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Firishta's History (Gulshan-i Ibrāhīmī) 63.6

History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India (Briggs) 63.6

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63.6.1

Peer Mahomed Khan, governor of Malwa, taking up his residence in Shadyabad Mando, carried on the war against Baz Bahadur with such success that he compelled him to quit his dominions. He took the strong fort of Beejygur, and put the garrison to the sword, as they obliged him to risk an assault Baz Bahadur took protection under the ruler of Boorhanpoor, within the limits of Kandeish; and by his aid he made frequent incursions into Malwa, and kept the country in a state of ferment and alarm. Peer Mahomed Khan marched against Boorhanpoor, and sacked the town, when a cruel massacre of the inhabitants ensued, and among these sufferers were many holy men. Baz Bahadur, shortly after, induced Moobarik Khan Farooky, ruler of Kandeish, and Tooffid Khan, ruler of Berar, to aid him, and he advanced towards the Moguls. The latter retreated to Beejygur, where, contrary to the advice of his officers, Peer Mahomed Khan gave battle to the confederates. He was defeated in the action, and eventually drowned in the retreat while crossing the Nerbudda. The confederates pursued the Moguls from place to place as far as Agra, so that Baz Bahadur, in the year 969, recovered his dominions in Malwa. Subsequent to these disasters, Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, governor of Kalpy, was appointed to carry on the war against Baz Bahadur, whom he succeeded in expelling a second time from Malwa. Baz Bahadur fled to the mountains of Koombulmere;

63.6.2

and Abdoolla Khan, established himself in Mando, and took up his residence in that city. Syud Beg, the son of Masoom Beg, a member of the Sufvy family, arrived about this time at the court of Agra, in character of ambassador from the King of Persia, bringing handsome offerings. He received in return presents to the amount of two lacks of rupees. Mahomed Khan Atka, having some time before been appointed minister at Dehly, with the title of Shahab-ood-Deen, acquired great influence at court; and Adam Khan Koka, whom we have before seen commanding the army in the first conquest of Malwa, being jealous of his power, endeavoured to effect his ruin; but his intrigues to that end were discovered, and exposed him to shame. Adam Khan had determined in his own mind on the destruction of the minister, and only sought for an opportunity to effect it. At length, one day while Shahab-ood-Deen was sitting in the hall of audience, reading the Koran aloud, Adam Khan entered and saluted him. The minister took no notice of him; for it is not customary on such occasions to do so. Adam Khan, on the impulse of the moment, drew a dagger and stabbed the minister to the heart. Having committed this murder, Adam Khan left the room hastily, and ascended one of the terraces, where he remained till he was seized. The King, who was sleeping in the inner apartments, on hearing the noise, and on ascertaining the cause, arose, and without changing his sleeping dress, went to the spot.

63.6.3

He was horror-struck at the scene. The body of his minister lay weltering in his blood, while the murderer stood stupified on the neighbouring terrace. The first impulse of Akbur was to draw his sword, and put him to death, but recollecting his dignity, he returned it into the scabbard, and sternly asked the assassin, why he had killed the Vizier? Adam Khan made no reply, but clasping the King's hands, begged for mercy. Akbur shook him from him with disgust, and ordered his attendants to throw him over the terrace-parapet, which was twelve guz from the ground. Mahim Atka, the unfortunate minister's father, died with grief within forty days. It is proper to observe here, that a nurse's husband and her male relations are called Atka: the wet nurse herself, in Toorky, is called Anka: a foster-brother is termed Koka. Moonyim Khan, formerly governor of Kabul, who was present when the murder was committed, and was supposed to be an accomplice, fled to Lahore, where he was seized and sent to Agra: but as the proofs were insufficient to convict him, he was acquitted, and afterwards became a favourite with the King. The title and estates of the minister were conferred on Mirza Azeez Koka, his eldest son, but not the office. At this time, Adam Gukkur, disturbing the peace of Punjab, the officers of that country were ordered to reduce him, and to place Kumal Gukkur at the head of the tribe. This person had on a former occasion escaped death under extraordinary circumstances.

63.6.4

Sulim Shah, having taken a number of Gukkurs in war, ordered a prison wherein they were confined at Gualiar to be blown up by gunpowder; on which occasion Kumal Gukkur had the good fortune to escape, being only thrown to some distance, without receiving any considerable injury. Kumal Gukkur, uniting with the Moguls, marched against his countrymen, and having subdued Adam Gukkur, the latter was made prisoner. Khwaja Moyin, the father of the famous Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein, arrived this year, from Toorkistan, at Lahore, where he was met by his son and escorted to Agra, when even Akbur himself went out to congratulate him on his arrival. Not long after this event, Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein, suspicious of being seized, fled to Ajmere, and went into rebellion. Hoossein Koolly Khan Zoolkudr, (nephew of the late Beiram Khan, Khan Khanan,) having been appointed to the government of Nagoor, was directed to proceed against the insurgents. Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen receiving intelligence of Hoossein Koolly Khan's approach, left Ajmere and retreated to J'halore on the Guzerat frontier; and Hoossein Koolly Khan, on reaching Ajmere, obtained possession of that fort by capitulation, from one of Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen's officers. At this time Shah Abool Maaly, a favourite officer of the late Hoomayoon Padshah, returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca; and hearing of the defection of Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen joined him, and marched with a body of horse towards Narnoul.

63.6.5

Hoossein Kooly Khan detached two chiefs, Ahmad Beg and Yoosoof Beg, to oppose Shah Abool Maaly, while he marched in person against the Mirza. The first detachment of the royal army was drawn into an ambush, and defeated with great slaughter by Shah Abool Maaly, the two generals having fallen in the action. But Abool Maaly was subsequently compelled to fly before another army sent by the King against him, first to Punjab, and eventually beyond the Indus, when he found protection with the Prince Mahomed Hukeem Mirza, the King's younger brother, at Kabul. That Prince gave to Shah Abool Maaly his sister in marriage; and raised him to the first office in the principality, which at this time paid little or no homage to Akbur. He had not been many months at Kabul, however, before Shah Abool Maaly, aspiring to the government, assassinated the Prince Mahomed Hukeem Mirza's mother, a woman of uncommon talents, and who, in reality, conducted all the business of her son's government. After which, Shah Abool Maaly assumed the office of regent during the minority of the young Prince. Sooliman Mirza, Prince of Budukhshan, hearing of these proceedings, attacked the usurper, who lost his life in the war. Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein, after the retreat of Shah Abool Maaly, fled to Ahmudabad in Guzerat. It was at this time that the King was near being assassinated by a retainer of Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen Hoossein.

63.6.6

The circumstances are as follow:— While passing on the road to Dehly, one Kootloogh Folad, a slave of Mirza Shurf-ood-Deen, joined the King's retinue, and looking upwards, fixed an arrow in his bow, and pointed it towards the sky, as if going to shoot at some object in the air. The attendants, supposing that he was directing it at a bird, did not interrupt him, till having lowered the direction of the arrow towards the King, he discharged it, and lodged it span-deep into Akbur's shoulder. The weapon was still fast in the flesh, when the assassin was cut to pieces. The arrow, indeed, was with some difficulty extracted at the time, before all the attendants, while the King did not shrink from the operation. In about ten days, the wound having healed, Akbur returned to Agra, and soon after appointed Asuf Khan Hirvy governor of Kurra and Manukpoor. Without remaining many days at Agra, Akbur proceeded to Nurwur, to hunt elephants; and directed Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, governor of Malwa, to send his trained elephants to assist in the chase. Abdoolla Khan having lately evinced symptoms of revolt, the King made a sudden incursion into Malwa, in spite of the periodical rains, and was joined by Mahomed Kasim Khan Nyshapoory, jageerdar of Sarungpoor, on the route; but no sooner had the army arrived at Oojein than Abdoolla Khan Oozbuk, with all his forces and treasure, retreated to Guzerat. The King pursued him about fifty miles, with a small body of cavalry;

63.6.7

but he was so steadily opposed by Abdoolla Khan, in the end, that he was compelled to retreat. The King fell back on Mando, where he spent some time in viewing the buildings erected by the kings of the Khiljian dynasty. During his residence there, he received in marriage the daughter of Meeran Moobarik Khan, ruler of Kandeish, who came to pay his respects and do homage. Having provided for the government of Malwa, by the nomination of Kurra Bahadur, the King returned towards his capital. On the road, he fell in with a herd of wild elephants near Seepry Kolarus. He ordered his cavalry to surround and drive them into a kedda, or fold, constructed for the purpose; which was effected with some difficulty. One of the male elephants, finding himself confined, broke through the palisadoes, and got into the plain. Three trained elephants were sent after him, but before he was overpowered he afforded much sport.