The Book of Akbar 249: CHAPTER XLV.

249

Qila’ Zaffar and Kishtm and joined the unholy crew. On Saturday, 15th Jamada-al-akhir an engagement took place on a rising ground which they call khalsan (?) The royal army had not yet crossed the river and there was some distance between the advance-guard and the main body. In accordance with the Divine Will, the imperial vanguard was turned back and had to recross the river. The enemy proceeded to plunder. M. Kamran was stationed on the same rising ground with a few men. Meanwhile his Majesty Jahanbani arrived on the river bank and wished to cross in front of the enemy. Sundry faithful informants represented that the river was in a pool there, and that a mile higher up there was a mill, and that as the place was stony, it would be easy to cross there. They went there, and when they got nigh the mill, Shaikham Khwaja Khizri, the kalantar (headman) of the Khwaja Khizris was brought in a prisoner. The tinqatdrs who were by his Majesty’s rein were bidden to strike the faithless runagate. They so fisted and kicked him that the spectators felt certain that his black soul could no longer have connection with his body. In that place they captured Ismail Beg Duldai and brought him to the presence. His Majesty granted him his life, forgave him his offences at the intercession of Mun’im Khan, and made him over to him. His Majesty then proceeded to the height where M. Kamran was. He appointed Fatah Ullah Beg, brother of Rushan Koka to the vanguard, and sent forward with him a number of devoted heroes. A gallant engagement took place, and Fatah Ullah was unhorsed. Just then the royal standard (kaukaba), which is the preface of conquest and the advance-guard of victory, made its appearance; the Mirza gave up heart and had no power to resist. He fled to the fort of Taliqan, and set himself to strengthen it. The imperial army proceeded to plunder. A dispute arose among the attendants (qalaqcan) about the goods, and his Majesty gave orders for haral i.e., that every one should keep what came into his hands, and others had no claim to it. In that victory no one had even a hair of his head injured, excepting ‘Ali Quli Khan. Isahaq (Isaac) Sultan, Tardi Beg, the son of Beg Mirak, Babi Jujak, and a number of others who had boldly followed the victorious were made prisoners. M. Hindal and Haji Muhammad brought their prisoners to the Presence, and his Majesty treated them according to the laws of justice and equity, and distributed favour and chastisement suitable to their deservings. And he returned thanks to the Court of the True Disposer, who is liberal without stint and bounteous without solicitation.
Next day he commenced the siege and distributed the batteries. One day a shot from the battery which was in charge of Mun'am Khan, Muhammad Quli Barlas and Husain Quli Sultan Muhrdar, struck Mubariz Beg and killed him. His Majesty, who was a mine of compassion, lamented greatly and exclaimed, “Would that his brother Musahib Beg had been killed in his stead.” With brotherly feeling, or rather out of general amiability, he, in spite of M. Kamran’s many crimes, became kindly disposed to him and sent him an admonitory firman which might be an armlet of dominion and fortune and