Muntakhab al-tawarikh 78.4.1

78.4.1

When they drew near, Shah Abu-l-Ma‘ali on the one side, and these domestic enemies on the other, sprang out of ambush, and brought both the Amirs under the pitiless sword. And their old retainers, when they saw what had taken place, fled like frightened deer or wild animals. When news of this came to the Emperor, he happened to be enjoying himself hunting in the neighbourhood of Mat’hura. Nevertheless he marched at once towards Dihli with the intention of quelling the disturbance. And it was at that place that his Majesty’s intention of connecting himself by marriage with the nobles of (P. 61) Dihli was first broached, and Qawwals and eunuchs were sent into the harems for the purpose of selecting daughters of the nobles, and of investigating their condition. And a great terror fell upon the city. Now it was the suggestions of Shaikh Badah, and Lahrah, lords of Agra, which set in motion this train of events. The circumstances are as follows: A widowed daughter-in-law of Shaikh Badah, Fatimah by name (though unworthy of such an honourable appellation), through evil passions and pride of life, which bear the fruits of wantonness, by the intervention of her tire-women lived in adultery with Baqi Khan, brother of Buzurg Adham Khan, whose house was near hers. And this adultery was afterwards dragged into a marriage. She used to bring with her to festive gatherings, another daughter-in-law of Shaikh Badah, who had a husband living, whose name was ‘Abd-ul-Wasi‘.