The Book of Akbar 125: 'Umar Shaikh Mirza.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 125
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'Umar Shaikh Mirza.
125.1
'Umar Shaikh Mirza was the fourth son of Abu Sa'id Mirza, being younger than Sultan Ahmad Mirza, Sultan Muhammad and Sultan Mahmud Mirza and older than Sultan Murad Mirza, Sultan Walad Mirza, Ulugh Beg Mirza, Abu Bakr Mirza, Sultan Khalil Mirza and Shahrukh Mirza. He was born in Samarqand in 860 (1455). Sultan Abu Sa‘id Mirza at first gave Kabul to the Prince and sent him off under the guardianship of Baba Kabuli, but he recalled him from Dara-gaz for the purpose of a festival. After it was over, he gave him the country of Andijan and the Takht-i-Ozjand and after providing him with officers, sent him to that country under the guardianship of Timur Tash Beg. The reason for giving this country to the best of his sons was an exceeding desire to preserve his ancestral territory and as his Majesty Sahib Qarani gave it to his son ‘Umar Shaikh Mirza who was of singular ability, so did Abu Sa‘id on account of the sameness of name, gave it to his son ‘Umar Shaikh. Sahib Qarani is reported to have repeatedly remarked, “We conquered the world by the might of ‘Umar Shaikh Mirza's sword, by his staying in Andijan and being a strong barrier between our territory and the desert of Qipcaq and by his guarding the passes, the people of Qipcaq were not able to rebel or be turbulent and we could in security brace ourselves up for the conquest of the world.”
125.2
And this wise ruler (‘Umar Shaikh the Second) also took extreme precautions that no hostile army should be able to cross this territory which was the boundary of Mongolia. And though Yunus (Jonas) Khan tried, he could not get possession of it and not the slightest injury happened to its tranquillity. That fortunate and lofty-starred Prince was one who weighed his words and was eloquent; he had a great liking for poets and could recite poetry. He had a poetical temperament but was not solicitous of writing verses and spent most of his time in reading books, historical and poetical. The Qābūsnāma was often recited before him and he was an excellent companion; of open brow and good disposition and fond of quoting good poetry. A lofty genius warmed his soul and the beauty of fortune was manifest on his brow. He had no equal among his contemporaries for administrative ability, care of his subjects and dispensing of justice. His courage and generosity were on an equal footing and his genius was companioned by his energy. He adorned the throne of sovereignty.
125.3
For example, once a caravan from China (Khita) had come to the hill-country east of Andijan. There was a heavy snow-storm and the caravan was overwhelmed so that only two persons escaped. When this just man heard of the catastrophe, in spite of his necessities at the time, he did not touch any of the goods but appointed trustworthy persons and attached the property until the heirs were collected from their native country to receive the goods, the rights of each being ascertained. This king was always of a dervish mind and inclined to the society of religious persons and asked for wisdom at the doors of the hearts of the God-knowing. Especially the holy Nasiru-d-dīn Khwaja ‘Abdu-l-lah, known by the name of Khwaja Ahrar.
125.4
In succession to his father, he ruled in Andijan, the capital of Farghana and also Tashkand, Shāhrukhīya and Siram were in his possession. He several times led an army against Samarqand and he several times brought to his help Yunus Khan who possessed the dominions of Caghatai Khan and was Khan of the Mughals and was nearly related to him. Whenever he brought him, he assigned some province to him and then as occasion served, Yunus Khan would go back to Mughalistan. On the last occasion ‘Umar Mirza gave him Tashkand and up to 908 (1502-3) this and Shahrukhiya were in the possession of the Caghatai rulers. At this last date the Khanship of the Mughal tribes belonged to Mahmud Khan, eldest son of Yunus Khan. This Mahmud Khan and Sultan Ahmad Mirza brother of ‘Umar Shaikh ruler of Samarqand, having concluded an alliance, marched their forces against the Mirza (‘Umar Shaikh). Sultan Ahmad Mirza proceeded from the south of the Khajand river and Sultan Mahmud Khan from the north of it. Just at this crisis an extraordinary thing happened to the Mirza. The brief account of it is as follows.
125.5
Akhsikat which is known as Akhsi, is one of the seven towns of Farghana. Mirzā ‘Umar Shaikh had made it his capital. The town was on a precipitous ravine and all the buildings were on its edge. As fate would have it, on Monday 4th Ramazan, 899 (9th June, 1494), he was sitting near his pigeon house which was one of these buildings, watching the motions of his birds, when an attendant reported that the precipice was breaking away. The Mirza at once got up and had put one foot into its slipper but had not had time to put in the other, when the whole precipice gave way and the terrace fell down. The Mīrza’s outward form fell to the bottom but in reality, he ascended to the zenith. He was then 39 years old, having been born in 860, at Samarqand. (This last fact has been mentioned already.) Be it known that Farghana belongs to the fifth climate and is on