[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) › 231 # The Institutes of Akbar 231: 10. Bairam Khan, the fifth in descent from Mir ’Ali Shukr Beg Baharlu. The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 231 - **Language:** English ### 10. Bairam Khan, the fifth in descent from Mir ’Ali Shukr Beg Baharlu. ### [231.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231.1) Baharlu is the name of a principal clan of the Qaraqulu Turks. During the time of their ascendancy, under Qara Yusuf, and his sons Qara Sikandar and Mirza Jahan Shah, rulers of ’Iraq i ’Arab and Azarbaijan, ’Ali Shukr Beg held Dainur, Hamadan, and Kurdistan, “which tracts are still called the territory of ’Ali Shukr.” His son Pir ’Ali Beg stayed some time with Sultan Mahmud Mirza, and attacked afterwards the Governor of Shiraz, but was defeated. He was killed by some of the Amirs of Sultan Husain Mirza. Pir ’Ali Beg’s son, in the reign of Shah Isma’il i Cafawi, left ’Iraq, settled in Badakhshan, and entered the service of Amir Khusrau Shah at Qunduz. He then joined, with his son Saif ’Ali Beg, Babar’s army as Amir Khusrau had been deposed. Saif ’Ali Beg is Bairam’s father. Bairam Khan was born at Badakhshan. After the death of his father he went to Balkh to study. When sixteen years old, he entered Humayun’s army, fought in the battle of Qanauj (10th Muharram, 947), and fled to the Rajah of Lak’hnor (Sambhal). Sher Shah met Bairam in Malwah, and tried to win him over. But Bairam fled from Burhanpur with Abul Qasim, governor of Gwaliar, to Gujrat. They were surprised, on the road, by an ambassador of Sher Shah who just returned from Gujrat. ### [231.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231.2) Abul Qasim, a man of imposing stature, being mistaken for Bairam, the latter stepped forward and said in a manly voice, “I am Bairam.” “No,” said Abul Qasim, “he is my attendant, and brave and faithful as he is, he wishes to sacrifice himself for me. So let him off.” Abul Qasim was then killed, and Bairam escaped to Sultan Mahmud of Gujrat. Under the pretext of sailing for Makkah, Bairam embarked at Surat for Sindh. He joined Humayun on the 7th Muharram, 950, when the Emperor, after passing through the territory of Rajah Maldeo, was pressed by the Arghuns at Jun. On the march to Persia, he proved the most faithful attendant. The King of Persia also liked him, and made him a Khan. On Humayun’s return, Bairam was sent on a mission to Prince Kamran. When Humayun marched to Kabul, he took Qandahar by force and treachery from the Qizilbashes, and making Bairam governor of the district, he informed the Shah that he had done so as Bairam was ‘a faithful servant of both.’ Subsequently rumours regarding Bairam’s duplicity reached Humayun; but when in 961, the Emperor returned to Qandahar, the rumours turned out false. The conquest of India may justly be ascribed to Bairam. He gained the battle of Machhiwarah, and received Sambhal as jagir. In 963, he was appointed ataliq (guardian) of Prince Akbar, with whom he went to the Panjab against Sikandar Khan. On Akbar's accession (2nd Rabi' II, 963) at Kalanur, he was appointed Wakil and Khan Khanan, and received the title of Khan Baba. ### [231.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.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; ### [231.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231.4) for Akbar was on his way to the Panjab, which Bairam, as it was said, wished to invade. The insignia were conferred on Pir Muhammad Khan, Bairam’s old protégé; and he was ordered to see him embark for Makkah. Bairam felt much irritated at this; and finding the road to Gujrat occupied by Rajah Maldeo, his enemy, he proceeded to Bikanir to his friend Kalyan Mal (No. 93). But unable to restrain himself any longer, he entrusted his property, his family, and his young son ’Abdurrahim (No. 29) to Sher Muhammad Diwanah, his adopted son and jagir holder of Tabarhindah, and broke out in open rebellion. At Dipalpur, on his way to the Panjab, he heard that Diwanah had squandered the property left in his charge, had insulted his family, and had sent Muzaffar Ali (whom Bairam had despatched to Diwanah to settle matters) to Court a prisoner. Mortified at this, Bairam resolved to take Jalandhar. Akbar now moved against him; but before he reached him, he heard that Bairam had been defeated by Atgah Khan (No. 15). Bairam fled to Fort Tilwarah on the banks of the Biyah, followed by Akbar. Fighting ensued. In the very beginning, Sultan Husain Jalair was killed; and when his head was brought to Bairam, he was so sorry, that he sent to Akbar and asked forgiveness. This was granted, and Bairam, accompanied by the principal grandees, went to Akbar’s tent, and was pardoned. After staying for two days longer with Mun'im Khan, he received a sum of money, and was sent to Makkah. ### [231.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231.5) The whole camp made a collection (chandogh). Haji Muhammad of Sistan (No. 55) accompanied Bairam over Nagor to Patan (Nahrwalah) in Gujrat, where he was hospitably received by Musa Khan Fuladi, the governor. On Friday, 14th Jumada I, 968, while alighting from a boat after a trip on the Sahansa Lang Tank, Bairam was stabbed by a Lohani Afghan of the name of Mubarak, whose father had been killed in the battle of Machhiwarah. “With an Allahu Akbar on his lips, he died.” The motive of Mubarak Khan is said to have merely been revenge. Another reason is mentioned. The Kashmiri wife of Salim Shah with her daughter had attached herself to Bairam’s suite, in order to go to Hijaz, and it had been settled that Bairam’s son should be betrothed to her, which annoyed the Afghans. Some beggars lifted up Bairam’s body, and took it to the tomb of Shaikh Husamuddin. Seventeen years later the body was interred in holy ground at Mashhad. Akbar took charge of ’Abdurrahim, Bairam’s son (vide No. 29), and married soon after Salimah Sultan Begum, Bairam’s widow. For بیرام Bairam, we often find the spelling بهرام Bahram. Firishtah generally calls him Bairam Khan Turkman. Bairam was a Shi’ah, and a poet of no mean pretensions (vide Badaoni III, p. 190). --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.admin.ain-i-akbari~en-blochmann-jarrett.231) · Pramāṇa