Riyaz al-salatin 105.1
The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 105.1
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105.1.1
As related before, Shahzadah Walaguhar Muhammad 'Azimu-sh-Shan, son of Muhammad Muazzam Bahadur Shah, received from the Emperor a special Khilat, together with a jewelled sword, a high Mansab and the Insignia of the Mahi Order, and was appointed Subadar of Bengal and Behar. For the chastisement of the rebels, he started from the Dakhin with his two sons, named Sultan Karimuddin and Muhammad Farukh Sir for the Subah of Behar, and swiftly arrived in Behar via Subah Oudh and Avlahabad. The Prince issued Royal mandates, as potent as God's decrees, summoning to his presence the Zamindars, 'Amils, and Jagirdars. These appeared in His Highness' presence with tributes and gifts, and were recipients of valuable Khillats according to their respective ranks. And attending to the administration of the State affairs, they paid in the revenue and taxes into the Imperial treasury. The fiscal and administrative affairs were entrusted to honest Diwans and thrifty Karkuns, and Tahsildars were appointed to charges of Circles and Mahals. All of a sudden, news of the victory of Zabardast Khan and of the defeat of Rahim Shah arrived through the medium of newsletters.
105.1.2
Fancying that the fish of victory and triumph that was worthy of himself might be angled by another, who would go in for reward on account of good services, and fearing that Zabardast Khan, who was a grandson of Nawab 'Alimardan Khan, in recognition of such valuable services, might be invested with the office of Subahdar of Bengal, the ambitious Shahzadah, moving from Subah Behar, swiftly marched to Rajmahal, and spurring his horse for the chastisement of the rebels advanced with his large force to Bardwan. The Prince ignored Zabardast Khan's services, and failed to bestow on him a single word of praise or encouragement. The aforesaid Khan, becoming depressed by the apathy of the Shahzadah, and finding his great labours wasted, resolved to proceed to the Emperor. Caring not for the power of the Shahzadah, he struck the kettle-drum of march, and took the route to the Dakhin. Rahim Shah who, from fear of the fury of that lion of the forest of warfare, had been hiding like the fox and the jackal, in the holes of the mouse and the serpent, finding now an opportunity, brought back water into the rivulet of his ambition, and triumphantly made incursions on the frontiers of Bardwan, Hugli, and Nadia. Pillaging the inhabitants of that tract he desolated it, nay rendered it a den of wild beasts and a nest of owls and crows.
105.1.3
After the departure of Zabardast Khan the Prince, with great self-reliance, despatched mandates and orders to Jahangirnagar (Dacca) for conciliating and reassuring the Zamindars and Faujdars. His Highness himself, slowly marching from Akbarnagar (Rajmahal), advanced stage by stage, studying the convenience of his troops. The 'Amils, Faujdars, and zamindars, with appropriate contingents drawn from their respective mahals, presented themselves before the Prince with gifts and tributes, and accompanied the latter in his Royal Progress. The ill-fated Rahim Shah, fancying the news of the approach of the Prince to be a fiction, like his own fate, was sleeping the sleep of negligence. When, however, the news of the approach of the Royal Army reached the ear of that wretch, he hurriedly and anxiously concentrated his Afghan levies who were scattered far and near, and prepared for warfare. That royal eagle of the summit of the Empire, caring not for that flock of sparrows, set out unhesitatingly, without baggage and paraphernalia, and pitched his camp in the outskirts of Bardwan. There the Prince suspended the royal pearl of salutary advice to the ear of that contemptible prevaricator, promised reward in the event of acceptance, and threatened vengeance in the event of refusal.
105.1.4
That dissembler treated the bright pearl of the order of the Prince ostensibly as the jewel of the ear, but covertly as the gravel of his own eyes, that is, apparently he shewed signs of submission, but in reality, he sowed the thorn of rebellion and dissimulation in the field of his heart. He besought to his assistance Khwajah Anwar, elder brother of Khwajah 'Asam, who was a high officer and a boon companion of the Prince, and in fact the latter's prime-minister, and represented that in case the Khwajah came and promised on oaths and re-assured his mind, next morning he would proceed in his company to the Prince's presence, to sue for pardon for misdemeanour. The guileless Prince, ignorant of the wiles of that traitor, assenting to his request, ordered the above Khwajah to proceed early in the morning to Rahim Shah's camp, and instructed him to reassure the latter and to fetch him to the Royal Darbar to publicly avow submission.
105.1.5
Next morning the abovementioned Khwajah, following the order of his master, adopted no measures of precaution, and rode out with a few relations and friends. Halting in front of the camp of Rahim Shah, he sent information, and on horseback remained on the look-out. Hiding his armed Afghan soldiers in his tent, Rahim Shah was in pursuit of treachery. Opening towards the envoy the door of wiles and softness, he requested that the Khwajah should enter his camp. Fearing lest smoke might arise from the fire of the reptile, the above Khwajah hesitated to go in, and making promises summoned out Rahim Shah. When the demands of both sides resulted in a parley and the object of the mission remained unaccomplished, suddenly Rahim Shah with an armed force sallied out of his camp shouting and advanced in front of the Khwajah. From wounds of the tongue it culminated in wounds of the spear. Fathoming the water underneath the straw, Khwajah Anwar, regretted his coming, and wanted to return without accomplishing the object of his mission. Rahim Shah, advancing forward, commenced fighting. Being compelled to encounter him, Khwajah Anwar gallantly and bravely fought, and made heroic exertions, but being covered with mortal wounds, fell together with a number of his comrades. Finding the field deserted, the Afghans with swords rushed out and attacked the Royal camp of the Prince.
105.1.6
When that scion of the Imperial family Beheld perfidy in that prevaricator, And also in regard to the condition of Khwajah Anwar, News arrived that his head had been severed from his body; His face became cherry from rage, He called for arms from the armour-bearer. He placed the cuirass on the shoulder and the helmet on the head, From head to foot he became a figure of iron. He suspended an adamantine sword, And placed tightly a dagger in his waist. He tied one sunny shield to his shoulder, And placed a shining spear in his hand. He hung a quiver from his waist, And threw round the shoulder a Kaianian bow. He tied a noose to the top of his howdah, And clutched with the hand an iron mace. He gave order that the Generals of the army Should collect quickly near the Royal tents. At his order, the battle-seeking army Flocked in towards the Prince. When the Prince mounted his elephant, He looked like the sun on a mountain. The kettledrum of battle was struck, and the army moved, Like the river waving. He advanced to the field and raised aloft his standard, And boldly set himself to put his troops in array. He arranged his centre and wings: The right and left wings, the rear and the van. From the overwhelming number of his force, and from the Imperial prestige, The world quaked with terror. He rode up to the battle-field, But was dilatory in delivering an assault.
105.1.7
When the battle-field was arranged, and the cavalry and infantry, like the men at chess, were set in their proper places, Rahim Shah made a hostile flank movement, and fought gallantly. A number of Afghan troopers clad in cuirass and armed with daggers, by a desperate sally, galloped right through the ranks of the Imperialists, reached the centre, and sought for the Prince, shouting out "Azimu-sh-Shan." Attacking the Royal elephant with their horses, they prepared to give the final checkmate. The Imperial cavalry and infantry, unable to withstand the onslaughts of those villains, left the Prince in a corner before the enemy and fled. Thus the thread of the arrangement of the Imperial army was snapped. Rahim Shah, breaking through the entrenchments, attacked the Prince's elephant. At this crisis, and at the sight of this impudent daring, Hamid Khan Quraishi, who was standing at a short distance, spurred on his charger like an arrow shot from its bow, attacked Rahim Shah, and said, "Villain, I am Azimu-sh-Shan." Promptly discharging a rock-piercing arrow from his quiver, he pierced Rahim Shah on the chest. He pulled out his bow from its string And drew out his Khadang arrow from its quiver. He joined the arrow-notch to the ass's leather, And aimed at that giant. When the arrow-notch was shot to take aim, It pierced through the breast of that fighting demon, Piercing right through his breast, It figured like the balance from weight.