[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [General histories](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general) › [Tārīkh-i Hindī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi) › [Tarikh-i Hindi, of Rustam 'Ali (Elliot & Dowson, extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot) › 17 # Tarikh-i Hindi 17: TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN. Tarikh-i Hindi, of Rustam 'Ali (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 17 - **Language:** English ### TWENTY-FIRST YEAR OF THE REIGN. ### [17.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.1) As above stated, contention, disaffection, and discord broke out among the nobles, and the report of the enemy's success was noised abroad. The cursed infidels, encouraged by the misrule and carelessness of the sovereign, particularly by the hostility and revolt of the very ministers of the throne, had become predominant throughout all the country. Thus incited, the Emperor of I'ran, by name Nadir Shah, who, having acquired entire power over that country, had reached up to Balkh and Kandahar, now marched in this direction, with the design of conquering Hindustan, and, as some say, at the suggestion of Nizamu-l Mulk and Sa'adat Khan. It was suddenly reported to the Emperor that Nadir Shah, having invaded Kabul, and obliged Nasir Khan, the governor of the province, to join him, had crossed the Attock and reached Lahore. The Governor of this city also, after a slight show of resistance, had gone over to him. Notwithstanding all this, the careless Emperor and the ungrateful nobles, having covered their faces with the veil of gross negligence, were awaiting the approaching misfortune. After the invader had marched past Lahore, the Emperor of Hindustan was compelled to fit out an army. All this delay, which occasioned the subsequent disasters, arose from the Emperor's not confiding in the counsel of any of his ministers. Whatever plan was suggested by the Khan-dauran was opposed by Nizamu-l Mulk, and vice versa. ### [17.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.2) According to the statement of Mir Fakhru-d din, the Emperor of this country, having prepared for war with two hundred thousand horse, foot soldiers without number, fifteen hundred elephants, and many field-pieces and other guns, left Dehli with the intention of expelling the Emperor of I'ran. The army of Hindustan, owing to its immense numbers, which amounted to ten hundred thousand, both horse and foot, could scarcely find space to encamp on. Towards the end of the month of Zi-l ka'da, the army encamped near the town of Karnal, and, as some say, according to the advice of Nizamu-l Mulk, was placed all round in the shape of a ring. Notwithstanding this, the soldiers of Iran made attacks from all sides upon the Indians, and carried off corn, grass, and wood, which are essentially necessary for the maintenance of man. Hence the price of grain was enormously high in the camp. Burhanu-l Mulk, one morning, at the beginning of Zi-l hijja, entered the camp to pay his respects to the Emperor. He had scarcely arrived, when it was reported that twenty thousand horse of Nadir Shah's army had plundered all his camp, equipage, and baggage. Burhanu-l Mulk instantly took his leave, beat the drums of battle, and went after the plunderers. It is said that the whole army of Nadir Shah amounted to fifty-five thousand fighting horsemen, skilful in the art of war and murder, while others make it amount to three hundred thousand horse. ### [17.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.3) No sooner had Amiru-l umara Khan-dauran heard that Burhanu-l Mulk had gone, than he also, without making any due preparation, went to the field with a force which amounted, according to some, to seven thousand, and according to others, to twenty thousand horse. Burhanu-l Mulk, a short time after the armies had engaged, was taken prisoner and carried before Nadir Shah. That nobleman, renouncing his dependence upon the will of God, and acting according to the dictates of his own choice, precipitated matters; but Providence discomfited all his plans. After the capture of Burhanu-l Mulk, the army of Nadir Shah surrounded Amiru-l umara on all sides, and began to shoot their arrows and fire their guns, and the battle raged till the close of the day. The Indian warriors, saiyids, shaikhs, Afghans, and Rajputs, so fought with their cruel swords that, had Rustam and Afrasiyab lived to this time, their livers would have become water at the sight of this dreadful battle. The Iranis, dreading the swords of these brave men, left the field, and, firing their guns from a distance and from different quarters, made heaps of the corpses of Indians, who preferred death to flight. ### [17.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.4) At last the great luminary of the world set in the west, and with the approach of night darkness spread over the earth; yet up to this time no army came to reinforce Amiru-l umara, all through the connivance of Nizamu-l Mulk, who, with the utmost animosity towards the followers of Islam, always held out encouragement to infidels and tyrants. It is said that five thousand men on the side of Amiru-l umara met with the honour of martyrdom, among whom were Muzaffar Khan, his brother, Mir Kallu, 'Ali Hamid Khan, Yadgar Khan, Lodi Khan, and other nobles. In the evening Amiru-l umara, with a few of his men, returned from the field to his tent, wounded and sorrowful. The next day he set in array a new army, with the intention of hazarding another battle, and defeating Nadir Shah, who had trembled at the courage displayed. But the Amir fell, and drank the cup of martyrdom. ### [17.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.5) It is said that when Burhanu-l Mulk fell into the hands of Nadir Shah, the Shah inquired from him all the particulars of this Government. He was informed in reply that Khan-dauran, who had fought with him that day, was only one of the servants of the Emperor of Hindustan, and that, like him, there were many other nobles and Rajas, possessed of great power and much courage, in his camp as well as in all parts of the kingdom, and that any one of them was well able to cope with him. He recommended him, therefore, to receive something on account of his travelling expenses, and return to his own country. Nadir Shah was confounded to hear this, and peace was determined on. Muhammad Shah, by the advice of Nizamu-l Mulk, rode to the tent of Nadir Shah, whose son came to receive him. The Prince, according to his father's orders, sat below the throne, like an attendant. After the interview, Muhammad Shah dined and returned to his tent. ### [17.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.6) On the same day Nizamu-l Mulk, with his usual impudence, put on the official dress of the Amiru-l umara, which had been promised to Burhanu-l Mulk, who, on being informed of this, under the impulse of ambition, represented to Nadir Shah, that Amiru-l umara Khan-dauran deceased was the only person of importance in the government, and that now there was no man in the kingdom equal to him in power or dignity; that Nadir Shah should contrive to take Muhammad Shah prisoner, and make himself master of the country. Having no regard for gratitude, deluded by the base avarice of this world, and having no shame even for contradicting his own words, he occasioned the general slaughter and great contentions and disasters which ensued. ### [17.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.7) Nadir Shah, having called Nizamu-l Mulk, placed him in custody, and constrained him to send for the Emperor. That wanderer in the forest of envy and malice, without considering what might be the result, wrote a letter under his own hand to the effect that he had settled the terms of peace, and the confirmation of it depended upon his coming. The heedless Emperor, being deceived by that artful person, rode to the tent of Nadir Shah, who ordered the few persons who had gone with the Emperor to be turned out, and the Emperor, with Nizamu-l Mulk, Amir Khan, Is'hak Khan, Jawed Khan, Bihroz Khan, and Jawahir Khan, to be placed in confinement. Some of his myrmidons were sent to I'timadu-d daula Kamru-d din Khan, and forcibly brought him out of his tent into Nadir Shah's camp. At the same time, officers of the Shah were placed as guards on all the offices and establishments of Muhammad Shah. It is said that Fath 'Ali Khan, son of Sabit Khan, and 'Ali Amjid Khan, escaped, and went in safety to their houses. Khan-i zaman Khan, also, escaped after changing his clothes. ### [17.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.8) The next day, according to Nadir Shah's orders, Burhanu-l Mulk and 'Azimu-llah Khan went to Shah-Jahanabad, for the purpose of establishing his rule. Though all these ungrateful persons, through their ambition, had adhered much to the interests of Nadir Shah, yet, as Providence had destined that the sovereignty of the House of Timur should be preserved, and Muhammad Shah's reign prolonged, they in the end gained nothing but shame and disgrace. ### [17.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.9) Afterwards, Nadir Shah himself, with the Emperor of Hindústan, entered the fort of Dehli. It is said that he appointed a place on one side in the fort for the residence of Muhammad Shah and his dependents, and on the other side he chose the Diwan-i Khas, or, as some say, the Garden of Hayat Bakhsh, for his own accommodation. He sent to the Emperor of Hindustán, as to a prisoner, some food and wine from his own table. One Friday his own name was read in the khutba, but on the next he ordered Muhammad Shah's name to be read. It is related that one day a rumour spread in the city that Nádir Shah had been slain in the fort. This produced a general confusion, and the people of the city destroyed five thousand men of his camp. On hearing of this, Nadir Shah came out of the fort, sat in the golden masjid which was built by Roshanu-d daula, and gave orders for a general massacre. For nine hours an indiscriminate slaughter of all and of every degree was committed. It is said that the number of those who were slain amounted to one hundred thousand. The losses and calamities of the people of Dehli were exceedingly great. \* \* ### [17.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.10) After this violence and cruelty, Nadir Shah collected immense riches, which he began to send to his country laden on elephants and camels. Muhammad Shah witnessed with the utmost emotion and indignation these outrages of Nadir Shah, which were occasioned by the rivalry of the disaffected nobles. It is narrated, that one day Nádir Sháh, in his public court, spoke some harsh and abusive words to Nizámu-l Mulk and Burhanu-l Mulk, and threatened them with punishment. When they left the court, Nizamu-l Mulk, with all the lying and fraud to which he was naturally habituated, spoke to Burhanu-l Mulk some very soft and heart-rending words, and told him that it would now be difficult to escape the hands of that tyrant; he advised that they both should at the same moment go home, and, taking a cup of deadly poison, pursue the path to death, and sacrifice their lives to their honour. After this, that chief of deceivers went to his house, and, having expressed his will to his relations, and drunk a cup of water mixed with sugar, covered himself with a sheet and went to sleep. Burhanu-l Mulk, who was a true soldier, and was not aware of his perfidy, as soon as he heard this, drank a cup of poison, and went to the next world. ### [17.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17.11) The Shah of Iran, after having brought so many disasters and calamities upon Hindustan, presented to the Emperor of that country seven horses of 'Irak, several trays of jewels and cloths, instilled into him some precepts useful to Emperors, granted khil'ats to the ministers of the throne, and, having left Dehli on the 7th of Safar, returned to his own country. He proceeded through the territory of Sind, and having taken a large contribution from its chief, who was of the tribe of Bhatti, went to Kandahar. It is said that after the departure of Nadir Shah, the chiefs and Rajas of all parts of Hindustan sent large sums of money to Muhammad Shah, together with horses, elephants and other property of various kinds. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.general.tarikh-i-hindi~en-elliot.17) · Pramāṇa