[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [State papers](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin) › [Āʾīn-i Akbarī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari) › [The Ain i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett) › 2.6 # The Institutes of Akbar 2.6 The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 2.6 - **Language:** English ### [2.6.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.1) Akbar had in the meantime gone to Ujjain. The Dak’hin operations had also become more complicated by the refusal of Bahadur Khan to pay his respects to Prince Dányál, and war with Khandesh had been determined on. Akbar resolved to march on Asir, Bahadur Khan’s stronghold, and appointed Prince Dányál to take command at Ahmadnagar. Dányál sent immediate instructions to Abul Fazl to cease all operations, as he wished to take Ahmadnagar personally. When the Prince therefore left Burhánpúr, Abul Fazl, at Akbar’s request, left Mirzá Shahrukh, Mir Murtazá, and Khwajah Abul Hasan in charge of his corps, and hastened to meet the emperor. On the 14th Ramazán, 1008 (beginning of the 44th year of Akbar’s reign), he met Akbar at K’hargon, near Bijágarh. The emperor received him with the following verse— ای شب خوش و ای ماهتاب دلکشا با تو سخنها دارم بسیار Serene is the night and pleasant is the moonlight, I wish to talk to thee on many a subject. and promoted him for his excellent management to a command of four thousand. The imperial army now marched on Asir and commenced the siege. One day, Abul Fazl inspected some of his trenches, when one of the besieged, who had deserted to Akbar’s camp, offered, to shew him a way by which the Imperialists might get over the wall of the Malai Fort, an important fortification below Asirgarh itself. ### [2.6.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.2) Half way up the mountain, to the west and slightly to the north, were two renowned outworks, called the Malai and Antar Malai, which had to be conquered before Asir itself could be reached; and between the north-west and north, there was another bastion called Chinah Malai. A portion of its wall was not finished. From east to south-west there were hills, and in the south was a high mountain called Korhiah. A hill in the south-west, called Saipan, was occupied by the Imperialists. Abul Fazl determined on availing himself of the information given by the deserter, and selected a detachment to follow him. Giving orders to the officer commanding the trench to watch for the sound of the trumpets and bugles, when he was to hasten to his assistance with ladders, he went in the dark of night, whilst it was raining, with his selected men on Mount Saipan, and sent a few of his men under Qará Beg along the road that had been pointed out to him. They advanced, broke open a gate of Malai Fort, and sounded the bugle. The besieged rose up to oppose them, and Abul Fazl hastened to his men and joined them at break of day when the besieged withdrew in confusion to Asir. On the same day, other detachments of the army occupied Chunab Malai and Mount Korhiah, and Bahadur Khan, unable to resist longer, sued for pardon (1009). Prince Danyal, who had in the meantime conquered Ahmadnagar, now joined his father at Asir. ### [2.6.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.3) About this time disturbances broke out in the Dak’hin, caused by Raju Mannu, and a party set up the son of ’Ali Shah as king. As the latter found numerous adherents, the Khan Khanan was ordered to march against him, and Abul Fazl was sent to Nasik; but a short time afterwards, he was told to join the Khan Khanan. Akbar returned, in the 46th year, to Agrah, leaving Prince Danyal in Burhanpur. Abul Fazl had no easy life in the Dak’hin. The Khan Khanan stood idle at Ahmadnagar, because he was disinclined to fight, and left the operations to Abul Fazl, who looked upon him as a traitor. Abul Fazl vigorously pushed on operations, ably assisted by his son ’Abdurrahman. After coming to terms with the son of ’Ali Shah, he attacked Raju Mannu, recovered Jalnahpur and the surrounding district, and inflicted several defeats on him. Mannu found a temporary asylum in Daulatabad, and in a subsequent engagement he was nearly captured. As early as during the siege of Asir, Prince Salim, who had been sent against the Rana of Udaipur, had rebelled against his father, and had moved to Ilahabad, where he had assumed the title of king. Though on Akbar’s return from Burhanpur a reconciliation had been effected, the prince, in the forty-seventh year, shewed again signs of rebellion, and as many of Akbar’s best officers appeared to favour Salim, the emperor recalled Abul Fazl, the only trustworthy servant he had. ### [2.6.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.4) As his presence at Court was urgently required, Akbar sent him orders to leave the troops of his contingent in the Dak’hin. Putting his son ’Abdurrahman in charge of his corps, Abul Fazl set out for Agrah, only accompanied by a few men. Salim, who looked upon him with little concealed hatred, thought Abul Fazl’s journey, unprotected as he was, an excellent opportunity to get rid of him. He, therefore, persuaded Rajah Bir Singh, a Bundela chief of Urchah (Undchha), through whose territory Abul Fazl was likely to pass, to lay in wait for him and kill him. Bir Singh, who was in disgrace at Court, eagerly seized the opportunity of pleasing the Prince, who no doubt would substantially reward him on his accession, and posted a large body of horse and foot near Narwar. When arrived at Ujjain, Abul Fazl was warned of Salim’s intention, and his men tried to persuade him to go viâ Ghati Chándá; but Abul Fazl said that thieves and robbers had no power to stop him on his way to Court. He, therefore, continued his journey towards Narwar. ### [2.6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.5) On Friday, the 4th Rabi’ I, 1011 (12th August, 1602), at a distance of about half a kos from Sarái Bar, which lies six kos from Narwar, Bir Singh’s men came in sight. The few men that Abul Fazl had with him, strongly advised him to avoid a fight, and an old servant, Gadái Khán Afghán, told him quickly to retreat to Antri, which was three kos distant, as Rái Rayán and Súraj Singh were stationed there with three thousand Imperial horse: he might first join them, and then punish Bir Singh. But Abul Fazl thought it a disgrace to fly. He defended himself bravely; but in a short time he was surrounded, and, pierced by the lance of a trooper, he fell dead to the ground. Bir Singh cut off Abul Fazl’s head, and sent it to Salim in Iláhábád, who, it is said, had it thrown “into an unworthy place,” where it lay for a long time. The Dutch traveller De Laët gives the following account of Abul Fazl’s death. Salim returned to Halebassa \[Iláhábás, the old form of Iláhábád\], and began to coin gold and silver money in his own name, which he even sent to his father, to irritate him the more. The king, enraged at this, wrote an account of all that had happened to Abul Fazl, who bade the king be of good courage, for he would come to him as quickly as possible; and added that his son should be brought bound to him, either by fair means or by foul. ### [2.6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.6) Accordingly, a little afterwards, having obtained leave of absence from Daniel Xa \[Danyál Sháh\], he took to the road with about two or three hundred horsemen, leaving orders for his baggage to follow him. Xa-Selim, to whom all these things were known, recalling how hostile Fazl had always been towards him, and hence justly fearing that his father would be more exasperated than ever against him, judged it best to intercept him on his journey. So he begged Radzia Bertzingh Bondela, who lived in his province of Osseen \[Ujjain\], to lie in wait for Fazl near Soor \[Narwar ?\] and Gualer \[Gwaliar\], and to send his head to him, promising that he would be mindful of so great a benefit, and would give him the command of five thousand cavalry. The Radzia consented, and waited with a thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry about three or four coss from Gualer, having sent out scouts into the neighbouring villages, to give him early warning of the approach of Fazl. Accordingly when the latter, ignorant of the ambuscade, had come as far as Collebaga \[Kilabagh\], and was going towards Soor, Radzia Bertzingh and his followers fell upon him on all sides. Fazl and his horsemen fought bravely, but being overpowered by numbers, they were gradually worn out. Fazl himself, having received twelve wounds in the fight, was pointed out by a captive slave under a neighbouring tree, and was taken and beheaded. His head was sent to the prince, who was greatly pleased.” ### [2.6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.7) Prince Salim, with that selfish nonchalance and utter indifference that distinguished him throughout life, openly confesses in his ‘Memoirs’ that he brought about Abul Fazl’s murder, because he was his enemy, and, with a naiveté exclusively his own, represents himself as a dutiful son who through the wickedness of others had been deprived of his father’s love. He says— ### [2.6.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6.8) “On my accession, I promoted Rajah Bir Singh, a Bundela Rajput, to a command of three thousand. He is one of my favourites, and he is certainly distinguished among his equals for his bravery, good character, and straightforwardness. My reason for promoting him was this. Towards the end of my father’s reign, Shaikh Abul Fazl, a Hindustani Shaikh by birth, who was well known for his learning and wisdom, and who had externally ornamented himself with the jewel of loyalty, though he sold himself at a high price to my father, had been called from the Dak’hin. He was no friend of mine, and damaged openly and secretly my reputation. Now about that time, evil-minded and mischievous men had made my father very angry with me, and I knew that, if Abul Fazl were to come back to Court, I would have been deprived of every chance to effect a reconciliation. As he had to pass on his way through the territory of Bir Singh Bundela, who at that time had rebelled against the emperor, I sent a message to the latter to say that, if he would waylay Abul Fazl and kill him, I would richly reward him. Heaven favoured him, and when Abul Fazl passed through his land, he stopped him on his way, dispersed after a short fight his men, and killed him, and sent his head to me at Ilahabad. Although my father was at first much vexed, Abul Fazl’s death produced one good result: I could now without further annoyance go to my father, and his bad opinion of me gradually wore away.” --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.2.6) · Pramāṇa