Muntakhab al-tawarikh 61.3
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 61.3
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61.3.1
Verse. Subject the intoxicated and riotous one to the warning glance of the cup-bearer. Having placed him upon the throne he himself assumed an attitude of submission and obedience, and from motives of worldly wisdom was most punctilious in the observance of courtesy. Although ‘Adil Khân was in the flower of his youth, and of great bodily strength (many well known tales of his strength are told), nevertheless, since he was fond of ease and was well aware of the craft and subtlety of Islem Shâh and his ways of dealing, would not agree to that procedure, rose to his feet and seating Islem Shâh on the throne again with all honour and ceremony, swore allegiance to him, and offered him congratulations upon his accession, with the customary offerings and oblations. Islem Shâh, in accordance with the compact which had been made sent ‘Isa Khân and Khawâss Khân to accompany ‘Adil Khân, and having confirmed Baîâna to him as a jaegîr, permitted him to proceed thither. Two months later he appointed Ghâzî Mahallî, who was one of his confidential attendants, to go and arrest ‘Adil Khân. ‘Adil Khan, however, heard of this, fled from Biana taking refuge with Khawas Khan in Mewat. Khawas Khan then summoned Ghazi Mahalli, and bound him with that same golden chain which he had brought for ‘Adil Khan, and having gained over to his side all the Amirs, set out for Agra with a large army.
61.3.2
Qutb Khan and ‘Isa Khan also, who were two of the chief nobles of the State, with whose concurrence the compact had been made, were annoyed at this breach of faith on the part of Islem Shah, and with great management summoned ‘Adil Khan at a time agreed upon, namely at day break after the Shab-i-barat, so that they might own allegiance to him. It so chanced that ‘Adil Khan and Khawas Khan, having arrived at Sikri on the Shab-i-barat, spent that night as a vigil in the service of Shaikh Salim Chishti, in voluntary prayers and benedictions, so that their departure for Agra was delayed long past the time agreed upon, and it was breakfast time when they reached the outskirts of Agra. Islem Shah who was alarmed, spoke very courteously to Qutb Khan and the rest of the Amirs, and permitted them to go and present themselves before ‘Adil Khan. His object was to get rid of his opponents, and that very instant to start alone into the fortress of Chunar, seize the treasure which was there, and after collecting the necessary equipment for an army to return and again engage in war. ‘Isa Khan Hajjab warned him of the folly and absurdity of this project, and prevented him from sending his Amirs to his enemy and from starting for Chunar.
61.3.3
Eventually Islam Shah, accompanied by a party of his own bodyguard, and two or three thousand old and trusty retainers, left with all haste and came out in force to fight, first recalling those Amirs whom he had sent, saying “I am by no means confident that ‘Adil Khan will not deal treacherously with you: you had better return quickly and rejoin me, because the question between him and me can only be settled by the sword.” Verse. In this case messengers and despatches can avail nothing, The two-edged sword will make this matter clear. The Amirs, however, who were friendly to ‘Adil Khan, on seeing Islam Shah take the field, refused to return to his side and entered the ranks of the more peaceful army; a severe battle ensued before Agra, and ‘Adil Khan was defeated and fled alone toward Bhatta. Khawass Khan and ‘Isa Khan Niyazi, who had a strong regard and unbounded loyalty for each other, took the road to Mewat and the township of Firozpur, engaged the force which had been sent in pursuit of them, and overcame it, but eventually, not having power to resist the army of Islam Shah, proceeded to the hills to the north of Hindustan, which are called (the) Kumaon (hills), and took refuge with the Rajas of that district. Qutb Khan Naib, having been appointed to attack them, kept continually ravaging the country at the foot of the hills.
61.3.4
In the meantime Islam Shah proceeded to Chunhar, and sent the treasure which was there to Gwaliar, and on his return, when he reached the township of Karah Khatampur, while engaged in playing chaugan with Jalal Khan Jilwani, who was one of the married Amirs of the Afghans, and had been an adherent of ‘Adil Khan, and a great object of suspicion to Islam by some treacherous device persuaded him to come to his camp, and cast him into chains together with his brother Khudadad, making them over to an Afghan who had a blood feud with them, and having put them to death under the cloke of vengeance, proceeded to Agra, [and from thence to Gwaliar which he had made his capital], and setting himself to slay and eradicate a party who were favourable to ‘Adil Khan, girded up his loins in enmity against them, and swept them one by one from the board of the world like so many pieces in the game of draughts or chess. Qutb Khan also took fright, and fled from the foot of the Kumaon hills to Lahore, taking refuge with Haibat Khan, to whom Shir Shah had given the title of A'zam Humayun. Haibat Khan in obedience to a summons from Islem Shah, sent Qutb Khan in chains to him. Islem Shah sent him together with Shahbaz Khan Luhani, who was brother-in-law to Shir Shah, and Barmazid Kor who was the Dajjal of that sect, and the Hajjaj of his age, and thirteen or fourteen other Amirs and Amirs’ sons, to the fortress of Gwaliar, where most of them quitted the body in imprisonment.
61.3.5
[Among them was Mahmud Khan, son of ‘Adil Khan, who in his seventh year had counselled Shir Shah to throw up a rampart of sand, in consequence of which Shir Shah had made him his heir-apparent, as has been related. Another was Kamal Khan Ghakkar who will be mentioned shortly.] And in this year Salim Shah summoned A'zam Humayun from Lahor, but he advanced some excuse for not coming in person, and sent Sa'id Khan his brother, who was renowned for courage and sound judgment: Islem Shah received him with the utmost show of favour, and made much of him, advancing him to the highest place of intimacy, but inwardly cherished the intention of putting an end to him; at last one day, having summoned him to a private interview within the palace, he showed him the heads of the Amirs who had been immured alive in the walls, for instance Zain Khan Niyazi and the others, saying Do you recognize these persons, who they are? He mentioned the names of some whom he recognized. Previously to this he had thrown the abovementioned Amirs, men of ability, into a chamber in Gwalior, and setting fire to it with gunpowder had burned them all except Kawal Khan Ghakkar, who remained under the protection of the All-cherisher safe in a corner of the room.
61.3.6
[It is said that the following was the reason of his escaping, the sister of Kawal Khan, who had been united by marriage to Islem Shah, became aware of the conference and sent word to her brother, saying This very night they intend to blow up the prisoners with gunpowder. She also sent from inside (the palace) four quilts stuffed with cotton, and several skins of water. Kawal Khan poured quantities of water upon the quilts, and under pretence of taking a bath betook himself into a corner, apart from his friends, and rolling himself up in the quilts had gone to sleep when they set fire to the room, and all were burned to ashes, but he alone remained alive beneath the quilt. In the morning Islem Shah came to inspect that prison-house, and seeing Kawal Khan alive said It is right for me to release you seeing that fire had no power over you.] Then Islem Shah having made him take an oath that he would never again oppose him, released him, and appointed him to assist the Governor of the Panjab to conquer the country of the Ghakkars [where he arrived with all honour]. In short Sa'id Khan, who had been a witness of this sudden death, gave orders in obedience to which post horses were tied up along the road to Lahor, so that he travelled the distance between Agra and Lahor within three nights. Day by day the scale turned more and more in favour of the Niyazi faction, and A'zam Humayun read the khutbah in his own name in Lahor.
61.3.7
Islam Shah returned from that same camp and came to Agra, and summoning a vast army from all sides marched for the Panjab. Sazawal Khan came from Malwa to join this movement, and was received very graciously, and after bringing forward certain important matters took leave, while Islam Shah, after halting for a few days in Dihli and ordering his army, set out for Lahor. A'zam Humayun and Khawass Khan, and ‘Isa Khan Niyazi as well, (who had come down from the hill country to join him), came from the Panjab with armies strong as the hills to receive Islam Shah. In the early part of the winter time a fierce battle was fought in front of the township of Ambala, and on the evening preceding the day on which the battle was to be fought, A'zam Khan had asked Khawass Khan: After the victory who will be selected as the successor to the throne? He answered: It may be that it will be 'Adil Khan who is the oldest son of Shir Shah and is really fit to rule. It appears that the Niyazi faction said, The kingdom is not by inheritance, but he who conquers, takes the booty. It is a foregone conclusion, what sense is there in this that we should strike with the sword and the kingdom should come to others.