The Rashīdī History 243.6

243.6

The Imperial army reached the banks of the Ganges in the best way that it could. There it encamped and lay for about a month, the Emperor being on one side of the river, and Shir Khan on the other, facing each other. The armies may have amounted to more than 200,000 men. Muhammad Sultan Mirza, a descendant of Ulugh Mirza and Shah Mirza (who were of the house of Timur) and grandson (by a daughter) of Sultan Husain Mirza (of Khorasan), had come to India to wait upon the Emperor Babar, and had been received with every mark of kindness and royal favour. After Babar's death, he had several times revolted against Humayun ; but being unsuccessful, he had sought forgiveness, and had been pardoned. Now having colluded with Shir Khan, he deserted. A new way was thus opened. Everybody began to desert, and the most surprising part of it was, that many of those who deserted did not go over to Shir Khan, and so could expect no favour from him. An excited feeling ran through the army and the cry was, "Let us go and rest in our homes." A number of Kamran's auxiliary forces also abandoned him and fled to Lahur.