The Rashīdī History 166: CHAPTER L. · CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF MIRZA ABA BAKR'S OFFSPRING.
The Tarikh-i-Rashidi (Elias, Ross) 166
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CHAPTER L. · CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF MIRZA ABA BAKR'S OFFSPRING.
166.1
After the victorious Khan had settled all his important affairs in Yarkand, it was discovered that Mirza Jahangir had not followed his father into Tibet, but that he had settled down in the district of Sanju. The Khan, thereupon, sent my uncle to bring back his nephew, by some means or other. When my uncle reached Sanju, Mirza Jahangir came out to receive him, offering rich gifts, and said to him: "It is evident to all, that during my father's reign I lived in retirement and in mortal dread of him. During all that time, I did not enjoy a single moment's security or freedom from anxiety. Fear of violence had always made me seek seclusion, and thus the eye of my nature became closed to the splendours of wealth and rank, and I have always been obliged to drink from the cup of dissatisfaction. When the evil foundations of my father's realm began to give way, and his power to crumble from the earthquakes caused by the Khan's forces, he drew me forth from my corner of seclusion, and set me upon the throne of pomp. And I, who during forty-two years, being in fear and trembling for my life, had never gained any experience of the world, how could I suddenly be expected to supervise a whole State? Besides these difficulties, it was my father's constant practice, whenever he stripped one of his children of the garments of life, to lament the unfortunate victim in my presence, saying: 'He was a full grown youth.
166.2
I dreaded lest he might treat me as Shiruya treated Khusrau and Abdul Latif Mirza treated Ulugh Beg Mirza.' Hearing such things as this, I endeavoured to the utmost, for the sake of my personal safety, to appear very inefficient in my behaviour. How shall I, who have thus spent forty-two years in cultivating ineptitude and helplessness, revive, in one moment, the welfare of a State which [my father] himself has ruined? Moreover, I had no information concerning any of my father's affairs. Nor has any one ever experienced so much as an inconvenience, at my hands. Whatever the people have suffered is due to my father. They do not blame me, nor hold me responsible for his sins. Let me now go to the Khan, and spend the rest of my days in his service." Words of abject humility, such as these, and many more like them, he continued to pour forth; but my uncle comforted him, and conveyed him, together with much treasure and many horses, before the Khan.
166.3
Mirza Jahangir was born of one of the daughters of Isan Bugha Khan, the youngest brother of Yunus Khan, who was the Khan's grandfather. At the time when Mirza Aba Bakr captured Aksu, the residence of Alacha Khan (which event has been fully described above), the fourth daughter of Alacha Khan fell into his hands. And he took care of her and treated her with great honour. When she was of age, he gave her in marriage to his son Jahangir Mirza. The latter, arriving now in the Khan's presence, was received with respect, and this fourth daughter of Alacha Khan, whose name was Khadija Sultdn Khdnum, also joined the Khdn, whose full-sister she was. The Khan showed favour to Jahangir Mirz4, in accordance with the verse, "I will not ascribe to thee the sins of others"; and ignoring the cruelties and hideous deeds of his father, entered him among the men of trust around his person, and promised that feasts should be celebrated in honour of Khadija out of regard for her noble birth.
166.4
One night towards the end of that winter, Jahangir Mirza was killed in Ydngi-Hisar, together with several of his followers. It was never known who committed this deed. Every one had his own suspicions, but God alone knows the truth. Mirzd Aba Bakr had many children. Several of his grown up sons he had put to death, with the most horrible tortures, for totally inadequate reasons. Of those that survived, the eldest and most honourable was Jahangir Mirza, whose fate has been related. There were two other sons, named Turangir Mirza and Bustdngir Mirza, the children of the daughter of Mirz& Sultdn Mahmud, son of Mirz4 Sultdn Abu Said. In the spring following the winter in which Jahdngir Mirza had been murdered, a person was sent to Tibet to bring back the family of Mirza Ab4 Bakr; his wife, Khdnz4da Begum, and her elder son, Turangir Mirza, were thus brought to Kashghar. In conformity with the custom of the Yangaj she was married to my uncle, while Turangir remained in the Khan's service, until he was drowned in the river.
166.5
Bustdngir Mirza did not accompany his mother and brother. He went from Tibet to Kashmir and thence into Hindustan. (At that time Babar Pddishah had not conquered Hindustan.) From Hindustan he retired to Kabul, but although he was [the son of the daughter of the Emperor's uncle], his father's misdeeds made him repulsive to the Emperor, so that he could not stay in Kabul, but fled into Badakhshan, to Mirza Khan, who was his maternal uncle. Mirza Khan, however, instead of showing him the affection of an uncle, displayed hostility towards him on account of his father, Mirz4 Aba Bakr; so that he was forced to fly from him also, and betake himself to the Uzbeg Shaiban. Suyunjuk Khan received him with the utmost courtesy and honour, saying: "He is a human being, and it is incumbent on us to treat him with kindness." He is still about Andijdn and Tashkand, where he enjoys high distinction, and is famous among the Uzbeg for his honourable conduct.