Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 63.5
History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 63.5
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63.5.1
Beiram Khan proceeded to Gujerat, in order to embark for Mecca, and reached the suburbs of Puttun, then governed by Moosy Khan Lody. During his stay there he went to visit a spot called Sahasnuk, so called from the thousand temples erected in its vicinity. One evening, in the month Jumad-ool-Awul of the same year, he was with a number of friends, accompanied by musicians, in a boat on the lake, where they remained the whole night. On his return in the morning, Beiram Khan was accosted by one Moobarik Khan Lohany, a person whose father he had slain in battle with his own hand. The wretch, pretending to embrace him, drew his dagger, and stabbed Beiram Khan to the heart; and a mob of Afghans falling on his retinue, plundered it. After his death, Mahomed Ameer Dewana, Baba Zeinoo, and some other of his attendants, conveyed his widow and his son, Mirza Abdool Ruheem, then only four years old, to Ahmudabad; whence Itimad Khan, the ruler of Guzerat, sent the whole family, with a suitable escort, to the King at Agra. The history of Mirza Abdool Ruheem will be found in its proper place in this work. Beiram Khan was one of the most distinguished officers of the Mogul court. He was descended from a line of ancestors who served for many generations in the family of the illustrious Teimoor Sahib Kiran. His pedigree is as follows: Mahomed Biran Khan Toorkoman, the son of Syf Ally Beg, the son of Yar Ally Beg, the son of Sheer Ally Beg.
63.5.2
In the female line, he is descended from Ally Shukur, Toorkoman Baharloo. When Zowzun Hussun Sooltan conquered Erak, and Sooltan Aboo Syeed Mirza lost his life, Sheer Ally Beg, who was then in his service, attached himself to Sooltan Mahomed, the son of Sooltan Aboo Syeed Mirza; but meeting with little encouragement to continue with him, he came to Kabul, and in the course of six months raised an army and marched in the direction of Shiraz, with the intention of establishing himself in an independent kingdom. In this endeavour, he was joined by some Toorkomans, and absolutely reached Fars; but being defeated by the troops of Zowzun Hussun, he fled to Khorassan, and eventually lost his life in battle, near Hirat. Sheer Ally Beg's eldest son, Yar Ally Beg, went to Koondooz, and entered the service of Khoosrow Shah; whom he quitted, and enrolled himself under the banners of Babur, on which occasion he seduced several of the officers of Khoosrow Shah from their duty. Yar Ally Beg died in the service of Babur, and his son, Seif Ally Beg, became governor of Ghizny. At his death, his son, Beiram Khan, retired to Bulkh; but being subsequently brought into notice at the court of Hoomayoon, he became his bosom friend, and was selected on that account as governor to his son.
63.5.3
In the end of the year 968, Adam Khan Atka was appointed to command an army destined for the conquest of Malwa. Baz Bahadur, the ruler of the principality, spent his time in idle pleasures at Sarungpoor; and such was his indolence, that, although aware of the expedition of the Moguls, he allowed them to approach within twenty miles of his capital, before he could be prevailed on to quit the pillows of ease, and prepare for action. The contest was short: the Moguls, on the first onset, broke his troops, captured his property and family, and sent him with streaming eyes and a broken heart towards Boorhanpoor.
63.5.4
Adam Khan, after the victory, made provision for the government of Malwa, and distributed the spoil among his followers, reserving for himself the treasure, the royal ensigns, and the ladies of the haram of Baz Bahadur. He sent nothing but a few elephants to the King. Akbur, conceiving that Adam Khan intended to render himself independent, marched to Malwa. He first appeared before Gungrar, the governor of which place, on the part of Baz Bahadur, delivered it up without opposition. Akbur thence made a night march, and in the morning arrived before Sarungpoor. Adam Khan, unaware of the King's approach, was coming out with an intention to besiege Gungrar; but on making the discovery, he paid his respects, and accompanied him into the city. Adam Khan, suspecting the true cause of the King's visit, laid at his feet the treasure and spoil he had reserved for himself, alleging, by way of excuse, that he had reserved them till he should have the honour of presenting them in person. The King saw through this flimsy disguise, but preferring clemency to rigour, allowed the circumstance to pass without further notice, and soon after returned to Agra.
63.5.5
One day while hunting in the vicinity of Nurnear, a royal tigress crossed the road. Akbur, without hesitation, urged on his horse, and with a single stroke of his sabre cut her across the loins, and stretched her dead on the plain. The nobles present, in excess of joy, ran to kiss the royal stirrup, and offered up thanks to God for his preservation.
63.5.6
He had only been a few months at Agra when Sheer Khan, the son of the late Mahomed Shah Adily, with forty thousand Afghans, advanced from Bengal to reduce the province of Joonpoor. Sheer Khan was opposed by Khan Zuman with twelve thousand cavalry, and sustained a total defeat. Bahadur Khan Seestany, the brother of Khan Zuman, distinguished himself much on this occasion; indeed, both were esteemed among the bravest soldiers of the age; but presuming too much on their character, they neglected to send to court the elephants taken in the battle, which are always considered the property of the crown. The King, though prepared to allow due credit to the brothers for their gallantry, could by no means overlook so gross an infringement of his prerogative, and therefore determined on marching towards Joonpoor; but on reaching Kurra, sensible of their misconduct, they advanced to congratulate Akbur, and presented him not only with the elephants and all the spoils they had taken, but made other suitable offerings. The King, whose generosity and clemency were equalled only by his spirit, returned every thing except what belonged of right to the crown, and giving them at the time a gentle reproof for their neglect, he secured their attachment by his princely behaviour and courtesy. During the march to Agra, on the third day, they were permitted to return to their government of Joonpoor.
63.5.7
At this time, Mahomed Khan Atka, governor of Punjab, and Adam Khan Atka, ruler of Malwa, arrived at court according to orders, bringing with them suitable presents. The government of Malwa was now conferred on the King's old preceptor, Peer Mahomed Khan, and the office of prime minister devolved on Mahomed Khan Atka. In the year 969, the King, proceeding to Ajmere, visited the shrine of Khwaja Moyeen-ood-Deen Chishty; and shortly after, on his arrival at Sumthur, Raja Poorunmul consented to give his daughter to him in marriage, and suffered himself and his son Bhowany Dass to be enrolled among the number of the nobles of the court. At Ajmere, Akbur, having performed his devotions, detached Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein, the governor, to invest the fort of Merta, subject to Maldew, Raja of Marwar. The King, quitting Ajmere suddenly, returned in three days and nights, attended by a retinue of six persons only to Agra, a distance of more than one hundred and thirty cosses. Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein having reached Meita, Raja Jugmul and Raja Devy Dass, two of the principal chiefs of Marwar, threw themselves into Merta, and prepared for defence. They were closely besieged by the Mirza; who in a few days carried mines under one of the bastions, and formed a practicable breach. A select body of troops, led by the Mirza in person, advanced to the assault: but the storming party was opposed with such bravery that it was obliged to retreat;
63.5.8
and on the next morning the Moguls found the breach built up by the enemy. The siege being protracted for some months, and the garrison unable to hold out longer for want of provisions, proposed to capitulate. Terms were granted, by which the besieged were allowed to march out without arms, but with permission to retain their horses. Jugmul, according to stipulation, left all his money and effects in the fort; but Devy Dass, who had been averse to the capitulation, collected five hundred of the garrison, and having burnt all they could not convey with them, rushed out with a determination to cut their way through the enemy. The Mirza, having heard of their intention, caused them to be attacked; but the Rajpoots, fighting with desperate valour, succeeded in making good their retreat, with the loss of two hundred and fifty of their number killed. Among these was Devy Dass himself, whose head his soldiers carried off when they saw him mortally wounded, that it might not fall into the hands of the enemy. Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein, after having occupied Merta, wrote an account of his success to the King, by whom he was honoured with marks of his approbation.