Riyaz al-salatin 70: THE ACCESSION OF SHER SHAH TO THE THRONE, IN THE CITY OF GAUR.

70

When Emperor Humayun in the year 946 A.H. withdrew towards Agra, Sher Khan, apprised of the unpreparedness of the Imperial army and of the rebellion of Mirza Hindal, set out from the fort of Rohtas with a large army. And at the time, when the Imperial camp arrived at Chausa, capturing the high way, for three months Sher Khan bivouacked facing it, and caused as much harassment as he could. At length, by way of treachery and stratagem, sending to the Emperor Shaikh Khalil, the well-known saint who was his spiritual guide, Sher Khan sought for peace. The Emperor, owing to the exigencies of the times, accepted his overtures, and it was agreed that Bengal and the fort of Rohtas would continue in the possession of Sher Khan, and that the latter would put forth no further pretensions, but that the Imperial coin and Khutba would be in force in those provinces. Sher Khan, taking his oath on the holy Qoran, accepted these terms ; and the Imperial army were re-assured by this oath. But Sher Khan, on the following day, with an efficient and well-equipped Afghan force, taking the Imperial army by surprise, did not allow it time to rally into ranks, and after fighting became victorious, and closed the ferries where boats were moored. Owing to this cause, the king as well as the beggar, the high as well as the low, became dispirited and straitened, and being hardpressed by the Afghans, plunged pell-mell into the river Ganges, so that besides the Hindustanis, nearly twenty thousand Mughals got drowned. The Emperor also, plunging into the river, with the help of a water-carrier, with great difficulty crossed over to the bank of safety, and with a small number of followers, the cup of whose lives was not yet full to the brim, set out for Agra. Sher Khan, after gaining this strange victory, returned to Bengal, fought repeatedly with Jahangir Quli Beg, and at length by way of deception and treachery, invited him to his presence, and slew him and his retinue. And putting to the sword the remainder of the Imperial army who were at other places, he introduced the Khutba and the coin after his own name, and brought the provinces of Bengal and Behar absolutely under his domination. And from that time he assumed the title of Sher Shah, and that year devoting himself to the settlement of his kingdom, attained great power and pomp. At the end of the year, leaving Khizr Khan to rule over Bengal, he himself started for Agra. And from that side, Humayun's force, despite the fraternal dissensions, consisting of one hundred thousand soldiers, marched forward to encounter him. And in the year 947 A.H. on the tenth day of the month of Muharram, in the neighbourhood of Qanauj, on the banks of the river Ganges, the contending hosts faced each other. And whilst the Mughal forces were preparing to encamp at this stage, nearly fifty thousand Afghan cavalry dashed up. The Imperial army, without fighting, was routed, and Sher Shah chasing it up to the river, marched forward to Agra.