Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

The Institutes of Akbar 293: 66. Haidar Muhammad Khán, Akhtah Begí.

The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 293

Language
English

293

He was an old servant of Humáyún, and accompanied him to Persia. He gave the Emperor his horse, when in the defeat near Balkh Humáyún’s horse had been shot. On the march against Kámrán who had left Kábul for Afghánistán, the imperialists came to the River Surkháb, Haidar, with several other faithful Amírs, leading the van. They reached the river Siyáh-áb, which flows near the Surkháb, before the army could come up. Kámrán suddenly attacked them by night; but Haidar bravely held his ground. He accompanied the Emperor to Qandahár and to India, and was appointed to Bayánah (Bad. I., 463), which was held by Ghází Khán Súr, father of Ibráhím Khán. After the siege had lasted some time, Haidar allowed Ghází to capitulate ; but soon after, he killed Ghází. Humáyún was annoyed at this breach of faith, and said he would not let Haidar do so again.
After Akbar’s accession, H. was with Tardi Beg (No. 12) in Dihli, and fought under Khan Zaman (No. 13) against Hemu. After the victory, he went for some reason to Kabul. At Mun’im’s request, he assisted Ghani Khan (vide p. 318) in Kabul. But they could not agree, and H. was called to India. He accompanied Mun’im, in the 8th year, on his expedition to Kabul and continued to serve under him in India.
In the 17th year, H. served with Khan i Kalan (No. 16) in Gujrat. In the 19th year, he was, together with his brother Mirza Quli, attached to the Bengal army, under Mun’im. Both died of fever, in 983, at Gaur (vide p. 376).
A son of H. is mentioned below (No. 326.)
Mirza Quli, or Mirza Quli Khan, Haidar’s brother, distinguished himself under Humayun during the expedition to Badakhshan. When Kamran, under the mask of friendship, suddenly attacked Humayun, M. Q. was wounded and thrown off his horse. His son, Dost Muhammad, saved him in time.
According to the Tabaqat, M. Q. belonged to the principal grandees (umara i kibar), a phrase which is never applied to grandees below the rank of Commanders of One Thousand. His name occurs also often in the Akbarnamah. It is, therefore, difficult to say why his name and that of his son have been left out by Abulfazl in this list.