The Institutes of Akbar 310: 80. Shahbáz Khán i Kambú.
The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 310
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80. Shahbáz Khán i Kambú.
310.1
Regarding the tribe called Kambú, vide Beames’ Edition of Sir H. Elliot’s Glossary, I, 304. The Persian hemistich quoted (Metre Hazaj)— gsrteit wldoy aya gS pe wil & . ‘The Afghans are the first, the Kambus the second, and the Kashmiris the third, set of scoundrels’ must be very modern; for during the reigns of Akbar and Jahángír, it was certainly a distinction to belong to this tribe, as will be seen just now. The sixth ancestor of Shahbáz was Hájí Isma'íl, a disciple of the renowned saint Baháuddín Zakaríyá of Multán. Once a beggar asked the saint to give him an ashrafí, or goldmuhr, for the name of every prophet he would mention; but as Baháuddín could not pay the money, Hájí Isma’íl took the beggar to his house, and gave him an ashrafí for each of the ten or twenty names he mentioned. Another time, Hájí Ismá'íl acknowledged to the saint that his power of understanding was defective, whereupon the saint prayed for him, and from that time the Kambús are proverbial in Hindústán for sagacity and quickness of apprehension. Shahbáz at first devoted himself to a life of abstinence and austerity, as his ancestors had done; but the excellent way in which he performed the duties of kotwál, drew Akbar’s attention to him, and he was made an Amír and appointed Mír Tozak (quarter master).
310.2
In the 16th year, when Lashkar Khán (No. 90) fell into disgrace, Sh. was appointed Mír-Bakhshí. In the 21st year, he was sent against the rebels in Jodhpúr, especially against Kalláh, son of Rái Rám, and grandson of Rái Máldeo, and was ordered to take Fort Síwánah. Shahbáz first took Fort Daigur (?), where a large number of Ráthor rebels were killed; after this he took Dúnárah, from where he passed on to Síwánah, which on his arrival capitulated (984). In the same year, Shahbáz was sent against Rájab Gajpatí. This Rájáh was the greatest Zamindar in Bihar, and had rendered good services during Mun’im’s expedition to Bengal. But when Daud, king of Orisa, invaded Bengal after Mun’im’s death at Gaur in 983, Gajpati rebelled and plundered several towns in Bihar. Farhat Khan (No. 145) tuyuldar of Arah, his son Farhang Khan, and Qarataq Khan, opposed the Rajah, but perished in the fight. When Shahbaz approached, Gajpati fled; but Sh. followed him up, and gave him no rest, and conquered at last Jagdespur, where the whole family of the Rajah was captured. Sh. then conquered Shergadh, which was held by Sri Ram, Gajpati’s son. About the same time, Sh. took possession of Rohtas. Its Afghan commander, Sayyid Muhammad, who commanded the Fort on the part of Junaid i Kararani, had been hard pressed by Muzaffar (No. 37); he therefore fled to Shahbaz, asked for protection, and handed over the Fort. Sh. then repaired to court, where he received every distinction due to his eminent services.
310.3
In the 23rd year (986), Sh. marched against the proud Rana Partab, and besieged the renowned Fort of Konbhalmir (called on our maps Komulmair, on the frontier between Udaipur and Jodhpur, Lat. 25° 10′). The Rana, unable to defend it, escaped in the disguise of a Sannasi, when the Fort was taken. Gogandah and Udaipur submitted likewise. Sh. erected no less than 50 thanahs in the hills and 35 in the plains, from Udaipur to Pur Mandal. He also prevailed upon the rebellious Daud, son of Rai Surjan Hada (No. 96), to submit, and took him to Court. After this, Sh. was sent to Ajmir, where disturbances frequently occurred.
310.4
When the military revolt of Bengal broke out, Sh. was ordered to go to Bihar; but he did not agree with M. ‘Aziz Kokah—for Sh. could not bear to be second or third—and carried on the war independently of him, defeated Arab Bahadur, and marched to Jagdespur. At that time the report reached him that Ma’sum Khan Farankhudi (No. 157) had rebelled, and ’Arab Bahadur and Niyabat Khan had joined him. Sh. therefore marched to Audh, and met the enemies near Sultanpur Bilkari, 25 kos from Awadh (Faizabad). Ma’sum, by a timely centre-attack, put Sh. to flight, and followed him up, Sh. fighting all the way to Jaunpur, a distance of 30 kos. Accidentally a rumour spread in the army of the enemies, that Ma’sum had been killed, which caused some disorder. At this moment, Sh.’s right wing attacked the enemies, Ma’sum got wounded, and withdrew to Awadh (Faizabad). Sh. now pursued him, and seven miles from that town, after a hard fight, totally routed him. Ma’sum could not hold himself in Awadh, and his army dispersed. After this, Sh. went again to Court, where he was received by the emperor on his return from Kabul. At court, Sh. generally gave offence by his pride; and when once, at a parade, the Bakhshis had placed the young Mirza Khan (No. 29) above him, he gave openly vent to his anger, was arrested, and put under the charge of Rai Sal Darbari (No. 106). But an officer of Sh.’s usefulness could ill be spared, and when M. ’Aziz in the 28th year applied for transfer from Bihar, Sh.
310.5
with other Amirs was sent there. He followed up Ma’sum Khan Kabuli to G’horag’hat, and defeated him. He then followed him to Bhati (p. 342), plundered Baktarapur, the residence of ’Isa, took Sunnargaon, and encamped on the Brahmaputra. ’Isa afforded Ma’sum means and shelter; but being hard pressed by the imperialists, he made proposals of peace: an Imperial officer was to reside at Sunnargaon; Ma’sum was to go to Makkah; and Sh. was to withdraw. This was accepted, and Sh. crossed the river expecting the terms would be carried out. But the enemies did nothing; and when Sh. prepared to return, his officers shewed the greatest insubordination, so that he had to retreat to Tandah, all advantages being thus lost. He reported matters to Court, and the tuyuldars of Bihar were ordered to join him. Sh. then took the field and followed up Ma’sum. In the 30th year, he and Çadiq Khan (vide No. 43) quarrelled. Subsequently, Sh. marched again to Bhati, and even sent a detachment ‘to Kokrah which lies between Orisa and the Dak’hin.’ Madhu Singh, the Zamindar of the district, was plundered, and had to pay tribute. In the 32nd year, when Sa'id (No. 25) was made Governor of Bengal, and the disturbances had mostly been suppressed, Sh. returned to Court. In the 34th year, he was made Kotwal of the army. He was then sent against the Afghans of Sawad; but he left his duties without order, and was again imprisoned.
310.6
After two years he was released, was made ataliq to M. Shahrukh, who had been appointed to Malwah and was on his way to Prince Murad in the Dak’hin. During the siege of Ahmadnagar, the inhabitants of Shahri Nau, ‘which is called Burhanabad,’ asked the Imperialists for protection; but as they were mostly Shi’ahs, Sh., in his bigotry, fell upon them, plundered their houses, especially the quarter called Langar i Duwazdah Imam, the very name of which must have stunk in Sh.’s nostrils. The inhabitants ‘seeing that they could not rely on the word of the Mughuls,’ emigrated. The Prince was irritated; and when Çadiq Khan (No. 43) was appointed his ataliq, Sh. left without permission for Malwah. Akbar gave his jagir to Shahrukh, and transferred Shahbaz. In the 43rd year, Sh. was sent to Ajmir as Commander of the mangala of Prince Salim (Jahangir), whom Akbar had asked to go from Ilahabad against the Rana. But Sh. was now above seventy years old, and as he had been in the habit of eating quicksilver, he commenced to suffer from pain in his hands and wrists. He got well again, but had in Ajmir another attack; he rallied again, but died suddenly in the 44th year (1008). Salim took quickly possession of Sh.’s treasures, went back to Ilahabad without having done anything, and continued in his rebellious attitude towards his father.
310.7
Shahbaz had expressed a dying wish to be buried in Ajmir within the hallowed enclosure of Mu’in i Chishti. But the custodians of the sacred shrine refused to comply, and Sh. was buried outside. At night, however, the saint appeared in the dreams of the custodians, and told them that Shahbaz was his favourite, whereupon the hero was buried inside, north of the dome.
310.8
Shahbaz was proverbial for his rigid piety and his enormous wealth. His opposition to Akbar’s ‘Divine Faith’ has been mentioned above (p. 188). He would neither remove his beard to please the emperor, nor put the word murid (disciple) on his signet. His Sunni zeal, no doubt, retarded his promotion as much as his arrogance; for other less deserving officers held higher commands. He observed with great strictness the five daily prayers, and was never seen without the rosary in his hand. One day the emperor took a walk along the tank at Fathpur and seized Shahbaz’s hand to accompany him. It was near the time of the ‘açr, or afternoon prayer, and Sh. was restless and often looked up to the sun, not to miss the proper time. Hakim Abul Fath (No. 112) saw it from a distance, and said to Hakim ’Ali who stood near him, “I shall indeed call Shahbaz a pious man, if he insists on saying the prayer, alone as he is with the emperor;” (for the prayer had been abolished by Akbar at Court). When the time of prayer had come, Sh. mentioned it to the emperor. “Oh,” replied Akbar, “you can pray another time, and make amends for this omission.” But Sh. drew away his hand from the grasp of the emperor, spread his dupattah shawl on the ground, and said not only his prayer, but also his vird (voluntary daily religious exercise), Akbar slapping all the while his head, saying, ‘Get up!’ Abul Fath stepped up, and interceded for Shahbaz, whose persistency he admired.
310.9
Abulfazl says that Shahbaz was an excellent and faithful servant; but he blames him for his bigotry. In liberality, he says, he had no equal, and people whispered that he found the Paras stone (vide Book III, Cubah of Malwah). His military contingent was always complete and in good order; during his fights near the Brahmaputr he had 9000 horse. Every Thursday evening, he distributed 100 Ashrafis to the memory of the renowned Ghausussiglain (’Abdul Qadir i Jilani). To Kambus he gave so much, that no Kambu in India was in bad circumstances. During the time he was Mir Bakhshi, he introduced the Dagh law, the most important military reform of Akbar’s reign (vide pp. 242, 255, 256). Shahbaz’s brother, Karamullah, was likewise pious. He died in 1002 at Saronj (Maasir). The Maasir mentions a son of Shahbaz, Ilhamullah. He was Waqi'ahnawis (p. 258) of the Sirkar of Baglanah, where he died. The Tuzuk (p. 248) mentions another son of his, Ranbaz Khan, who during the reign of Shahjahan was a Commander of Eight Hundred, 400 horse. He was, in the 13th year, Bakhshi and Waqi'ahnawis of the corps which was sent to Bangash. He held the same rank in the 20th year of Shahjahan’s reign.