The Rashīdī History 118: CHAPTER X. · BÁBAR PÁDISHÁH'S EXPEDITION INTO KHORÁSÁN. TROUBLES AND CONTENTIONS IN KÁBUL.

118

After the Emperor's departure for Khorásán, up till the middle of the winter, all was order and quiet in Kábul. He, however, stayed away a long while, and various reports began to circulate; the main roads were also blocked by the Hazára highwaymen.
In the list, given above, of the children of Yunus Khán, it was stated that he had five daughters and two sons.
By his wife, Isán Daulat Begum, he had three daughters: [1.] Mihr Nigár Khánim, who has been already mentioned as being at this time in Kábul; having accompanied Sháh Begum from Samarkand. [2.] Kutluk Nigár Khánim, the mother of the Emperor, who died just before the arrival of Sháh Begum, the Khánim and my father, in Kábul. [3.] My mother, who died during the interval of peace [amáni] in Táshkand, which has been mentioned.
By Shah Begum he had four children : [1] Sultan Mahmud Khan ; [2] Sultan Ahmad Khan ; [3] Sultan Nigar Khanim, who was the wife of Mirza Sultan Mahmud (son of Mirza Sultan Abu Said) and the mother of Mirza Khan ; and [4] Daulat Sultan Khanim, who was wife of Timur Sultan, son of Shahi Beg Khan. All of these have been mentioned before. From this it will be seen that Shah Begum was step-grandmother to both the Emperor and myself; and [actual] grandmother to Mirza Khan. After the defeat of the Khans, when the Emperor went to the hill country of Hisar, he was there joined by Mirza Khan, who accompanied him wherever he went. And the Emperor looked upon him as his own son ; for, as has been explained, Mirza Khan's father and mother were of the same family as the Emperor's father and mother.
On account of straitened circumstances [Mirza Khan] did not accompany the Emperor on that expedition, but stayed behind in the service of his grandmother Shah Begum. As various reports came in concerning the Emperor and the Mirzas of Khorasan, the motherly love of Shah Begum began to burn in her heart, and she persuaded herself that the Emperor had fallen into the hands of the Mirzas of Khorasan. Also, on account of the enmity that existed between Sultan Husain Mirza and Abu Said Mirza, and the bloodshed which had resulted therefrom, [she thought] that the Emperor would never escape from their power. Moreover, reports which seemed to confirm this view were constantly arriving ; and it was considered time to put Mirza Khan upon the throne in the Emperor's place.
When this plan was suggested to my father, he would not hear of it. An altercation followed which led to much sorrow ; and the distress of Shah Begum gave offence to the Khans. All this brought much trouble upon my father, who at last, being exasperated, said : "As you will not be warned by me, I will no longer be your adviser." Nevertheless, the Emperor's Amirs, who used to come daily out of the castle to wait on my father, continued to come, as was their wont. After one month's bickering and quarrelling, Shah Begum had quite resolved to set Mirza Khan up in the Emperor's place. My father [then] said privately to the Amirs, that it was not necessary for them to come to him any more. When the Amirs re-entered the castle, my father went away to a place called Ab-Baran, which is a day's march from Kabul, and withdrew himself from public affairs. Shah Begum and some Moghuls [then] read the Khutba in the name of Mirza Khan, and did their utmost to seize the fort of Kabul ; whereupon numerous fights ensued. Sháh Begum sent a letter of entreaty to my father to return, and as entreaties and remonstrances were unlimited, my father could not choose but come. During twenty-four days they laid siege to the castle of Kábul; and in the course of these operations the Emperor himself arrived.