The Akbarī Generations 15: Affairs of Mirza Sharafu-d din Husain.
Tabakát-i Akbarí of Nizámu-d dín Ahmad (extracts) 15
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Affairs of Mirza Sharafu-d din Husain.
15.1
Mirza Sharafu-d din Husain was son of Khwaja Mu'inu-d din, son of Khwaja Jawid Mahmud, son of Khwaja 'Abdu-lla, who was a distinguished man among the Khwajas, and was the son of Nasiru-d din 'Abdu-lla Ahrar. When the Mirza came to Court, he was promoted to the dignity of Amiru-l umara, and received the jagir of Nagor. There he was distinguished by his energetic labours. His father now returned from Mecca, and received a right royal reception. After a while Mirza Sharaf, by the will of fate, and without any apparent reason or cause, having had his mind perverted by designing men, fled towards Nagor. Hazrat Husain Kuli Beg, son of Wali Beg Zu-l kadar, a relation of the late Khan-khanan Bairam Khan, having on account of his services been admitted to the order of nobility, and dignified with the title of khan, now received a grant of the jagir of Mirza Sharafu-d din Husain. Some of the principal nobles, as Muhammad Sadik, Muhammad Kuli Tugh-bani, Muzaffar Mughal and Miraik Bahadur, were directed to support Husain Kuli Beg, and the command was given for them to pursue and capture Mirza Sharafu-d din. If he repented of his unrighteous deeds, they were to soothe him and bring him to Court; but if not, they were to use their best exertions to punish his misconduct. When intelligence of the approach of Husain Kuli Beg Khan reached Mirza Sharafu-d din, he left Tarkhan Diwana, a trusty adherent, in Ajmir, and went off towards Jalor.
15.2
The Imperial forces invested Ajmir, and after two or three days Tarkhan Diwana capitulated. The nobles then hastened in pursuit of Sharafu-d din towards Jalor. It so happened that just as Sharafu-d din reached Jalor, Shah Abu-l Ma'ali was returning from Mecca to the Imperial Court, and having had a meeting with Sharafu-d din, they concocted together a rebellious scheme. Abu-l Ma'ali was to march against the people of Husain Kuli Khan, who were in Hajipur, and having disposed of him was to push on to Kabul and bring Mirza Muhammad Hakim to Hindustan. Sharafu-d din on his side was to do all he could to promote a rebellion. Abu-l Ma'ali marched off, taking with him a party of Sharafu-d din's men, and when he approached Hajipur, he learned that Ahmad Beg and Sikandar Beg, relations of Husain Kuli Khan, had come out to stop him. Thereupon he turned in the direction of Narnaul, and upon reaching the fort of that place, he made Mir Kisu the shikkdar prisoner, and seized all the money which he found in the treasury, and divided it among his followers.
15.3
After receiving intelligence of this, Husain Kuli Khan sent his brother Isma'il Kuli Khan along with Muhammad Sadik Khan in pursuit of Abu-l Ma'ali. Upon reaching Hajipur, and learning that Abu-l Ma'ali had drawn off to Narnaul, they took Ahmad Beg and Sikandar Beg with them, and went in pursuit of him. Twelve kos from Narnaul, the brother of Abu-l Ma'ali, who was named Khan-zada [Muhammad], and was also called Shah Lundan, left his jagir, and was on the way to join his brother, but he was intercepted and made prisoner. Abu-l Ma'ali fled from Narnaul and went towards the Panjab. Ahmad Beg and Sikandar Beg were sent off with a detachment in hot haste after him. A body of the men under their command had formerly served under Mirza Sharafu-d din Husain, and these men had bound themselves by an oath to desert Ahmad Beg and Sikandar Beg whenever Abu-l Ma'ali should be attacked, and to go over to the latter. One of this party, Dana Kuli by name, slipped away and hastened to inform Abu-l Ma'ali of the conspiracy. Upon hearing it he placed himself in ambush in a jungle by the side of the road, and when the two Begs came up he fell upon them unawares. The conspirators then drew their swords, and advanced against their own commanders, and the other soldiers, seeing how matters stood, took to flight. Ahmad Beg and Sikandar were left quite alone. They fought most manfully, and killed several of their assailants, but were eventually slain.
15.4
His Majesty was engaged in a hunting excursion at Mathura when the news of this disaster reached him. He sent Bidagh Khan, Tatar Khan, Rumi Khan, and others, to follow Abu-l Ma'ali, and he himself proceeded to Dehli, the seat of Government (daru-l mulk). A remarkable occurrence has now to be mentioned. When Sharafu-d din Husain fled from Court to Nagor, he had a slave, by name Koka Fulad, one of the slaves of his father, who at all times secretly did everything in his power to injure the Emperor. This wretched man came into the royal camp, and was constantly on the watch for an opportunity. When the Emperor returned from his hunting excursion, and passing through the bazar of Dehli, came near to the College of Maham Anka, this bloodthirsty fellow shot an arrow at His Majesty; but by the mercy of God, who watched over the Emperor's safety, it did not inflict a severe wound, but merely grazed the skin. The attendants of the Emperor instantly fell upon the traitor, and with strokes of sword and dagger they sent him to hell. The Emperor pulled out the arrow and rode on to the palace. The wound was cured in a few days, and on the 6th Jumada-s sani he mounted his royal litter, and proceeded to Agra, where he arrived on the 15th of the same month, in the year 971 A.H., agreeing with the eighth year of the reign.