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Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 63.12

History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 63.12

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63.12.1

In the course of the same year, Dawood Khan, the son of Sooliman Kirany, ruler of Bengal, took up arms. Moonyim Khan, Khan Khanan, was sent against him, and after several actions compelled him to sign a treaty; but the King, dissatisfied with the instrument, committed the management of Bengal to Raja Todur Mul, and sent him with orders either to expel Dawood Khan or compel him to pay tribute. Dawood Khan, being threatened at the time with a civil war by Lody Khan Afghan, who discovered an inclination to usurp his authority, consented to pay tribute. Having shortly after seized Lody Khan, he put him to death; and being relieved from that domestic danger, he broke the treaty with Moonyim Khan, and attacked him at the confluence of the Soane and the Ganges, where Dawood Khan was defeated, and having lost his fleet of boats, he fled. Moonyim Khan instantly crossed the Soane, and laid siege to Patna.

63.12.2

The King, informed of these events, left Agra in the depth of the rains, with as many troops as could be embarked in a thousand boats, remaining for a few days only at Benares, in order to admit of the union of the forces marching by land. After the junction of all his forces, he sent back the young princes and the ladies of the haram, and embarking the whole of his army, sailed down the river to Patna. At this time he received the news of the reduction of Bhukkur on the Indus, by Kubeer Khan, who had been sent into that quarter. Having arrived within a few miles of Patna, the King heard that Eesa Khan Neeazy, one of the enemy's principal generals, had marched out of the fort and fought Moonyim Khan, but that he had been defeated and lost his life, so that Patna was on the point of being evacuated. The King, therefore, detached Alum Khan, with three thousand horse, to occupy Hajypoor, which fell without opposition.

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A.D. 1575. Dawood Khan, intimidated by these misfortunes, deputed a person to make terms. The King insisted on his unconditional submission; observing to his messenger, "Tell Dawood Khan I have a thousand men in my army as good as he, and if disposed to put the point to issue in single combat, I will myself meet him." Dawood Khan, confounded at this message, embarked in a boat at the water-gate after it was dark, and retreated towards Bengal. Patna was evacuated in the night, and on the morning the King pursued the enemy chiefly for the sake of obtaining their elephants. Four hundred of these animals fell into his hands during the retreat; and having placed Patna and the government of the surrounding districts in charge of Moonyim Khan, he returned to Agra. This year Mirza Azeez Koka, governor of Guzerat, and Khan Jehan, of Lahore, having come to court to offer congratulations, returned to their respective governments. Akbur, at this time, having conferred the title of Moozuffur Khan on Khwaja Moozuffur Ally Toormoozy, appointed him to command a force against the fort of Rohtas, and himself made a tour to the shrine of the saints at Ajmere; where, having bestowed upwards of two lacks of rupees in charitable donations, he returned to Agra. Meanwhile Moonyim Khan, who had been lately directed to subdue Bengal, arrived at the fort of Gurhy, which may be considered the key of that province.

63.12.4

Dawood Khan fled into Orissa, whither he was pursued by Raja Todur Mul, with part of the King's army; but Jooneid Khan, the son of Dawood Khan, having defeated Raja Todur Mul in two actions, Moonyim Khan marched to his aid. The united Mogul troops now engaged Dawood Khan; when Goojur Khan, an Afghan chief of distinguished courage, who commanded Dawood Khan's advanced guard, attacked the advance of Moonyim Khan, commanded by Khan Alum, when the latter was defeated and slain. This event caused the advance to fall back on the main body, to which confusion was communicated. Moonyim Khan, observing the disorder, hastened to the spot with a small body to restore order. Goojur Khan, however, attacked him in person, and wounded him in several places, so that for a while he was obliged to quit the field; but having rallied his troops he led them back to the charge, when Goojur Khan was killed, and Dawood Khan's army was defeated, with the loss of all their elephants. Raja Todur Mul went in pursuit, and came up with Dawood Khan on the shore of the China Sea, who, finding no means of escape, resolved to make a stand. Raja Todur Mul sent intelligence of his situation to Moonyim Khan, who in spite of his wounds hastened to the spot. Dawood Khan shortly after submitted. He was allowed to retain Orissa and Cuttack, but relinquished all pretensions to Bengal and Behar; after which Moonyim Khan returned to his government.

63.12.5

In ancient times, from the period of Mahomed Bhukhtyar Khiljy to that of Sheer Shah, the city of Goor had been the capital of Bengal; after which, owing to its insalubrity, it had been abandoned for Khowaspoor Tanda, and was now greatly decayed. Moonyim Khan, however, admiring the spot, gave orders for its repair, and made it his residence; but he fell a victim to its unhealthy climate, and died on the 9th of Rujub, 983. Hoossein Kooly Khan, Toorkoman, who bore the title of Khan Jehan, was nominated governor in his stead. At this period Sooliman Mirza of Budukhshan, being expelled by his grandson, Shahrokh, was obliged to seek protection at the court of Agra; from whence having taken leave, he proceeded on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Some time after, he returned to Budukhshan, and recovered his dominions. At this time some of the nobles, envious of the elevation of Mirza Azeez Koka, governor of Guzerat, accused him of treasonable designs. He was accordingly recalled from his government, and appeared at court without delay; notwithstanding which he was for some time imprisoned, and Shahab-ood-Deen Ahmud Khan, of Nyshapoor, appointed to succeed him. Hoossein Kooly Khan had not time to take possession of his government in Bengal, before Dawood Khan Kirany, having been joined by several Afghan chiefs both of Bengal and Behar, seized Khowaspoor Tanda without opposition; and finding himself at the head of fifty thousand horse, retook great part of Bengal.

63.12.6

Hoossein Kooly Khan assembled all the imperial officers in that quarter, and advanced against Gurhy, which fell into his hands; on this occasion, also, he defeated the enemy with the loss of fifteen hundred men; after which, he proceeded to the spot where Dawood Khan was encamped. Moozuffur Khan now joined the King's army with a body of troops raised in Behar, Tirhoot, and Hajypoor, and Hoossein Kooly Khan attacked Dawood Khan's camp on the 15th of Rubbee-oos-Sany, 983. Dawood Khan drew up his army to receive him. Kala P'har, one of the Bengal officers, charging the left wing of the imperialists, threw it into temporary disorder; while Moozuffur Khan, who commanded the right of the Mogul army, gained some advantage over the enemy's left. Hoossein Kooly Khan charged the centre in person, and was received with great steadiness; but at length victory declared in favour of the King's troops, and the Afghans were defeated. Dawood Khan was taken prisoner; and on being brought before Hoossein Koolly Khan, Toorkoman, was put to death, while his son, Jooneid Khan, who had been wounded in the action, died a few days after. Hoossein Koolly Khan now took possession of all Bengal, and sent the elephants and other spoils to the King. In the year 984, Moozuffur Khan marched against Rohtas, and sent Maasoom Khan to attack Hoossein Khan Afghan, who was hovering about with a body of marauders in that quarter. Maasoom Khan engaged and defeated him, and took possession of his districts;

63.12.7

but Kala Phar, with eight thousand horse, surrounding Maasoom Khan, thought to oblige him to surrender. Maasoom Khan, breaking down the wall of the town in which he had taken post, rushed unexpectedly on the enemy. In the action which ensued, Maasoom Khan's horse was killed by a stroke of the trunk of Kala Phar's war elephant, called Ayaz, and he himself was in imminent danger of being crushed to death, had the elephant not been severely galled by arrows at the moment, which rendered him so unruly, that he turned back on the Afghan troops, carrying off Kala Phar, so that his army, supposing that he fled, quickly followed him. On this occasion, Kala Phar was overtaken by the Moguls, and killed. In the same year, also, Shahbaz Khan Kumbo, having taken the fort of Sewana, which had belonged to Raja Chunder Sein, the son of Mai Dew, proceeded with an army against the Raja of Gunjowty, who was compelled to seek refuge in the woods, while Shahbaz Khan besieged and took Sheergur, then in possession of the Raja's son. Having been subsequently directed to besiege Rohtas, he proceeded in that direction; while Khwaja Moozuffur Ally took the field against the Afghans. The Afghans in Rohtas, distressed for supplies, surrendered, and Shahbaz Khan Kumbo, leaving that fort in charge of his brothers, proceeded to court.