The Institutes of Akbar 247: 26. Shihab Khan, a Sayyid of Nishapur.

247

His full name is Shihabuddin Ahmad Khan. He was a relation and friend of Mahum Anagah (p. 323) and was instrumental in bringing about Bairam’s fall. From the beginning of Akbar’s reign, he was Commander of Dihli. When Akbar, at the request of Mahum, turned from Sikandarabad to Dihli to see his sick mother, Shihab Khan told him that his journey, undertaken as it was without the knowledge of Bairam Khan, might prove disastrous to such grandees as were not Bairam’s friends; and the Chaghtai nobles took this opportunity of reiterating their complaints, which led to Bairam’s disgrace.
As remarked on p. 321, Shihab served in Malwah against ‘Abdullah Khan. In the 12th year (975), he was appointed Governor of Malwah, and was ordered to drive the Mirzas from that province. In the 13th year, he was put in charge of the Imperial domain lands, as Muzaffar Khan (No. 37) had too much to do with financial matters.
In the 21st year, he was promoted to a command of Five Thousand, and was again appointed to Malwah; but he was transferred, in the following year, to Gujrat, as Vazir Khan (No. 41) had given no satisfaction. He was, in the 28th year, succeeded by I’timad Khan (No. 119), and intended to go to Court; but no sooner had he left Ahmadabad than he was deserted by his servants, who in a body joined Sultan Muzaffar. The events of the Gujrat rebellion are known from the histories. When Mirza Khan Khanan (No. 29) arrived, Shihab was attached to Qulij Khan (Malwah Corps). He distinguished himself in the conquest of Bahronch (992), and received that district as tuyul. In the 34th year (997), he was again made Governor of Malwah, in succession to M. ’Aziz Kokah (No. 21).
Shihab died in Malwah (Ujain, Tabaqat) in 999. His wife, Baba Agha was related to Akbar’s mother; she died in 1005.
During the time Shihab was Governor of Dihli, he repaired the canal which Firoz Shah had cut from the Parganah of Khizrabad to Safidon; and called it Nahr i Shihab. This canal was again repaired, at the order of Shahjahan, by the renowned Makramat Khan, and called Faiz Nahr, (20th year of Shahjahan). During the reign of Aurangzeb it was again obstructed, but has now again been repaired and enlarged by the English. (Asarussanadid.)