Riyaz al-salatin 111.5
The Riyazu-s-salatin (Abdus Salam) 111.5
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111.5.1
At this moment, the Afghans fell to plundering and pillaging the tents of Zainu-d-din's troops who had retreated. Seeing Mustafa Khan now left with a small force, Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan formed a van-guard of artillerymen and Bhallah musketeers and commenced an assault. The shells of guns and bullets of muskets now commenced showering like hail. Most of Mustafa Khan's comrades tasted the bitter potion of death; whilst one bullet, hitting Mustafa Khan on the socket, blinded one of his eyes. Then Zainu-d-din's other troops who had retreated to the citadel also rushed out, attacked the Afghans, and put them to the sword. Mustafa Khan on being defeated retreated to Jagdishpur. Becoming victorious and triumphant, Zainu-d-din Khan struck up the band of victory, made his State entry into the Fort, and next engaged on chasing the enemy. Mustafa Khan now sent a message to Raghoji Bhoslah, and asked for help.
111.5.2
Raghoji, who was waiting for such an opportunity, was delighted, and prepared to despatch reinforcements. But Mahabat Jang, on being apprised of this news, swiftly marched to Azimabad (Patna). The Bengal and Azimabad (Patna) armies forming a junction combined to attack Mustafa Khan. After much fighting, Mustafa Khan, finding it impossible to hold his own, retreated in a hapless condition across the frontier of Azimabad to Ghazipur; whilst Mahabat Jang becoming victorious and triumphant returned to Murshidabad. Mustafa Khan again collected a large force of cavalry and infantry, and again invaded Azimabad. Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan, according to the adage "One who is beaten once can be beaten twice," with his victorious troops encountered him, and after much efforts and countless exertions, and after much slaughters and fightings, became victorious, whilst Mustafa Khan, as a retribution for his disloyalty, was slain on the battle-field. Zainu-d-din Khan cutting off the head of that wretch from his body tied his corpse to the feet of an elephant which was patrolled round the city to serve as a warning, and also suspended his head at the City Gate. At this juncture, Raghoji Bhoslah despatched to Bengal a Mahratta army under the command of his son Rajah Janoji, his adopted son, Mohan Singh, and the miscreant Mir Habib, in order to demand the Chauth.
111.5.3
A large number of Mustafa Khan's Afghan adherents also joined them, and the market of fight and slaughter once again became warm in the conflict between Mahabat Jang and the Marhattas. The Subah of Orissa fell into the hands of Janoji, whilst weakness set in in the Province of Bengal. Mir Habib opened negotiations for the settlement of the Chauth of Bengal. Nawazish Ahmad Khan, Ahsan Quli Khan, Jagat Set, and the Rai-Raian exerted themselves strenuously on the side of peace. But in Darbhanga and its neighbourhood, and these had effected a sanguinary revolution by treacherously killing at a Darbar Zainu-d-din Khan, Subadar of Patna. Now Janoji moved to Patna (with him being Mir Habib), and Ali Vardi also proceeded to Patna. Ali Vardi now rose to the height of his generalship, and succeeded in crushing and routing his united Afghan and Marhatta foes in a great battle near Barh. (See the spirited description of this battle in the Seir, p. 566). Janoji, now receiving news of his mother's death, retreated to Nagpur, leaving Mir Habib towards Katak and Mednipur with some Mahratta and Afghan troops (Seir, p. 576). Shortly after, Raghoji sent to Mir Habib another Mahratta reinforcement under Manaji, younger brother of Janoji [Mohan Singh of the text is obviously a mistake or misprint for Manaji] Ali Vardi marched out with his army from Murshidabad and passed through Katwah, Bardwan, Mednipur, Bhadrak, and Jajpur;
111.5.4
whilst Mir Habib with his Mahratta and Afghan troops fell back from Mednipur towards Katak. Ali Vardi triumphantly entered once more the City of Katak, and recaptured the Fort of Barabati, after killing its commandants, Serandaz Khan, Syed Nur, and Dharam Dass (p. 578, Seir), Pers. text. This re-conquest, however, proved abortive, for whilst Ali Vardi was still at Balasore on his way towards Murshidabad, Mir Habib with his light Mahratta and Afghan cavalry swooped down on Katak, and killed Shaikh Abdus Subhan, who had been left there as Deputy Governor by Ali Vardi. (See pp. 579-580 of the Seir, which also gives a good description of the Katak City). The Mahrattas, it would seem, always moved with light and mobile cavalry, whilst Ali Vardi's army was not equally light or mobile. Ali Vardi had, therefore (despite the fact that next to Asafjah, he was the first General of the time in India) to encounter the same difficulties in encountering Mahratta troops, that the British had in encountering the Boers in the late South African War. In the end, it is true, Ali Vardi triumphed, but the price that he had to pay for his apparent victory was too much, nor did he survive it long enough to reap its benefit. Mahabat Jang, considering the acceptance of Chauth to be humiliating, refused to conclude peace, and with his army prepared to fight and drive out the Mahrattas.
111.5.5
Mahabat Jang suspected treachery from Sham Sher Khan, Sardar Khan, Murad Sher Khan, Haiat Khan, and other Afghan Generals of Darbhanga, who, during the late insurrection, had sided with Mustafa Khan. And, as a matter of fact, these Afghan Generals had opened at this time treasonable correspondence with Mir Habib and his Mahrattas. These Afghan Generals, following the example of Mustafa Khan, now broke out into open revolt on the pretext of demand of pay. Mahabat Jang, having lost all confidence in them, paid them up, and disbanded them. These reaching Darbhanga, after a short time, leagued amongst themselves in pursuance of designs of treachery, and made offers of service to Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan. As Zainu-d-din Khan was a friend of soldiers, he conciliated them, accepted their offers of service with the approval of Nawab Mahabat Jang, and invited them to a Darbar. Sham Sher Khan and Murad Sher Khan with a corps of Afghans arrived at Hajipur, and encamped on the banks of the river. According to the order of Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan, they left behind all their soldiers, and crossing the river came to Azimabad (Patna) attended only by three hundred cavalry, consisting of kinsmen and comrades who were all of one heart for the purpose of waiting on Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan. On obtaining an audience, they observed all the points of etiquette, and sat in the Chihil satun Palace, ranged on the right and left of Zainu-d-din.
111.5.6
Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan reclining against pillows on a Masnad, made polite enquiries regarding each. Murad Sher Khan, nephew of Sham Sher Khan, finding Zainu-d-din off his guard, pulled out a dagger from his waist, hit the latter so hard with it on the stomach, that his intestines came out. By that single blow, Zainu-d-din was killed. The traitors, lifting up their swords, cut down Zainu-d-din's companions, looted all his treasures and effects, captured the Begam with her daughter and also Haji Ahmad. They suspended the Haji to a tripod with his head downwards, and by torturing him made him give up large treasures, and slew him. They carried off the ladies of the Harem together with numerous treasures as booty. And similarly, they swept the houses of other nobles of the City with the broom of rapine. These Rohilah Afghans sacked the City and its suburbs, looted treasures, dishonoured women and children, and desolated a whole world. A great consternation seized those regions. "Protect me, O Lord, from the wickedness of infidels and from the wrath of Thine." Sham Sher Khan collecting one hundred thousand cavalry and infantry was not contented with the subjugation of Azimabad, and he further cherished visions of conquering Bengal.
111.5.7
Mahabat Jang, who was at this time encamped at Amaniganj on some important business connected with the Mahratta freebooters, suddenly received the terrible intelligence of the slaughter of Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan and Haji Ahmad, and of the hostile advance of the Afghans. In consequence, an indescribable agony seized him, and his family and kindred. From excessive depression and agony, he wanted to isolate himself from all intercourse with the world, and to abandon the City with its Bazar to the Mahratta freebooters. His generals employing various consolations and assurances recited passages inculcating fortitude, and tied the girdle of courage in pursuit of revenge in the waist of their hearts. But when for accomplishing this avenging mission they applied for the payment of the soldiers, Mahabat Jang pleaded he had no money. Then Nawazish Muhammad Khan Shahamat Jang, standing surety for the expenses of the soldiery, paid to the soldiers eighty laks of rupees in cash from his own treasury, and made them agree to undertake the avenging expedition. Mahabat Jang, being somewhat now relieved from anxiety, left Nawazish Muhammad Khan Shahamat Jang at Murshidabad, and himself marched to Azimabad with a large army. Mir Habib, at the instigation of Sham Sher Khan, with hordes of Mahratta freebooters, pursued Mahabat Jang from the rear, tracking jungles and setting fire, right and left, to the villages, with their granaries.
111.5.8
Mir Habib looted Mahabat Jang's baggages and tents, and did not allow Mahabat Jang's army a breathing interval either for sleep or for food, nor suffered a single day to pass without skirmishes with swords and spears, till they passed beyond Barh. At Baikantpur an engagement took place with the army of Sham Sher Khan. Rajah Sundar Singh, Zamindar of Tikari, with a powerful corps, joined Ali Vardi. And when on both sides, the fire of slaughter flared up, the army of Mahratta freebooters, who, like the shadow, always followed Mahabat Jang's army, attacked its rear. Afghan troops from front and Mahratta freebooters from the rear attacked and hemmed in the army of Mahabat Jang. The heroes of Mahabat Jang's army, perceiving the approaching inrush of calamity towards them from both sides, prepared to die hard, and fought desperately. In that victory lies with God, by a stroke of good luck, Sham Sher Khan, Sardar Khan, Murad Sher Khan, and other Afghan Generals were hit by bullets of guns, in retribution for their disloyalty, and were killed, whilst other Afghan troops cowardly fled. The soldiers of Mahabat Jang, by brave onslaughts, routed the enemy's army, charging them with swords, spears, arrows, muskets and rockets, killed those wretches, and raised hecatombs of the slain. The Mahratta army, on seeing Ali Vardi's glorious victory, retreated, and dispersed like the constellation of the bear.
111.5.9
Mahabat Jang after prostrating himself in thanksgiving to God, triumphantly entered Azimabad, and rescuing the family and children of Zainu-d-din Ahmad Khan and Haji Ahmad from the rack of those outragers of honour, captured the wives and daughters of those treacherous wretches.