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Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 63.10

History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 63.10

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63.10.1

The enemy, little supposing the King would attempt to cross the river without his army, passed the night in festivity, and could hardly believe their senses when they heard the royal nukara. They lost no time, however, in forming their line, and a battle ensued, which commenced at nine o'clock, On Monday the 1st of Zeehuj, A. H. 974, Baba Khan Kajar, who commanded the King's advanced party, penetrated into the camp of the insurgents, but was repulsed by Bahadur Khan Seestany; and falling back in confusion on the King's line, created some disorder. Bahadur Khan Seestany, following up his advantage, penetrated to the spot where the King commanded in person. Akbur found it necessary to dismount from his elephant, and take to his horse; but an arrow having killed Bahadur Khan's charger at this very moment, he was obliged to retreat on foot, and his party dispersed. The King now commanded his elephants to advance rapidly, and the enemy were driven off the field. Khan Zuman received an arrow wound, which he was in the act of extracting, when his horse also fell; and before he could mount another, the elephant called Hursook, pushing forward, trod him to death. Bahadur Khan was taken prisoner during the action; and when brought before the King, he was asked what injury he had sustained to provoke him to draw his sword against him?

63.10.2

He made no defence, but exclaimed, "Praise be to God that he has reserved me once more to see your Majesty's countenance." The King ordered him to be taken care of; but the fate of Khan Zuman being still unknown, some of the officers put him to death without orders. The heads of the two brothers were sent to Punjab and Kabul. Jan Ally Beg Oozbuk, Yar Ally Beg, Mirza Beg, Khooshal Beg, Mirza Shah Beg, and Ally Shah Budukhshy, were all made prisoners; and having accompanied the King as far as Joonpoor, they were trodden to death by elephants. After this victory, the government of Joonpoor was conferred on Moonyim Khan, Khan Khanan. Sikundur Khan Oozbuk, who was now besieged in the fort of Oude, was compelled to fly to Gorukpoor. The rebellion of the Oozbuks was thus considered at an end, and in the month of Mohurrum, 975, the army returned to Agra. After these events, the King marched against Rana Oody Sing, who had not yet submitted to the Mogul arms. Having reached Shewpoor, the governor, evacuating the place, took refuge with Soorjun Ray, the Raja of Runtunbhore; and Akbur, having left a garrison in Shewpoor, proceeded to the fort of Gungrar, on the frontier of Malwa. The sons of Mahomed Sooltan Mirza, now in Mando, hearing of his approach, were not without apprehension for themselves; and Alugh Mirza dying about this time, the other Mirzas fled to Guzerat. The King left Malwa under charge of Shahab-ood-Deen Ahmud Khan Nyshapoory, and marched from Gungrar to Chittoor.

63.10.3

Here the Rana leaving eight thousand Rajpoots with an ample supply of provisions in the fort, retired with his family to a country he deemed more inaccessible. Akbur, having invested Chittoor, employed five thousand workmen of different descriptions to conduct the siege. The approaches were made by sabat, a description of defence for the besiegers peculiar to India. The sabats are constructed in the following manner. The zig-zags, commencing at gunshot distance from the fort, consist of a double wall, and by means of blinds or stuffed gabions covered with leather the besiegers continue their approaches till they arrive near to the walls of the place to be attacked. The miners then proceed to sink their shafts, and carry on their galleries underground, for the construction of the mines, in which having placed the powder and blown up the works, the storming party rushes from the sabat, or superior galleries, and assaults the place. On the present occasion, two sabats, or superior galleries, having been constructed, two mines were carried under bastions at different spots, and they were both fired at the same time. It happened that one of them exploded before the other, and a practicable breach was formed. Two thousand men, prepared to storm, advanced immediately, under the supposition that both mines had been sprung, and the parties divided, in order to enter both breaches at once.

63.10.4

One of the mines, however, exploded, only just as one of the parties got close over it, when five hundred men were killed, besides a number of the enemy who were crowded on the bastion. Of the Moguls, fifteen officers suffered on this occasion, among whom were Syud Jumal-ood-Deen Khan Barha Murdan Koolly Shah and others. The consequence was, that both attacks failed. Other mines were directed to be constructed, and as the works were in progress, the King, while in the batteries, observed Jugmul, the governor of the place, superintending the repairing of the breaches, and giving his orders by torchlight. Akbur, seizing a matchlock from one of his attendants, fired at him, and was so fortunate as to lodge the ball in Jugmul's forehead. The spirit of the besieged fell with their governor; and in their despair, they performed the ceremony of the jowhur, and putting their wives and children to death, burned them with the corpse of their chief on a funeral pile. The King, perceiving what was in progress within the fort, advanced under the cover of night to the breaches, and found them abandoned, so that he entered the fort without opposition. Daylight appeared, and still not a soul was to be seen of the garrison; all had retired to their temples, and, as usual, refused quarter. The King, mounting his elephant, ordered the temples to be stormed, when ten thousand Rajpoots fell in the assault, while, with the exception of one Noosrut Ally, not a Mahomedan lost his life.

63.10.5

The command of Chittoor being conferred on Asuf Khan Hirvy, the King returned to his capital. On the road to Agra, a tiger being roused, Akbur directed no one to approach it; but riding forward himself, he discharged several arrows at him. The animal remained quiet below some rising ground, on which the King had taken post. Akbur now fired a musket-shot, which having struck the brute he rushed directly upon him. Adil Khan, one of the attendants, gallantly interposing, wounded the tiger severely with his sword, and other men having run in, cut the tiger in pieces with their swords. At Agra Akbur received advices that Ibrahim Mirza and Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, having separated from Chungiz Khan, the ruler of Guzerat, had returned to Malwa, and commenced hostilities by laying siege to Oojein. Kullich Khan Indijany and Khwaja Gheias-ood-Deen Kuzveeny Bukhshy were accordingly deputed to expel them; and on their approach, the Mirzas retreating precipitately, crossed the Nurbudda, and again sought refuge in Guzerat.

63.10.6

In the month of Rujub, in the year 976, the King marched from Agra to reduce Runtunbhore, then in possession of Raja Soorjun Ray, who having purchased the fort from Hijaz Khan, an officer of Sulim Shah's time, resolved to defend it. On the 22d of Rumzan, 976, the King invested the place, and caused a battery to be constructed on an adjoining hill, called Mudun; where he posted a few guns, a measure no one had ever before attempted. At every discharge a number of the houses were laid in ruins, till at length Raja Soorjun Ray capitulating, he was permitted to march out unmolested with all his family. Akbur, after this conquest, made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Khwaja Moyin-ood-Deen Chishty, at Ajmere, and returned to Agra; from whence he proceeded to visit the venerable Sheikh Sulim Chishty, in the village of Seekry. As all the King's children had hitherto died, he solicited the Sheikh's prayers, who consoled him, by assuring him he would soon have a son, who would live to a good old age. Shortly after, the favourite Sooltana, being then pregnant, on Wednesday the 17th of Rubbee-ool-Awul, in the year 977, was delivered of a son, who was called Sulim. On this occasion the King published an act of grace to all prisoners; and having performed a pilgrimage on foot to the shrine of Khwaja Moyin-ood-Deen, at Ajmere, returned by the route of Dehly, enjoying the diversion of the chase on his road back.

63.10.7

Preparations were now made for the siege of Kalunjur. Raja Ram Chundur, who had obtained possession of this fort from the officers of Sulim Shah, had heard of the fate of the garrison of Chittoor, and accordingly made terms for delivering Kalunjur to On the 3d of Mohurrum, 978, the King had another son born to him in the house of the venerable Sheikh Sulim, whom he called Moorad. On this occasion, also, he made another pilgrimage to Ajmere, and ordered the town to be fortified with a stone wall. From thence he proceeded to Nagore, where Chunder Sein, the son of Raja Maldew, and Kullian Mull, the Raja of Bhikanere, came out to meet him with valuable presents. The King having received the daughter of Raja Kullian Mull in marriage, marched from Nagore to Ajoodhun, when having visited the shrine of Sheikh Fureed-ood-Deen Gunj Shukur, he proceeded to Depalpoor, where Mirza Azeez Koka, the governor, made handsome presents.