Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 63.11
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 63.11
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63.11.1
On the 1st of Suffur, 979, the Emperor marched towards Hissar Feroza, and proceeded by the route of Ajmere to Agra. Sikundur Khan Oozbuk, who had been long wandering among the woods of Bengal, was now introduced by Moonyim Khan, governor of Joonpoor, to the King, and on due contrition received the royal pardon. The King considering the village of Seekry a particularly propitious spot, two of his sons having been born there, he ordered the foundation of a city to be laid, which, after the conquest of Guzerat, he called Futtehpoor. The government of Guzerat being torn by intestine factions, Akbur thought proper to proceed thither in person; and having marched to Ajmere, and paid his devotions at the sainted shrines, and solicited the prayers of Khwaja Syad Hoosseiu Khing-Sowar, he detached his general, Khwaja Kullan, in advance, following himself with the main body of the army. In the mean time he appointed Ray Sing to the government of Jodpoor, the former residence of Raja Maldew. When arrived within two marches of Nagore, the King received advice of the birth of another son on the second of Jumad-ool-Awul, in the house of Sheikh Daniel, whom he called Daniel Mirza.
63.11.2
The King's army appearing before Puttun, in Guzerat, Sheer Khan Folady, an officer of rank in the Guzerat kingdom, abandoned his post and fled. The government was conferred on Syud Ahmud Khan Barha, and the army marched in the course of a week in the direction of Ahmudabad. Before it had proceeded two stages, Moozuffur Shah, King of Guzerat, came to meet Akbur, and was introduced by Meer Aboo Toorab Shirazy, who, though a native of Guzerat, was of true Syud descent, and born of Persian parents. On the following day, Etimad Khan, Syud Chand Khan Bokhary, Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, Mullik Ashraf, Wujee-ool-Moolk, Aluf Khan Hubshy, Joojhar Khan Hubshy, and other Guzerat chiefs, came to pay their respects; but as the Hubshies were strongly suspected of disaffection to the Moguls, they were for the present kept under restraint. The city of Ahmudabad fell in this manner without a blow into the hands of Akbur Padshah, as will appear in detail in the history of the kings of Guzerat. Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza, however, was still at the head of an independent army at Baroach, and his brother, Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, at the head of another considerable force near Surat. Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, also, one of the Guzerat officers who had joined the King, fled at this time, in order to create an insurrection. It was thought proper, therefore, that the other Guzerat chiefs should be placed under restraint.
63.11.3
On the arrival of the army at Cambay, the King appointing Mirza Azeez Koka governor of Ahmudabad, proceeded towards Baroach; but Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza, hearing of Akbur's approach, and suspecting the fidelity of Roostoom Khan Roomy, one of his officers, put him to death; and having resolved to avoid the Mogul army by about forty coss (sixty miles), determined to march into Punjab, and create an insurrection in that quarter. The King receiving intelligence of Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's intentions at nine o'clock at night, took a small body of horse with him, leaving in camp his son, the Prince Sulim, under charge of Khwaja Jehan and Kullich Khan Indijany, and marched with expedition to cut off Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's retreat. Next day on reaching the river Mhendry, which runs by the town of Surtal, the King found his party reduced to forty troopers, and he could perceive Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza encamped with one thousand men on the opposite bank of the river. At this crisis Syud Mahmood Khan Barha, Raja Bugwandas, Raja Man-Sing, Shah Koolly Khan, Soorjun Ray, Raja of Runtunbhore, and other chiefs, who had been detached to Surat, and had been recalled, joined the King with seventy horsemen. With this small reinforcement, without waiting for more troops, which would shortly have arrived, Akbur resolved to attack the enemy. His whole party did not exceed one hundred and fifty-six men.
63.11.4
Raja Man-Sing led the advance, and having crossed the river first, instantly charged Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza; but he was so galled by the enemy's archers, that he was compelled to fall back; and the King, who was with this band of Rajpoots, found it necessary to halt in a lane, formed by hedges of the prickly pear, which did not admit of more than three horsemen riding abreast. In this situation, three of the enemy's horsemen galloped up the lane, and attacked Akbur as he stood in advance of his men. Raja Bhugwandas gallantly threw himself forward, and received one of the horsemen on his spear, dismounted him, and having instantly charged another, the remaining horseman fled, and was pursued by Raja Bhugwandas and his brother. The latter displayed, on this day, the heroism of Roostoom and Isfundyar, and penetrating beyond the lane, he repeatedly charged through a body of one hundred men, and eventually lost his life. The King, meanwhile, following him, galled the enemy with arrows, till perceiving Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza, he charged full at him, but the latter having a more speedy horse effected his escape. We hardly know any instance of a King having displayed so much individual courage and intrepidity as Akbur did throughout this transaction, though it must be admitted he exposed his own person very unnecessarily. The King, contenting himself with this achievement, desisted from pursuit, and waiting till his army arrived, marched and laid siege to Surat.
63.11.5
In this place was Goolrokh Begum, the daughter of Kamran Mirza, and wife of Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza. On the appearance of the Dehly troops, the Princess fled to the Deccan, leaving the officers of her husband to defend the place, but carrying with her an infant son, Moozuffur Mirza. Meanwhile the other Mirzas having collected troops in the vicinity of Puttun, held a council of war, in which it was resolved that Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza, and his younger brother Musaood Hoossein Mirza, should prosecute a predatory warfare in Punjab, and that Mahomed Hoossein Mirza and Shah Mirza, in conjunction with Sheer Khan Foolady, should attack Puttun, in order to make a diversion thereby in favour of Surat.
63.11.6
Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza having reached Nagore, Ray Sing, governor of Jodpoor, went in pursuit, and coming up with him one evening, at a place where there was no water but what Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza had secured, was induced to attack him without a moment's delay; on which occasion many persons on both sides lost their Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's horse being killed, his army gave way; but mounting another horse, he fled towards Dehly, and giving up his intentions on Lahore, proceeded to his paternal estate of Sumbhul. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, Shah Mirza, and Sheer Khan Folady, still conducted the siege of Puttun, defended by Syud Ahmud Khan Barha, till Mirza Azeez Koka, coming to its relief with the army from Ahmudabad, the Mirzas gave him battle. Mirza Azeez Koka had at first the disadvantage by both his wings being thrown into disorder, when Roostoom Khan, and Mootullub Khan rallying the troops, made another and successful charge, when they broke the army of Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, who fled towards the Deccan.
63.11.7
As soon as the batteries were constructed at Surat for besieging the place, the inhabitants of the town, unable to resist, surrendered, and the King having gained his object, marched to Ahmudabad. Shurfood-Deen Hoossein Mirza, who having fled ten years before had found protection with the Raja of Buglana, a prince of the Deccan, attempted at this time to penetrate through the hills, and unite with the other Mirzas now in revolt; but being seized by the Raja with whom he had sought an asylum, he was delivered up into the King's hands, when after being degraded he was sent to the fort of Gualiar, where he eventually died. The mother of Chungiz Khan, the late regent of Guzerat, at this time preferred a complaint to Akbur, that Joojhar Khan Hubshy had put her son to death. The King, who only wanted an excuse to get rid of Joojhar Khan, caused him to be trod to death by an elephant; and having distributed the several districts of Guzerat among the relatives of Mirza Azeez Koka, he returned to Agra, which he reached on the 2d of Suffur, A. H. 981. Meanwhile Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza arrived at Sumbhul, and hearing that the chiefs of Punjab, under Hoossein Koolly Khan, were engaged in besieging the fort of Nagrakote, he resolved to march to that quarter, which he expected to find unprotected; and after plundering it, he intended to join his friends in Guzerat, by the route of Sind.
63.11.8
Hoossein Koolly Khan, learning his intentions, raised the siege of Nagrakote, and pursued Ibrahim Mirza throughout Punjab, till he reached Tutta on the Indus, where, having heard that he had gone to some distance on a hunting excursion, he attacked his camp. Musaood Hoossein Mirza, Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza's brother, who commanded in his absence, sent off an express to his brother; but before Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza arrived, Musaood Hoossein was defeated and taken prisoner, having lost many men in the action. Ibrahim Hoossein Mirza having returned from hunting, and perceiving the situation in which he was placed, made up his mind to death, and rallying a part of his men renewed the action, but being defeated, he fled to Mooltan. Here he was intercepted by the Bullochies, by whom he was severely wounded, and taken prisoner, and shortly after beheaded by Mukhsoos Khan, the governor of Mooltan. This chief, in company with Hoossein Koolly Khan, carried the Mirza's head, and all his effects, to Agra. Akbur ordered the head to be placed above one of the gates of Agra; and caused his brother Musaood Hoossein Mirza to be confined in the fort of Gualiar till his death. In the month of Rubbee-ool-Awul of the same year, advices arrived from Mirza Azeez Koka, that Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, one of the former chiefs of Guzerat, and Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, having united their arms, occupied several districts in that province, and were then besieging Ahmudabad.
63.11.9
Under these circumstances, the presence of the King seemed absolutely necessary to retrieve the affairs in that quarter. The rainy season had commenced, and it being impracticable to march a large army, he selected two thousand of his most efficient cavalry, and sent them on before him; while Akbur, attended by three hundred persons, chiefly nobles, mounted on camels, and accompanied by led horses, followed at the rate of four stages every day, and overtook his troops at the city of Puttun, when he mustered altogether three thousand men and horses. Having organised this little force, he directed Mirza Abdool Ruheem, the son of Beiram Khan Toorkoman, to take command of the advance, and the remainder was formed into three divisions; a centre and two wings, reserving a hundred men as his personal guard. With this force the King marched to Ahmudabad. On his approach, he sent forward an officer to give notice to the besieged; and on arriving within four miles of the city, he ordered the nobut to beat. The enemy were astonished, but instantly prepared for action. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, having drawn up his troops, went with a few horse to the banks of the river to reconnoitre; and perceiving Soobhan Koolly Khan, who had been sent on by the King to examine the ford, asked him whose army it was? Soobhan Koolly Khan replied, that it was an army commanded by the King in person. The other said, "It is impossible; for it is only fourteen days since one of my spies saw him in Agra;
63.11.10
and I perceive none of the royal elephants." Soobhan Koolly Khan replied, "It is only nine days since he marched, and it is clear no elephants could have accompanied him." Mahomed Hoossein Mirza returning immediately to his camp, directed Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, with five thousand horse, to watch the gates of Ahmudabad, and prevent a sally, while he marched with seven thousand horse to oppose Akbur. The King had by this time reached the banks of the river, expecting every moment to be joined by part of the garrison; but the gates being commanded by the enemy, that aid became impracticable. Akbur accordingly crossed the river, and drew up on the plain. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, at the head of fifteen hundred Moguls, attacked the centre of the royalists, Shah Mirza charged the right, and the Afghans and Rajpoots, under Sheer Khan Folady, the left. The battle raged with fury on both sides, when the King, with his personal guard of a hundred men, charged Mahomed Hoossein Mirza in flank. That Prince, now losing all presence of mind, fled, which being observed by his troops, on the right and left, they broke in confusion. Mahomed Hoossein Mirza received a wound in his face; his horse was also wounded, notwithstanding which he endeavoured to leap him over a hedge of the Euphorbia plant; but, owing to the weakness of the animal, they both fell, and he was made prisoner. Several persons contending for the honour of taking him, the King asked him who took him?
63.11.11
Mahomed Hoossein Mirza, holding down his head, replied, "Nobody: the curse of ingratitude overtook me;" and indeed he spoke truth. After the action, the King sat down below a rising ground, with about two hundred horse, waiting for Mirza Azeez Koka to join him, when a body of troops appearing, and most of his own men being at a distance, his small party began to be alarmed. The person he sent to enquire who they were, brought word that they consisted of the division of Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, Guzeratty; who, having learned the fate of the other detachment, was now coming to retrieve the day. Akbur caused his two hundred men to gall them with arrows as they advanced; and as the drummers neglected to beat the signal for rallying, he went himself, and made them strike the nukara. Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, on hearing this instrument, and perceiving the King was in person with the party, retreated with precipitation. Meanwhile Raja Ray Sing, in whose charge Mahomed Hoossein Mirza had been left, perceiving the state of affairs, put him to death without waiting for orders; and Yekhtyar-ool-Moolk, falling from his horse in his retreat, was killed by one of the King's guards. The besieged governor of Guzerat, being now enabled to quit the city, came to pay his respects, and Akbur entered Ahmudabad on the same day; where having re-established Mirza Azeez Koka in his government, he proceeded by the route of Ajmere to Agra.