The Institutes of Akbar 231.3

231.3

On the second of Shawwal, 964, shortly after the surrender of Mankot, when Akbar returned to Lahor, an imperial elephant ran against Bairam’s tent, and Bairam blamed Atgah Khan (No. 15), who never had been his friend, for this accident. The Atgah, after arrival at Lahor, went with his whole family to Bairam, and attested his innocence by an oath upon the Qoran. In 965, Bairam married Salimah Sultan Begum (p. 309, note,) and soon after, the estrangement commenced between Akbar and him. Badaoni (II, p. 36) attributes the fall of Bairam to the illtreatment of Pir Muhammad (No. 20) and the influence of Adham Khan, and his mother Mahum Anagah (Akbar’s nurse), Ciddiq Muhammad Khan, Shihabuddin Ahmad, &c., who effectually complained of the wretchedness of their jagirs, and the emptiness of the Treasury, whilst Bairam Khan’s friends lived in affluence. The Tabaqat i Akbari says that no less than twenty-five of Bairam’s friends reached the dignity of Panjhazaris—rather a proof of Bairam’s gift of selecting proper men. Bairam’s fall is known from the Histories. Akbar’s trick resembles exactly that which Sultan Abu Sa’id i Mughul adopted towards his minister Amir Chauban. (Bad.) On hearing the news that Akbar had assumed the reigns of the government, Bairam left Agrah, and sent his friends who had advised him to go to Akbar, to Court. He himself went under the pretext of going to Makkah to Mewat and Nagor, from where he returned his insignia, which reached Akbar at Jhujhar;