Agra with a large army, consisting of 30,000 horsemen, besides many elephants ; leaving some of his partisans in E&lp{, to which place Sult&n Ibr&him laid siege, and took it after a short resistance, and gave it over to plunder.^ After this, when he heard that his brother had gone towards Agra with a strong force, he sent Malik Adam Ghakkar ^ to protect that place, which he ae<K)rdingly reached with all expedition. Jal&lu-d din wished to treat Agra as the Sult&n had done E&Ipi ; but Malik Adam contrived to deceive and amuse him until he had sent for further assistance, and given Sult&n Ibr&him notice of what was passing. The Sult&n despatched 18,000 horsemen and 50 elephants to the assistance of the Malik, whose heart was so
1 See the Extracts f^m tlie Tdrikh^i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi. » [Here written "Kfekar." See Vol. IV., p. 493 ]
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strengthened that, he sent to Jalalu-d din, to say, that if hd woald relinquish all claim to the empire, and would put aside the umbrella, the djtdbgir, the naubaty the kettle-drum, and other insignia of royalty, and would promise to conduct himself as one of the umard^ he (Malik Adam) would use his interest in his behalf, and would obtain for him the aiiba of K&IpI on the same terms as he formerly held it.
Sultdn Jal&lu-d din, led by his evil destiny, which had unfitted him for the charge of a kingdom, although he possessed 30,000 brave horsemen and 160 war elephants, acted like a coward, and agreed to these conditions. All his chiefs said to him, ^* Why are you so weak-hearted P The Sult&n will on no account suffer you to live. We have eaten your salt for ten years; be firm and resolute, and give your &ithful servants an opportunity of showing their devotedness to you. God is the Supreme Disposer of all things. The Sult&n is of a bad disposition. In the end the nobles and troops will side with you.^' Notwithstanding their advice, as Providence had decreed his ruin, Jal&lu-d din was satisfied with the terms, and left off using the insignia of royalty. He sent Malik Adam Ghakkar to the King, to beg him to grant him other jdgirs; but the Sult&n (who was then at Et&wa) would not agree to do so, and sought means to get rid of him. When Jal&lu-d din heard of his intentions, he took refuge with the B&j& of Gw&lior, and his old soldiers dispersed^ Sult&n Ibr&him took up his abode at Agra, and many nobles who had been hostile to him came and tendered their submission. Karimd&d Kh&n T&gh, with others of the umardy were sent to take charge of Dehli. Meanwhile, the army of the Sult&n besieged Gw&lior, and ^Azam Hum&ydn was sent to take the command. Sult&n Jal&lu-d din accordingly left that place, and retired to M&lwd; where, not being well received by the Sult&n Mahmdd, he fled to Garra-Kantak, where he fell into the hands of the Gonds, who seized him, and with a view to gain the good- will of the Sult&n, sent their captive to him. The Sult&n rejoiced at this intelligence, and caused all his
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court to assemble. Salt&n Jal&Iu-d din was brought hand-bound into this assembly, after which he was sent to the fort of H&nsi. Whilst he was en route to that place, Ahmad Kh&n was sent after him, and administered the draught of martyrdom.
After these eyents, the Sult&n ruled the country without fear, and without admitting a partner to share his empire. The Biji of Gwfilior, who had been his enemy for years, having departed to the infernal regions,^ was succeeded by his son, Bikram&jit, The Sult&n, after a long war, wrested the fort from him ; and taking down the copper bull,' out of whose mouth a voice issued, from its place over the gate, brought it to the fort of Agra, where it remained until the time of the Emperor Akbar, who caused it to be melted down for the pur- pose of making cannon.
When the Sult&n had conquered Gw&lior,' he went to Dehli, and waxed very proud, so that he began to maltreat and punish the nobles of his fitther, many of whom held him in great awe. He imprisoned some of them, and throwing Mi&n Bhua into chains, who had been the most powerful and independent grandee
^ This mode of ezprenion, howerer oommon, Boonds more than usually migraciouB and intolerant in this particular instance, as the Makhzan-i Afghdni (MS., p. 130), and Tdrikk-i Khdn^ahdn Zodi (MS., p. 144), represent B&j& M&n as only ex- temaUy a Hind(i, and in heart inclined towards Isl&m.
* AU the other authorities represent that it was a hrazen hull, and though they pronounce it to have heen worshipped hy the Hindds, mention nothing ahout the Toioe. They say also that it was transferred to the Baghd&d gate of Dehli, where Nufimu-d d(n Ahmad tells us he himself saw it in Akhar's time. *Abdu-l K&dir, howerer, says that it was remored from Dehlf to Fathp<)r, where he saw it. — See Extracts from the TdHkh-i Baddimi, We can perhaps reconcile this hy the Tdrikh-i Khdn-Jahdn Zodi, whose author (MS., p. 144) says he saw it at DehU hefore 099, when it was melted down for bell-metal. It was taken from an out- work of Gw&lior, constructed by R&j& M&n, called B&dalgarh, which exists to the present day under the same name. According to the TdrikK^i Ddudi (MS., p. 160), fifcdalgarh was captured by the application of gunpowder, similar to the mode in which we took GhaznL
> This boasted capture of Gw&lior appears to haye extended to nothing more than its lower outwork, B&dalgarh ; but Firishta adds : ^ The King now receiving advices of the reduction of Gw&lior, which had been for a hundred years in the hands of the Hindiis, he had Idsure to turn his thoughts to the insurrection at Earra. *Azam Hum&y6n and Sa'id Eh&n, after the fiiU of Gw&lior, were permitted to go to their Jdgin, from whence, uniting with Isl&m £h&n, they added strength to his power." — BriggB, ToL L, p. 695.
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of the empire, and the absolute minister of Sult&n Sikandar, his &ther, during a period of twenty-eight years, gave him over to the charge of Malik Adam Gbakkar.^ Certain nobles, who were envious of the Mi&n, counselled the King to erect a building with a subterranean chamber beneath it. When two months had elapsed, and the chamber was thoroughly dry, they filled it with bags of gunpowder. They then procured the release of Mi&n Bhtia and certain other nobles against whom they were plotting, gave them dresses of honour, and money, and treated them with such kindness that they banished all apprehension from their minds. One day the King said to them, ^' IsUm Eh&n was raised from the dust, and kindly treated by Sult&n Sikandar ; but he has since become apprehensive, and has rebelled and proclaimed open enmity. I pray you now to retire to the new house which I have built, sit there and deliberate amongst yourselves what course I ought to follow. I have such confidence in you that I am certain the conclusion you come to will be of benefit to me.'' They went unsuspiciously to the place, and commenced their consultation. Suddenly the whole place was blown up, and Mi&n Bhtia and all who were there present were scattered as leaves of trees by a gale of wind.*
Many nobles became aware of the Ejng's fickle disposition, and raised the standard of opposition. Isl&m Kh&n^ threw off
^ The reason of this estrangement and degradation is said in the Tdrtkh-i Khdn- Jahdn Lodi (MS., p. 142), to have been, that the accession of old age, and consequent infirmity of Umbs and sight, rendered him unfit for the daties of his judicial office ; besides which he showed an indifference about pleasing the Sult&n, — ample grounds, with such a tyrant, for imprisonment and assassination. — Dieax idem, et Tiberium aeerbis facetiU irridere tolitut^ quarun apud prapotentes in Ionium memoria est, — Tacitus, Ann. v. 2. In these better times, the first offence is visited with a handsome pension, and the second with exclusion from a crowded ball or dull dinner-party.
' This barbarous gunpowder plot is not mentioned by the other historians; but they mention that the Ml&n was imprisoned and deprived of his offices and estates, which were, nevertheless, bestowed upon his son, and that, in the end, he was privately assassinated or poisoned along with some other nobles. The Tdrikh-i Ddudi, which is generally in accordance with our author, contradicts itself; in one place remarking that he died in prison (MS., p. 151) in another, that he was murdered (p. 171).
* The I^rikh'i Ldkdl (MS., p. 152), says that he possessed himself of his father 'Azam Hum&ydn*s army and camp-equipage. The Tdrikh-i Khdn^Jahdn Zodi adda
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the mask of obedience in ^ra, and began to assemble an army. When the Sult&n heard this, he wished to send troops against him ; bat, saddenly, several grandees left Dehli, and went over to Islim E3i&n, and the insurrection was thus rendered more formidable. The Sult&n appointed others of the umardy who proceeded towards Lucknow, near which place they were at- tacked by Ikbfil Kh&n, of the tribe of 'Azam Hum&ytin, with 5000 horsemen.^ Many men were slain, and the Kings's army defeated.
When this news reached him, he despatched another army, and directed that the insurgent nobles should first be subdued, and that afterwards steps should be taken to overcome Ikb&l Eh&n. The army of Isl&m Kh&n amounted to nearly 40,000 horsemen,' ready for action. Shaikh B&jd tried to induce the rebels to submit. They replied that they would do so if 'Azam Hum&ydn were released from prison. The Sult&n, on a reference made to him^ would not consent to this,' and when all was ready for war such fighting took place as had never been witnessed. Three or four thousand soldiers fell on both sides,^ and streams of blood flowed. At last, a soldier of the Sult&n's, who was an inhabitant of K&bul, facing Isl&m Kh&n, discharged his match-
(MS., p. 146), that he vas jdgirddr of Karra Maoikpiir, and that when he heard of hif father's imprisonment, he not only seized all his property, hut defeated Ahmad Kh&n, who had been sent to supersede him.
^ From an ambuscade, say all the other historians. This occurred at B&ngarmau, near Eanaaj.
> This is doubtless an error. The Tdrikh-i Ddudi (MS., p. 153) says 40,000 honemen and 500 elephants, and so does the Makhxan-i Afghdni (MS., p. 133) ; but Dom, in hii translation (p. 75), has the same reading as Ahmad Y&dg&r. The two latter represent the Sultin's horse as numbering 50,000.
s The Tdrikh'i Dditdi (MS., p. 153) says he summoned the royal army from the Ma of Bih&r, and that the action took place after their junction. This is confirmed by Ni£&mn*d din Ahmad. The rebels must have been guilty of extraordinary supine* neis to have admitted this.
* The Makksan-i Afghdni (MS., p. 135) says, **¥ot many years such a san- gninary action had not occurred in Hinddst&n, and old men used to say that no such fight had taken place in their time. Brother against brother, and father against son, urged by mutual rivalry and inborn bravery, mixed in the conflict ; and restrain- ing their hands from long arrow and spear, they contended only with dagger, sword, and knife. In that battle 10,000 gallant Afgh&ns fell on both sides."
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16 AHMAD YADGAB.
lock at him, and struck him in the forehead, when he fell to the earth. This caused the rebels to disperse, and the King's army, taking advantage of the panic, attacked them. Thus the only reward which Isl&m fih&n met with for his rebellion and in- gratitude was death, while Sa^fd Kh&n and others were made prisoners. The rebel forces were utterly routed, and the insur- rection suppressed. When the King learnt this, he was much pleased, and behaved towards the army, which had fought so well and loyally for him, with the greatest kindness ; but he did not forget the malice of the nobles.
At this period an army was prepared for the purpose of at- tacking B&n& Sankd.^ Mf&n Husain Kh&n Zarbakhsh, Mi&n Kh&n-kh&n&n Farmuli, and Mi&n MaVuf,' who were the chief commanders in the army of Sult&n Sikandar, and whom he had distinguished beyond all others by associating ¥ri[th them, and increasing their rank and preferments, — who were the bravest mdn of the age, and could have instructed even Bustam in the art of war, — and who during the reign of the deceased Sult&n had fought many battles and taken many castles ; — these generals the Sult&n placed under Mi&n M&khan, the commander-in-chief of this expedition.' When they arrived in the R&na's country, the Sult&n wrote, ordering Mi&n M&khan to seize Mi&n Husain Kh&n and Mi&n Ma'ruf Kh&n in the best way he could, and send them prisoners to him. M&khan Kh&n went to the tent of Ma'rtif Kh&n, under the pretence of condoling with him for the loss of his son, notwithstanding he had died two months previously. Mi&n Husain Kh&n was informed of this, and went speedily thither, and told Mi&n M&khan that he had better forego his intention of imprisoning Mi&n MaVuf, and that he had better rise and depart in safety, remarking that the King had
^ This expedition is not mentioned in the other histories except the WdhCdt^i 'Muahtdki (MS., p. 117), and the Tdrikh-i JMUi (MS., p. 166).
' A few particulars will he found respecting this officer in an extract from the WdkCdt'i Mushtdki, showing him to he a sanctimonious and ohstinate old Pharisee. (See Vol. IV., p. 648.)
3 The Tdrikh-i Ddidi represents that this was of itself subjecting them to great indignity.
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gone mad. M&khan upon this remonstrance departed, and sent intelligence of the circumstances to the Salt&n, who replied by inquiring why he went to people^s tents, and ordering him to raise a large tent in the plain, and send information to the chiefs that a Tojdl/armdn had arrived, and that they must come and hear its contents. Mi&n M&khan was commanded to seize Husain Kh4n first, and he obeyed these orders. When the chiefs were assembled, Mi£n Husain came, bringing with him a thousand men clothed in chain armour, which was concealed by white clothing. He directed them to keep strict watch outside when he entered the tent. Mian M&khan had caused another tent to be erected near the first, in which he had placed a thousand soldiers, with orders, when Ma'ruf Kh&n approached, to lay hands first on Husain £h&n. When Husain Kh&n arrived near the tent, he was told that soldiers were concealed in it for the parpose of seizing him and MaVuf Kh&n. When Mian Husain Khan reached it, he ordered his men to undo the ropes of the tent in which Mi&n M&khan's soldiers were placed in ambush, and consequently the tent fell on them.^ He then went into the other tent, and requested Mi&n M&khan to read the farmdn. Mi&n M&khan said, '* It is contrary to orders to read it after this fashion.'' Mi&n Husain Kh&n replied, *' I am fully aware that the object of these troops and this farmdn is to take away my life, and I am not going to yield it to any such worthless contrivance." He then took the hand of Mian Ma'rdf and went out.
When Mi&n Husain saw that there was no escape from the King'^s injustice, he determined to send his vakil to the B&n& to inform him of his coming. The B&n& was at first fearful and suspicious of Husain Kh&n, of whose renown he had heard. He ¥ras afraid that he meditated some stratagem. After entering into a compact, Mi&n Husain went to the B&n& with a thousand
1 The TUHkh'i Ddiidi sajrs, << When the ropes were cut, the tent fell down and exposed them to riew."
VOL. T. 2
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18 AHMAD TAD6AE.
horsemen, and the Il&n& sent his own nephew to meet him. After which they had an interview.
On account of the departure of Husain Eh&n, Mi&n M&khan, notwithstanding that he had with him 30,000 horsemen and 800 gigantic elephants, was much discouraged. The day after he put his army in battle array, for the purpose of attacking the B&n&. The B&n&, together with Mi&n Husain Kh&n, advanced against him with an innumerable army, and the elephants of Husain Eh&n were recognized amongst them. Mf&n Makhan sent a message to Mi&n Ma'ruf, saying, '^You and Husain Khan are great friends. He is now in rebellion, and has joined the Sult&n's enemies ; what is the good of your remaining with usp'' Ma'ruf replied, '' I have eaten the salt of Sult&n Bahlol and his offspring for thirty years ; and I was chief commander of the array during the reign of Sult&n Sikaudar. The fort of Jiind was captured through my skill. I slew the Il&j& of Nagarkot; and that stone, which the Hindus had worshipped for 3000 years, I exposed to be trodden under foot by all the people. From the period of the revelation of Isl&m to the present day, many noble monarchs, who fancied that they re- sembled Faridun and Sikandar, and who vanquished the world, were unable even so much as to besiege that fort ; yet it yielded to my prowess. I brought seven mans of gold from the R&j& of Bih&r. Since King Ibr&him's accession to the throne all sorts of upstarts have arisen, who accuse me of being faith- less and rebellious. Even now I am ready to undertake any duty that may be assigned, and will not flinch from its performance.'*'
Whilst this was going on, information was brought of the arrival of the R&n&'s troops, whereupon M&khan arranged his army. He placed Sa'id Kh&n Furat and H&ji Khin with 7000 horsemen on the right ; and Daulat Khan, AU&h-d&d Kh&n, and Yusuf Kh&n on the left; whilst Mi&n M&khan himself com- manded the advance. Mi&n Husain, although much vexed with Midn Mikhan, did not present himself, on account of his having
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eaten the salt of the Sult&n.' When hoth parties were prepared for action, the Hindus advaoeed most valiantly, and succeeded in defeating the armj of the Sult&n. Many brave and worthy men were made martyrs, and the others were scattered ; whilst Mian M&khan returned to the place from which he had set forth. During the evening, Mi&n Husain Khin sent a message to M(&n M&khan, saying, *' Now you have learnt what men of one heart are. It is a hundred pities that 30,000 horsemen should have been defeated by so few Hindtis. Now yon may learn what deeds the remembrance of past favours will induce vassals to perform when they are united heart and soul. Send Mi&n Ma^rtif duly prepared for action to me at midnight.^' He also wrote to Mi&n Ma'ruf, to tell him that '^ they had both seen how fit Mi&n M&khan was to command, and that now it was proper that they should recollect what they owed the Snlt&n, although he did not treat his good servants as he ought ; otherwise people would say, ' You ate the salt of Sultdn Sikandar for thirty years, and were numbered amongst his chiefs, never- theless you were ungrateful enough to side with his foes.'"
Accordingly Mi&n Ma'ruf, accompanied by 6000 horsemen, left his camp, and halted at the distance of two koa from Mi&n Husain, which chief, on receiving intelligence of his arrival, came and joined him. The army of the B&n&, flushed with their success, were rejoicing and amusing themselves, and the angel of death was smiling at their heedlessness, when suddenly the sound of horns and kettle-drums withdrew the cotton from the ears of their senses, and tfie B&jput chieftains were dismayed. The Afgh&ns rushed on them sword in hand, and commenced a promiscuous slaughter; the R&n& was wounded, but contrived to escape with some of his men, — the rest were put to the sword. In the morning this news was brought to Mi&n M&khan, and he was ashamed.
1 This is not confirmed by the Tdrikh'i Ddiidi, whicli, on the contrary, sayB that he led the R6n&*8 troops, and partaed Mi&n M&khan as far as Bay&na, and so alarmed the Snlt&n hinuelf, that he adyanced from Agra to the river.
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Mian B&yazfd, tUe son of ^At& Lodi, who was the bakhshi of the army, and a connexion of Mi&n Husain Eh&n, wrote to the King announcing the victory which Mi&n Husain Eh&n and Mi&n Ma'rdf had gained, after which Miin Husain Kh&n sent fifteen of the elephants and 300 of the horses of the B&n& to Dehli. The Sult&n was much pleased at this success ; he cansed the kettlo-drums to be beaten loudly, and sent khiVata^ girdles, daggers, two yaluable elephants, and four horses, to Mi&n Husain and Mi&n MaVuf. He also caused a farmdn to be written, in which he loaded both of them with a hundred expressions of favour and good-will.^
About this time 'Aeam Hum&ydn, one of the chief nobles, who, together with his sons, held a manscA of 12,000, was sent to reduce the fort of Gw&lior. When he reached that district, his skill and activity soon made him master of several |>ar^ana«. He besieged the fort of Qw&lior, and dug trenches in which he sheltered his men whilst he made his approaches, and distributed the several batteries amongst his officers. He projected fiery missiles, or shells, into the fort, and the Hindds filled bags with cotton steeped in oil, which they ignited and threw down upon the enemy. Many men were consamed on both sides. The Sult&n's troops brought forward their artillery, and fired their balls with such effect that the defenders of the fort were unable to move to and fro in its interior, and were at last so much distressed that they were near surrendering. The B&j& had already determined to send seven mans of gold, several pair of elephants, and his daughter to the Sult&n, when, unexpec-
^ As the other historiau lay not a word of the expedition against the B&n&, we learn nothing from them of the hoasted perfidy of the honoured scoundrel Hosain Xh&n ; and in the WdkCdt-i Mushtdkl and the Tdrikh-i DdiuU there is quite a different condnsion of this aff'air, oomprised in a rambling unconnected 8tatemeiit» which is not worth translation or abstract Suffice it to say that, according to both these works, he was, in the end, murdered at Chanderi by order of this Yindictire 8ult4n, who rewarded the assassin with 700 gold pieces, and ten Tillages in tVdm, which is calculated to give us a high idea of the origin of rent-free holdings. AU the authorities agree in the statement of the murder, and of the disgust and alann it inspired.
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'tedlj^ a farmin aniyed, ordering 'Azam Ham&ydn as soon as he received it to proceed to Oonrt.
When ^Azam Hum&yun learned its contents, he raised the siege and prepared to depart. His sons and friends expressed to him their suspicions that the Solt&n intended to take away his life, as he had already done that of other noblemen; and several grandees who were attached to him also advised him not to go. ''Azam Hnm&ydn replied that he had eaten the salt of that &mily for forty years, and had been one of their staonchest adherents, and that if he now forsook them he would be considered ungrateful, and he could not suffer the disgrace of that imputation. Mahmiid Kh&n Lodi and D&fid Eh&n Sarw&n(, who were among the chief grandees, said, '* The Sult&n has lost his senses, he cannot distinguish between those who serve him well and those who serve him ill. You have now 30,000 horse with you. Go to your son's residence, and take measures for the protection of your life, because we are fully convinced that he has sent for you for the purpose of treating you as he did Mi&n Bhua and H&ji Kh&n.^ 'Azam Hum&yun replied, ** I cannot act thns^ I cannot turn aside and blacken my fiioe, let what may happen.^
After this discussion he marched towards BehTi. On the road news reached him that the Sult&n had put to death Mahmud Sarp&ni and Hish&m Kh&n S4h6-khail, two of the principal nobles. D&ud Eh&n and All&h-d&d Kh&n said, "No evil has yet be&llen you; return from this and go to your son at Jaunpur/' '*Azam Hum&y6n said, "You speak truth; his actions are indeed bad: but I cannot act as you suggest/^
As "^Azam Hum&y6n's doom was sealed, he did not pay atten- tion to the warnings of his friends and well-wishers, but continued his march to Dehli. When he approached it, the Sult&n's order arrived, directing him to give up all his horses and elephants. This he had no sooner done, than his whole army became dis- oi^nized. When he was within two ho% of the city, the King'^s cup-bearer, by name Mukhlis, was sent for the purpose of
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22 AHMAD TAD6AB.
depriving him of the command of the armj, treasury, and their appurtenances. Mukhlis was likewise ordered to mount him on a small pony, and bring him into the city, and cast him into a dungeon ; all of which he did, and depriyed him of ^everything. 'Azam Hum&ydn sent to the Sultin to say, ^^ Yon of course will do what pleases you, but I have two things of importance to represent to you : the first is that my son ^ is very turbulently disposed, and that measures should be taken speedily to repress him ; the second, that I may not be prevent^ from obtaining water for my ablutions, and the necessaries for purifying myself after performing the offices of nature.'^' After this he made no further petition^ and at last the Sultin caused this single-minded man to be slain in his prison, and thus destroyed the root of his empire with his own hands. The murder of 'Azam Hum&yun was the first cause of the decline of the kingdom,' for Fath Kh&n, his son, who commanded 10,000 borse^ and was Governor of Bih&r, joined himself, in Bih^, with the son of Dary& Kh&n Loh&nf, Sh&hb&z Eh&n by name. They theiii openly rebelled against the Sultdn, and collected 70,000 horse. Sh&hb&z Eh&n^ assumed the title of Sultdn Muhammad. This insurrection was of a very serious nature, as all Bih&r ceased to obey the Sult&n. At this period, Daulat £h&n Lod(, son of T&tir Kh&a, who
1 That is IsI6m Eh&n.
' The I'drlkh'i Ddvdi (MS., p. 169) transfers the scene of this disgncefnl treat- ment of an old and attached adherent to the more probable locality of Jifgn^ instead of Dehli.
> The Tabahdt'% Akbari and the IHrikh-i Khdn-Jdkdn (MS., p. 148} seem to ascribe an equal effect to the deliberate murder of Husain Eh&n Farmuli.
« The Wdktdt-% MtuhtdJn, the Akbar-ndma, the 8her Shdhl, Ahmad Yltdgftr, and the Memoirs of Bdbar, Btfle him Bih&r Kh&n; bat he is more generally called Bah&dur Eh&n, as in Firishta, the Makhgan-i Afghdni, and in the Tdrikh'% Khdn-Jahdn Zodi, where there is a fuller account of his rebellion. The WdkCdt-i Mushtdki says the khutha was read in hii name for two years and some months (MS. p. 82). In that work will be found still ampler details respecting this insurrection and the subsequent proceedings, which, howeyer, are not of sufficient importance to be translated. There is also a difference about whether the fiither or son first assumed the title -of *^ Sult&n Mi^ammad Sh&h." The Makhtan-i Afghdni, the Tdrikh'i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi, and Tdrikh-% Ddudi, say the father, Dary& Kh&n; Firishta, Ahmad T&dg&r, the Tabakdi-i Akbari, the WdkCdUi Muihtdki, and the Mefnoirs, say the son, fiah&dur Eh&n.
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had long goyerned ihe Panj&b, was sent for from Lahore. He delayed to come, and sent his yonngest son, Dil&war Eh&n, instead. The latter was asked why his father had not come in person. He replied that he wonld come hereafter and bring treasure with him. He was told that if his &ther did not come, he would be seized like the other nobles. The Sult&n then ordered him to be taken to the dungeons, in order that he might see several nobles who were suspended from the waUs. When Dil&war Kh&n witnessed this sight, he was seized with a fit of trembling, and was much alarmed. On his return to the presence, the Snlt&n said, ** You have seen the condition of those who have disobeyed me." Dil&war £h&n prostrated himself. It is said that the Sultan intended to blind him with a red-hot bodkin, and suspend him abo against the wall ; but when Dilawar Eh&n perceived that there was no other means of escaping the Sult&n's severity, he fled from Dehli, and came to his father in six days, and told him that if he did not look to himself^ the Sult&n would put him to death in some cruel manner.
Daulat Eh&n was thrown into a deep meditation. He reflected that if he rebelled he would be accused of ingratitude ; and that if he fell into the clutches of the Sult&n's wrath, he would not escape alive. At last he determined to place himself under allegiance to some other sovereign. He accordingly sent Dil&- war Eh&n to B&bar Sh&h, in order that he might make known to him, in detail, the evil disposition of the Sult&n, the discord which existed amongst the nobles, and the disgust of the army, and beg him to invade Hindust&n.^
Dil&war Kh&n went with all expedition, and reached E&bul In ten days. He intimated to those who stood at the foot of the throne that an Afgh&n, who had been oppressed by his sovereign, had come fi:x)m Hindust&n, and wished to speak to the King. The order was given for his admission. He went as a suppli- cant, and explained, in detail, the distressed state of Hindustan.
1 Thfise and the Babseqneiii eyenis will be found differentlj recounted in the extiBctB from the Tdrikh^i Khdn-Jahdn LodL
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24 AHMAD YKDQKR.
Babar said, '^ Yon have eaten the salt of Solt&n Ibr&him and of his father and grandfather for thirty years, and your grandfather and father have held high posts for the last twenty years ; how is it that you have thus all at once forsaken him and sought this court P " Dil&war Kh&n replied, " For forty years my grand- father and father have risked their lives in his service, and strengthened his throne. But Sultin Ibr&him maltreats his &ther''s nobles, and has put twenty-three of them, the supporters of his kingdom, to dei^th, without any cause, and ruined their families. He has suspended some from walls, and has caused others to be burned alive. When many of the nobles saw that they could hope for no safety from him, they sent me to your presence. They are all ready to obey you, and they look with anxiety for your coming.^
At that period the marriage of Mirz& K&mr&n was celebrated with princely magnificence in the King's garden. • • ♦ When the bridal ceremonies had been completed in a manner satis- factory to his benevolent intentions, the King passed the whole of that night in the garden. When day dawned, he repeated his prayers to the Great Disposer of all things, and stretching forth the hand of supplication, said, *^ O God 1 if the govern- ment of Hindust&n is destined to be given to me and mine, let these productions of Hind be brought presently before me, betel-leaves and mangoes, and I shall accept them as an omen.''
It so happened that when the mango season was approaching, Daulat Kh&n had sent half-ripe mangoes preserved in pots of honey, and betel-leaves, by the hand of Ahmad Kh&n. The King was told that Ahmad Kh&n, the ambassador of Daulat Kh&n, desired an audience. Dil&war took the offerings into the royal presence, and displayed them. When B&bar's eyes fell on the fruit, he arose from his throne, and prostrated himself before the Almighty, who, he was persuaded, of His boundless generosity, had granted him the sovereignty of Hind. He gave a horse and khil'at to both Dil&war Kb&n and Ahmad Kh&n, and entrusted to them ten 'Ir&ki horses, and some pieces of fine linen for
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TARrSH.I SAUCrXN'I AFAGHANA. 25
Danlat Kh&n ; and then directed Ahmad Elh&n to precede him with these articles.^
From that day he prepared for the invasion of Hinduat&n, and despatched Jahingir Euli Eh&n, with 2000 Mughal horsemen^ to take precautions for securing the roads and ferries, and for the collection of timber for the purpose of making boats.
On Wednesday, 2nd Shaww&l, a.h. 932 (July, 1626 a.d.)i he set forth as a mighty monarch should, and marched to Pesh'&war, which city he plundered. When the royal army advanced from thence, Daulat Elh&n came to pay his respects to the King, and presented 10,000 gold ashrafU and twenty elephants. When B&bar left E&bul, he had only 2000 Mughals with him.' But after his agreement with Daulat Kh&n, he ordered fresh troops to be enlisted ; and by the time he reached Lahore he was sur* rounded by a numerous army, and the Panj&b fell into the hands of the Ghaghat&i nobles.
When news reached Sultan Ibr&him, in ^gra, that the Mughals had conquered the Panj&b as far as Lahore, he was thunderstruck, and repented him of having put his faithful servants to death. But what benefit can be derived from water which has fallen down from the head and been spent P B&bar, like a roaring lion, advanced into the field ; while Ibr&him came to Dehli from ^ra, and wrote to Daulat Kh&n, saying, ^* You attained your present rank through my father's kindness ; why have you brought the Mughals into my paternal inheritance^ and made it over to them P I will now make peace with you, and will never molest you or your children. I swear this on the Kur&n. Beflect, and abandon your present absurd project.**^ Daulat Kh&n replied, " It is true that I was reared and raised from the dust, and brought up by Sult&n Sikandar. I passed my
1 The Tdrfkk-i IHUdi (MS. p. 171) Bays that ahont this time Ml&n Bhila was pot to death; that Daulat Kh&n Lodl died; that Sidt&n Muhammad, the Bih6r rehel, ■leo died ; and that ' Alam Kh&n, son of Bahlol, was proclaimed king imder the title of 'Al&n-d din, hy some of the diraffeoted nohles, who soUoited the support of B&har to maintain him in opposition to 8ult&n Ihr&hSm.
' Other anthorities gire the morp probable amount of 10,000.
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26 AHMAD YADGAK.
life in endeayouring to serve him. That monarch (who has found mercy) endured much from his nobles ; he was studious of pleas- ing : and he never endeavoured to put me to death. Whereas, whilst you were yet young, you listened to what two or three insidious advisers said to you, and thus shook your empire to its foundation. You also destroyed several of your Other's servants, the pillars of the kingdom, and put an end to the confidence which others reposed in you. I have not brought the Mughals ; but your own bad actions have.''
When the whole Panj&b, and the country extending as far as Sirhind and His&r Firozah, had fallen into the hands of the Ghaghat&i nobles, they marched towards Dehli.
Sult&n Ibrihtm was in Sonpath, when news arrived that cer- tain grandees, thinking the opportunity a good one, and having heard of the coming of B&bar Sh&h, had besieged Dehli with nearly 40,000 men. On hearing this, the Sult&n again turned his steps towards Dehli, to defeat the rebels, who came to the conclu- sion that it would be improper to fight with the Sult&n during the day, because they would be put to shame on account of the benefits which he had conferred on them ; and that it would be preferable to attack him by night.^
When the night was far spent, they reached the Sultan's army, and in the mean time several chiefs managed to escape from the Sult&n'^s camp and join them. After putting the Sult&n's troops to flight, and compelling the Sult&n to conceal himself^ a portion of the rebel force was scattered tumultuously in search of plun- der. After sunrise, when the Sult&n looked out in the direction of the rebel army, on observing 'Alam Kh&n ' and a few atten-
^ This is ascribing to these slippery and perjured knares finer feelings than they were capable of entertaining. Bfcbar gi^es a mnch more probable reason for the selection of the night: — ^^'The confederates concurred in opinion that if the battle vaa fought in the daytime, the Afgh&ns, from regard to their reputation with their countrymen, would not flee ; but that if the attack was made by night each chief would shift for himself.'' — Memoirsj p. 295. We hare another amusing instance of this facial modesty and timidity ascribed to the townsmen of Agra, at the beginning of Isl&m Sh&h*s reign.
' This was the Sult&n's uncle, who had been proclaimed King under the title of
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TABrKH-I SALAXrN.I AFAGHANA. 27
dants standing near, he ordered his men to attack them ; upon which they all fled away. Thus the rebels derived no benefit from their disloyalty, in spite of their having assembled a force of 40,000 men«
After this, when B&bar heard of the confusion prevailing in the Salt&n's army, he IcA Eam&l, and Snlt&n Ibr&him arrived in pargana Ganaor, and there inquired of the astrologers in order that he might learn from the celestial bodies what was to happen. He inquired on whose side the victory should be. The as- trologers cautiously replied, '*It appears from the motion of the stars that the whole of our horses and elephants have gone over to the Mughal army/' The Sult&n said, ^^ This is a proof that I shall vanquish the Mughals/' They replied, **' So let it be/'
The astrologers, being aware that B&bar would be victorious, deserted th« camp. Amin Eh4n also fled from the same place, and presented himself before B&bar. Whilst these events were going on, Hamid Eh&n, of the Sult&n''s own tribe, was coming to the assistance of the Sult&n with 4000 sawdrsy when he encoun- tered the advance-guard under Prince Muhammad Hum&yun, and a battle began, in which Hamid Eh4n's troops being defeated, many were killed, and the rest dispersed.
On Thursday the Sult&n summoned all his nobles and soldiers, and ordered them to dress themselves in the best clothes they had with them. He caused his embroidered tents and satin canopies to be erected, and all the preparations for a festival to be made. He threw amongst them all the gold, jewels, pearls, and ashra/is -which he possessed, and said, ^'0 friends, to-morrow we shall do battle with the Mughal army. If I gain the victory, I will endeavour to please you ; if I do not, be at least content
'Al&u-d din. The Ahbar-ndma tells us that this action occurred near Hodal, a few miles 8. from Behli ; and that B&bar, after his conquest of Upper India, sent 'Alam £h&n to be confined in a fortress in Badakhshlin, whence he effected his escape ; and after finding refuge amongst the Afgh&ns, fied at last to Gujar&t. His son, T&t&r Kh&n, made himself conspicuous during the reign of Hum&ytin, and was slain at Mandr&il, in 941 h. (1534 A.D.), in an action with the Mughals.
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28 AHMAD YADGAB.
with these presents and my declared intentions/'^ The whole of that day was spent in feasting and rejoicing. On the morrow they made ready for war. Sultdn Ibr&him, on the one side, marched two koa to the west of Pdnipat ; whilst Bdbar, on the other, mounting his horse at the aardi of Garaunda, chose his position two koB in the direction of the east.
The Mughal army was 24,000 strong, and that of Sult&n Ibr&him numbered 50,000 men^ and 2000 war elephants. Bat the entire force of Sult&n Ibr&him was disgusted and yexed with his evil deeds. On Friday, the 4th ^ of Bajab, a.h. 932, Ibr&him being destined to die, the armies were ranged in battle array, facing each other. B&bar advanced, and both parties made ready for action. B&bar ordered the Mughals to be separated into three divisions ; the advanced guard to remain in its place, and the other two to advance and attack the enemy .^ Although the Afgh&n army greatly outnumbered its opponents, yet the soldiers were dispirited and disheartened from the Sultan's ill- treatment, and the nobles were offended. A fierce conflict, never- theless, took place in the plain to the east of P&nipat: so desperate
^ B&bar, however, represents that he was so penurious that lie could not be in- duced to giTe away anything, and was *' beyond measure, avaricious in accumulating pelf."— Jfcwotr* ofBdbar, p. 804. [See VoL IV. of this work, p. 262.]
> Abd-1 Fazl, following fi&bar himself, says 100,000, and elephants 1000. His own army did not amount to more than 12,000 men ; but his artillery seems to have , been very effectively served. The Tdrikh-i Bdiidl (MS. p. 176) says 100,000 cavalry and 1000 elephants ; B&bar*s army being 15,000 horse and foot and a few elephants. The Makhzan-i Jfghdnl (MS. p. 140) rates Ibr&him's army at 100,000 cavalry, a strong force of infantry, and 5000 elephants. The Tdrikh-i Khdn-Jahdn £odi (MS. p. 150) gives the same, adding, however, the important element of "much artillery " —
jLmJ u4;UmJ t —omitted even by Kiz&mu-d dtn Ahmad and Firishta, and noticed in detail only by B&bar himself,
3 This is an error. The TdHkh-i Ldiidi says the 8th ; though in its version of a Hindf quatrain it has the 7th. The Makhtan^i Afghdni and Tdrikh-% Khdn^JoMoH Lodi say the 7th, Firishta the 10th. B&bar is. not quite precise, but signifies that it was either the 7th or 8th, corresponding with April 20th or 2lBt, 1526.
* The original and the Tdrikh-i IktMi (MS. p. 176) say, "The other two divirions to advance from behind the army of the Sult&n aud commence the attack.*' The Tdrikh^i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi and the Makhgan'i Afghdni are equally inoomprehenstUe, as will be seen from Dom's translation, p. 78. fi&bar is, as usual, dear and expIioiL -[See Vol. IV., p. 254.]
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a battle, indeed, had neyer been seen. Manj of the Sult&n's soldiers were killed. He himself was standing with some of his men near him, when Mahmiid Kh&n came forward, and said, '* Onr affairs are in a yerj desperate condition ; you had better leave the field of battle. If the King is saved, it will be easj to find another army, and again make war against the Mughals. We shall soon be able to find an opportunity of accomplishing oar wishes. This is my opinion; but whatever His Majesty thinks is best." The Sult&n replied, ''O Mahmud Kh&n, it is a disgrace for kings to fly from the field of battle. Look here, my nobles, my companions, my well-wishers and friends have partaken of the cup of martyrdom. One has fallen here, another there; where then can I now goP My horse^s legs are dyed with blood up to his chest. Whilst I was King, I governed the empire as I pleased ; now, perfidious Fortune has sided with the Mughals, what pleasure is there in lifeP It is better that I should be like my friends, in the dust and in blood." On saying this, he rushed into the thickest of the fight, with 5000 brave horsemen, who were all that remained to him of his best troops, and slew many of the Mughals. After which, towards the close of the day, he obtained martyrdom.^ He fell on the spot where his tomb now is. When B&bar was informed of his death, he was standing in the rear. He sent Dil&war Kh&n to make inquiries as to the truth of the intelligence. He accordingly went out to the plain where the slain were lying, and beheld that powerful
^ The Makhzan-i Afghdni (MS. 142) adds tlie fbUowing eulogy upon this execrable tyrant : — ^ On erery Friday night an extraordinary number of people are coUected at Idi tomb, and pilgrima present their oblations and prayers in behalf of tiiat falcon of the Empyrean of martyrdom — ^no King before him having attained that dignity, than which none can be more exalted. May God enlighten and grant him rest in FtoadiGe!" Instead of << oblations and prayers," Br. Born (p. 79} translates **the
pOgrims of Narwar and Kanoj," aeading --•ii • ifJ instead of •.•uijjtJj
There could not be a better illustration of the amazing difficulties we haye to contend with in deciphering Oriental manuscripts ; for the words, when deprived of their diacritical points, are almost identical. This should induce a spirit of caution and forbearance in commenting on the errors and lapses of our feUow-labourers in this un- inriting field of literature.
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30 jlHMAD YXDGAE,
Sult&n prostrate in the dust and weltering in bloody the royal crown fallen from his head, the state oanopy also on the ground.'
Dilawar Kh&n returned and related what he had seen. The tender heart of B4bar prompted him to visit the spot. He raised his head from the earth and said, " Honour to your bravery ! " He then commanded brocade to be brought, and sweetmeats to be prepared; and ordered Dil&war Eh&n and Amir £hali& to bathe him and bury him where he had &llen. He also directed that care should be taken of the property of Ibr&him. On the same day 2700 horses, and 1500 elephants, and the royal treasure were brought into B&bar's camp.
The next day he marched thence, and encamped on the western side of the city, from whence he despatched Amir Khalifa, AlUh-d&d Khdn, and Tursam Bah&dur, with 10,000 of the bravest Mughal horsemen, for the purpose of protecting the valuable property and riches which were in the cities of Dehli and Agra.
The Afghdns, after being absolute rulers for seventy years, left their habitations, their goods, and their wealth, and proceeded to Bengal, and a complete dispersion of them ensued.
After making arrangements with regard to the spoil of the Sult&n's camp, B&bar departed for Dehli, where, on his arrival, he took possession of the vacant throne.
1 The author of the I^rikk-i Bdvdl (MS. p. 178) tells ub that he had heard firom a man 120 years old, who had been present in this action, that Sult&n Ibr&hlm, moanted on a black 'Ir&ki horse, and dressed in his royal habiliments, had fled firom the field of battle, and endearoured to cross into the Dofcb at the ferry at Bur&na; bat not being able, after a long search, to procure a boat, he plunged his horse into the liter, followed by some of his horsemen, of whom some few escaped safe to the other side. The Sult&n himself was drowned in the attempt. All this was witnessed by the narrator* 8 own eyes, for he was standing on the bank of the Jumna looking on. The old narrator may have witnessed this scene, but who — as the sarcastic historLan of the Decline and FaU remarks in a similar instance— who will be witness for the old narrator?
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TAEfKH-I SALATIN-I AFAGHANA. 81
AcdBBNTS AND OcCUBBENCES IN StTLTAN IbBAHIm's BeION.^
Anecdote of a woman who committed three murders in one house.
There was a man in S&mana who gained his livelihood by trading. He was called away from home on business, and en- tmsted the care of his house to a trustworthy individual, between whose habitation and his own there was only a wall. This neighbour, therefore, used frequently to go into the merchant''s house, and assist and advise in all its concerns, and see that matters went on smoothly during the owner's absence. When- eyer he went there, he saw a young man frequently entering. He &ncied at first that the young man must be some connexion of the owner of the dwelling ; but he afterwards reflected that if he were, the house would not have been given into his own charge. He therefore determined to find out all about the youth. He then made a hole in the partition wall, and from time to time looked through it into the next house. One night he saw the young man, dressed in white and scented with perAime, enter the mer* chant's dwelling, place a handsome carpet near the merchant's wife, and spread out upon it sweetmeats, wine, and pan ; after partaking of which, shortly afterwards, they lay down together and indulged in improper familiarities. The woman had a child, which slept in another room, and when it cried she gave it some milk, and then returned to her lover ; but as the child persisted in worrying her with its cries, the woman went and squeezed its throat so that it died, and slept the sleep which knows no waking. After which she again sought the youth's embraces. When a short period had passed, the young man said, '^ Why has not the child cried again for such a long time?" The woman replied, "I have taken steps to prevent it from crying altogether.*' The young man was greatly disturbed, and inquired what she meant. She answered; "I have killed the boy on your account." The
' It is strange that no mention occurs here, or in any other Afgh&n history except the Tdrikh'i BdMi^ of the extraordinary ahundance which prevailed during this irign.— See VoL IV., p. 475.
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32 AHMAD YADGAR.
youth said, ^* 0 creature, who fearest not God, for the sake of » moment's pleasure you have slain the fruit of your own womb ; what confidence can I place in you P ^^ He immediately put on his clothes, with the intention of quitting the place. The woman seized his skirt, saying, ^* It is through you that I hare acted thus, and you cease to lore me ; for Ood's sake do one thing to sare me from shame. Make a hole in the comer of this room in order that I may bury him/^ The youth at last reluctantly consented. She accordingly brought a mattock, and gave it to him, and he dug the hole ; when the woiAan brought the child, and gave it to him to conceal it in the ground. The young man, taken in by the woman's artifice, bent down towards the hole for the purpose of placing the child in it ; and that deceitful woman then raised the mattock with both hands, and struck him so violently on the head, that she split it in two^ and he fell dead into the hole. She covered him over and smoothed down the earth. The neighbour had witnessed all that had happened, and was thunderstruck at the woman^s atrocity. Nevertheless, the woman, feigning the deepest grief, went about, weeping and ex- claiming, "A wolf has eaten my child."
When, after a lapse of some time, Iier husband returned, people came to condole with him ; and they repeated the usual prayers. When they went away, the friendly neighbour said to him, "Come for a short time to my house to dissipate your melancholy.'^ The merchant accordingly accompanied him, and after they had par- taken of food, he related to him the whole history of the deaths of both the child and the young man, and said, " Pretend that you have hidden some gold, and that you want a mattock for the purpose of digging it up.'" He consented to do this, and the woman, much pleased when she heard about the treasure, readily brought the mattock, upon which he immediately began to dig up in the spot which had been indicated. When the woman perceived that her secret would become known, she &stened the door of the room in which the digging was going on with a chain, and set fire to the roof. When the flames burst forth, she
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MEfKH-I SALATrN-I AFAGHANA. 33
began to cry out for her neighbours to come, as her house had caught fire and her husband was burning. By the time they arriyed, the unfortunate man was roasted. The friend had even seen aU this likewise, and haying collected all the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, went with them to the A*o^trd/, and explained what had occurred. On the receipt of this information, they opened the hole, and found the bodies of the youth and child. They then buried this bloody-minded woman up to the middle, in the centre of the bdzdr^ and goaded her with arrows till she died.
Haibat Khdn Cfurg-anddz.
Haibat 'Kh&a was called the wolf-slayer, and had thus obtained the name. One day he went out hunting in the neighbourhood of Bay&na, and made a pleasant party in the Sikandari garden, with Daryd £h&n Sarw&ni, Mahmud Khdn Lodi, and Daulat Kh&n Urmar. While they were seated there, two large wolves carried away some sheep, and the shepherds began to lament loudly. It happened that Haibat Kh&n had gone to perform the offices of nature. The wolves approached him ; he took his bow from a servant, who was in attendance, and as he was a powerful shot, the arrow left the bow, passed through the bodies of both wolves, and stuck in the ground beyond. From that day he received his honorary surname.
At drinking parties he was so liberal that every one wondered. One day Jal&l Eh&n, the brother of Sult&u Ibr&him, said, '' O Haibat Xh&n, I have heard that you are generous when intoxi- cated; if you were so when you are in your senses, I should consider you worthy of praise.'' Haibat Kh&n from that day left off drinking wine, and gave away so much, even with his wits about him, that people were still more astounded ; for he broke up all his gold and silver drinking vessels, and gave even them away.
One day, an inhabitant of Bay&na, by name Mumin, repeated some lines in praise of the Kh&n, and gave them to the minstrels
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to recite in the presence of the exalted Kh&n, on the daj when the nobles assembled at his fSte. Upon the minstrels' recitation of this panegyric, the Kh&n presented the carpet, on which he was that day sitting, to the poet, and 2000 tankas to the min- strels. This will serve, in some degree, to show to what an extent he carried his generosity.
Reign of Sultan Babar.
Historians relate that in the year 932 (15*26 A.D.), Sh&h B&bar, the Conqueror of the World, remained encamped for a week on the battle-field on which he had gained his victory, and made himself master of all the property, elephants, equipages, war- like implements, etc., of Sult&n Ibr&him. He considered that that spot had been a fortunate one to him. He summoned the elders of the city, and gained the goodwill of all by his liberality; and made Sult&n Muhammad Aughuli, who had come to his assistance during that action with great diligence and bravery accompanied by 10,000 horse, governor of P&nipat, and granted him as a gift the revenues due upon one harvest. After which he directed his course towards Dehli, the inhabitants of which city, from dread of the pride and power of the Mughals, had deserted it. He accordingly despatched worthy men of Hindust&n for the purpose of calming the fears of the elders and gentry of the city and its environs, and induce them by promises of the royal favour and liberality to come to the Court of the Protector of the World.
When His Majesty arrived at Sonpath, the chiefs and chaudJiaris of the city, together with the soldiers and bankers and other classes, went to visit him, and were treated with honour and kindness. During the first two months of His Majesty's reign, he behaved to every one with such kindness and generosity, that dread and terror were banished from the hearts of all men, so that they were well disposed towards his government. He remained a month and some days in the neighbourhood of the fort of Indrapat, on the banks of the river Jumna, and reposed
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himself ihere, as it was a pleasant and agreeable spot,^ In the same year, he sent Amir Ehalf& and Amir Euli Beg to ^gra, where the mother and family of Sult&n Ibr&him were; and they went thither by uninterrupted marches. Sult4n Ibr&him's mother sent them a Est of the property, valuaUes, treasures, money, gold and jewelled plate, horses, elephants, camels, tents, male and female slayes of the late king, and entreated him to spare her. Mahmud £h&n, a slave of Sultan Ibr&him, took this list, and read it in the presence of Amir £hali&, who forwarded it to B&bar, and remained himself with his troops to protect the fort and those who were inside it, and at the same time prevent them from quitting it, and taking any of the property away with them.
At this time, news came that some of Ibr&him's nobles had assembled at Jaunpdr, and begun plundering the country. The. Conqueror of the World sent Amir Euli Beg, together with Prince Mirzd K&mr&n, in that direction. When the Afgh&ns received intelligence of the advent of the fortunate prince, they fled towards Patna, and Jaunpur fell into his hands. Mirz& K&mr&n left Amir Euli Beg there with a large army, and then returned to Court ; after which he was ordered into the Panj&b, and Mirzi ^Askari was appointed to the charge of E&bul, and directed to make himself speedily master of Thatta. Muhammad Huro&yun Mirz&, the eldest son of the Eing and heir-apparent, remained with His Majesty.
When the fortunate princes and valiant nobles had thus been established in different places, information reached the Court of the rebellion of Hasan Eh&n Mew&tti and B6n& S&nk&, who had collected a large force in Mew4t. Orders were given for the enlistment of new troops, and Ibr&him's treasures were distri- buted amongst the army. Hasan Eh&n was a man of royal descent from several generations, and his &mily had possessed regal power until the reign of Firoz Sh&h. Bind S&nk&y who was at that time a powerful chief, sent a message to Hasan t ThiB is not at all in accordance with the Memoirs of B&bar.
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Kh&n, saying, "The Mughals have entered Hindust&n, have slain Sult&n Ibr&him, and taken possession of the country ; it is evident that they will likewise send an army against both of us ; if you will side with me, we will be allies, and not suffer them to take possession.^ Hasan Kh&n, carried away by the vanity which the possession of so large a force produced, and by the £&n&'s message, did not send the presents which he had pre- pared for the Sult&n, and the Sing's vakil returned home without accomplishing his purpose. These things came to the King's hearing in Agra, and Mfrz& Hind&l and Muhammad Mahdi Khw&ja, the king's son-in-law, were sent with an immense army, which was shortly afterwards followed by B&bar himself.
When Hasan £h&n was informed of the approach of the vic- torious army, he sent to tell B&n& Sankd of it. Fpon this the B.&n& left his home, and assembled an army of Hindus with the intention of making war. He marched and joined Hasan Kh&n, and prepared for action in the plains near Firozpdr Jharka. Ban& Sivki placed Hasan Kh&n on the right, and took up his own post on the left. As he was secretly displeased with Hasan Kh4n, he determined to ensnare and ruin him. He, therefore, privately sent a vakil to Mirz& Hind&l and £hw&ja Mahdi, to say that he was the slave and obedient servant of the King, and that he consented to the reading of the khutba and the coining of money in His Majesty's name ; that Hasan Kh&n had com- pelled him to go to war, but that he would not fight the royal troops, but retire early; and that they should make arrangements so that Hasan might be either captured or slain, as in the event of his death they would obtwn the country of Mew&t.
When the battle began, and both parties were slaughtering one another, Mahdi Khw&ja attacked Hasan Eh&n, who was unable to contend with him, and after a short engagement took to flight, and his soldiers were scattered all over the countty.
L&d Eh&n, a slave of Hasan Kh&n, having displeased him, joined his brothers, and by their advice behaved with infidelity towards his bene&ctor. When Hasan Kh&n had been forsaken
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bj all his fneDds and followers, and no one remained with him, he arrired at a well, and said to his servant, ^*If yon have any- thing to eat, bring it." He brought some cakes and roast meat, and placed them before him. He had eaten only a few morsels, when a noble of Sh&h B&bar arrived. Hasan Kh&n arose in a state of confusion, with the intention of mounting, when his servant drew his sword on him, wounded him, and threw him into the well ; after which, he seized his horse, and fled. After his flight, Hindu Beg pursued and plundered his army, none of whom attempted to resist. The troops of the Vanquisher of the Universe obtained immense booty in horses, camels, etc., and gained a great victory. That district was entirely subdued, fiom one end to the other, and collectors were appointed in various places. Orders were issued for reading the khutha and coining money, and d^jdgir was bestowed upon the fortunate Sh&hz&da.
One year after His Majesty's accession, M{rz& £&mr&n came from Lahore, and brought many horses and much wealth, which he had taken from the Bhattis and Khokars (Ghakhars), which he presented to the Sult&n. About this time, news arrived from Jaunpur, that Sult&n Muhammad, the Afgh&n, had assumed regal authority in Bih&r, caused money to be struck and the khutba to be read in his own name, and had brought an army against Mirz& Hind&l, who, not being strong enough to resist him, fled from Jaunpur, and was pursued by the troops of Sultan Muhammad. At last, the Mirz& gave him battle, and lost many men. His Majesty appointed Sult&n Junaid Birl&s and Haidar Malik Hdlak to proceed with other Mughals and a Hinddst&ni army. Junaid made two marches in one, and arrived there, and fiiced Sult&n Muhammad. Such fighting took place as no age has witnessed The Afgh&ns were unable to resist the impetuous valour of the Mughals, and were dispersed. Jaunpur again fell to the Sult&n, and an account of the victory, together with the spoil and horses, was sent to the Imperial Court. Sult&n Junaid was directed to remain there, and to send the Mirz& to the
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presence. Junaid behared in saoh a way towards the Afgb&ns that no one sided with theni) and the hearts of the rebeUions Afgh&ns and other disaffected men were filled with terror and dread of him. Mirzd Hind&l was again sent to Kandahar, and in tho second year of His Majesty's reign a beautiM garden was made on the borders of the river Jamna, and pathways were introduced into Hindtist&n for the first time, they not baring been in use before. He passed his time in that garden, in com- pany with Mughal companions and friends, in pleasure and enjoyment and carousing, in the presence of enchanting dancing girls with rosy cheeks, who sang tunes, and displayed their ac- complishments. The Mughals, who had fcr many years desired tlie possession of Hindust&n, at last goyemed it. Mirz& K&mr&n also prepared a splendid garden similar to this in Lahore. Amir Ehalif4, being a person of influence, and possessing the chief authority, managed the goyemment, and his decrees were like those of the Saltan himself.
When the royal affairs had been well and firmly established, and the mandates of the King had spread oyer land and sea like running water, the B&jd of Ghanderi rebelled. Arghdn Kh&n, who was in that province, attacked him. The B&J&, however, plundered on the road the money which was being sent to the royal treasury. The Buler of the Universe sent Arghun Kh&n's brother and Ahmad Sult&n against him with a strong force. The Ghanderi B&j&, being puffed up with vanity on account of the defeat which Arghun Kh&n had sustained, came out of Ghanderi with an army of Hindds, and a battle took place near a village called P&dahar, in which he likewise defeated Arghdn Kh&n's brother, together with his troops, and returned victorious to Ghanderi. After this misfortune, Amir Khalifd received orders to prepare all the royal equipage. When it was ready. His Majesty left ^gra in state, and marched steadily in that direction, having previously despatched Amir Hindti Beg with 6000 gallant horsemen. 'Aliwardt Kh&n Sh&mlu, who was then in M&lw&, received instructions to join Amir Hindu Beg, for the
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porpoae of destroying that infidel. The Bijd of Ohanderl, being very proud of his success, collected his adherrats from all quartera, and appointed his nephew to oppose those two valiant and warlike chieftains« A battle was fought between them on the banks of the riyer Jumna. In the first attadc, the infidels behaTed with such extreme yalour, that many of the men of the army of the King of the World became martyrs. When the two amirs saw that their soldiers were terrified at the Hind^is, they retreated, and took refuge in a garden, and the nephew of Shahrak retired to a garden two koa distant. When the King was told of the defeat of these two amirSy he marched towards the enemy. On the amin being informed of the Kings's arrival, they divided their forces in two on a very dark night, darker than the heart of an oppressor, fell on the infidels, and took their revenge. They killed most of the evil-doers, and made prisoners of the remainder; and so much plunder was taken from that heathen army, that the King's troops obtained sufficient to support them for years. His Majesty marched on towards CSianderi. But when the B&j& heard of the defeat of his brother, he was confounded, because that profligate wretch was a great warrior. Not knowing what else to do, he assembled a body of men, and came to fight the Sult&n. That vanquished one did not know how difficult it is for a gnat to keep its feet when a cold boisterous wind is blowing, or for a sparrow to fly against a hawk. In the very first onset, that dark-faced man was over- thrown, and his army slaughtered. When the chiefs of the B&J& had been trampled on by elephants. His Majesty encamped near Chanderi with much pomp. The warriors of his vanguard, having already taken the fort, made captives of the connexions and family of the Bdji, and despatched them to the foot of the royal throne. His Majesty presented two of the daughters of the B4ji, whose beauty was unrivalled, who had never been exposed to the view of man, or to the hot winds, one to Mirz& K&nr&n, the other to Prince Muhammad Eum&yun, and gave the others to the mrddrs of his army. Afler which he spent
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two months in that place, in country excorsions and hunting, and then returned to Agra.
In the third year His Majesty proceeded towards Lahore, At Sirhind he was met by the R&jk of Kahldr, who presented him seven Mcons and three mans of gold, and was confirmed in the zaminddri of that place. When the Singes camp reached Lahore, M{rz& K&mr&n was honoured by admission to the pre- sence, and he brought the zaminddrs of the country to kiss the feet of the Conqueror of the World. The King's encampment was located in the environs of Lahore, and the royal tents were pitched in the garden of Mirzd £&mrfin, who gave a magnificent banquet, which lasted three days. At its conclusion the £ing left the garden, and took up his abode in the fort. The whole road thither, from the garden to the gate of the city, was lined by the servants of Sh&hz&da £&mr&n, dressed in silk and brocade, decked like bridegrooms ; and the troops, with their gay red and yellow flags, resembling the early spring. Elephants, adorned with gilded trappings, covered with jewels, were led in front of the royal cortege. YlThen they entered the city-gate, money was thrown to the poor and destitute, and a grand enter- tainment was given in the palace of Sikandar Lodi.
The £ing was pleased with the sights and hunting which the Panjab afforded, and he therefore remained there for the space of a year, during which Mirzd Hind&l came from E&bul. He was admitted to the presence, and treated with marked distinction. When the cold season was over, Mirz& Hind&l returned to K&bul, and at the time of his departure he received, as a present from His Majesty, two elephants, four horses, girdles, and jewelled daggers.
On the fourth day of the month of Bajab, the exalted monarch set forth on his return to Xgra. When he reached Sirhind, one of the kdzia of S&m&na complained to him that Mohan Mun- dahir had attacked his estate (imldk) and burned it, plundered all his property, and slain his son. His Majesty, the Con- queror of the World, appointed ^Ali Kuli Hamad&ni, with three thousand horse^ to avenge the injury which the Mund&hir had
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done to the petitioner. '*Ali KvM proceeded against the Tillage of the Mundihire. By chance a marriage was being celebrated amongst the Mond&hirs, when he approached them with the in- tention of attacking them. It being winter-time when the King's troops arriyed there, in the morning, thej were unable to pull their bows, on account of the severe cold. The Mund&hirs, who had just risen from warming themselves before fires in their houses, discharged, such flights of arrows that the soldiers were unable to withstand them. Many fell, and 'AH KuU was unable to effect anything on account of the vigilance of the Eanw&rs. The army retreated into the jangal^ where they collected a quantity of wood, set fire to it, and relieved themselves from the rigour of the weather ; after which, they again assaulted the village, but were again repulsed.
When information of this was conveyed to the King, he sent Tarsam Bah&dur and Naurang Beg, with 6000 cavalry and many elephants. They reached that place one night, when the Mund&hirs were celebrating another marriage, and enjoying themselves. Towards morning the army was divided into three portions : one was sent to the west, and ordered to show itself. When the Mund&hirs, proud of the defeat which 'AH Kuli had sustained, came forward to the attack, according to instructions received, the Boyalist troops turned their backs and fled, followed by the Kanw&rs, until they arrived at the distance of one kos from the village. Tarsam Bah&dur took advantage of this opportunity to attack and set fire to the village, and put all the inhabitants to death. When the Mund&hirs perceived the flames, they ran towards their homes, but were intercepted on their road and attacked by the BoyaHsts, sword in hand. Nearly a thousand of them were killed, and a thousand men, women, and children taken prisoners. The slaughter was great, and there was a heap of severed heads ; and Mohan was taken alive. An account of the conquest of the village was sent to the Sh&h. The village had been fully inhabited for no less than 160 years in ih^pargana of Kaithal; but was then made, and still continues to be, a
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desert, and has never been inhabited again, although 160 years ' have elapsed since its destniction. When the prisoners were brought to Dehli, all the women were given to the Mughals. The oflfending Mund&hir was buried in the earth up to his waist, and then pierced to death with arrows.'
Such was the respect for the army which this produced amongst the people of SEind, that thenceforth no one ventored either to rebel or disobey. After this His Majesty passed two months in hunting and other amusements in the neighbourhood of Debit. He then turned his fitce towards ^gra, and sent Prince Muhammad Hum&ydn, with a large force, into the sitba of Sambhal, and declared him his successor. The following was the cause of his selection. One evening the King was in his cups, and summoned Muhammad Hum&yun. When that offspring of the royal tree came into the presence, His Majesty, overpowered by the wine, had fallen asleep on his pillow. The Sh&hz&da remained there standing, motionless, with his hands joined. When the King awoke from sleep at midnight, he beheld him standing, and said, "When did you comeP*' He replied, " When I received your commands.'^ The King then remem- bered having sent for him, and was much gratified, and said, " If Grod should grant you the throne and crown, do not put your brothers to death, but look sharply after them.**^ The Sh&hz&da bowed down to the ground and acquiesced in all that His Majesty said, so that, notwithstanding that Mfrzfi 'Ask&ri and Mirzi Hind&l treated him a hundred times with disrespect, and even went to war with him, he, nevertheless, when he had vanquished them, ceased to think of their hostile proceedings. Whenever they came before him, he treated them with the greatest affection, and never reminded them of the rancour they displayed towards him. To be brief, Mirzd Hum&yun was sent with a laige army into the aiiba of Sambhal.
> [If this be oorrecty the date of the composition of (his work is later than has been supposed. See wprd, p. 2.]
* It is strange that there should be no mention of this transaction either in the large histories or the Memoirs of B&bar.
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Two or three months after this eyeut, it became evident that His Majestj'^s health fidled him. He was carried to his garden OD the bank of the riyer, and Amir (Khdilfi) Niz&mu-d din pre- scribed for him, and also managed the business of the State. When the King^s sickness increased day by day, and he was convinced that there was now no hope of life, he determined to provide the empire with a ruler, and prevent it from falling into « stranger's hands ; so he confirmed his previous election. His illness at length became so severe at j^gra, that, in the year 937 H., he departed, by the decree of the Almighty, from this earth to heaven, and forsook this thorny world of trouble for the rose*garden of paradise*
The reign of SuUdn lAdaU Sir.
^ After diree days had been devoted to mourning the death of Isl&m Sh&h, on the fourth, his eldest son, Firoz Sh&h, was placed upon the throne, and the chiefs and nobles, in compliance with the will of the deceased monarch, came forward and professed allegiance. They* distributed a donative of two months' pay amongst the soldiers, and issued their orders to the governors of the ^bas. They elected Taj Kh&n Eir&nf to the tcizdrat, and Kutb Kh&n Ni&z(, equally skilful with his pen and sword, was nominated bakhshi.
As Firoz Eh&n was but young, being only twelve years old, and had no experience in matters of government, T&j Kh&n issued whatever orders he chose to the nobles, but he was well- affected to the interests of the state and of his pageant master. Nevertheless, some disaffected nobles did not approve of this arrangement, and afier consulting together, represented to Bibi B&i, the mother of Firoz Eh&n, that T&j Eh&n was a seditious intriguing person, and though he had been raised to high power by Isl&m Sh&h, and was admitted to his intimate friendship, yet
> [Traiislftted bj Sir H. Elliot]
* The tena might also apply to the King, but it seenu meant for the nobles by the context.
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that monarch did not centre all power in him. You have now constituted him absolute minister, and he, already contemplating the acquisition of supreme power, has summoned his brethren, and intends to remove this child from the throne and occupy it himself/' She inquired of them what she ought to do. They replied, *^ Send him to the Ma of M&lw&, to supply the place of Shuj&' Kh&n.''^ After giving the matter a little reflection, Bibi B&i sent him to M^lwi, though he was the prop of her son's empire, and all the other nobles quailed before his presence, and Isl&m Sh&h on his death-bed had expressly consigned the boy to his care.
About a month after T&j Kh&n's departure, Mamrez Eh&n ^ her brother, son of Mi&n Niz&m, brother of Sher Sh&h (who had lived at Bay&na, feigning eccentricity and madness, in order to escape death or blinding under the late reign), thought this a good opportunity of offering his congratulations to his nephew, and, under that pretence, of making away with him and seizing the crown for himself. With this view, he entered into a secret correspondence with some of the nobles whom he brought over to his interests. So after two months,^ he entered Gw&lior with a large army, and, all covered with dust as he was, went direct into the presence of Firoz Kh&n, with the intention of seizing and expelling him. His sister, astonished at seeing him under an aspect different from that under which she had ever beheld him, stood between him and her son, and exclaimed, ^* Mamrez Kh&n, what are you dreaming of P Have you no fear of God before your eyes, that you seek to extinguish my lamp by the blast of violence^ and seat me in the dust of oppression P You also have children. Did I not save you from the hands of Isl&m Sh&h, and is this the reward I am to receive P "
^ This author always calls him bj this name. All others call him Mnhfrris Kh&n.
' It does not say from what time, bat we may presume the death of Isl&m 6h6h. According to other authors, this murder occurs within a week (three days being the general statement) after this erent, and we hear nothing whatever of the ministry of T&j 1Lh6A Kir&ni, or his transfer to M&lw&, and the whole statement is so entirely at variance with others, that we must reject it.
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But all her cries and remonstrances were of no arail, for the wretch severed the child^s head from his body, and thus accumu- lated curses upon himself for erer. After killing Ffroz Kh&n, he came out again from the palace, and, with the consent of two or three of the deyilish nobles who were with him,^ seated himself on the throne. Then were all astonished and perturbed, and a tumult arose in the city.
'Seyen days after the slaughter of Firoz Eh&n, Mamrez Eh&n came to the throne. Before he took possession of it, he caused tents of damask and brocade to be erected in the bdzdr; after which, be seated himself on the throne and assumed the title of ^i^dil Sh&h.^ He opened the treasures of Isl&m Sh&h and Sher Sh&h, and scattered them with an unsparing hand amongst the people, so that they thought little of the murder of Firoz Kh&n.^ As there was no member of Sher Sh&h's family to succeed to the crown, the nobles sided with him, and were honoured with titles and dignities. When, after two months, he found that every one was well inclined towards him, he turned his face towards Ghun&r, where the treasures of Sher Sh&h were. After conciliating the Kanjurs, he came to Gw&lior, and thence led an army himself against Sallm Stir, who had rebelled on the ground of the murder of Firoz Eh&u. When he came into that neighbourhood, Salim Kh&n, finding himself unable to cope with
1 The WdkCdt'i Mwhtdki says that the great fayourites whom he constituted as aheolnte at the beginning of bis reign were Babdr Kb&n Sarw&ni, Ibr&him Kh&n S6r, and Shamsber Kh&n, younger brother of Ehaw6s Eb&n, '* To these three he distributed the public treasure as well as the whole country/' — MS. p. 143. The Ti&r(kh-4 Dditdi says Sbamsher Eh&n and Daulat Kb&n Loh&nl were appointed to the wizdrat (MS., p. 357). Others mention only the former name.
* [From this point to the end the translation is Mr. Mackenzie's.]
* The Makhum»i Afghdni says this name was changed to 'Adalf, which Dom says signifies * foolish.' In one MS. of the work it is said the name was changed into U^adaiy unjust [Firisbta's version of the nick-name is different. He says it was the Hindi audhali, * blind.'] The Wdk^dt-i Mmhtdkl (MS. p. 142) says he was raised to the throne with the title of Sult&n Mahmtfd.
« One instance of this folly is recorded in the MakhMan-i Afghdni and THrikK-i Ddiidi and other works. He used to scatter, amongst other donations, certain em- blematic tokens, worth 500 tankaa each, which were paid, on presentation, to the fDrtmiate holdexa into whose houses they had Men.
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him, fled to the hill conntiyy and was pursued by a laige anny sent after him by 'A!dil Sh&h.
After remaining a month in that place, he despatched an army against the B4j4 of Andrfin. When he arrived in his eoantry, the B&J& went to the fort of Eisht, at the £>ot of which he caused outworks to be erected, which he gare in charge to his chie&. The Hindus made use of 'arddas and mat^aniks^ and placed large cannon on the bastions of the fort, and kept up such constant Tolleys of stones, that a bird would have found it im- possible to flypast. TheAfgh&ns also prepared trenches and batteries and made war; but by no means could they contrive to gain the victory, and they lost many of their men. They cast fiery missiles {hukkahd-i dtiah) into the fort ; while from the inside of the castle the defenders threw bags of cotton steeped in oil and set on fire. By this means many men were burned on both sides, and ^j^dil Sh&h was much distressed at the state of his prospects. He lost men daily during a whole month. At length, one nighty he beheld in a dream a venerable man of brilliant countenance, who said to him, ''You will conquer this fort if you do one thing.^ 'Adil Sh&h said, *^ Darweshea take more interest in the condition of Isl&m than kings do ; you ought not to withhold your prayers from the army of the faithftd, because the Musulm&ns are sorely distressed in this afiair. If I return without gaining the victory, I shall destroy the royal name ; and if I endeavour to obtain possession of the fort, many Musulm&ns will fitU: for this reason my soul is immersed in the river of anxiety.^' The darwesh replied, " There is a shopkeeper in your army whose name is Zankd, who has a daughter, the splendour of whose beauty exceeds that of the sun, and whose ^e puts the roses of the garden to shame ; the locks of her hair ai*e lovelier than the hyacinth : buy her from her father for whatever sum he may ask, dress her in costly garments, deck her with jewels, and send her on horseback in the direction of the desert before the rose of the sun has risen from ' the garden of the east. After which, make ready your army, and attack the fort on all sides.
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T^th the blessing of Gh>d, you will be yictorioiis.^^ After he had said this, the King awoke. In the morning he summoned his confidential ehiefe into his private apartment, and related the dream to them, and made inquiries after the shopkeeper. The kaiwdi searched for him, and brought him to the foot of the throne. Thej satisfied him with presents and money, and received his daughter, whom they dressed in fine clothes and jewels, and sent off to the desert at the time indicated by the darwesA. She had scarcely reached the distance of a bow-shot, when a rosy-cheeked young man, whose beard had not yet begun to grow, came firom the opposite direction ; he had a gilt saddle and jewelled trappings, and rode a cream-coloured horse, and had a gold-worked quiver &stened to his waist, with a tiger's tail hanging firom it, with a regal cap set jauntily on his head, and plumes firom the wings of the H-murgh. That fi^ir girl made him a saldm^ and they both took the road of the desert. The men who accompanied the lady were con- fbnnded at the wonderful and mysterious occurrence which they had witnessed, and were still further astounded, when, in the twinkling of an eye, they both disappeared from their sight. Upon this, they returned, and told what had happened to ^^dil Sh&h, and the wise men of the age who were there present were wonder-struck.
Proclamation was made by beat of drum, that the soldiers should prepare for battle. They advanced against the fort. By the decree of the Most Mighty, such dread had taken possession of the defenders, that they sent a message to the effect, that, ** If D&ud Kh&n would bring a written promise of mercy from the King, the Bajd would give up the fort to His Majesty^s troops, and come to pay his respects.^ D4tid Kh&n sent this message to '^dil Sh&h, who was much astonished, and said, **0 Diud Kh4n, I was put to great annoyance by this fort, because so many of the fi^ithful had fallen and were falling. I could not gain possession of it. I therefore felt inclined to leave it, and return to Gw&lior ; but now I have proved the truth of the
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48 AHMAD TADGAR.
promises of a danvesh. Thank God, he has not misled me. Go and give them mj written promise of mercy/' D4ud Eh&n did as he was directed. The B&j4 came into the presence with his tarban suspended firom his neck, and the fort was vacated. Mach treasure and many fine elephants and horses were pre- sented to 'j^dil Sh&h. The King gave the fort into D4ud Kh&n's charge, and returned thence victorious to Gw&Iior.
When he had reigned two years, and his authority was firmly established, he began to treat the nobles with severity. There was a man named Himun, who was a weighman in the bdzdr^ who had found means to approach the King on different affairs, and in whom he daily reposed more and more confidence. By degrees he became very powerful and influential, so that he managed the business of the State. About this time, Junaid Kh&n, the son of Ahmad Khan, who was governor of Baydna, and his son, the faujddr of Ajmir, rebelled in Ajmir, plundering and spoiling certain parganas of that province, making prisoners of the women and children, and gaining much booty, which he gave to his men. By all which he succeeded in collecting a large force, the motions of which he directed with great expertneaa and address.
'^dil Sh4h had at this time gone to Chun&r ; Jam&l Kh&n, who was in Gw&lior, assembled a force and went out against him with seventeen elephants in his train. A battle was fought at Kanul4pdr, near Lad4nah. The fighting was severe. Junaid Khan overcame Jam41 Kh&n at the first onset, and slew many of his best men. He also obtained much plunder, horses, elephants, etc. When this news reached the King, he was greatly distressed. Himun said, " 0 Lord of the World, if you will trust me with a small force, I will either overcome Junaid Kh&n, or perish in the attempt.^ '^dil Sh&h at first objected to this, on account of the meanness of his origin, but at length he yielded to his solicita- tions, and sent him with 3000 or 4000 horse and four elephants. He set off, and Junaid Kh&n, vain of his victory over Jamd Kh&n, took no notice of him, saying, *^ My grooms will knock
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out hia brains with the pegs to which their horses are fastened/' He then ordered Daalat Kh&n, who was the superintendent of hia stable, to proceed against him with a large army, and enjoined him not to kill Himun, but to bring him alive into the presence. He gaye him leave to depart, and himself went to hunt tigers. How veiy reprehensible is arrogance !
Daalat Eh&u went, after making all his arrangements, and towards the close of day found himself within a ioB of Himun's army. He sent some boastful and foolish messages to Himun, saying, " 0 shopkeeper, why do you meddle with war P Return to your scales and weights." Himun sent no answer, but allowed him to remain in his fancied security. When night came, he called the Afghans, and said, *' Junaid Kh&n, in the first place, defeated our troops, and is vain-glorious on that account; to-morrow, if you behave valiantly, we have every hope of gaining the victory, and you will be praised and honoured by His Majesty.'*^ The Afgh&ns, on hearing this, declared their intention of doing their best in the battle which was about to ensue, saying, that '* Victory was in the hands of God." When the light of the sun parted the curtain of dark- ness, the brave men of both parties mixed together. Providence decreed success to the banners of ^Adil Sh&h. Daulat Kh&n was slain, and his army put to flight. Himdn pursued them for two ho9^ and put many to death ; a portion of them only managed by a thousand devices to save their lives from the swords of the royal troops.
When Junaid Khan was informed of this, his head, which he had lifted to the heavens, was brought low. He ordered his troops to prepare for action, and marched with the intention of fighting. Towards night he arrived close to the army of ^iidil Sh&h, and encamped. After counting his troops, he found that he had with him 8000 cavalry and 3000 foot, whom he had assembled from different quarters, together with ten war- elephants and a numerous artillery. During the night he endeavoured to inftise spirit into his men.
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50 AHMAD TADOAR.
When Himdn saw the large force of the enemy he was dis- turbed, because he had only brought 3000 horsemen with him, and many of his men were wounded. He came to the conclusion that he could not cope with the foe by day. He said, " If you, who are warriors, are of this opinion, which has firm possession of me, we may hope for success.*" All the Afghans said, "Tour opinion is ours." Himun said, *^ I advise a night attack to be made on their army, let what may happen." He then picked out one body of 2500 horsemen, and kept 1000 himself,^ with the intention of attacking the enemy from two different quarters, with kettle-drums sounding, during the last watch of the night, and putting them all to the sword.
With this view he prepared his men for the attack. The enemy remained on the alert during three watches of the night ; but in the last watch they grew negligent, and fell asleep. When they were overpowered by drowsiness, the soldiers of '^dil Shah fell furiously on them on all sides, and awoke them with the sound of drums and trumpets. Himun did not give them time to put on their armour, and the Afgh&ns, sword in hand, passed through their army, slaughtering all they met, and many also fell by the hands of their comrades. They took to flight, and suffered severe loss from His Majesty^s troops.
When Junaid Kh&n saw that he was unsuccessful, he thought himself lucky in being able to save his life, and fled alone to the desert ; all who were not cut to pieces also saved themselves by flight. The spoil which this victory granted by the Almighty yielded, amounted to 200 camels, with daggers and swords in- numerable. A portion of this was given to the army as a reward for its valour, the remainder was forwarded to 'A^dil Sh&h. Himun despatched an account of the victory to His Majesty two days before he set forth himself. He then went to Court, taking the plunder with him, and gave a detailed account of the war and of his victories, and showed the articles of booty one by one
^ Something here defectiye in the arithmetic. He hafl just stated there were only 8000 men in all, and of these many wero disabled.
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to the King. He then stood with folded hands in front of the throne, '^dil Shfih honoured him with a purple khiVat^ the collar and skirt of which were covered with jewels. Himtin said, *^ I am a miserable shopkeeper, and can of myself do nothing. To Your Majesty's good fortune this success is due. But the swords and brarery of these soldiers are the means. Your Majesty should first recompense them." The King praised this speech, and rewarded all those who had distinguished themselyes in the field, by giving them high mamaU and splendid dresses of honour.
On account of this war, Himdn^s power increased greatly. One day, at the time at which the King was in the habit of quitting his private apartments, the nobles were seated in the Darbdr'i *dmm^ ajid Jdgirs were being distributed. Ibr&h{m Khdn, who had married ^i([dil Sh&h's sister, entered, and all the a7)iir8 rose to salute him, with the exception of T&j Khan, one of the chief nobles as well as warriors, who remsuned sitting in his place. Ibr&him Kh4n was vexed at this, and became inimically disposed towards T&j Kh&n. Some days after this, T&j Khdn went to pay his respects to 'i([dil Sh&h. The day was very cloudy, and he was assaulted by an Afgh&n, named Nizdm Eh&n, in the doorway of the audience chamber, which was itself a dark place, independent of the darkness which the clouds occasioned. He was, however, only slightly wounded. Tdj Kh&n attributed this attempt to Ibr&him and "^dil Sh&h. When, after a week or so, his wounds were healed, he made ready his adherents, and advanced from Gw&liorinthe direction of Bengal. Information of this was soon conveyed to '^dil Shdh, who sent a large force to pursue him, and much fighting took place. T&j Kh&n forced his way, sword in hand, and the royal troops returned. After this, Taj Kh&n went t.o Ahmad Kh&n, who was governor of Jaunpdr, and a relation of his. ''Xdil Shah sent sk/armdn^ enjoining him to induce T&j Kh&n to come back, seeing that the cause of his displeasure did not originate with the King, but was entirely owing to his enemies. Ahmad Kh&n
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62 AHMAD TADGAR.
did all he conld to persuade Taj Kh&n, who, however, would not listen to him.^
''j^dil Shiih's suspicions caused divers of the nobles to be inimical to him. He put Daulat Kh&n Jalw&ni and Firoz Kh&n Kdkar to death, and pulled up the root of his empire with his own hands by killing these two amirs^ who were the pillars of his monarchy. He then began to entertain evil intentions towards Nasib Kh&n Sarwemi, Isma'il Ehdn, AU&h-d&d Eh&n Miana, and Niz&m Kh&n S&hu-khail, and he became daily more ill-disposed towards the nobles, '^dil Sh&h's sister, the wife of Ibr&him Kh&n, went one day to her brother's house, and learned from some of the women there, who had long been friends of hers, that the King was ill-disposed towards her husband, and meditated some evil design against him. She being very fond of her husband, was much distressed at this news, left the palace in a hurry, and went to her own house, where she told what she had heard to Ibr&him, who, being seized with a panic, fled from Gw&lior and went to Dehli. When '-4^dil Sh&h was informed of his departure, he sent a large army in pursuit of him, and a battle took place near ^gra. The King's forces sustained a total defeat, and Ibr&him Elh&n marched victorious into Agra.^
Jal&I Kh&n, who was in the province of Sirhind, also joined Ibr&him Elh&n, and made over to him all the money which had been collected from the parganaa of that province. Mahmud Kh&n Pundak, Niz&m Kh&n, and Alif Kh&n likewise allied themselves with him, so that he mustered about 3000 cavalry. He caused the khutba to be read and coin to be struck in his name, and raised the standard of rebellion. Whilst this was going on, *Adil Sh&h had gone to the treasury of Chun&r; but when he heard of the insurrection of Ibr&him Kh&n, he marched
^ It is impossible to ascertain tke precise dates of these transactioHs, so mach oon- fusion, ncgli^noe, and contradiction occor ; bat they seem to be a mere yariation in the account of T&j Kh&n's secession from the council, when he was defeated at Chhabramau, the details of which will be found among tiie extracts from the Tdrikh^i Khdn'Jahun Lodi,
' Ai that time Ibr6him Eh&n's father, Ghazi Kh&n S6r, was goyemor of Bay&na and ilindiin.
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to Gw&lior, and released Nasib Eh&n and Allfih-d&d Eli4n, whom he had imprisoned. He then treated them kindly, gave them rich pnrple dresses of honour, and 80,000 rupees for their expenses, and did his best to please them. At the time of their departure he presented them with an elephant, a girdle and a dagger, and sent them against Ibr&hlm. These two nobles pro- ceeded in great state from Gw&lior to Dehli, but they too joined Ibr&him Kh&n. When 'Adil Sh&h was informed of their joining the rebels, he lost heart, because these two men of name* bad sided with his foe.
At thia period, the B&j& of Andardun, seeing the disordered state of the King's affairs, revolted in Ujjain. 'Adil Shdh reached Owdlior by uninterrupted marches ; and when the R&j& was informed of the King's coming, he left his nephew Tar4 Chand with a portion of his army in Ujjain, and advanced him- self two ko9 from Ujjain with a numerous force to meet the royal troops. '*Adil Sh&h appointed Niz&m Kh&n Sur and Fath Khan Sarw&ni to oppose him. They attacked him with their brave Afgh&ns. At first, the B&j4's valour had such an effect that some of the best Afghans obtained martyrdom, and the Sult&n's army were on the point of running away. 'Adil Sh&h possessed two elephants, in whose powers of travelling he had great confi- dence, and two fleet steeds, and he determined to fly to Ghun4r with all the royal jewels in the event of the defeat of Niz4m Kh4n and Fath Kh4n. Niz4m Kh4n and Fath Khdn had like- wise resolved to leave the field, as they had lost many men by the hands of the infidels, and could not hope to do anything with the few who remained.
Whilst they were thus despairing of their success, it happened by the blessing of God, that one of the zamhiiraks or swivels of the royal army was discharged. It struck the Baj4 of Andardun, who was standing in front of his army, on the head ; his skull was knocked to pieces, and his brains scattered like the fragments of a cheese. When the R4j4's men saw this, they all took to flight. Niz4m Kh4n, seeing that the infidels had suddenly dis-
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64 AHMAD YADGAB.
persed, believed that some unforeseen event had occarred^ and made a slight attack on them with his remaining troops. The infidels fled before them, and on advancing they found the B.&J& of Andarddn lying in the midst of dust and blood. They returned thanks to God, and sent news of the victory to ''KdiX Sh&h, and counselled him to come speedily to Ujjain. His Majesty was astonished at the mysterious dispensations of Provi- dence, and pursued the fogitives until he reached Ujjain. The B&j&'s men resisted during three hours, but at last gave way ; his wives and children were taken prisoners, and such spoil of horses, camels, elephants, gold, jewels, property, and clothes was obtained, that the soldiers had wherewithal to support them- selves for years.
After this victory, '^dil Sh&h paased some time in M&lwd, and Ibr&him Xh&n at this time availed himself of the opportunity thus afforded, and extended his authority. Having collected much money from the different parganas of the provinces, he de- spatched his emissaries in all directions, and gained the whole country from Dehli to Boht&s. When 'Adil Sh&h arrived frx>m M&lw&, and heard of the power and success of Ibr&him Kh4n, he was distressed. He felt satisfied that it would be necessary to proceed against him in person, and ordered the necessary prepa^ rations to be made for that purpose.
At this time, Mansur Eh&n, who was a young man of great courage, and had married the King's younger sister, excited 'Adil Sh&h's suspicions. He was anxious to hinder him from revolting like Ibr&him Kh&n, and, therefore, determined either to blind him with a red-hot bodkin or slay him. His wife was by some means or other informed of this, and told her husband that ^* she had learnt in various places that 'Adil Sh&h was desirous of either putting him to death or blinding him, and that if he wished to save his life he had better fly." Mansur Kh&n had suspected this from the first. His wife said, " You have 4000 horse, who are your ancient servants : and I have much gold and property in. jewels; let us sell it, and obtain adherents. As
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Ibr&him Zh&n foraook this place, and obtained snch extensive anthority by his coarage, do you also, in like manner, not only ayoid the chance of destruction, bnt increase yonr possessions/'
Mansur Eh&n listened to the wife's advice, which was given in the spirit of a man ; and one day, nnder the pretext of hunting, when informed by his spies that ^i^dil Shah was in his cups, left Ow&lior (having previously sent off his troops and baggage), and arrived at Dehli, where he had an interview with Ibr&lum, who entertained him hospitably for two or three days, after which he requested Ibr&him to give him charge of the Panj&b, and merit his gratitude by doing so, since it had pleased the Most High to make Ibr&hlm a man high in authority, and the possessor of an extrusive territory. IbriUiim's youthful, over- bearing pride led him to be displeased at this. Next day, Mansur Kh&n sent his mother and wife to the wife of Ibrfihim Khan, and told them to entreat her to persuade Ibr&him Eh&n to entrust the Panj&b to him. His wife and mother went there, and said to her ^ sister (the wife of Ibr&him), ^' You are like a mother to us. God has exalted you, and given you great posses- sions ; and if through your means the land of the Panj&b be given by your husband to mine, I shall consider myself your slave, and my husband will become one of your servants.'' The elder sister consented, and sent them away with a present of gold and jewels. At bedtime that evening she related what had happened to her husband. Ibr&him Kh&n's pride again caused him io refuse to listen to the request, and she, being vexed, arose and left him. In the morning the wife told her sister of the denial she had met with. Mansiir was enraged at this, and determined to have one trial of arms with Ibr&him Kh&n. He deliberated with his trusty Afgh&ns, and said, ** What is the good of this life to me P If the Most High grants me success, my situation will be bettered ; at all events, it will be better to die than remain in this wretched condition.'^
> [Ibr&hSm Eh&n and Ahmad Kh&n (here called Manitir) had each of them nuDried a sister of 'Adali's.]
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56 AHMAD TADGAE.
As God had decreed that Mansdr Kh&n should be victorions, all the nobles and Afgh&ns of note joined him, and agreed with him in everything, so that he mustered 8000 horsemen. Ibr&him, however, commanded 30,000. Mansur Eh&n made ready for war, and sent to Ibr&him to say, *^ Great friendship existed between us ; but you hare forsaken the path of affection, and it is unworthy of a man to be led away by pride, and forget the rules of courtesy. Let what will happen, I will come and essay one trial in arms against you/^ Ibr&him laughed at this message, and said, ''Why do you seek death beneath the feet of my elephants P " At last, on Friday, the 7th of Sha'b&n, a severe action was fought.^ It pleased the Almighty to over- shadow the banners of Mansur Eh&n, and Ibr&him, being routed, fled to Sambhal, in spite of his 30,000 cavalry and many elephants.' His troops deserted him, and came and pledged their allegiance to Mansur Kh&n, who, after the victory, pro- strated himself in thanksgiving on the field. He collected the army, the elephants, horses, treasures, and household property, etc., and came speedily to Dehli, where he took possession of the throne, and issued orders for the reading of the khutba and coining of money in his own name. Ibr&him's overweening pride caused him to lose all his possessions, and he fled towards the East.
M anstir !Eh&n assumed the title of Sikandar,' and from that day [962 A.H. (1554 a.d.)] his prosperity increased.* ^Adil Sh&h ruled the country from Jaunpur to M&lw&. He endeavoured to
^ At Farra, a town about twenty miles from Agra.
* Other authorities, as the Makhzan-i Afghdni and Tdrikh-i Khdn^Jahdn Lod», represent Ibr&him's caTalry at 70,000 men. We are also told that there were no less than 200 of his officers who occupied tents lined with velret, each haring the priyi- lege of beating the naubat. — See Briggs' Firishta, toI. iL, p. 147.
s The WdkCdt'% Mushtdkl, the Makhzan^i Afghdni, the JUHkh-i Khdn^ahdn, Ab6-1 Fazl, and indeed all historians, say Sikandar Eh&n*8 name was Ahmad Eh6n Sdr ; and we must reject Mansiir Kh&n as incorrect
^ According to Firishta he ascended the throne at Agra in 962 r. He makes him out to be the nephew of Sher 8h&h, and says that his sister was married to 'AdalL Our author has just said that ' AdalTs sister was married to him.
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wrest his conquests from Sikandar, but did not succeed. Sikandar agreed to own him as his liege lord, and wrote to him, saying, ^^ I am a friend of yours, and will behave like one of the other nobles. You are my King." In effect, he always treated '-^dil Sh&h with great consideration.^
At this time, three different khutbas were read in the empire of Hinddst&n, and money was coined in the names of three monarchs, when before there had been only one khutha and one person^s name on the money. The country from -^gra to Malwfi, and the confines of Jaunptir, owned the soyereignty of ''Xdil Sh&h ; fit)m Dehli to the smaller Broht&s on the road to K4bul, it was in the hands of Sh&h Sikandar ; and from the borders of the hills to the boundaries of Gojar&t, it belonged to Ibr&him Kh4n.«
When Hum&ydn Sh&h received intelligence of the feeble rule of 'Adil Sh&h, the dissensions of the nobles, and the partition of the territories of Hind, he felt persuaded that the discordance which then existed amongst the Afgh&ns would enable him to take easy possession of Hindust&n, and he therefore made up his mind to invade it. But his differences with his brothers, Mirz& K&niran, 'Askari, and others, who had wrested many of his territories from him, together with the small number and unprepared state of his troops, opposed great obstacles. He wished to go to Mariam Mak&ni, and seek succour and assistance frovcL her. On a prosperous day, he sent Khw&ja Mu'azzam and Bairam Kh&n to fetch Mariam Makdni and Prince Akbar, who went with expedition and brought them. As the winds were exceedingly hot, Akbar Mirz& spent that time on the borders of Mahain. From thence King Hum&ydn set off with 200 men, Bairam Kh&n, Khw&ja Mu^azzam, B&b&-dost Bakhshf, Khwdja Gh&zi, Muhammad Haidar Akhtabegi, M{rz& Kuli Beg and his
1 TbeT(irl^A-«iMi^ represents Sikandar's opposition as immediately consequent upon 'Adall's mnrder of Flroz Kb&n. Elpbinstone (toI. ii., p. 166) also says he was a nephew of Sher Sh&h. The erent he assigns to 961 a.k. (1554 a.d.)
* But he had jnst fled towards the East, and must necessarily have been excluded from these western possessions.
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58 AHMAD TADGAE.
brothers, Shaikh Ydsuf^ Ibr&him the Lame, and Hasan Kali, all nobles of note.
[The history of Hum&yun, which fi>llows in the MS., is copied verbatim from the Tabakat-i Akhari^ as hereafter given among the Extracts from that work. The following account of the battle of Sirhind is the only passage in which Ahmad Y&dg&r differs from the TabdkdtJ]
Battle of Sirhind.
The tents of the Prince Akbar Mirz& had been pitched near the fort at the Hauz-i Basdl&na. All the Ehdns displayed on this day great courage and valour, such as it would be impossible to exceed, and they obtained their desires. Sikandar Siir fled, forsak- ing everything that appertained to the possession of the empire, and the victorious troops pursued the enemy, and put many of them to the sword. Sikandar escaped with a few followers. Two hundred and fifty elephants, and three hundred and odd horses, treasure, gold and silver vessels, and all the palace furniture, were cap- tured. Muhammad Akbar came victorious into His Majesty's presence, and made the customary congratulations. His Majesty honoured that lamp of brilliancy with an ornamented khiCai and a jewelled crown, and made him happy by granting him the high title of heir-apparent. He also gave him twenty elephants and 100 horses but of the spoil. The mumhi% despatched /arman« describing the victory in every direction, and they attributed the success to the skill of the Prince of the World and the valour of his servants.
Continuation of the reign of IddalL
When intelligence of what had occurred to Hum&yun reached Chun&r, 'Adil ShAh deliberated with his courtiers, and deter- mined that, as the Mughal army had lost their king, they must be disheartened and distressed; that if they were attacked by a large force, they would fly without fighting, and Dehli
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would easily be taken ; that Sikandar was in the Siw&lik hills in a state of great want ; and that there was no one snffioientlj powerfiil to have designs against Dehli. Hlmiin obsenred^ ** If the King will send Ahmad Ehan Stir, AlUh-dM Eh&n Sarw&ni, and Banlat Sh&h Eir&ni, with a large army, and some powerfhl elephants, with me, by the fortune of the King, I will overthrow the Mughal troops, and gain possession of DehlL There was a soothsayer in 'i([dil Shfli'^s service, who could interpret the ap- pearances of the heavens as easily as he could the signs on an astrolc^cal table. He was extremely skilful in explaining eveiy- thing that related to the heavenly bodies. The King said to him, " I am about to send an army against Dehli. You must therefore pay great attention to the state of the heavens, and then tell fearlessly what you have learnt before the throne." The man spent three days in carefully contemplating the stars and aspects, and then went before the King, and said, ^* This I have learned from the revolutions of the heavens and the changes of day and night, — ^that after Hum&yun, his son, who is seated on the Imperial throne, will be entrusted with the entire government of Hind, and the rulers of all countries will place their foreheads in the dust before his throne, and no one will vanquish him. The land of Hindust4n, from Kandahdr to the sea of the south, and from Kambh&yit (Oambay) to the sea of Bengal, will own his sway.'' *XAi\ Sh&h was much dispirited at this unfiivourable speech. HIradn said, ** O King, the case is thus : he is now a child ten years old, who has lost his &ther, and the Mughal army is not yet firmly established. It is easy to root up a small plant." '^dil Sh&h derived confidence from his speech, and prepared a powerful force. He sent 7000 horsemen and twenty war-elephants with Himun ; who went, march by march, to Gw&lior.
'All Kuli, who was at that place, came against him. The valour of the Afgh&n troops enabled them to overcome him in the first attack, and many Mughals fell. 'All Kuli fled, accompanied by a few followers, and all his property and
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60 AHMAD TADGAR.
valaables fell into the hands of the Afgh&ns. Himdn, rejoiced at this victory, sent an account of his success, together with the spoils captured from the Mughals, to '^dil Sh&h, who was exceedingly pleased when he received it, and looked on this first piece of good fortune as a proof that he was always destined to be victorious. He gave a great festival, and sent Himdn a dress of honour, adorned with jewels and worked with gold thread, and an elephant, and made him promises of unlimited favour.
When Himdn learnt the bestowal of these favours, he advanced, and after he had passed Xgra, rumours reached Dehli of the coming of *Adil Sh&h's troops. The Chaghatais assembled from different directions and consulted together. Tardf Muhammad Kh&n said, '* It appears to me that it would be better to quit this place and join the Prince, that the never-failing good fortune of Jal&lu-d din may overshadow us." Abu-1 Ma^ali and the other Chaghat&i nobles said, " This shows want of heart. The A%hdn army has not yet arrived, and we have not been vanquished by their superior force. If we then quit Dehli, what answer shall we be able to give to-morrow before the throne P '' Tardi Beg would not, however, agree with them, say what they would, and separated himself and his army from them. The other nobles prepared for action.
Himdn encamped in the neighbourhood of Old Dehli^ and set forth from thence with his army ready for fighting in three divisions. The nobles of the tribe of Ghaghat&i came forth from Dehli with their valiant troops, and the blood-drinking elephants which had fallen into the prosperous hands of King Humaydn during the war with Sikandar Sdr. Tardi Beg also came out with his men, and took up his post on the left. Severe fighting took place. At first the Mughals, careless of life, kept up a constant fire of arrows, and the hearts of many Afghdns were pierced through and through by their deadly points. They were on the point of flying from the field of battle, when Himdn, seeing that his affairs were getting desperate in that quarter^
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directed All&h-d&d Eh&n to go to their assistance from the left. All&h-d&d Eh&n, who was so brave a man that he had never turned his back to the enemy in any battle, attacked the Mnghals, and for a short time kept them in check; but they again fell on him both from the left and right, wounded All&h-d&d £h&n with their piercing arrows, and scattered his troops as the wind does the clouds. Tardi fieg did not leave his position to assist either partyj
When HImun saw that the Mughals were in good spirits, and the Afgh&ns disheartened, he advanced with his own division of 3000 cavalry, made an onslaught on the Mughals, and routed them. They were unable to rally, and as they were utterly defeated^ they took to flight. Himtin pursued them, and slaugh- tered many. The Afgh&ns did not treat Abu-1 Ma'&li with great severity, because he had a secret understanding with them. So much plunder of the Mughal army fell into Himun's hands, that it was impossible to take an account of it — 160 elephants, and 1000 horses of Arab breed, and an immense quantity of property and valuables; — Himun collected all, and kept them himself: and from obtaining possession of so many things apper- taining to royalty, he began to entertain ambitious ideas, and say, '^'^dil Sh&h is helpless. Although he possessed a valiant army, he could do nothing when Ibr&him and Sikandar rebelled. Now all his elephants and soldiers are with me." Looking on things in this light, he distributed all the spoil, with the exception of the elephants, among the Afgh&ns who accompanied him, and gained them over to his own side. With their concurrence, he
^ The Tirikh-% DdiuU (MS., p. 374) says lie fled with the speed of tiie wind from Befalf to Sirhind, where, at the instigation of Bairam Kh&n, he was put to death. Some authoritieB, as Fiiishta, represent that he gave battle at Dehli, and did not tj till he was defeated. Fiiishta says that his death was fully justified by the oondition of the Mughal chiefs, who were prepared to act like the Afgh&n chieftains of Sher Sh6h, " each considering himself equal to a Kaikob&d and Kaik&tls.'' His death, nerertheless, was very discreditable to Bairam Kh&n, who took advantage of Akbar*s absence on a hawking party to execute him, without eren the eeremony of lf^i>g the King's orden respecting this old and familiar companion of B&har and Hnm&yAn.
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62 AHMAD YADGAR.
entered Dehli, raised the Imperial canopy over him, and ordered coin to be struck in his name. He appointed goyemors of his own, and brought the Dehli territory and the neighbouring parganoB under his control ; and in order to console the King, he sent an account of the victory in these words : *^ Your slave, by the royal fortune, has routed the Mughal army, which was firm as an iron wall; but I hear that Hum&ydn's son commands a numerous force, and is advancing against Dehli. For this reason I have kept the horses and elephants of the Mughals, in order that I may be able to iace the valiant enemy, and not allow them to reach Dehli." '^dil Sh&h was comforted by these deceitful assertions.
When the nobles of the tribe of Ghaghat&{ were defeated, and the royal troops retired disheartened firom Dehli, news of the defeat of the chiefe, and of the skill and bravery of the infidel, reached the high-fortuned and exalted prince. He marched with- out halting, with Bairam Kh&n, and the remainder of the nobles who accompanied him during that expedition, to Sirhind, where he showed great anger against the chiefs. Tardi Beg was punished. The treasury was opened, and gold distributed, and many people were enlisted. They then marched towards Dehli. When they arrived at Th&nesar, a census was taken of the army, which was found to consist of 26,000 horsemen. Sh&h Bad&gh Eh&n was sent on ahead with 4000, and directed to keep always one march in front of His Majesty. A halt of some days'* dura- tion was made at Th&nesar. One day, during the time when accounts of Himdn^s vigorous measures were daily arriving, Bairam Kh&n took the Prince into the presence of the Kutbu-1 Akt&b Saiyid Jal&l Th&nesari, and procured him the honour of kissing the feet of that most holy individual. When they were about to depart, they begged him to give them the assist- ance of his prayers. They said, "This accursed infidel is coming with an army numerous as ants and locusts ; it is proper that your holiness should protect the cause of Isl&m.'' The Saiyid reflected for a short time, and then said to them, '^ Have you not
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heard what little boys at play say P '' He then disroiased them. On the morrow they marched to a distance of seven kos from Karn&l, where they encamped. Himtin, who had taken posses- sion of the Dehli throne, being informed of the coming of the Moghal forces, went out with regal pomp from Debli, with the intention of fighting them. It is related, that when Himdn was proceeding to Dehli against the nobles of King Hnm&ydn, he encamped near Old Dehli. The evening preceding the day on which he expected a battle, he went to the sanctified mausoleum of the Kutbu-1 Akt&b, His Highness Eutbu-1 Hakk, the pole- star of religion and piety, and placing the head of entreaty on the augnst threshold, vowed that if he were destined to conquer Dehli^ — ^if the throne of Dehli were granted him, and the Mughal troops put to flight, — ^he would become a Musulm&n on his return to Dehli, and diffuse the religion of Muhammad. The Almighty gave him victory. But he peijured himself, and did not become a Musulm&n, or forsake his heathen prejudices; nay, he even persecuted the Musulm&us. But at last he saw what he did see.
When he was going to fight on the field of P&nipat, the night before the battle, he beheld, in a dream, a torrent come down and carry away the elephant on which he was mounted. When he was nearly drowned, a Mughal came, cast a chain round his neck, and drew him out. On awaking, he sent for the interpreters of dreams, related his to them, and asked them to explain it. The interpreters, after thinking over the business, looked at one another, and Himun inferred that there was some- thing unpleasant in the explanation. He therefore said, ** Banish fear from your minds, tell what you have discovered.'^ The interpreters said, '' The torrent which you saw is the Mughal army, which comes with such force that it carries away you and the horse on which you are mounted, and the chain signifies the blood which will flow from your body when you are wounded, and cover you entirely.^ Himun became fearful, and said, ''The very reverse of this dream will happen."
On the morrow, when he mounted to proceed to battle, heavy
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64 AHMAD YADGAH.
rain fell, and the best elephant of that infidel, which was of gigantic size, was struck in two by lightning.^ On account of this, Himun became very thoughtful, and aware that the good fortune of the Mughals was in the ascendant, and that the victory was not for him, he was much terrified at the explanation of his dream, and set forth unwillingly to the fight. His Highness Akbar Mirzd had before this reached P&nipat. Himtin had encamped two koa west of that city. He had with him a force of 40,000 calvary, while the Mughal army did not exceed 20,000 horse and foot.^ The soldiers of both sides had frequent trials of strength during the space of a week. Three days before the battle Bairam IShkn gave a great entertainment, and raised a large audience-tent, adorned with embroidered satin, like the flower-beds of a garden in the early spring, or Paradise itself. He spread carpets of various colours, and on them he placed a golden throne, and caused Prince Akbar Mirzd to sit on it; after which, the darhdr was opened to the public. The nobles of the Ghaghat&i tribe were made joyful by the gift of expensive dresses of honour, and regal presents, and promises of future favour were likewise made to them. Bairam Kh&n said, ^' This is the commencement of His Majesty's reign. This infidel has routed the whole royal army, and is now making preparations against us. If you do your best in this business, with one heart and soul, Hindust&n is yours. I place my trust in God. If we fail in this, you, whose homes are at a distance of 500 Icm^ will not be able to find an asylum/'
All the nobles placed their heads at the foot of the throne, and said, '^ If it please the Most High, we will not be found wanting in the performance of our duty as long so we have breath in our bodies." After this they said to Ahmad Beg, the madman, who was unequalled throughout the world in foretelling the future by what he saw in the blade-bone of a sheep, ^* Tell
1 We have seen (VoL FV., p. 487) that a similar eTent is said to hare preceded the battle of Amb&la between the Nf&zis and the Imperialists. > The author has jnst before stated that the caTalry alone mustered 26,000 strong.
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US by means of your art who will gain the victory." After feasting and eating he tried his art, and then, being filled with joy and gladness, said, ^^ The victory is on our side, but one chief of rank will obtain martyrdom during the fight/'
At length, after two or three days, Himtin, having made ready for action, came out into the plain, and seated himself in a hawda on an elephant, in order that he might be able to over- look and superintend his troops. He also caused the golden standards to be displayed. Bairam Eh&n also drew up the people of Ghaghat&i to the right and left in battle array. Sh&h Bad&gh Khfin and Sh&h Abii-1 Ma'&li, with 6000, passed to the left of P&nipat, and came to the rear of the armies. Bairam Eh&n placed Akbar Mirz&'s own private tent in an elevated position, and left 3000 horse to guard him. He then placed his reliance in Him in whose hands all human afiairs are, and on whom victory depends, and turned his attention to the battle.
Himun was excessively arrogant on account of his troops and elephants. He advanced, foaght, and routed the Mughals, whose heads lay in heaps, and whose blood flowed in streams. He thus at first vanquished the Mughal army; but as the brilliancy of the star of Prince Akbar's fortune was not destined to be diminished, it chanced that, by the decree of the Almighty, an arrow struck Himun in the forehead. He told his elephant driver to take the elephant out of the field of battle. When the Afgh&ns saw that the animal was retreating, they believed that Himun was flying ; but on approaching him they saw how matters stood, and as no benefit is ever derived from disloyalty he sustained a complete defeat. Sh&h Abii-l Ma'&li, however, one of the chief nobles, obtained martyrdom on that day.
When Sh4h Kuli Beg was told of what had occurred, he came up to the elephant, and brought it into the presence of Bairam Kh&n. Bairam Kh&n, after prostrating himself, and returning thanks, caused Himun to descend from the elephant,* after which he bound his hands, and took him before the young and fortunate Prince, and said, "As this is our first success, let Your Highness's
TOL. T. 5
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66 AHMAD YADOAB.
own august hand smite this infidel with the sword/' The Prince, accordingly, struck him, and divided his head from his unclean body (Nov. 6, a.d. 1556).^
(Muhammad Sh&h ^^dil was slain in the year 964 a.h.,* in an action with Khizr Kh&n, the son of Muhammad Eh&n Gauria. His body, which was not yet quite dead, was, at his conqueror's command, fastened to the foot of an elephant, and dragged about. His miserable reign lasted about three years.)
1 Here Ahmad Yadg6r conclades Mb history, and, with characteristic negligence, omits to mention a word ahont the fate of ' Adali, upon whose reign he has just heen engaged. The Tdrikh'i I>ditdi and many other histories say the young Prince declined to commit this wanton act of hrutality, and his suhseqnent actions render this highly probahle. Firishta says, that at Bairam Kh&n's importunity, he merely touched the head of the captiye with the sword, by which he became entitled to the appellation of *< Ohdzi.**
s The Tdrikh'i Bdddi (MS. p. 377) says 968 h.
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67
XXXV. MAKHZAN-I AVQRXHt
AMD
T^BrKH-I KKflfN-JABL^N LODf,
OP
NFAMATU-LLA.
[The MakAzan-i Afghani and the TdHkA-i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi are frequently mentioned and referred to as separate works, but they are essentially one and the same. The Tdrikh contains, in addition, a memoir of Kh&n-Jah&n Lodi,^ from which the book takes it name, and it also gives a meagre history of the life of Jah&ngir ; but in other respects it may be considered as only a revised yersion of the Makhzan. It is fuller than the latter in some parts, especially in the lives of the saints, but still the notes in the following Extracts will show that, although it is generally better, it is occasionally inferior to the Makhzan.
The author of the work was Ni'amatu-lla, who held the office of fpokC-natois or historiographer at the Court of Jah&ngir ; and he teUs us that his father, Khw&ja Habibu-Ua, of Hir&t, passed thirty-fire years in the service of Akbar. But Ni'amatu-lla, though he had the chief hand in the work, was assisted or perhaps even directed by Haibat Kh&n, of S&m&na. Ni'amatu- 11a, after stating in the preface to the Makhzan^ that he under- took the work in the year 1018, '' at the command of Nawab
' The Nawkb EhCoi-Jah&ii Lodi, one of the most illnstrious generals of Jah&ngir. He rebelled in the reign of Sh&h Jah&n, and was slain by the Imperial troops, a.d. 1631.— See VoL lY. of this work, p. 637, and Blochmann's Ait^i Akbari, p. 502.
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68 NI'AMATU.LLA.
Kh&n-Jah&n Lodi/' goes on to say that, *^ supported by the amiable kindness of Haibat Kh&n bin Sallm Eh&n of S&mana, one of Kh&n-Jah&n's attendants, who collected and arranged the scattered and confused genealogy of the Afgh&ns," he wrote the '^ history in accordance with the labours and researches of the said Haibat Kh4n/' At the end of the MS. of the Tdrikh-i Khan- Jahdn Lodi^ Ni'amatu-Ua informs us that he finished the work at the city of Burh&npur^ and a few lines later it is stated that '* there remain some words to be added on the genealogy of the most humble and most abject of slaves, Haibat Khan, who is occupied in writing and verifying this work.**' The pedigree and history of his family are then related at some length. The terms of humility accompanying the name indicate that they were written by Haibat Kh&n himself. The authorship of the work is thus distinctly asserted both by Ni'amatu-lla and Haibat Kh&n ; and strange to say, there has appeared to be yet another claimant. At the end of the second or Historical part of the Makhzan, there is found in the various MSS. the following passage, which the Editor of this work translates afresh, as Dom's version is not satisfiictory : " The original author of this Tdrikh-i Sher Shdhi is 'Abb&s Sarw4ni.^ But as this work is deficient in some parti- culars, such as the affairs of B&z Bah&dur, the memoirs of the Kiranis and Lohdnis, and in some other matters, the history was incomplete. So in these days the humble servant Ibrahim Batni has made extracts from the Tdrikh-i Nizdmiy which also con- tains the history of Sher Shah and Isl4m Sh4h, and he has selected sundry matters from the Makhzan-i Afghani^ written by Ki'amatu-Ua, and having introduced them into this history, has made it complete.''^ These words are evidently applicable to some amended version of the Tdrikh-i Sher ShdM^ not, as Dorn supjosed, to the Makhzan-i Afghdni; for the most bare- faced
I Doni'^ rendering is, " The original of this history is the TArUeh-i Sher Shdhi, of •Al)1.8i> 8 awknf ;" but the Persian words are
— -j^ S^^JLT* L/*W L5^^ ji:^ f^J^ (ji' <J^^ t-£i*fl*« 111 : h • I • words, musanmf-i asl, are commonly used for ''ao original author."
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MBTKH-I KHAN JAHiCN LODf. 69
plagiarist and book-maker wonld hardly assert that he had improved and completed a work hj adding to it selections from its own pages. It is curious to find such an entry in all the known MSS. of the Mdkhzan ; for the only way of accounting fi>r it is by supposing that it was inserted by mistake in the Makhzafiy instead of the work for which it was intended ; and if this be so, all the known MSS. of the work must have been derived from the copy in which the &lse entry was made.
The work begins with Adam, and professes to trace the origin of the Afghdns ; but says Sir H. Elliot, ^* Nothing can be more meagre than the whole of the introductory book about the settlement of the Afgh&ns in Ohor. It is nothing but a rifacdamento of the childish Muhammadan stories of the Creation and of the prophets, especially Israel and Saul, all of which, as well as the early Muhammadan history, is taken from the commonest sources, without a single independent statement to encourage the least notion of correctness, research, novelty or probability. The Tdrikh-i Khdn-Jahdn Lodi is nearly verbatim the same, and offers no differences of the least consequence. As a history of the early days of the Afgh&ns, it is utterly untrust- worthy, and should by no means be considered as the basis of the annals of a nation of which we remain as ignorant as if the work had never been written." The following Extracts are taken from the second or Historical part of the work. The third part con- tains memoirs of sixty-eight Afgh&n saints.
The second book is valuable as the work of one who lived near Ihe times of which he writes, and had a special interest in the subject. The work was finished in the year 1021 h. (1612 a.d.). Dom observes, ^^ Ni'amatu-Ua was contemporary with Firishta, and commenced the history of the Afgh&ns in the same year when Firishta finished his work ; but he is nowhere mentioned. The identity of the sources they used in compiling their respec- tive works is evident, from the extreme, often verbal coincidence of the style and thread of the history of the reigns of the Lodi nMse and the family of Sher Sh&h.
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70 NI'AMATU-LLA.
The following is Sir H. Elliot's analysis of the MS:— "In the history of Sher Shah the Tdrikh-i EJidti-Jahdn Lodi is of about the same length as the Makhzan-i Afghani, The only additions are two long eulogies of Khaw&s Kh&n and H&ji Kh&n, and some of the regulations of Sher Sh&h, which are added at the end of the reign. It follows the same order as tlie Makhzan, but yaries from it considerably, and is altogether inferior. In this reign he quotes the Tdrikh-i Sher Shdhi, Tdrikh-i Nizdmi^ Madan-i Akbar, and Akbar-ndma^ and appears to be in doubt as to which should be followed, for he is con- tradictory in some parts. The history of Isl&m Sh&h follows, or exactly resembles, DdMi^ and is not in the least like the Makhzan. The reign of 'Adali is identically the same as the Makhzan; so are the notices of Shuj&wal, B&z Bah&dur, and T&j and 'Im&d Kirdni. On the subsequent periods of Afgh&n dominion in the East the history is brought lower down, and gives an account of D&ud of Bengal, and a full history of the proceedings to the year 1021. The account of the saints does not occupy quite the same position. It is pretty nearly verbatim the same ; but some lives differ, as Ehw&ja Yahya K&bu, which is longer. While some of the Makhzan has been omitted, other matter equally absurd and childish has been introduced. Almost all the additions given by Dom, from Dr. Lees' copy, in his notes, are to be found in my copy, and show that the two are identical. Both contain the life of Jah&ngir. *
*^ The Makhzan-% Afghani has been well and faithfully translated by Dom ; and in my translations I have almost copied verbatim from him."
The author mentions in his Preface the following authors who "have written books lately on tlie history of Sult&n Bahlol Lodi," viz. Khw&ja Niz&rau-d din Ahmad, in the Tdrikh-i Nizdmi; Shaikh 'Abb&s Sarw&ni, in the Tdrikh-i Sher Shdhi; Maul&n& Musht&ki, in his Tdrikh (called the WdkVdUi Mush- tdki) ; Maul&n& Mahmud bin Ibr&him K&lw&ni, in the history of Sultan Ibrdhim, and named Ibrdhim Shdhi.
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TABTKH-I KHAN JAHAN LODT. 71
The Extracts relating to the reign of Sult&n Bahlol were translated hj *^ Ensign " Charles F. Mackenzie ; the others are from the pen of Sir H. M. Elliot himself.
These works, relating to the Afgh&n dynasties, come a little out of their chronological order; but it was not desirable to post- pone them to the reign of Akbar for the mere sake of maintaining the chronological sequence of the authors.]
EXTBACTS.
The reign of Sultdn Bahlol.
It is* narrated by the author of the Tdrikh-i Ibrahim Shdhi, and by the historian Niz&mi, that Malik Bahlol Lodi was the nephew of Sult&n Sh&h Lodi, who bore the title of Isl&m Eh&n during the time of Sult&n Mub&rak Sh&h and -Saiyid Khizr Eh&n, and was one of the grandees of that period. He held the pargana of Sirhind in jdgir^ and governed the neighbouring dis- tricts. [Malik Bahlol, son of Malik K&Ia, was his full nephew, and] when he perceived that his nephew possessed discernment and good sense, he treated him as his son, and constituted him his successor [and caused his own turban to be bound on his nephew'^s head.] ^ After the decease of Isl&m £h&n, Bahlol became governor of Sirhind, and established his authority firmly. Kutb EJi&n, the son of Isl&m Kh&n, declining to acknowledge the authority of Bahlol, went to Sult&n Muhammad, who was then King of Dehli, and complained against Malik Bahlol. In consequence of his representations, His&m Kh&n, who was called H&ji Shudani, one of the dependents of the Saiyid dynasty of Dehli, who had attained the rank of a noble, was despatched by Sult&n Muhammad with a numerous army against Malik Bahlol.' Both parties met near the village of Karra, in the pargana of Khizr&b&d| and a fierce battle took place. His&m
1 [These tentenoes are fuppUed from the MSS. of the Makkzan-i Jfyhdni.] * [The MSS. of the Makhzan-i Afghdni read, " These complaints raised the anger of Snlt&n Mohammad, and accordingly he sent H6j( Shudani, whom he had exalted by the title of His&m Eh&n, along with several other amirt^ to Sirhind against Malik Bahlol.*']
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Kh&n, being defeated, retreated to Dehli, whilst Malik BahloFs power and authority were greatly increased.
It is related, that daring the time he was with his uncle Isldm Eh&n, he went once to S&m&na for the purpose of transacting some urgent and important business, taking with him two of his intimate friends, and hearing that there was a holy man named Saiyid ibn Mdjzub in that place, who made predictions (sdhib i lafz biid)y^ Malik Bahlol went to see that danoeah^ accompanied by his two friends, and, after having treated him with every courtesy, sat down. That person, who was ab- stracted from worldly thoughts, asked, ^\ if any one of them was able to buy the kingdom of Dehli from him for 2000 tankasr Malik Bahlol had 1300 tankaa in his purse, which he took out and placed before the saint, and said, " This is all I possess/'' * That worthy person consented to accept the sum so proffered, and said, "May the empire of Dehli be fortunate to you!"' When his two associates began to ridicule his superstition, the Malik said, " One of two things must happen : if the event be successful, I shall have made a good bargain; if not, in the day of judgment there are rewards for good deeds done to danceshes" It is said in certain histories that Malik Bahlol traded ;' but the truth or falsehood of this has never been clearly ascertained. It is known that his grandfather and &ther were merchants, and were in the habit of visiting Hind.*
Malik Bahlol, after the death of Isl&m Eh&n, gained posses- sion of the territories of Sirhind [and the Panj&b] * by the
^ [This sentence is from the MSS. of the Makhzan,]
' [This agrees with the MS. of the East India Library, bat Dom, and aU the MSS. of the Makhzan say that he gave the whole 2000.]
' This IB Tery plainly asserted in the Tdrlkh^i DdUdi. Indeed, we find that his subsequent fortunes were in a great measure dependent on his success in controlling a turbulent pargana^ which Saiyid Muhammad, Eiog of Dehli, had assigned to him, in payment of his bill for horses.
« [The MSS. of the Makhtan-i Afghdni differ slightly. «It is said that Malik Bahlol traded, but this has not been proved." His ancestors were engaged in trade — horse-dealing, according to one MS.]
« {MakhKn-i Afghdni.1
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TXBrXH-I KHAN JAHAN LODf. 73
assistance of his other uncle Malik Firoz, the brother of Isl&m Khan, aided by the whole of his kindred, and strengthened him- self and established his authority* The speech which Shaikh ibn Majzub had made to him in his early youth caused him ta aspire to the throne, and he was desirous of bringing the bird of empire into his net. After vanquishing His&m Kh&n, Malik Bahlol wrote a letter to Sult&n Muhammad, complaining of the inal-administration and depravity of His&m Kh&n, and lauding his own candour and sincerity. He stated also in it that he would obey and serve His Majesty, if the tcizdrat were taken away from H&ji His&m Eh&n,^ and given to Hamid Khan. Sultdn Muhammad, who was totally inexperienced, believing what Malik Bahlol said to be true, put his guiltless and faithful servant H&j( His&m Kh&n to death on the following day, and raised Hamid Eh&n to the rank of chief minister. Malik Bahlol and the whole of the Lodis, when they heard this news, came forward without hesitation, and having paid their respects to the Sult&n, were confirmed in the possession of their Jdgirs.
After this reconciliation, Malik Bahlol made war, in the name of Sult&n Muhammad, against Sult&n Mahmud Khilji of Malwa, [who was ruling over His&r Ffrozah, H&nsi, and N&gor,] * and overcame him. Upon which the Sult&n ennobled him by giving him the title of Kh&n-kh&n&n. Thus the Lodis became gradually more powerful, and possessed themselves by force, with- out King Muhammad's consent, of Lahore, Dip&Ipur, Sann&m, His&r Firozah, and various other parganaa^ and paid no atten- tion to what Sult&n Muhammad wrote to them in remonstrance. They raised the standards of rebellion, collected a force, and went against Sult&n Muhammad who was in Dehli, and besieged that place ; but failing in their attempt^ they returned to Sirhind, where Malik Bahlol assumed the title of Sult&n, but abstained
> [AU the MSS. ag-roe in stating that he required the death of HiB&m Eh&n.] * [This sentence is giyen hy Dom, and is in three MSS. of the Makhzan ; hut it is
not in the East India Library MS., and it seems to he wanting in the MS. from
which this translation was made.]
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74 NPAMATU-LLA.
from having the khutba read and coinage struck in his name until Dehl! should fall into his hands.
About this time Sult&u Muhammad died, and the nobles and chief men of the State placed his son, Sultin 'Al&u-d din, on the throne. The whole of Hind was divided into provinces governed by petty rulers {muluk-i tavoHif) j but the Lodis pre- dominated. Ahmad Kh&n Mew&tti possessed the country from Mahrauli to Ladhu Sar&i, near the city of Dehli. The Lodis held the country of Sirhind, Lahore, S&m&na, Sann&m, and His&r, as far as Panipat.^ Dary& Eh&n Lodi governed the territory of Sambhal, up to the ferry of Khw&ja E^hizr, which adjoins Dehli.^ 'tsd Eh&n Turk-bacha held £ol and Jal&Ii. Kutb Kh&n, the son of Hasan Kh4n the Afgh&n, was governor of R&pri.' And Rdi Part&b held the towns of Bhuigdnw, Fatti&H, and Eampil. Bay&na was in the hands of D&dd Kh&n Auhadi; and Sultdn 'Al&u-d din ruled only in the city of Dehli, and a few of the neighbouring villages.* There were also kings in Gujar&t, the Dekhin, M&lwd, Jaunpur, [M&ndu],^ and Beng&l.*
Sult&n Bahlol, collecting an army for the second time, marched from Sirhind to Dehli ; but as he could not succeed in capturing the fort of Uehli, he again returned to Sirhind. At this time, Sult&n 'Al&u-d din consulted Eutb Eh&u Lodi and B&i Part&b,
^ [This agre6B with the East India Library MS., but the others say Pfrnipat, Lahore, H&nsi, His&r, N&gor, and as far as the confines of Mult&n.]
' l?i*aniata-lla in the Mahhzan mentions the pargana of Lonl as his western boundary.
s [The Mahhzan adds, «Chand6war and Et&wa."]
^ [The Makhzan adds, *< 'Al&u-d din possessed only Dehli, P&lam, and two or three other parffanas.*''} The Tdrikh-i Dditdi records a current distich as expressive of the contempt with which the circumscribed power of the Imperial goTemment was Tiewed at that time.
7^ empire of the Kinff of the Earth extends from Dehli to JPdlam,
6 [Makhtan.]
8 The Mak/itan adds, that Gw&lior, Dhtllptlr, and Bhad&war had each their own E&j&s(MS.,p. 76).
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on the means of strengthening himself, to vhich they replied, '' If the Sultdn will degrade Hamid Eh&n from the rank of lAurir, and imprison him, we will wrest some parganas from the hands of the nobles, and make them oyer to the exchequer. Accordingly, Sult&n 'Al&a-d din ordered Hamid Eh&n to be confined, and then marched from Dehli to Barh&n&b&d, and en- camped near Amroha. Eutb £h&n, ^tek Eh&n, and Part&b came there to pay their respects, and promised to make over forty parganas to the Solt&n, on condition that he would put Hamid Eh&n to death. Part&b incited the Sult&n to slay Eamid £h&n, because the E[h&n''s &ther in former days had plundered his estate and seized his wife. Sult&n 'Al&u*d din, irho was unfit to govern a kingdom, gave directions, without thought or reflection, for the execution of Hamid E[h&n, whose brothers, learning these intentions, managed to liberate him from confinement, and then fled to Dehli. Malik Muhammad Jam&I, in whose custody he had been, pursued Hamid Eh&n to his house and attacked him ; but in the tumult he was killed by a spear, and many people joined the party of Hamid £h&n. The tcazir removed the wives, sons, and daughters of the Sult&n, exposed and bare-headed, out of the fort of Dehli, and then took possession of the treasures and regalia. Sult&n ^Al&u-d din's irresolution hindered him from doing anything, and after patting off his revenge from day to day, he remained in Bad&un on account of the rainy season. Hamid Kh&n resolved to avail himself of the opportunity, and to establish another sovereign in the room of Sult&n 'Al&u-d din ; but as Sult&n Mahmud, King of Jaunpdr, was connected with Sult&n 'Al&u-d din, and Sult&n Mahmud, King of M&ndu, was too distant to admit of his holding communication with him, he did not think proper to make any determined move. Whilst he was meditating on his future schemes, Bahlol, having received intelligence of what was in contemplation, came with his entire army from Sirhind to Dehli. Hamid Kh&n did not quit his post, as he considered himself sufficiently strong to prevent Sultfin Bahlol from entering
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the city.^ After entering into a convention, Sult&n Bahlol gained permission to enter the city, and he, in order to meet the neces- sities of the times, treated Hamfd Xhin with all possible polite- ness and courtesy, and went daily to visit him, at the same time always keeping near his own person many Afgh&ns who had joined him from Roh. His determination was to make himself king, and turn Hamid £h&n out.
One day Hamid Kh&n gave a grand entertainment, and in- vited many nobles as his guests. Sult&n Bahlol, who was one of the party, had instructed his Afgh&ns to behave in a foolish and indecorous mannner, during Hamid Kh&n's feast, so that he might look on them as a set of idiots, and ceasing to regard them with any apprehension, might pay no further attention to them. When the Afgh&ns went into Hamid Kh&n'*s presence, they acted in an unusual and strange manner. Some festened their shoes to their girdles, some placed their shoes in the recess above Hamid Kh&n's head. Hamid Eh&n inquired what this meant. They answered, *^ We are taking precautions against thieves." After a short time the Afgh&us said to Hamid Kh&n, *'Tour carpet is wonderfully coloured; if you give us each a blanket from it, we will send it as a rarity to our native land of Boh, to make caps for our children, that the inhabitants of the world may know that we are in the service of Hamid Kh&n, and are treated with much dignity, honour, and respect." Hamid Kh&n smiled, and said in reply, '' I will make you presents of the most costly articles for rarities.**^ And as they were bringing round trays containing perfumes, the Afgh&ns licked the scent bottles, and ate the flowers. They opened the leaves which covered the pdn. First they ate the lime, and when this had heated their mouths, tbey chewed the pdn afterwards, and in other respects conducted themselves in an extraordinary manner. Hamid Kh&n asked Malik Bahlol, •'Why do they act thusP" He replied, "They are a set of
^ These oiroumstances are differently represented in the Tdrikh^i Midi [anti Vol. IV., p. 435],
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clowns^ and have associated but little with men ; they only know how to eat and die."*^ It became Bahlors custom to bring some of these men whenever he went to see Hamid Eh&n ; but the greater portion of his attendants remained standing without. On one occasion, when Hamid Eh&n was feasting Malik Bahlol, the Aigh&ns, in obedience to secret instructions received from Malik Bahlol, beat the door-keepers, and forced their way in, saying, *^ We are likewise servants of Hamid Kh&n ; why should we be prevented from coming to salute him P " When a tumult and disturbance had arisen, Hamid Kh&n asked the reason of it. They, as they were entering, abused Malik Bahlol, and said to the minister, '^ We are just as much your servants as he is ; he comes in, and why should not weP^ When Hamid Kh&u directed that they should be admitted, the Afgh&ns crowded in, and two of them placed themselves near every servant of Hamid £h&n. When the eatiug part of the entei*tainment was over, and many of Hamid Ehdn'^s men had gone out, Kutb Eh&n Lodi drew forth a chain from his bosom, and laid it before Hamid Eh&n, sayiug, ^*The best thing for you will be to retire fit)m public life for a short time. As I have eaten your salt, I do not intend to put you to death.^ Afker this he caused Hamid Eh&n to be seized, and gave him in charge to his officers.^
Thus Malik Bahlol took possession of Dehli, without hindrance or opposition ; and on the 17th of the month Babi'u-1 awwal, A.H. 855* (19th April, 1451), at the prosperous moment and auspicious time which the astrologers learned in the stars, and experienced Br&hmans had indicated, he seated himself on the Imperial throne, and ordered the khutba to be read and coin to be struck in his own name. He assumed the title of Sult&n Bahlol; and did his best to conciliate the nobles and
> Ahmad T&dg&r gives an account of this transaction in greater detail ; but the particulan are scarcely worthy of notice. — MS. p. 7.
* So says Ni'amata-Ua and the TdHkh^i Dditdi; but Ahmad Y&dg&r says 27th of Mnharram. [Fiiishta makes it a year earlier, 854.]
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soldiery, aad gain the goodwill of great and small, by his extreme liberality and generosity. He won the people over to his side, and when he had secured a firm hold on Dehli, after some days, he wrote to Sult&n 'Al&u-d din, saying, *' Since I was educated by yoor &ther, and consider myself as in fact your regent for this country, I will allow the royal power, which had left your hands, to remain as it was; and I will not prevent the khutba from being read in your name.*^ Sult&n 'Al&u-d d{n wrote in reply, '' As my father looked on you as his offspring, I likewise have looked on you as my elder brother, and have therefore made over the government to you, and contented myself with Bad&un/'^ Sult&n Bahlol, being successftil and prosperous, ruled the empire with vigour. He wrested the parganaa bordering on Dehli from the people who had usurped them, and took them into his own possession. He also, in the first year of his reign, went to settle the province of Mult&n.
Some of Sult&n 'Al&u-d din's nobles, who were dissatisfied with the government of the Lodis, wrote to Sult&n Mahmdd of Jaunpur, and summoned him to their assistance. Accord- ingly, in the year 855,* he advanced from Jaunpur to Dehli, which place he besieged. Ehw&ja B&yazid, the son of Sult&n Bahlol, with other nobles, remained there to garrison the fort.' Sult&n Bahlol,^ on hearing this, left DIp&lpur and came and encamped in the village of Narela, fifteen kos distant from Dehli. In spite of all his endeavours to make peace, Sult&n Mahmud's pride and arrogance prevented an accommodation. Sult&n Mahmud sent Fath Kh&n Hirwi, with 30,000 horse- men and 39 elephants, against Sult&n Bahlol. These came
1 [See Vol. lY., p. 86. 'Alan-d din lived quietly at BadkAn till his death in 883, A.D. 1478.]
s All other anthorities say 866 h.
s The account of this siege of Dehli is given in greater detail among the Extncts from Ahmad Y&dg&r {fuprd page 2), whose account agrees with that of 'Abdu-Ua in the Tdrfkh-i DdML
^ [This is in accordance with the MSS., but differs from Dom, whose Texaioii makes B&yazid come from Dip&lp<ir.]
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into action in three divisions. The leading elephant of Fath Kh&n's army was disabled by Kutb Khkn Lodf, who was an nnriTalled archer, with a single shot. Darya Kh&n Lodi, who had joined Sult&n Mahmud, was fighting in the same field. Kutb Kh&n called out to him with a load voice, ** Yonr mother and sisters are in the fort ; it is not fit that yon should do battle for the stranger, and lose sight of the reputation of your fiimily." Daryd Kh&n said, ** I will leave the field, provided yon do not fellow me.*" Kutb took an oath that he would not pursue him ; and thus, on account of Daryd £h&n's retreat, Fath Kh&n's troops were defeated, and he himself was taken prisoner. Sult&n Mahmud, being thus foiled, and being unable to effect anything, retired to Jaunptir.
Solt&n Bahlol then settled himself firmly, and increased his dominions and authority. He took measures to gain entire possession of the country; and with this object in view, first proceeded into Mew&t. Ahmad Eh&n Mew&tti submitted ; upon which the Sult&n deprived him of seven parganas, but allowed him to retain the remainder. Ahmad appointed his uncle, Mubfirak Kh&n^ to be perpetually in attendance at Court. The Sult&n proceeded from Mew&t to Baran. Dary& Khia Lodi, governor of Sambhal, also came before His Majesty, to tender his allegiance and submission, and presented him with seven parganoB. The Sult&n went thence to Eol, and confirmed 'I'si Xh&n in the possession of that place on the former terms. When he reached Burh&n&b&d, Mub&rak Kh&n, governor of Sakit, came to pay his respects; he was likewise confirmed in the possession of the districts which he held in jdgir, E&i Part&b, chief of the zaminddrs in those parts, was also confirmed in possession of Bhuing&nw. From thence he went to the fort of B&pri.^ Kutb Kh&n, the son of Husain, who commanded in B&pri, resisted, but his fort was speedily captured. Kh&n Jah&n, after making a solemn promise of safe conduct to Kutb Kh&n, brought him into the King's presence, when he also was 1 ["To E&pri and Chand&war.*'— Jfait^Am.]
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confirmed in hu9 jdglrs. From thence, Sult&n Bahlol went to Et&wah, the governor of which likewise offered his homage.
At this period Mahmdd Sharki, by the advice of Mallka Jah&n, who was the chief lady of his harem^ and was related to Sult&n 'Al&u-d din, again assembled a force, and came against Sult&n Bahlol, and encamped in the country about Et&wah. On the first day, both armies engaged in hostilities ; on the second, Eutb Eh&n and R&i Part&b made amicable arrangements, and agreed that the whole of the territory which had belonged to Mub&n&k Sh&h, £ing of Dehli, should be left in the hands of Sult&n Bahlol, and that which Sult&n Ibr&him, King of Jaunptir, had held, should be left in the possession of Sult&n Mahmud; also that seven elephants which had fallen into the hands of Sult&n Bahlol in the fight with Fath Eh&n should be given back to Sult&n Mahmtid. Shams&b&d was to be con- sidered the property of Sult&n Bahlol, and was to be made over to him by Jun& Kh&n, the agent of Sult&n Mahmud. After this truce, Sult&n Mahmud returned to Jaunpur, and Sult&n Bahlol wrote Bk/armdn at the appointed time to Jun& ELh&n, directing him to leave Shams&b&d, and give it into the hands of B&i Karan. As Jdii& Eh&n resisted the execution of the order, Sult&n Bahlol went in person to Shams&b&d, took the fort and town from Jun& Eh&n and gave them to B&i Earan.
Sult&n Mahmdd, when informed of these transactions, again went against Sult&n Bahlol, in violation of his solemn engage- ments. They met face to face at Shams&b&d, and Dary& Eh&n Lodi and Eutb Eh&n^ made a night attack on the army of Sultan Mahmdd. By chance, Eutb Eh&n^s horse stumbled, and he was thrown to the ground and taken prisoner. Sult&n Mahmud confined him and sent him to Vaunpur, where he remained captive for seven years. Sult&n Bahlol, leaving Prince Jal&l Eh&n, Sikandar Eh&n, and 'Im&du-l Mulk in
1 Thifi was Katb Kh&n Lodi, first cousin of Bahlol, and son of Ulkm Eh6n. The other Euth Kh&n, frequently mentioned in thii rei^ was the son of Huaain Eh&A Afgh&n, and governor of R&prf on the Jumn&. Doxyk Kh&n was also a first consia of BaMol^Tdrikh'i Jkiiidi, MS. p. 24.
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front of Sult&n Mahmud^s forces, for the purpose of render- ing assistance to B4i Earan, who was in the fort of Shams- ib&d, went in person against Sult&n Mahmud. At this time the Sult&n [Mahmdd] fell sick, and in two or three days the measure of his age was filled to the brim, and he ceased to exist. His mother, Bibi B&ji, who was a very wise, clever and ex- perienced woman, with the assistance of the nobles, seated Prince Bhikhan Eh&n on the throne of the kingdom, and gave him the title of Muhammad Sh&h. Certain of the chief nobles and grandees of the State interposed, and made peace between the two monarchs, under which it was agreed that the territories of Sult&n Mahm&d should be ruled by Muhammad Sh&h, and that those owned formerly by Sult&n ^Al&u-d din should be governed by Sult&n Bahlol.
After this compact, Muhammad Sh&h retraced his steps to Jaunpur, and Sult&n Bahlol went towards Dehli. On his arrival near Dehli, Shams Kh&tun, sister of Eutb Kh&n, and the chief lady of the Sult&n^s haremy sent to say, that as long as Eutb Khan remained the prisoner of Sult&n Muhammad Sh&h, it would be unlawful for the Sult&n to take sleep or repose of any kind, [adding that she would kill herself].^ This speech made such an impression on the Sult&n, that he turned back from Dehli, and set off again against Muhammad Sh&h. When Muhammad heard this, he set out from Jaunpur, with the view of meeting Sult&n Bahlol ; and on reaching Shams&b&d, he took that district away from E&i E[aran, Sult&n Bahlol's governor, and reinstated J&n& Eh&n. Although R&i Part&b had formerly been on the side of Sult&n Bahlol, yet he now became alarmed on account of Muhammad Sh&h's successes, and joined his party. Muhammad Sh&h reached Surseni by uninterrupted marches. Sult&n Bahlol encamped in tYiepargana of B.&pri, which adjoined Surseni, and fighting took place for some days between the two armies.
Muhammad Sh&h wrote a farmdn to the Eotwdl of Jaunpur,
1 [Makhzan.]
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ordering him to pat his (the Sh&h's) own brother, Hasan Eh&n, and Entb Kh&n LodI, who were both detained as prisoners, to death.^ The Kotwdl represented that Bibi B&ji protected both of them, and that he had not sufficient authority to kill them. When Muhammad Sh&h learnt the contents of the reply, he wrote in a perfidious, plausible and treacherous way to his mother, saying, ^'My brother, Hasan E3i&n, suffers greatly in prison; it is proper that you should come here and make peace between him and me ; after which an estate shall be given to him.'' Bibi B&ji set forth on receiving the letter; and when she was some stages on the road, one of Sh&h Muhammad'^s courtiers put Prince Hasan Kh&n to death by order. This news reached Bibi B&ji at Eananj. After mourning for Hasan Eh&n in Kanauj, she declined to enter the presence of Muhammad Sh&h. When Muhammad Sh&h heard of his mother's return, he was wroth, and wrote to her, saying, " Why do you mourn on account of the execution of an individual P All the princes will meet with a like fate, and then you can mourn for them all at once ! " The nobles and ministers were in continual dread of Muhammad Sh&h, for he was of a very ferocious, blood- thirsty, and passionate disposition.
During these transactions, Husain Eh&n, a younger brother of Muhammad Sh&h, sent Sult&n Sh&h and Jal&l Kh&n Ajodhani to inform Muhammad Sh&h that the troops of Sult4n Bahlol intended to make a night attack ; that 30,000 horsemen and thirty elephants had been detached for the purpose, and had taken a position on the banks of the Jhama.* Sult&n Muhammad,?
1 In the TdriJch'i Dd&di (MS. p. 25) they are called two sons of Snlt&n Sh&h, by name Hasan Eb&n and Eutb Eh&n. The insertion of "Lodi " must be an error, though his father's name also was Sult&n Sh&h. These princes were eridently of the Jannptir family, and Sult&n Sh&h himself appears as one of the conspirators against Muhammad Sh&h. [Still, Kutb Kh&n Lodi was a prisoner in Jaunptir at this time.]
* The Afgh&n histories are not sufficiently explicit on the subject of these moTe- ments ; but it appears from the Jaunpiir annals, that the conduct of the two brothers arose from disaffection to Muhammad Sh&h.
s [The original translation and the MS. of the East India Library say, ^ Sult&n Bahlol," but this clearly wrong. The MSS. of the Makhzan are correct. See also Bom, p. 49]
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on receiTing this news, sent a diyision of his troops to oppose them. Prince Hnsain Eh&n desired to take his brother Sh4h- z£da Jal&l Khan with him, and sent a man to call him; bat Sult&n Sh&h remonstrated against the delay, representing that Jal&l Kh&n might come up afterwards* Upon this, they went off in the direction of the enemy. It so happened, that Salt&n Bahlors army was prepared for these movements ; so that when Prince Jal&I Kh&n, in obedience ta the sum- mons of Hnsain Kh&n, had left the army of MiAammad Sh&h, and started for the Jhama, he found himself in the presence of the Sultan's troops, instead of Husain Eh&n's. Thereupon, Saltan BahloFs men seized Jal&l Kh&n, and brought him into the presence of their sovereign, who imprisoned him, deter- mining to retain him as a hostage for the safety of Eutb Kh&n. [Hnsain Eh&n, when he heard of this capture of Jal&l Kh&n, being in fear and dread of Muhammad Sh&h, took to flight and went to Jaunpur.] * Muhammad Sh&h was terror-stricken when he learnt the capture of one brother and the flight of another, fearing that the latter might go and do damage to his interests throughout the country ; but being unable to offer any opposi- tion, he went to Eanauj, and was pursued as far as the Ganges by Sult&n Bahlol, who returned to Dehli after plundering a small portion of the baggage [and capturing some elephants and horses],
Sh&hzada Husain Eh&n, in the year 857, eame, at Jaunptir, into the presence of Bibi BAji, to pay his respects; and as she was greatly displeased with Muhammad Sh&h, she, with the aid of the Sharki nobles and grandees, raised him to the throne of the kingdom of Jaunpur, with the title of Sult&n Husain.* Malik Mubdrak Gang, Malik 'Ali Gujar&ti, and other chiefs were appointed to attack Muhammad Sh&h, who had taken up a position at B&jgarh, on the river Ganges. When
1 Makhsan.
* Thu date is quite iireooncilable with the Jaunpfir history — according to which, eren Mahmiid Sh&h did not die till the year 862, and Muhammad Sh&h's reigu lasted for fire months.
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Sultan Husain^s army approached, divers nobles who were dis- satisfied with Muhammad Sh&h forsook him, and joined the forces of Sult&n Husain. Muhammad Sh&h fled, accompanied by 100 of his body-guard, and arrived at a garden which was in that neighbourhood, where he was surrounded by the Sultin's soldiers. Muhammad Sh&h, being a capital archer, took up his bow and arrows ; but previous to this, Bibi Bfiji had per- suaded the armourer of Muhammad to remove the points from the arrows which he had in his quiver, so he found, at the time of action, that all the arrows which he drew forth from his quiver were pointless. At last he threw down his bow, and took to his sword, with which he smote down several persons ; but an arrow from the bow of destiny was sent by the hand of Malik Mub&rak Gang, which struck Muhammad Sh&h in the throat. The wound caused him to &11 from his horse to the ground, when he attained martyrdom.
*' Our mother, Nature, never bore a son whom she did not slay ! Beware, distrust the love of this murderer of her offspring ! "
After these events, the Almighty established Sult&n Husain firmly in the possession of the kingdom. He made peace with Sult&n Bahlol, by which they were both bound to remain satis- fied with their own possessions for four years. R&i Part&b was induced by Kutb Khan to side with Sult&n Bahlol.^ When Sult&n Husain had made peace, and arrived near the Hatiz-i Hariya^ he sent for Kutb Kh&n [Lodi] from Jaunpur, and after presenting him with a horse, a royal dress of honour, an elephant, girdles, daggers, and jewelled swords, he gave him leave to depart, and having thus treated him with all possible honour and respect, sent him to Sult&n Bahlol. Sultan Bahlol, likewise, gratified Prince Jal&l Kh&n by the kind and polite manner in which he behaved to him, and then sent him to Sult&n Husain.
Some time after, Sult&n [Bahlol] determined to go to Shams- ib&d ; which place he again took from Jtin& Eh&n, and gave it
^ [This sentence is found only in the Tdrikh-% Khdn^Jahdn Lodi.}
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to BM Karan. He also presented the kettle-dram and standard whieh he had wrested from Dary& Ehia to Narsing Deo, the son of R&i Part&b.^ Dary& Kh&n took advantage of an oppor- tmiity^ and, with the approval of Kntb Kh&n, slew Narsing Deo. Kntb Eh&n, Husain Kbdn, Mnb&riz Eh&n, and E&i Part&b, having entered into a conspiracy, went over to the Sharki monarch.' Snlt&n Bahlol, finding himself too weak to resist them, went back to Dehli ; and after some time, started for Mult&n, with the in- tention of putting an end to the disturbances in the Panj&b. He left Kntb Kh&n Lodi and ELh&n Jah&n in Dehli, to act as his deputies during his absence ; but whilst he was yet on the road,^ news reached him that Sult&n Husain, with a well-appointed army and war-elephants, was marching towards Dehli. Sult&n Bahlol turned back, and with all possible speed returned to Dehli, and went out to meet the foe, with whom, after some time, he ibund himself hce to &ce. Continual fighting took place between the two parties during the space of seven days, when at length, after much slaughter, by the efforts of the chiefs, a peace was brought about ; and it was agreed that both kings should remain within the boundaries of their respective territories for three years. Aft^r this truce, Sult&n Bahlol abode in Dehli for three years, and Sult&n Husain returned to Jaunptir, and attended to the afiairs of his kingdom and army. During this period. Sultan Bahlol proceeded against Ahmad Kh&n Mew&tti, who had before been an ally of Sultan Husain. When he arrived in Mew&t, Ahmad Kh&n was induced by the representations of the Kh&n*kh&n&n, one of the chief nobles of Sult&n Bahlol, to come in and pay his respects.
^ Pirishta represents this in quite a different light : — *' Part&b "Rki had formerly taken a standard and pair of drams from Dary& Eh&n Lodi in action ; and that chief, in order to aTenge himself, assassinated Narsing B&i, in spite of the opposition of Kntb Eh&n, the son of Husain Eh&n. Mub&rak 'Khkn, apprehensive of Daryi Kh&n's influence at Court, fled to Husain Sh&h Shark!/'— ^ny^«, toI. i. p. 556.
> Ni'amatn-lla represents thai this conspiracy arose in consequence of the assassina^ lion of Narsing Deo (MS., p. 87; Born, p. 51) ; but there seems no connexion. [No mention is made of '' Eiitb Eh&n *' in any of the MSS. of the Makhzan,^
^ [** Before he reached Lahore." — Makhzan.]
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About this period Ahmad Eh&n, the son of Ytisof Kh&n Jalw&Di, governor of Baj&ua, broke out into revolt against Sult&n Bahlol; and having caased the khutba to be read and coin to be struck in the fort of Bay&na in the name of Sult&n Husain, sent intelligence of this to Sult&n Husain.^ No dispute had occurred during the period, of the three years' truce; but now the Sult&n marched towards Dehli with 100,000 horse and 1000 elephants. Sult&n Bahlol came out of Dehli, and drew np his forces before the enemy in the neighbourhood of Bhatw&ra. Kh&n Jah&n interposed, and effected a recQUciliation between the parties; after which Sult&n Husain went to Et&wah, and remained there, whilst Sult&n Bahlol returned to Dehll.
After the lapse of some time, Sult&n Husain broke his oath, and again advanced against Sult&n Bahlol. Sult&n Bahlol left Dehli, »id both sides skirmished during several days in the vicinity of the Sar&i Lashkar ; they, however, ended by making peace. About this time Sult&n Husain's mother, Bibi B&ji, departed this life in Et&wah. Kaly&n Mai, the son of B&i Earan Sing, B&J& of Gw&lior, and Kutb Eh&n Lodi, went from Chanda- w&r to condole with Sult&n Husain. Eutb Kh&n found that Sult&n Husain was inimical to and disposed to injure Sult&n Bahlol, so he flattered the Sult&n by telling him that Bahlol was his subject, and unable to cope with him as a rival, and that he would take no rest until he had obtained possession of Dehll for him. After thus deceiving Sult&n Husain, Kutb Kh&n took leave of him, and presented himself to Sult&n Bahlol, and said, '* We have escaped from the hands of Sult&n Husain by wiles and contrivances, and have discovered that he entertains a rooted hatred to you. It is necessary for you, there- fore, to look to yourself. Be on the alert."
About this time, Sult&n 'Al&u-d din departed to the mercy of God in Bad&un. Sult&n Husain went there for the purpose of offering condolence, but he finished by wresting Bad&un from 'Al&u-d dln^s son, and in doing so injured his reputation. From
^ [Dom*8 Yenion is here defective.]
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thence he went to Sambhal, where he confined Mub&rak Kh&n, the son of T&t&r Eh&n, the governor of that place, and sent him to S&ran. He then proceeded in person against Dehli, with a large army and 1000 elephants, and arrived at the ferry of £anjh, on the river Jamna, in the month of Zi-1 hijja, A.H. 893, and encamped there. Sult£n Bahlol was, at this period, in the direction of Sirhind, but came to Dehli when he heard the news. Both parties were employed in fighting for some time, and the eastern forces were generally victorious, owing to their superior strength and numbers. In the end, Kutb £h&n sent a person to Sult&n Husain with a message, saying, " I am the grateful servant of Bibi B&ji ; she treated me with the utmost kindness when I was a prisoner in Jaunpur. I think that the most advisable course to pursue at present is to make peace, and return. Let the countries on the other side of the river Ganges be ruled by you, and those on this side by Sultan Bahlol." Thus did Kutb Kh&n'^s interposition put an end to this warfiure.
Sultan Husain, relying on the truce which had been concluded, marched away, leaving his baggage behind. Sult&u Bahlol took advantage of the opportunity, pursued Sult&n Husain, and plun- dered his baggage. A portion of the valuables and treasures, which had been laden on horses and elephants, fell into the hands of Sult&n Bahlol. Moreover, forty noblemen of Sult&n Husain'^s army, who were grandees of his kingdom, including Katlagh Eh&n, the tcas^^ who was one of the most learned men of the age, Odhu, the ndib^ and others like them, were made captive. Soltdn Bahlol put E[atlagh Kh&n in chains, and gave him in charge to Kutb £h&n. The defeated Sult&n himself also fled ; Malika Jah&n, the chief wife of Sult&n Husain, was taken prisoner. Sult&n Bahlol appointed eunuchs to keep strict guard over the wife of the Sult&u ; and after some time she was sent, with the greatest honour and respect, to Sult&n Husain. Sult&n Bahlol seized several parganaa which belonged to Sult&n Husain, such as Kampil, Patti&li^ Sakit, Kol, and
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JaUli,^ and appointed his own governors. He then went himself in pursuit, and when the pursuit had lasted some time, Sult4n Husain &ced about, and posted himself in the villa^ of B&m- panjw&ran, which is attached to B&pri. At length, a truce waa agreed upon, the conditions of which were that both the Sult&ns should remain contented with their old boundaries. After the conclusion of peace, both returned to their respective countries.'
In the next year Sult&n Husain, at the instigation of Malika Jah&n, forgetful of his oath, again came to attack Sult&n Bahlol, at the head of a large army. A desperate battle was fought, near the village of Sonh&r, and Sult&n Husain, being again routed, went to B&pri. Sult&n Bahlol pitched his camp near the village of Dhup&mu. An immense amount of valuable property fell into the hands of the Lodis, the possession of which tended much to increase the power and authority of Malik Bahlol.
About this time intelligence arrived of the decease of Kh&n Jah&n Lodi, and Sult&n Bahlol granted to his son the title of Kh&n Jah&n, and conferred on him the appointments held by his &ther. He then went to B&pri against . Sult&n Husain, and was victorious, after much fighting and slaughter. Sult&n Husain, being defeated, fled across the river Jumna. Whilst passing that stream, several of his wives and children were drowned in the river of mortality ; this caused Sult&n Husain excessive pain and affliction. He, after suffering much trouble, and repentance, went off towards Gw&lior, intending to pro- ceed from thence to Jaunpdr. On his way to Gw&lior, the Bhadauryas attacked his camp. When he arrived at that place, B&i Karan Sing, the B&ja of Gw&lior, showed his allegiance, and received him with regal honours. He presented an offering to the Sult&n, consisting of some lacs of tankaSy various descrip- tions of tents, with some horses, elephants, and camels, and thus proved himself one of the well-wishers of the State. He
^ Ni'amata-lla omits the names, but Firislita adds those of Shams&b&d and Marhera, and mentions Jales&r in lieu of Jal&li.
' The Makhzan-i Afghani represents that actual possession was the basis of this hollow truce between these perfidious princes.
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also sent a body of his own troops to aceompanj tbe Salt&n as &r as E&lpi.
Whilst this was happening, Sult4n Bahlol determined to pro- ceed to Etdwah. Ibrahim Kh&n, the brother of Sult&n Husain, and Haibat Eh&n, called Qurg^anddz^ *' the wolf-slayer/^ who had posted themselves in Et&wah, fought for three days, after which they begged for mercy, and surrendered that fortress. Snlt&n Bahlol appointed Ibr&him Eh&n Loh&ni to command in £t£wah, and assigned some^ar^amu of Et&wah to B&i D&dand. He then went with a numerous force against Sult&n Husaiu ; they met at the Tillage of E&ng&nw, which belongs to E&lp(, and both parties were engaged for some time in preparation for battle. The river Jumna was between them. At this period Bai Tilak Ghand, the governor of the territory of Baksar/ came to pay his respects to Sultan Bahlol, and took his army across the river by a ford, against the troops of Sultdn Husain, who, being too weak to resist, fled to the Panna' country, the B&j& of which place came out to meet him, and presented him with some laea of tankasy and 100 horses and elephants, after which he sent his own soldiers with him as &r as Jaunpiir.
Sult&n Bahlol collected a body of men, with the intention of gaining possession of Jaunptlr, and when he drew near, Sult&n Husain, being unable to resist, retired toward Bahr^ich, towards which place Sult&n Bahlol likewise directed his steps, and they met on the banks of the Bahab.' After a contest, which ended as usual in the defeat of Sult&n Husain, the whole of the regalia^ fell into the hands of the Lodis. Sult&n Bahlol, after the victory, made up his mind to go to Jaunpur, which place he
1 Firishta has Katebr (Rohilkhand). — Briggs, vol. i., p. 659. 'Abdulla says, gOTemor of that place (K&lpl) Tdrikh^i Ddiuii, MS. p. 28.
* " Patna" is the most common reading, bnt I conceiye that " Panna," in Bnndel- Ir^aiMj^ is meant.
s Firishta says the K&lf Nadi.— Briggs, toI. i, p. 569.
« Firishta adds that Bibi Ehnnza, daughter of the late king, Saiyid 'Al&n-d din, and chief lady of Husain Sh&h's household, was taken captive and treated with respect Ahmad Y6dg&r (MS. p. 10) represents her as instigating her husband Mahffl6d to hostilities against BahloL
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took poBsession of. Leaying Mub&rak Eh&n to govern Jaanpur, and £utb Kh&n Lodi and Kh^ Jah&n, with some other nobles, in the territory of ManjhauH, he himself proceeded in the direction of Bad&un. Sult&n Husain availed himself of the opportunity thus offered, and returned to Jaunpur, with a hrge army ; upon which the nobles of Sult&n Bahlol quitted Jaunpur and went to Manjhauli ; but finding themselves unable to hold that place, they entered into an arrangement with Sult&n Hussun, and amused him under various artifices, devised by Kutb Eh&n, until such time as succour should arrive. Sult&n Bahlol sent his own son, B&rbak Sh&h, to aid them, and also followed in person. Sultdn Husain, being unable to do anything, went to Bih&r.
When Sult&n Bahlol arrived in the town of Haldi, he heard the news of the death of Kutb Kh&n Lodi, the sou of Isl&m Kh&n, the Sult&n's uncle. After passing some days in the performance of the customary mourning, he went to Jaunpur; and having established B&rbak Sh&h on the throne there, returned himself to K&lpi, which place he gave to 'Azam Hum&yun,^ the son of Prince Khw&ja B&yazid. He then pro- ceeded to Dhdipdr by the road of Ghandaw&r ; and the B&i of