The Akbarī Generations 76: Twenty-seventh year of the Reign.
Tabakát-i Akbarí of Nizámu-d dín Ahmad (extracts) 76
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Twenty-seventh year of the Reign.
76.1
The beginning of this year corresponded with Sunday, 15th Safar, 989. In the beginning of this year intelligence arrived that Mirza Muhammad Hakim, allured by the inducements held out in letters sent to him by Ma'sum Kabuli and Ma'sum Farankhudi, and urged on by his maternal uncle Faridun, had set out from Kabul with the object of conquering Hindustan. He sent his servant Shadman over the Indus (in advance), but Kunwar Man Singh, son of Raja Bhagwan Das, attacked him and killed him. On hearing of this, the Mirza crossed the river, and encamped in the pargana of Saiyidpur. The Emperor assembled his forces, and having advanced to all the soldiers eight months' pay out of the treasury, he marched towards the Panjab. Prince Daniyal remained at Fathpur, and Sultan Khwaja and Shaikh Ibrahim were there left in charge of affairs. Upon the Emperor's reaching the sarai of Bad, fifteen kos from Fathpur, he received intelligence of the victory of Shahbaz Khan over Ma'sum Farankhudi. Deeming this an auspicious omen, he continued his march. When Kunwar Man Singh defeated Shadman, he obtained from Shadman's portfolio three letters from Mirza Muhammad Hakim: one to Hakimu-l Mulk, one to Khwaja Shah Mansur, and one to Muhammad Kasim Khan Mir-bahr; all in answer to letters of invitation and encouragement. Kunwar Man Singh sent these letters to the Emperor, who ascertained the contents, but kept the fact concealed.
76.2
After the Emperor marched from Dehli, Mirza Muhammad Hakim advanced to Lahore, and encamped in the garden of Mahdi Kasim Khan. Kunwar Man Singh, Sa'id Khan, and Raja Bhagwan Das had gone into the fortress. On the Emperor's reaching Panipat, Malik Sani Kabuli, diwan of Mirza Muhammad Hakim, who had the title of Wazir Khan, deserted the Mirza, and came to the Imperial camp. He alighted at the tent of Khwaja Shah Mansur, and made him the channel for offering his services to the Emperor. When Khwaja Shah Mansur announced his arrival, the Emperor's suspicions were aroused, and he thought that the diwan's arriving at the time when his master was invading Hindustan must have some policy in it. He was already suspicious of Mansur, and his doubts were now confirmed. So he dismissed Mansur, and showed him the Mirza's letters. Mansur asseverated (his innocence), but it was of no use.
76.3
The Emperor proceeded to Shahabad, and Malik 'Ali brought him a letter to the following effect: "When my scouts were coming from the ford of Ludiana, which is under my charge, and reached the sarai of Sirhind, they found a footman with swollen feet. This footman said to them, 'I belong to Sharaf Beg, the servant of Khwaja Shah Mansur. He is the Khwaja's shikkdar in his jagir of Firozpur, thirty kos from Lahore. These letters are to be delivered to the Khwaja; as my feet are in a bad state, do you convey the letters quickly to him.' These letters my men have brought to me." When the secretary opened them, one was a letter from Sharaf Beg to Khwaja Mansur, about the affairs of Firozpur, and the other was a letter from one person to another person, and of the following purport: "I met Faridun Khan, and he carried me to wait upon Muhammad Hakim Badshah. Although he had sent his revenue collectors into all the parganas of this quarter, he has not sent any to ours, but has held us exempt." On hearing and considering these letters, it appeared to His Majesty that Sharaf Beg had written one of them to Khwaja Mansur, and that the other was certainly connected with the coming of Mirza Muhammad Hakim's diwan, Malik Sani, to Khwaja Mansur. Many of the amirs and officers of State were on bad terms with the Khwaja, and these exerted their influence to secure his death. So the Emperor gave the order for his execution, and he was hanged next morning.
76.4
Three days afterwards, intelligence came in that Mirza Muhammad Hakim, having been informed of the Emperor's march towards the Panjab, had passed the river of Lahore, and gone off to Kabul. The Emperor advanced from Sirhind to Kalanor, and from thence to New Rohtas. There he received good news, and hunting as he went along, he reached the Indus. In the month of Rabi'u-s sani, he ordered a fort to be built on the banks of the Indus, which is called Sind-sagar, and he called it Atak Banaras. Boats were scarce, so he ordered the amirs and soldiers to search for and produce some. He assigned their respective posts to the various amirs. Kunwar Man Singh, with Shaikh Jamal Bakhtiyar and Madhu Singh his brother * * and others were sent over the river towards Parshor (Peshawar). When they took possession of that city, the Emperor sent Prince Murad along with Kalij Khan, Rai Singh, Mirza Yusuf, and other amirs, to effect the conquest of Kabul. At this time Khwaja Abu-l Fazl and * * came as envoys from Mirza Muhammad Hakim, to beg pardon for his offences. The Emperor sent Haji Habibu-lla along with them to Kabul, promising him forgiveness, on condition that he repented of the past, would bind himself by oath (for the future), and would send his sister to the Imperial Court. Prince Murad passed through the Khaibar Pass, and on the 15th Jumada-s sani, the Emperor crossed over the river Sind-sagar (Indus), and there encamped.
76.5
Here he sent the least of his servants, Nizamu-d din Ahmad, the author of this work, to proceed rapidly in advance of Prince Murad, and open communications with the amirs who had gone on first, and to ascertain whether they could get to Kabul without the Emperor, or if they needed his presence; by what road he ought to proceed; and whether he should come with all his army or travel express (jarida). In one night and day I reached Jalalabad, a distance of seventy-five kos, and delivered my message to the Prince. He was determined upon proceeding to Kabul, and thought it advisable to send me back speedily to the Emperor. He also sent along with me Haji Habibu-lla, who had come from Kabul to Jalalabad, and I was to report that Mirza Muhammad Hakim was sincerely repentant of the past, that he had taken oaths, and that he was willing to send his sister, but that Khwaja Husain, her husband, had carried her off to Badakhshan. When I and Haji Habibu-lla joined His Majesty, he on the following day marched to Pershor (Peshawar). There he left Prince Salim in camp with Raja Bhagwan Das, Sa'id Khan [etc.], and went on with speed, travelling about twenty kos a day. When Prince Murad came to within seven kos of Kabul, Mirza Muhammad Hakim issued forth to the village of Khurd-kabul, and attacked him; but he was defeated and put to flight. The victorious Prince then entered Kabul.
76.6
On the night before this action Faridun, the uncle of Mirza Hakim, attacked the rear of the Prince's army, killed a good many men, and carried off considerable spoil. This day the Emperor advanced and encamped at Surkhab, fifteen kos from the army of the Prince. When the rear of the Prince's army was attacked and plundered, it so happened that Haji Muhammad Ahadi, who had gone on in advance as messenger (dak-chauki) to the Prince, arrived upon the spot, and beheld the rout. He turned back and reported the disaster, which annoyed the Emperor. But notwithstanding this news, next day the Emperor went on a stage, and then received accounts of the victory that had been gained, and for which he offered up his thanksgiving. On Friday, 10th Rajab, he entered Kabul, and remained there for twenty days visiting the gardens. Here he was informed that Mirza Muhammad Hakim intended to abandon his country, and take refuge with the Uzbeks. Deeming this a disgrace and shame, he sent Latif Khwaja to Mirza Muhammad Hakim, who was at Ghorband, to tell him that his offences were forgiven. The Mirza, having in the presence of Latif Khwaja made a promise and a vow of fidelity, executed an engagement, and sent it by 'Ali Muhammad Asp along with Latif Khwaja to the Emperor.
76.7
His Majesty then turned homewards to Hindustan, after conferring Kabul upon Mirza Muhammad Hakim. Leaving the army, he went on quickly to Jalalabad, where there was a large encampment. Prince Salim, and the nobles who were with him, hastened forth to meet His Majesty, and to congratulate him on his victory. Khwajagi Muhammad Husain, the brother of Kasim Khan Mir-bahr, who was one of Mirza Muhammad Hakim's nobles, came to proffer his services to the Emperor, and was admitted among the number of his friends. From Jalalabad he sent a detachment to attack the hills of the Kator infidels. Travelling by regular stages, he reached the banks of the Sind-sagar (Indus). Muhammad Kasim Khan, who had been left behind to make a bridge, had constructed one of boats. The journey to Kabul had been performed in one month. In one day he [and his escort] crossed the river and went on to Lahore, where he arrived on the last day of Ramazan. He again entrusted the government of the Panjab to Sa'id Khan, Raja Bhagwan Das, and Kunwar Man Singh, and went on his way hunting to Fathpur. At Panipat Shahbaz Khan came to wait upon him. On the 25th Shawwal he arrived at Dehli. Prince Daniyal and the amirs who had remained at Fathpur, and Her Highness Maryam Makani came forth to meet him, and on the 5th Zi-l ka'da he arrived there.
76.8
While the Emperor was engaged in the Kabul campaign, Bahadur 'Ali, son of Saiyid Badakhshi entered the country of Tirhut, and gave himself the title of Bahadur Shah; but he was taken prisoner and killed by the men of Khan-i 'azam. Ma'sum Khan Farankhudi, being in great distress and anxiety in the Siwalik hills, begged forgiveness for his offences through Khan-i 'azam; and in consequence of the Khan's intercession he was pardoned. Then he waited upon Khan-i 'azam in humble guise, and was afterwards admitted to an interview with the Emperor at Fathpur. When the Emperor was waited upon at Kabul by the confidential servants of Mirza Muhammad Hakim, he made inquiry into the case of Khwaja Shah Mansur, and it appeared that Karmu-lla, brother of Shahbaz, had colluded with others to concoct letters, and that he had forged the last letter on the evidence of which Khwaja Mansur was executed. After this was discovered, the Emperor often regretted the execution of the Khwaja. He now remained for some time at Fathpur, administering justice, dispensing charity, and arranging public business. On the 19th Muharram, 990 H., Khan-i 'azam, governor of Hajipur and Patna, came to wait upon the Emperor, and to give an account of the affairs of Bengal. After staying several days, he was sent back to Bengal, and several nobles and soldiers who had been to Kabul were sent with him.