The Book of Akbar 198: CHAPTER XXXI.

198

development, the essentials for Kashmir, viz., unanimity and fidelity, found a bad market. And to this day there is an odour of bigotry about the Kashmiris, for there is a powerful influence in association, and especially is a strong impression produced by the ways of princes who are vigorous. It is to be hoped that by the blessing of his Majesty, the king of king's truth and chastity (haqiqat u haqqaniyat) Kashmir, spiritual and temporal, may attain unity, and that the articles of worship and religion may become current, unadulterated by hypocrisy and bigotry.
One of the capital and most inauspicious mistakes of the Mirza was that in spite of such victory he read the khutba and struck the coin in the name of Nazuk Shah after the fashion of the Kashmiri ministers. He should have fulfilled his duty of loyalty towards his Majesty Jahanbani and have impressed the darahim and dananir and the pulpit rostra with his Majesty Jahanbani's sacred name. Apparently he was temporising and was not giving currency to disloyalty, for when Kabul was taken he honoured himself by having the khutba read in his Majesty Jahanbani's sacred name.
In 958 (apparently October, 1551) he became, in a night attack by the Kashmiris, a traveller to the region of non-existence. The short account of this is as follows:—
The Mirza transgressed the law of justice,—dominion's watchman,—and took to living for his own lusts and pleasures. He let fall from his hands prudence and the-bearing of burdens, those two arms of felicity. The fraud and seditiousness of the Kashmiris which had been subverted by the Mirza's skill and sagacity, again stood up and the hypocritical and wicked faction took the road of deceit and in friendly garb did the work of enemies. Their best stroke was the separating his army from him by stratagem, and the scattering of his capable servants. Some were sent towards Tibet, some to Paklī, and some to Rajaurī. 'Īdī Rīna and Husain Mākrī, son of Abdāl Mākrī, gained over Khwāja Hājī, the Kashmirī pedlar (baqqāl), who was the manager of the Mīrzā's affairs. They drew a great many to their side and marched against the Mīrzā. Ghāzī Khān and Malik Daulat Cak also joined them. Near Khānpūr, between Hīrapūr and Srinagar, which last is the chief city of Kashmir and the seat of government, they made a night-attack on the Mīrzā. He had approached the quarters of Khwāja Hājī to release Qarā Bahādur, who was a prisoner. Suddenly he lost his life at the hands of Kamāl Dūbī, though some say one of his own servants unknowingly hit him with an arrow.