The Rashīdī History 88: CHAPTER LXI. · WAR BETWEEN SULTAN AHMAD MIRZA AND SULTAN MAHMUD KHAN.

88

Sultan Yunus Khan died in the year 892, and in the course of the same year, Sultan Mahmud Khan was raised to the Khanate with Moghul rites. When the news of the death of Yunus Khan got abroad, Mirza Omar Shaikh and Mirza Sultan Ahmad became intent on renewing hostilities with one another. Omar Shaikh Mirza sent a large number of his staunchest and most trustworthy followers to occupy the fort of Ushtur in Tashkand, which was an impregnable stronghold. Sultan Mahmud Khan led his forces, in person, against that fort. A fierce battle took place; so fierce, indeed, that it is still talked of among the Moghuls. The castle was taken by assault, and all the faithful adherents of Mirza Omar Shaikh were put to death; no one escaped: they all died fighting. From this victory great strength accrued to the Khan, while the Mirza lost all power of opposition.
The year following, Sultan Ahmad Mirza's Amirs impressed upon him that he had given up Tashkand to the Khan without proper cause, and that the longer the Khan's people remained there, the more annoying it was to them. His Holiness sent word to say that he was mistaken, and that he ought to make peace with the Khan, who would do him no injury: why should he annoy him? Finally, however, the Mirza collected an army 150,000 strong, and led it against Tatdikaiid. The Khan passed through the suburbs of Tdshkand and stood facing [the advancing enemy]. Between them flowed a stream which it was impossible to cross. The armies remained there during three days. In the army of the Sultdn was a certain Shdhi Beg Khan, the son of Shah Badagh Oghldn, the son of Abulkhair Khan. After the death of Buruj Oghlan (which has been described above) Shahi Beg Khan underwent many hardships (as we are told in histories). Finally, as he was not able to hold his own in the steppes, he betook himself to Mavara-un-Nahr, and became a follower of Sultdn Ahmad Mirzd, or rather he became a retainer of one of the Sultdn's Amirs. He was in this army, and had 3000 followers. When Mirzd Sultdn Ahmad had remained three days [on the bank of the river], Shdhi Beg Khdn sent to Sultdn Mahmud Khdn to ask if he would meet and confer with him. That same night they met: he from the one side and the Khdn from the other; and they agreed that on the morrow the Khdn should attack Mir Abdul Ali, the master of Shdhi Beg Khdn, who, on his part, undertook to throw the army into disorder, and then to take flight.
On the next day the Moghul army was drawn up in battle array, and the infantry passed the Chir; the cavalry also entered the stream, when the infantry of the other side began the battle. The Moghul army directed its force against Mir Abdul Ali. At this moment Shdhi Beg Khdn turned and fled with his 3000 men, and throwing himself on the baggage of the army, began to plunder the Moghuls. In fact, wherever this disordered rabble found themselves, their device was to fall upon the baggage, so that the army of Mirzd Sultdn Ahmad was put to flight. But the river Chir, which the people of Tdshkand call Farak, was in front of them, and most of his soldiers were drowned in it. The troops of the Mirzd suffered a severe defeat, while he, discomfited and beaten, fled to Samarkand. He proffered many excuses and apologies to his Holiness, who again arranged a peace between the Khdn and Sultdn Ahmad Mirzd. The discussion about Kardguz Begum was resumed, and after various formalities had been gone through, they brought Kardguz Begum to the Khdn. This victory did much to raise the Khdn in the estimation of the surrounding Sultdns, who henceforward stood in great fear of him, and thus his position became secure.