Riyaz al-salatin 91.p2

91.p2

But before the war-vessels arrived, Daria Khan had crossed the river. Ibrahim Khan on being apprised of this, directing Ahmad Beg to cross the river, sent him to oppose Daria Khan. When the two armies encountered each other, a great battle ensued on the banks of the river, and a large number of Ahmad Beg's comrades were killed. Ahmad Beg, not finding himself strong enough to stand his ground, retired. Ibrahim Khan with a corps of well-mounted cavalry, joined him. Daria Khan, on hearing of this, retired a few kroh, and Abdullah Khan Bahadur Firuz Jang also advancing a few kroh, under guidance of zamindars, crossed the river, and joined Daria Khan. By chance, on a site which is flanked on one side by the river and on the other by a dense jungle, they encamped, and arrayed their troops for battle. Ibrahim Khan, crossing the river Ganges, set to fight. He detached Syed Nurullah, an officer, with eight hundred cavalry to form the van, and set Ahmad Beg Khan with seven hundred cavalry to form the centre; whilst he himself with thousands of cavalry and infantry, held the line of reserve. A great battle ensued, when the two forces encountered each other. Nurullah being unable to stand his ground, retreated, and the fighting extended to Ahmad Beg Khan. The latter gallantly continuing the fight, was seriously wounded. Ibrahim Khan being unable to be a passive spectator of the scene, advanced rapidly. By this forward movement, the array of his force was disturbed. Many of his followers stooped to the disgrace of flight, whilst Ibrahim Khan with a few troops only advanced to the battle-field. Although the officers of his staff seizing him, wanted to drag him out from that labyrinth of destruction, he did not assent to retreat, and said: "At my time of life, this cannot be. What can be better than that, sacrificing my life, I should be reckoned amongst the loyal servants of the Emperor"? At this juncture, the enemy from all sides rushing up, inflicted on him mortal wounds, finished his work, and victory declared itself for the adherents of the fortunate Prince. And a body of men who were entrenched inside the rampart of the mausoleum, on being apprised of this, were depressed. At this time, the Prince's army set fire to a mine which they had laid under the rampart, whilst gallant and intrepid soldiers rushing up from all sides stormed the fortifications. In this assault, 'Abid Khan Diwan and Mir Taqi Bakhshi and some others were killed by arrows and muskets, and the fort was stormed. Many of the garrison of the fort fled bare-headed and bare-footed, whilst a number of people with whom the charge of their family and children was the halter of their neck, came and submitted to the Prince. As Ibrahim Khan's family and children, effects and treasures were at Jahangirnagar (Dacca), Shah Jahan's army proceeded there by river. Ahmad Beg Khan, nephew of Ibrahim Khan, who had gone ahead to that city, saw no resource except in surrender, and through the intercession of Shah Jahan's confidants, was granted an audience with the Prince. The Prince's officers were ordered to confiscate Ibrahim Khan's treasures. Besides goods and silk-stuffs, elephants and aloes wood, ambergris and other rarities, forty lacs of rupees were confiscated. The Prince released from confinement Darab Khan, son of the Khan-i-Khanan, who had hitherto been in prison, and exacting from him an oath, entrusted to him the Government of Bengal, and took along with him as hostages the latter's wife and a son, Shah Nawaz Khan. The Prince sent Rajah Bhim, son of Rajah Karan, with a large force, as his Deputy to Patna, and he followed himself with 'Abdullah Khan and other officers. As the Subah of Patna was assigned as a jagir to Prince Parviz, the latter had appointed his Diwan, Mukhalas Khan, as its Governor, and Alah Yar Khan, son of Iftikhar Khan, and Sher Khan Afghan, as its Faujdars. On the arrival of Rajah Bhim, they lost courage, and had not even the boldness to shelter themselves in the fort of Patna, till the arrival of auxiliaries. They fled from Patna to Allahabad. Rajah Bhim without movement of the sword or the spear, entered the city, and subdued the Subah of Behar. Shah Jahan followed, and the Jagirdars of that tract went to meet him. Syed Mubarik, who was Commandant of the fort of Rohtas, leaving the fort in charge of a zamindar, hastened to pay his respects to the prince. The Prince sent Abdullah Khan with a body of troops towards the Subah of Allahabad, and sent Daria Khan with another body of troops towards the Subah of Oudh, whilst after a while, leaving Bairam Beg to rule over the Subah of Behar, the Prince himself advanced towards those parts. Before Abdullah Khan crossed the river at Chausa, Jahangir Quli Khan, son of Khan 'Azim Kokah, who was Governor of Jaunpur, being panic-stricken, had left his post, and had fled to Mirza Rustam to Allahabad. Abdullah quickly advanced to the town of Jhosi, which is on the other side of the Ganges facing Allahabad, and encamped there. As he had taken a flotilla of large vessels with him from Bengal, with the help of cannonade crossing the river, he encamped at the pleasantly-situate city of Allahabad, whilst the main body of Shah Jahan's army pushed up to Jaunpur.