Muntakhab al-tawarikh 12: Husain Khan Tukriya.
Muntakhabu-t Tawáríkh of 'Abdu-l Kádir Badáúní (extracts) 12
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Husain Khan Tukriya.
12.1
[Text, vol. ii. p. 151.] In 980 A.H. Husain Khan Mahdi Kasim Khani, jagirdar of Kant and Gola, had gone off to quell the insurgents of Badaun and Pattiali, before he heard of Ibrahim Husain Mirza's arrival in the neighbourhood of Dehli. In the mean time, Makhdumu-l Mulk Maulana 'Abdu-lla Sultanpuri and Raja Bihar Mal, who were entrusted with the chief direction of affairs during the King's absence in Gujarat, wrote to Husain Khan from Fathpur, to inform him that Ibrahim Husain Mirza had experienced two defeats, and was then in the vicinity of Dehli, and that as no person of importance was now present to defend the capital, he ought to hasten to Fathpur without delay. He accordingly prepared to obey their summons, and was well on his road, having arrived at the village of Oudh, in Jalesar, when he learnt that the Raja of Awesar still continued the depredations which he had practised since the accession of the King, in the neighbourhood of Agra, and had become a predatory robber (kazzak). He had been engaged in several hard conflicts with some loyal nobles, and had slain many excellent men, and at that time he was concealed in the jungle of the village of Naurahi, in the pargana of Jalesar.
12.2
We had scarcely time to ponder on this intelligence, when all of a sudden, while we were marching at mid-day on the 15th of Ramazan, the men being off their guard, and going on in separate parties, most of them, also, being exhausted with the fast, an attack was made upon us, with matchlocks and arrows. The Raja of Awesar had formed stages of wicker-work on the tops of the trees, and from this secure position several of our men were killed and wounded. At the very commencement of the attack, a ball struck Husain Khan below the knee, grazed his thigh, and, passing through the saddle, was spent upon the head of his horse. He was very nearly fainting and falling from his saddle, but his self-possession enabled him to keep his seat by clinging to the pommel. I threw water on his face, and his immediate attendants, not aware of the accident, at first thought that his fasting had worn him out. I then seized hold of his bridle, for the purpose of carrying him for safety behind a tree out of the storm of arrows, when he opened his eyes, and, contrary to his usual habit, looked sternly at me, and made signs that there was no need to hold his reins, but that we should dismount and join in the fray. We accordingly alighted, leaving him there to take care of himself.
12.3
The contest then raged with fury, and many were killed on both sides. At last, towards evening, victory inclined to our party, which was the smallest, and the infidels were put to flight like so many sheep, but not before our sipáhís were so tired, that they could scarcely wield a sword or shoot an arrow. We had all been so jammed together in the forest, that we could with difficulty tell friend from foe. Some of our men had strength of mind and body enough, to deserve the reward, both of engaging in holy war, and of maintaining a strict fast. I, on the contrary, in my weakness, at last took a cup of water to moisten my throat, for the want of which some poor fellows died. Several excellent friends of mine attained martyrdom in repelling this attack.
12.4
After this victory, Husain Khán returned by rapid marches to Kánt and Gola, and strengthened those places. Shortly after, Ibráhím arrived in the pargana of Lakhnor, fifteen kos from Sambal. As Husain Khán was still suffering from the effects of his wound, he was obliged to be carried on a litter, but nevertheless he advanced to Báns Bareillí, in order to force Ibráhím to action, and from Bareillí he made Sambal in one day by a forced march. Ibráhím, alarmed at this exhibition of confidence and courage, thought it better to decline an action, and retreated by way of Amroha, in the environs of Lakhnor, leaving a distance of seven kos between him and his opponent. Had Husain Khán been compelled to fight in his then wounded state, God knows what would have happened! It was one of the Mirzá's mistakes that he did not attack Husain Khán while he was in this weak state.
12.5
[Mu'ínu-d dín Khán Farankhudí, governor of Sambal, with a large party, and several other amírs and jágírdárs of the neighbourhood, who had taken refuge in the fort, when they heard at midnight the roll of the drums of Husain Khan, they thought the Mirza was upon them, and were quite overpowered by fear. But when the cry arose that Husain Khan had come to their assistance, they came out joyfully to meet him. Next day we went to the abode of Shaikh Fathu-lla Tarbati, one of the vicars of Shaikhu-l Islam Fathpuri, and there held a council. It was then considered advisable that all the amirs of the neighbourhood of Dehli who had turned out against the Mirza should go with Tolak Khan Korchi and * * to the pargana of Ahar on the Ganges, and there wait for us; then, after the junction of the forces, further operations might be decided on. Husain Khan exclaimed, "Good God! The Mirza came here with a small party of horse, and although your numbers more than doubled his, you took refuge in the fort of Sambal; and now twenty or thirty amirs and old soldiers with a large force are so dismayed that you want to shelter yourselves in the fort of Ahar, which is a mere rat's hole. This will encourage the Mirza to make further attacks upon the Imperial territories. Now there are two courses open, one of which we must follow. You must cross the Ganges, and, under the cover of that old fort, must intercept the Mirza, and prevent his getting over the Ganges.
12.6
I will follow up in his rear, and we shall see what will happen. Or I will hasten over the Ganges, and head the Mirza, while you pursue him. This seems to be our duty." But they could not agree upon any course until Husain Khan, driven by necessity, went off in haste with the horsemen he had to the amirs at Ahar, and inveighed loudly against their going into the fort. He brought them out, and again held a council with them. "The enemy," he said, "is in the heart of the country, and is like a hare in the midst of a camp. If we follow him up sharply, we may settle his business, and take him alive. The glory of this victory will be yours." The soldiers said, "Under the orders of Makhdumu-l Mulk and Raja Bihar Mal, we have driven the Mirza out of the Delhi territory, and have come into Sambal. Mu'inu-d din Ahmad Khan is the master and Jagirdar of this province, and he is now responsible. Our orders were to protect Dehli, not to make war upon the Mirza, for there are risks in such a course."
12.7
Intelligence now arrived that the Mirza had attacked Amroha, and having crossed the Ganges at the ford of Chauhala, was marching rapidly towards Lahore. Husain Khan, convinced of the apathy of the amirs, separated himself from them immediately, and made a forced march to Garh-muktesar, in order to arrest the Mirza. Of the royal amirs, Turk Subhan Kuli and Farrukh Diwana were the only ones that accompanied him. A letter now reached him from the amirs of Panjab, urging him to come speedily and join them. The Mirza, like the rook on a cleared chess-board, now came into the heart of the country, plundering and ravaging the towns in his way. When he was at Payal, his men committed such atrocities upon Musulman people as cannot well be described. In that town twelve virgins were ravished with such violence that several of them died. Other places fared in the same way. Husain Khan followed the steps of the Mirza, and the amirs came after him, until they reached Sirhind. Here they became refractory, and would go no further. But Husain Khan was not content to remain. With the small force under his command, not exceeding 200 men in all, and with the two persons (above named), he marched rapidly from Sirhind to Ludhiyana. There he learnt that on the Mirza's approaching Lahore, the garrison had closed the gates against him. Upon this the Mirza went to Sher-garh and Jahni.
12.8
Husain Kuli Khan, who was besieging Nagarkot and the fort of Kangra, heard of these movements of the Mirza's; so he patched up a treaty with the Hindus. He received five mans of gold as tribute from the people of Nagarkot, and had the khutba read in His Majesty's name. He then marched away along with Mirza Yusuf Khan, Masnad-i 'Ali, Fattu (Katlu) the slave of 'Adali, Ism'ail Khan, Raja Birbal and other amirs, and proceeded in pursuit to Sankra. When Husain Khan heard of this movement, in that madness which a thousand times had got the better of his judgment, he swore an oath that he would not eat food until Husain Kuli joined him. Crossing the Biyah at the ford of Talwandi, he made a forced march to Sher-garh, one of the dependencies of Jahni. There he paid a visit to Shaikh Daud Kadiri Jahni-wal. When food was served, he excused himself from eating on account of his oath. The Shaikh observed that it was easy to atone for an oath, but silly to distress one's friends. The Khan instantly called for a slave, and having set him free, thus atoned for his oath. Then he partook of the food, and benefited by the gracious words which he heard. He remained there that night. The monastery of the Shaikh provided entertainment for all the party, and his fields furnished grass and corn for the horses.
12.9
Three days afterwards I came from Lahore to Sher-garh, and stayed there four days, seeing and hearing things which had never entered into my imagination. I was anxious to withdraw from the world, and to devote myself to the sweeping of the monastery. But the Shaikh would not allow me, and told me I must go to Hindustan. So I took my leave in a very forlorn and distressed state. * * * One stage from Talwandi, Husain Khan addressed a letter to Husain Kuli Khan, saying that he had come four hundred kos by forced marches, and begging for one day's delay, so that he might join him, and share in the victory to be won. Husain Kuli Khan said, "Very well," and sent the messenger back. On the same day he hastened on to the town of Tulamba, four kos from Multan, and attacked the Mirza, who was out hunting, and quite unaware of his approach. Some of the Mirza's men were preparing to march, and others had dispersed, and were not in condition to fight. Mas'ud Husain Mirza, younger brother of Mirza Ibrahim Husain, took the initiative, and attacked the forces of Husain Kuli Khan; but his horse stumbled and fell upon the broken ground, and he was taken prisoner. When Mirza Ibrahim Husain returned from hunting, all chance was gone; and although he fought well, and made several charges, he was unable to gain any success; so he turned his reins and fled.
12.10
The day after the victory Husain Khan arrived at Tulamba, with eighty or ninety men, and drums beating. Husain Kuli Khan showed him the battle-field, and told him of each man's exploits. Husain Khan then said, "As the enemy has escaped alive, you must pursue him and take him prisoner, for the business is not yet completed." Husain Kuli Khan replied that he had come from Nagarkot by forced marches, that his forces had suffered many hardships in that mountainous country, and were not in condition. A complete victory had been secured, and now there was an opportunity for other friends. Husain Khan now hoped that his turn was come, and that the hardships and the forced march of five hundred kos had opened a way for him, so he took his leave, and pressed forward. Some men, who were worn out with fatigue, he sent to Lahore with the elephants and drums. With a small party of men he took up the pursuit of the Mirza. There was but a short distance between him and the unfortunate Mirza, when one night the Mirza and about four hundred horsemen halted on the banks of the Biyah and Sutlej, where the rivers unite. The j'hils, who are a low class of Multan peasants, having collected together, made a night attack upon him, and assailed him with arrows. The Mirza, with a party of men, some wounded and some disabled, did what they could to beat off their assailants; but the j'hils came on successfully.
12.11
At length an arrow, guided by fate, struck the Mirza at the back of his head, and came out through his throat. Unable otherwise to help himself, he changed his clothes, and his men left him. They fled, sorely distressed, in every direction. But wherever they went, they were marks for the arrows of death, and met their fate. One or two old slaves of Mirza Ibrahim, having dressed him in the garments of a kalandar, were desirous of getting him out of the way of danger. His helplessness was so great that they took him for refuge to the dwelling of a darwesh named Shaikh Zakariya. Outwardly the Shaikh applied ointment to his wounds, but privately he sent information to Sa'id Khan at Multan. The Khan sent a slave named Daulat Khan to bring in the Mirza a prisoner. Sa'id Khan wrote a despatch, and sent it to the Emperor as he was coming to Ajmir on his return from Gujarat.
12.12
Husain Khan, when he heard of the capture of the Mirza, hastened to Multan, and saw Sa'id Khan. He made a difficulty about seeing the Mirza, and said: "If when I see him, I salute him, it will be inconsistent with my duty to the Emperor, and if I do not salute him, it will be uncourteous, and the Mirza will say to himself — 'See this uncircumcised fellow, who, when he received quarter at the siege of Satwas, made obeisances without end, and now that evil days are fallen upon me treats me cavalierly.'" The Mirza heard these ceremonious words of his, and said "Come and see me, and without obeisance, for I waive it." Notwithstanding he made his bow, and saw him. The Mirza, with an anxious look, said, "I had no intention of rebellion and disturbance. When the matter took a serious turn, I took my own course, and threw myself into a foreign country. But they would not allow me to stay there. If it was my fate that this defeat should fall upon me, would to God that I had received it at your hands, that it might have been the cause of the advancement of you, who are my co-religionist, and not from Husain Kuli Khan, who is alien in religion and sect!" Husain Khan then returned to Kant and Gola, and soon afterwards he heard that the Mirza had died in prison.
12.13
Husain Khan proceeded from Kant and Gola to Court. Husain Kuli Khan also came to Fathpur from the Panjab, bringing Mas'ud Husain Mirza, with his eyes fastened up, and a number of the Mirza's men as prisoners. They were nearly three hundred persons, and they were brought before the Emperor, with skins of asses, hogs, and dogs cast over them, some to be put to death with divers tortures, and some to be set at liberty. * * Sa'id Khan also sent the head of Mirza Ibrahim Husain from Multan, having had it cut off for the purpose after his death.]