The Book of Akbar 197: CHAPTER XXXI.

197

reputed sovereign. Under such circumstances in whatever direction there might not be union, or plan, or counsel, or judgment, to that quarter did the affairs of the country drift. It was the winter-quadragesima and there was heavy snow. When Kaci Cak saw that M. Haidar was disposed to make himself independent, he, using the craft and perfidy which are indispensable to Kashmiris, left Kashmir and went before Sher Khan. For his object in bringing in M. Haidar was his own aggrandisement and when that was not achieved, but when on the contrary things assumed a different shape, he withdrew his hand and entered on another scheme. He now tried another course and gave Sher Khan the sister of Isma'il, the son of Muhammad Shah. When he had made himself acceptable by this means he took ‘Alawal Khan, Hasan Khan Sarwani and others to the number of 2,000 men and came to Kashmir. Meanwhile Abdal Makri, who was his backer, died of dropsy, and M. Haidar having left his family in Andarkot, which is a very strong place, was in a protected position. The people of Kashmir all deserted him and but few persons remained with him. He spent three months in the mountain defiles, and then on Monday, 20 Rabi‘u-s-sani, 948 (16th August, 1541), a battle took place, and by God’s help he gained the victory. Though the enemy, consisting partly of Afghan auxiliaries and partly of faithless Kashmiris was more than 5,000 horse, yet as their action was based on faithlessness and disloyalty, it did not succeed and they were defeated. Many of the enemy were slain, and a party of them were made prisoner. Kashmir came absolutely into the possession of the Mirza, and the Kashmiri preacher (khatib) Maulana Jamalu-d-din Muhammad Yusuf found the chronogram fath-i-mukarrar (victory repeated=948). Though the use of the word “repeated” (takrar) might be applicable to the present expedition of the Mirza, yet as he himself has pointed out in his history, the reference is to the fact that he once came to Kashmir by the pass of Lar, as the agent of Sa'id Khan, the ruler of Kashghar, and got possession of it on 4th Sha'ban, 939 (1st March, 1533). But towards the end of Shawwal of that year, (May 1533), he made peace with the Kashmir ministers, and with Muhammad Shah who was then the nominal ruler. The Shah's daughter was given in marriage for Iskandar Sultan, the Mirza's son, and the Mirza returned by the way he had entered.
When on this (last) occasion a providential victory was gained, and Kashmir was conquered, he for ten years zealously applied himself to its administration and clothed that charming land, but of desolated appearance, with cities and civilization. He sent for artists and craftsmen from all quarters and laboured for its renown and prosperity. Especially was music in brisk demand and varieties of instruments were introduced. In short, the outward condition of that country, that is, its worldly state, acquired solidity. But owing to the Mirza's frigid and insipid bigotries, the result of imperfect