Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 229: CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY OF MALWA.
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 229
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CONCLUSION OF THE HISTORY OF MALWA.
229.1
Bahadur Shah of Guzerat distributes Malwa among several chiefs. — Malwa subdued by Hoomayoon. — Hoomayoon is expelled from India, and Kadur Khan, an officer of the Khiljy government, occupies the country. — He provokes an attack from Sheer Shah Soor, who places his minister and relative, Shooja Khan, in charge of the government. — Shooja Khan dies, leaving three sons, Dowlut, Moostufa, and Bayezeed. — The two former are murdered by the latter, who assumes the title of Baz Bahadur. — Akbur, Emperor of Dehly, attacks him. — Baz Bahadur defeated, and the government of Malwa is given to Peer Mahomed Khan. — Baz Bahadur attacks Peer Mahomed Khan, who is slain, and the former recovers his country. — Malwa reconquered by Akbur, and Baz Bahadur expelled. — He eventually enters the service of Akbur, as an officer of two thousand horse. On the death of Sooltan Mahmood, and the subsequent occupation of Malwa by Bahadur Shah, that monarch gave over to Silhuddy Poorby, who had been the first person to join his standard, the districts of Oojein, Sarungpoor, and Raiseen; but we find in the Guzerat history, that some time afterwards he gave offence to Bahadur Shah, and being attacked in the field, he fled to Raiseen, where he put himself to death, and his son Bhowput made his escape from Malwa. Bahadur Shah then appointed Alum Khan of Kalpy governor of Raiseen. Budr Khan of Malwa was created governor of Oojein, and Yekhtiar Khan governor of Mando; after which the King returned to Champanere.
229.2
At a subsequent period, when Hoomayoon Padshah of Dehly seized Guzerat, he previously occupied Mando, and ordered public prayers to be read in his name, leaving his own officers in the government of Malwa; but shortly after his return to Agra, Mulloo Khan, one of the officers of the late Khiljy government, retook all the country lying between the Nurbudda and the town of Bhilsa after a struggle of twelve months against the Dehly officers; whom having eventually subdued, he caused himself to be crowned in Mando, under the title of Kadur Shah of Malwa. At this period, also, Bhowput and Poorunmul, sons of the late Silhuddy, marching from Chittoor, obtained possession of the fort of Raiseen, but acknowledged allegiance to Kadur Shah, and paid him tribute. Shortly after his accession, Kadur Shah received a firman, with a seal on the face of it, from Sheer Shah Poorby Afghan, King of Bengal, stating that Hoomayoon Padshah was on the march to attack him, and that he desired the King of Malwa would make a movement towards Agra, which would distract the operations of the King of Dehly, and give the former an opportunity of acting with effect on that monarch’s territory. On the receipt of this firman or order, Kadur Shah was so incensed that he insisted on his secretary writing a firman in return with the seal upon the face of it.
229.3
When Sheer Shah received the answer, he tore off the seal, and putting it on the point of his sword said, “If it please God that I should ever meet with Kadur Shah, I will then put him in mind of his impertinence in putting his seal on the face of a letter to my address;” and in consequence, when that monarch ascended the throne of Dehly, he marched in the year 849 to conquer the kingdom of Malwa. On his arrival near Sarungpoor, Kadur Shah, whose military resources were incapable of resisting those of Sheer Shah, determined to throw himself on his mercy. Accordingly, without the knowledge of any of Sheer Shah’s officers, he suddenly made his appearance in durbar; and after having a secret conference with that monarch, received from him the greatest honours, was allowed to sleep in his private tent, and was presented with the dress which Sheer Shah wore at their meeting. On the next day Sheer Shah marched to Oojein, where he required his minister and relative, Shooja Khan, to pay obedience to Kadur Shah as King of Malwa. But this kindness was not to last: for on the following day he told Kadur Shah that he conferred on him the district of Luknow as a residence, of which he made him governor, and said that he expected him to remove with his family in a few days. Kadur Shah, astonished at this resolution, which he considered equivalent to perpetual banishment, fled with his family to Guzerat.
229.4
Sheer Shah then made over the country around Oojein and Sarungpoor to Shooja Khan, and created him governor of Malwa, himself marching to Runtunbhore. Kadur Shah having made his escape, it became politic to secure the persons of the other Malwa nobles, to prevent their forming a junction with him at some future period. Shooja Khan first seized the person of Moyin Khan of Seevas, who was at that time in camp. This measure induced his son Nuseer Khan to revenge his father’s cause; but Shooja Khan being joined by the Raja of Gualiar defeated Nuseer Khan in an action near Sarungpoor, whence he fled into the Gondwana hills. Subsequently to this event, information was received from Hajy Khan, the governor of D’har, that Kadur Shah, with a large force, had arrived in his vicinity from Banswala, and that he expected an action to take place in a day or two. Shooja Khan no sooner heard the news than instantly proceeding in his palanquin to D’har, he arrived there in the evening, in time to make dispositions for a night-attack on Kadur Shah, which completely succeeded. Shooja Khan’s activity enabled him in a few months to possess himself of the whole of Malwa without fighting another action. Having ruled Malwa for many years, an Afghan named Oothman Khan came one day into the Deevankhana, or Hall of Audience, of Shooja Khan, in a state of intoxication, and began to spit about on the carpets.
229.5
The servants rebutted, and said they would be spoiled, but he took no notice, till at last they desired him to go out; on which he was so imprudent as to strike one of them in the face, and beat him severely. Shooja Khan, hearing of this circumstance, ordered Oothman Khan’s hands to be cut off. Oothman survived the operation, and carried his complaint to Sulim Shah of Dehly at Gualiar, who told him that he might, if he chose, take revenge on Shooja Khan, who would soon be at that city. When Shooja Khan heard this, he merely observed, “Sulim Shah is a fool for his pains.” Some days after, when going to the durbar, he saw Oothman Khan sitting in the corner of a shop wrapt up in an old mantle. Shooja Khan ordered his palanquin to stop, and was going to ask if he wanted any thing, and intended to relieve his distress; but Oothman Khan, who only waited such an opportunity, jumped up, and with the blade of a sword, which was fastened round his arm, made a blow at Shooja Khan, whose servants immediately attacked the ruffian, and put him to death. Sulim Shah was much vexed to hear that this affray had ended in the death of Oothman; not only because he had sanctioned the attack on his part, but his indignation had been roused against Shooja Khan for having called him a fool.
229.6
Sulim Shah drew upon him the curses of the whole of Shooja Khan’s family and servants, when they learned that their master had received a dangerous wound in the side from the hand of the ruffian Oothman Khan, who had been instigated to the act by the King himself. The irritation produced on account of this affair induced Shooja Khan to quit Gualiar without taking leave, and to march towards Sarungpoor; on which Sulim Shah ordered a detachment in pursuit; and in a few days after he marched himself to seize Shooja Khan’s person and family, although that nobleman was one of thirty-six persons who were personally engaged in placing his father, Sheer Shah, on the throne. On the arrival of Sulim Shah near Sarungpoor, Shooja Khan declared that he never would suffer any one over whom he had power to draw his sword against the son of his old master, and he therefore fled to Banswara, leaving Sulim Shah at liberty to place Eesy Khan in the government of Malwa; after which he returned to Gualiar. But some time after, when Sulim marched towards Lahore, he reinstated Shooja Khan in the government of Malwa. On this occasion the latter divided the country into the following districts: Oojein and its dependencies were placed in charge of his son, Dowlut Khan. Raiseen and Bhilsa were made over to Moostufa Khan, his youngest son. Hundia, Seevas, and its dependencies, to Mullik Bayezeed, his elder son, himself retaining the government of Sarungpoor.
229.7
Some time elapsed before the government of Dehly was completely subjected by Hoomayoon Padshah, on his return from Persia; and during that period Shooja Khan, as well as the other chiefs of the empire, were on the point of declaring themselves independent, and of coining money, when cruel fate snatched the cup of prosperity from his lips, and death presented him with the potion of mortality. He died in the year 962; and his eldest son, assuming the title of Baz Bahadur, took the reins of government into his hands. The administration of Shooja Khan in Malwa, from first to last, was twelve years. Among the public works which do credit to his memory is the town of Shoojalpoor, near the city of Oojein, independent of which are many other memorials of his reign in different parts of the kingdom of Malwa. After the death of Shooja Khan, his eldest son, Moolk Bayezeed, marched from Hundia to Sarungpoor, and assumed charge of the government, taking possession of all his father’s effects. His brother, Dowlut Khan, who had been a great favourite of Sulim Shah, and had the Sarungpoor division of troops to support him, asserted his claim to a partition of the kingdom; and after some negotiation, the districts contiguous to Oojein and Mando, together with some villages, were ceded to him.
229.8
The districts of Sarungpoor, Seevas, Bheelwara, and the private estates of Shooja Khan, were considered as belonging to Bayezeed, and the districts of Raiseen and Bhilsa, with their dependencies, were left in the hands of Moostufa Khan. After this arrangement, Bayezeed marched to Oojein, on pretence of paying a visit of condolence to Dowlut Khan, on the occasion of their father’s death. The latter, unsuspicious of any other motive, was put to death by his elder brother. The head of Dowlut Khan was sent to Sarungpoor, and hung up on one of the gates of that town; after which, having taken possession of many towns in Malwa which were previously almost independent, in the year 963, Bayezeed was crowned, under the title of Sooltan Baz Bahadur. After this event he marched to Raiseen to expel his remaining brother, Moostufa Khan, who, after sustaining several actions, was eventually completely defeated, and his army dispersed. Moostufa fled from Malwa, leaving Baz Bahadur to take possession of the forts of Raiseen and Bhilsa. About this period, having met with opposition from some of his officers, Baz Bahadur caused them to be seized and thrown into deep wells alive, where they were either drowned or starved to death. Some time after this he marched to invade Gondwara, in which campaign his uncle, Futteh Khan, was killed; after which he returned to Sarungpoor, and made preparations to reduce the fortress of Gurra.
229.9
On his arrival in that vicinity, he was opposed by the troops of the Rany Doorgawutty, the widow of the late Ray Krishn Sing, who governed the country. Baz Bahadur was opposed by the Gonds, on the summit of a pass where their infantry were strongly posted, and having been drawn into an ambuscade, his troops were so completely routed that he was compelled to make his escape singly to Sarungpoor; but his army was completely surrounded and made prisoners, most of whom were put to death. Baz Bahadur was so much affected with this disgraceful termination of the war, in which his army had been destroyed, without being able to make resistance, that in order to drive away care he abandoned himself to sensual pleasures. At this period the science of music had attained considerable perfection in Malwa, and Baz Bahadur devoted himself entirely to its cultivation. tivation and encouragement; and his attachment to Roop Muny, a celebrated courtesan of that age, became so notorious, that the loves of Baz Bahadur and Roop Muny have been handed down to posterity in song. Akbur Padshah of Dehly, taking advantage of the state of Malwa under Baz Bahadur, ordered an army commanded by Adhum Khan, in the latter end of the year 968, to march and occupy that country.
229.10
Baz Bahadur heard nothing of the movement of this force until it arrived within a short distance of his capital, when he collected his troops around Sarungpoor, but they had hardly time to join, before the Moguls were within two miles of the place. His eyes were now opened to his situation; and entering on the field of action with as little concern as in going into the company of females, he advanced impetuously, though without order, into the battle. He personally behaved with great gallantry; but his troops deserting him, he was obliged to fly, leaving Adhum Khan to occupy Sarungpoor. After some time, Adhum Khan being recalled, Peer Mahomed Khan Sheerwany was sent in his stead to the government of Malwa. In the year 969, Peer Mahomed Khan marched to oppose Baz Bahadur on the frontier, who had collected a force in conjunction with Toofal Khan, regent of Berar, and Meeran Moobarik Khan of Aseer. Peer Mahomed Khan advanced, in order to lay waste the country of Boorhanpoor; but the confederates so distressed him, that he was obliged to retreat to Malwa, whither they pursued him, and driving the Mogul troops out of Malwa, replaced Baz Bahadur on the throne. He had scarcely time to draw breath, when in the year 970 Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, another of the officers of Akbur Padshah, occupied Malwa. Baz Bahadur fled to the hills of Gondwara, from whence he made occasional sallies, and for a time took and retained possession of some small districts;
229.11
but what he gained by force of arms he very soon lost again, owing to the indolent habits in which he indulged: at length he thought it best to deliver himself up to Akbur Padshah. In consequence he left his retreat in the year 978, after a reign of seventeen years. He sometimes lived in the luxuries of a court, and at others submitted to the privations of a camp; and frequently wandered and begged assistance from one state to another, abiding in the woods and hills for whole months together, from an apprehension of being seized. In this year, having joined Akbur Padshah at Dehly, Baz Bahadur received a commission as an officer of two thousand cavalry. From that period till the present year, being 1018, the kingdom of Malwa has been included among the provinces of the empire of Dehly.