Muntakhab al-tawarikh 49.3
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 49.3
- Language
- English
49.3.1
A parricide is not fitted to be a king, And even if he is fitted he will not last for more than six months. And in the year 807 H. (1404 A.D.) Iqbal Khan marched towards Gwaliar and Etawa, the Rais of which districts all took refuge within the fortress of Etawa, and stood siege for four months; at last they made overtures for peace, sending four elephants and other presents of suitable nature. Iqbal Khan leaving there came to Qanauj, and fought with Sultan Mahmud, but was unable to effect his purpose owing to the strength of the fortifications, so returned to Dihli without accomplishing his object.
49.3.2
And in the Muharram of the year 808 H. (1405 A.D.) he marched for Samana, and from thence came to Rūpar, and by stratagem laid hands upon Bahram Khan Turkbacha, who had been an antagonist of Sarang Khan, and flayed his head. Leaving Rūpar he proceeded towards Multan, intending to fight with Khizr Khan, and at Talwandi taking with him Rai Kamalu-d-Din Main and the other Zamindars, on the nineteenth of the month of Jamadiu-l-Awwal in the abovementioned year, he engaged in battle with Khizr Khan in the neighbourhood of Ajudhan, on the banks of a tributary (of the Satlaj) and since ill fortune attended Iqbal Khan, he was defeated in the very first engagement, and his horse being wounded could not bear him off the field, so that the soldiers of Khan pursued him, and cutting off his head sent it to Fathpur, one of the dependencies of Multan. And in the month of Jumada-l-Awwal of this year Sultan Mahmud came from Qanauj at the invitation of the Amirs of Dihli, and once more sat upon the throne of Dihli, and conferred appointments upon the Amirs, and sent the family of Mubarak Khan to Kol. And in the month of Jumada-l-Awwal of the year 809 H. (1406 A.D.) Sultan Mahmud marched with a force towards Qanauj, and Sultan Ibrahim came out thence and crossed the Ganges, but they both turned back without fighting.
49.3.3
Sultan Ibrahim went towards Jaunpur, and Sultan Mahmud towards Dihli, but seeing that the Amirs of Sultan Mahmud's army one after the other left for their own districts as they came to them in the march, Sultan Ibrahim turned back and besieged Qanauj; Malik Mahmud Tarmati, who was holding Qanauj for Sultan Mahmud, kept Sultan Ibrahim engaged in fighting for four months, but when he saw that no reinforcements were arriving from any quarter, he was forced to sue for peace, and surrendered Qanauj to Sultan Ibrahim. Sultan Ibrahim passed the rainy season at Qanauj, and then having made over that district to Ikhtiyar Khan the grandson of Malik Daulat Yar of Kanpila, started to reduce Dihli.
49.3.4
And in the year 810 H. (1407 A.D.) Nusrat Khan Karkandaz, and Tatar Khan the son of Sarang Malik Marhaba the slave of Iqbal Khan, turned against Sultan Mahmud and joined Sultan Ibrahim, and Asad Khan Lodi fortified himself in Sambhal. The following day Sultan Ibrahim reduced the fortress of Sambhal and gave it to Tatar Khan: then crossing the Ganges he encamped on the banks of the Jamna near the fort of Kicha in the vicinity of Dihli, where he learned that Zafar Khan had taken the district of Dhar and was making his way to Jaunpur; accordingly leaving Malik Marhaba in Baran, he reached Jaunpur by continuous marches; Sultan Mahmud pursued him and having killed Malik Marhaba in battle, and taking Sambhal without a fight, left there Asad Khan after his usual custom. Tatar Khan marched to Qanauj and the Sultan came to Dihli. And in this year Khizr Khan came with a large force and drove Daulat Khan out of Samana. The Amirs of that district all sought an interview with him, and the whole country as far as to the outskirts of Dihli fell into his hands; only Rohtak and the Doab remained in the possession of Sultan Mahmud.
49.3.5
And in the year 811 H. (1408 A.D.) Sultan Mahmud proceeding to Hissar Firuza took it from Qiwam Khan to whom Khizr Khan had given it, and having taken possession of it, on arriving at the village of Rata turned back towards Dihli: Khizr Khan then came by way of Rohtak with a large army from Fathpur to oppose Sultan Mahmud, and laid siege to Dihli, but was not able to maintain the siege by reason of the severe famine which prevailed in Dihli, then having taken possession of the Doab returned to Fathpur. And in the year 812 H. (1409 A.D.) Bairam Khan Turkbacha who after the death of Bairam Khan Turkbacha had become master of Samana, and had been defeated in a battle with Daulat Khan, and again revolting against Khizr Khan had had a second interview with Daulat Khan, now offered his services to Khizr Khan, and received a confirmation of the grant of the districts formerly held by him in fief. And in the year 813 H. (1410 A.D.) besieged the fortress of Rohtak for six months, and after reducing it proceeded to Fathpur. But this year Sultan Mahmud made an expedition to Kaithal at the capital Dihli, at the
49.3.6
In the year 814 H. (1411 A.D.) Khizr Khan came to Narnaul and Miwat and ravaged that country, and blockading Sultan Mahmud in the fortress of Siri, which is part of Dihli, and Ikhtiyar Khan in Firozabad, and fighting several fierce battles, was prevented from maintaining the siege by reason of the dearness of grain, and returned to Fathpur by way of Panipat. And in the year 815 H. (1412 A.D.) Sultan Mahmud departed from this world, and the kingdom passed from the family of Firuz Shah. The duration of his reign, full as it was of turmoil and vicissitudes, was twenty years and two months, during which Sultan Mahmud had had only the name of sovereignty. Verse. Who is there in this long-enduring world Who can say “Mine is the kingdom” save the Almighty? Verse. A head they exalt to a lofty position They later strangle its neck in a noose. Save the blood of kings there is nought in this bowl, Save the dust of lovers there is nought in this desert. Of the poets of the reign of Sultan Mahmud is Qazi Zahir Dihlavi, who has left a Diwan (anthology) full of qasidahs in eulogy (of Mahmud) of which this is one:
49.3.7
Heir to the mighty monarchy, Sultan Mahmud, Who succeeded his father and grandfather in the sovereignty of the world; He removed Dabaran from the sky to serve as his signet, While Taurus complained saying I have but this one eye left. By the first strain of his bow-string he has wakened the Lion, And after that he has stretched him out in sleep with the deep-piercing arrow. The whole world boasts of full satiation at the board of thy favour, Save only the lute which complains that its belly is empty. Oh thou whose world-conquering sword flashes in the darkness of infidelity like to the lightning flashing through the darkness of night, Although the heaven has made thine enemies intoxicated like the eyes of the beloved idols for some time, still at last it has overthrown them. It is envy of thy generous hand which throws the ocean into tumult, for if it be not so, the ocean is never so disturbed by the winds of heaven. The following is also by the same author:
49.3.8
Thou art a monarch before whom the heavens bow in adoration, Thou art a King in whose reign time itself exults. Qiblah of the nation, and mainstay of kingdoms and religion, Mahmud Whom the assemblies of Sultan have chosen as their Imam. The Qazi of the heavens comes out on foot to receive him When the Governor of his unerring judgment sends the summons. He keeps constant watch lest sedition should make a night assault, Thy vigilance stands with a drawn sword in its hand while the people sleep (in safety). In order that thy enemy may not enjoy the sweet breezes of the garden of thy favour The heavens have afflicted him with fever and headache in addition to catarrh. The heavens have apportioned every arrow of thine to one of the various families, It were not possible to allot the arrows in any better way than this. The following is also his: My love has gone outside, do thou my life also go outside, For if thou art not outside with my love, thou wilt be outside the pale of love. Specially that now, in order to uproot the infidels and rebels, The loyal standards have gone out clothed in good fortune. Shah Mahmud, he who when he sallied forth against the infidels, Thou would’st say ‘Isa has come forth to slay Dajjal. Thy reign has cast sedition into the bondage of annihilation. I said to the heavens, Beware! this is a prisoner of the Sultan, free him not! This is also his: