The Rashīdī History 123: CHAPTER XIV. · THE REASON WHY MY FATHER, MUHAMMAD HUSAIN KURKAN, SURRENDERED HIMSELF TO SHAHI BEG KHAN. MARTYRDOM OF MY NOBLE UNCLE, SULTAN MAHMUD KHAN, AND OF MY FATHER.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 123
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CHAPTER XIV. · THE REASON WHY MY FATHER, MUHAMMAD HUSAIN KURKAN, SURRENDERED HIMSELF TO SHAHI BEG KHAN. MARTYRDOM OF MY NOBLE UNCLE, SULTAN MAHMUD KHAN, AND OF MY FATHER.
123.1
My father and Mirza Khan left Kabul and went to Kandahar, whence the former proceeded, with the intention of making the Holy Pilgrimage, while Mirza Khan remained at Kandahar. [My father] had resolved to go to Sistan, and taking the road by Neh and Bandan, to reach Kirman; since if he travelled by way of Khorasan, he would be hindered by the importunities of the Mirzas. On nearing Farah he was met by a body of fugitives, in the most pitiable state imaginable, who told him that Shahi Beg Khan had seized Khorasan in the manner above related. When they reached Farah they found that the roads on every side were unsafe, and there was nothing left for my father but to remain where he was. Thus he stayed three months in Farah. On Shahi Beg Khan hearing of his whereabouts, he sent him a most courteous invitation [which he accepted], and, accompanied by the magnates of Farah, he went to visit Sháhi Beg Khán, who was then encamped at Ulang Kahdastán, in great magnificence; but the limits of this Epitome prevent me from giving full particulars. No one would ever have imagined that change and destruction were coming over his affairs within a few years; it is wonderful how, in a short space of time, all went to ruin, in a way that will be briefly described.
123.2
In short, he received my father with every mark of attention and honour, and showered down innumerable presents upon him. After this [Sháhi Beg Khán] went against Kandahar, where Sultán Násir Mirzá was [ruling], as has been mentioned above. He laid siege to the town for forty days, and then, having made peace, he returned, carrying away much booty. During the same year there were battles between the sons of Mirzá Sultán Husain and Sháhi Beg Khán's Sultáns at Mashhad, Nishápur, Astarábád, and Turshiz. In all these encounters the Uzbeg were victorious, and the Chaghatái defeated. A great number of the Chaghatái were slain, and those who escaped became so scattered that they were never again united. At this time, Ubaid Ullah Khán, who was Sultán (and many victories were in his name), was going to Bokhara, which was his hereditary seat of government. He begged my father to allow me to accompany him. The reason for this was that Habiba Sultan Khanish (who has been mentioned, in the detailed list of my father's children, given above) had been married by Shahi Beg Khan to Ubaid Ullah Sultan, after [my father's] flight from Shahr-i-Sabz. So, with my father's permission, I was taken to my sister in Bokhara.
123.3
In the winter of the same year, Shahi Beg Khan went to attack the Kazak in Mavara-an-Nahr, that is to say, the Dasht-i-Kipchak. Shahi Beg Khan [first] took my father to Bokhara, but when he went to attack the Kazak, he left him in Samarkand. He returned in the spring, and then set out for Khorasan, entrusting my father to the care of Timur Sultan, his son, to whom he had given Samarkand. So my father spent that spring in Samarkand, while I was living with my sister in Bokhara. At this time news came that Sultan Mahmud Khan had left Moghulistan and was advancing on Andijan, with complaints and demands. Shahi Beg Khan sent to beg my father to come into Khorasan. My father accepted the invitation and went. He felt his end was drawing near, and on the tablet of his fate he recognised the hue of martyrdom. His hope of safety being more slender than a spider's web, he devoted all his attention and energy to providing for my safety, so that should his precious soul be drowned in the whirlpool of martyrdom, I at least, on the shores of safety, should be protected from risks and dangers.
123.4
On his first visit to Herat, my father had sought out a pious and talented man to be my teacher, whose name was Hafiz Miram. He was, indeed, a pious and ascetic man [fakir] possessed of numerous talents. He could recite the Koran [with special attention to the] modulations of the voice, and wrote the Naskh Taalik hand and others beautifully. My father was much pleased with him; and during [his stay in Herat] this man was his constant companion, whether in the time of contentment and pleasure, or in the days of trial and sorrow. He instructed me in the Koran and in calligraphy. When the time came for starting for Khorasan, my father showed me, in private, much kindness, and did his utmost to console and comfort me, saying: "Your uncle Sultan Mahmud Khan has arrived [from Moghulistan] in spite of my having warned him both by word and in writing. I said to him, 'After the conquests of Amir Timur, and the devastation [takhríb] of Moghulistan, your forefathers, though dispersed, remained in that country, and were awaiting their opportunity. Contenting themselves with scanty clothing and simple food, they took care of their people and their army. Thus passed 150 years, until the sun of your noble nature rose in Moghulistan, which is an eastern clime and the quarter where rise the lights of the Khakans.
123.5
At the middle season of your youth, in the manner of your noble ancestors, you restored the fallen Moghulistan to its former glory, and together with Yunus Khan, you seized that opportunity, which had been long sought by your forefathers, and brought under your control those states which they so earnestly coveted. Thus you spent nineteen years in complete success. It is now clearer than the day, that the power of your victorious forces cannot be compared with the numbers of Shahi Beg Khan's army. Hence it is your obvious duty to remain in Moghulistan, both for your own personal safety and for the welfare of your people. For though you may there be exposed to many hardships, that is better than extinction. It is, moreover, quite evident to me that should you ever fall into the hands of Shahi Beg Khan, he will subject you to the most painful of tortures, and will deem your death his own life: on no account whatever will he spare you.'
123.6
'Thus did I use all the arguments in my power to dissuade the Khan, but as often as my remonstrances reached him, certain base advisers, in their short-sighted ignorance, represented to him that 'Muhammad Husain Mirza does not wish you to go, because lately Shahi Beg Khan has shown him great favour, and he knows that your going would put an end to this.' To absurd representations of this kind they would add: 'It is our firm conviction that if [Shahi Beg Khan has treated Muhammad Husain Mirza well, in return for his services, he will treat a hundred, nay, a thousand, times better, you who have done so much more for him'].' After the expression of all these impossible and absurd ideas, the following answer was sent back: 'Oh! Dâdâ' (that is, oh! Friend, for these two had become 'friends' according to the Moghul custom, in their youth, and called each other by this name up to the end of their days): 'how strange it is that you should be leading such a happy life in Khorasan and Samarkand, in spite of your knowledge of the pitiable state of affairs in Moghulistan! How can you allow me to be exposed to so much suffering?' But taking my words and advice as mixed with evil intentions, he failed to recognise their truth, and came. This instance is not the same as the former one. Certainly Shahi Beg Khan will fill the cup of the Khan's hopes with the fatal wine of martyrdom, and whatever dregs remain he will cause me to drink. I now commit you to the care of God.
123.7
Though your company would be dearer to me than my own life, I fear Shahi Beg Khan would not allow it, and I prefer the idea of your life being prolonged, even though it involve the bitterness of separation ; you must therefore bear my absence patiently. Patience is bitter, but it has a sweet fruit. Remember that when the father dies, the children are his heirs. You also have become an heir. If the bird of my life escape from the net of Shahi Beg Khan's intentions against me, we shall have the joy of meeting again. "Now as your teacher, Hafiz Miram, is a devout man, and is not on friendly terms with any of our people, if anything happens to me, he will, with the advice of my partisans, be able to look to your interests. Moreover, his family is also in Khorasan. It is just a year since he left them to follow me ; therefore he is going along with me. "I entrust you to the care of Maulana Muhammad. Be careful to pay attention to all he may say to you, for he is my vicar [khalifa]. His father was my instructor and guide. From the day of his birth up to the present time, he has been my confidant and companion. I trust that he will always be your support in times of trouble, and that he will protect you through thick and thin."
123.8
Having thus threaded many pearls of good counsel upon the string of wisdom, and hung them on the attentive ear of my understanding, my father departed to go and wait on Shahi Beg Khan, who was at that time besieging Kalat. To all outward appearance he received my father with friendship, and then allowed him to proceed to Herat. When he reached Herat, a person was sent after him [to put him to death]. Sultan Mahmud Khan and his children were killed on the river of Khojand. My father was buried in the mausoleum of Amir Sayyid Husaini, while Sultan Mahmud was placed in the mausoleum of Shaikh Muslih-ud-Din, Khojandi. This happened in the year 914. For the Khan, the chronogram Lah-i-darya-i-Khojand [the banks of the river of Khojand] was discovered. [Here follow some blessings upon the martyrs . . . .]