The Book of Akbar 254.3

254.3

In spite of the signs of victory, hypocritical, disloyal officers continued to show faint-heartedness and were continually uttering false reports about M. Kāmrān and spreading them among themselves. Though everything disgraceful which they ascribed to the Mīrzā had the appearance of truth, for he was capable of it and of more, yet in this instance, they fastened false charges on him. In fine the Uzbeks gave battle next day in great force and tried to gain the victory, ‘Abdu-l-‘azīz Khan, son of Ubaid Khan, being in the centre, Pīr Muhammad Khan on the right and Sultān-i-hisār on the left. His Majesty also drew up his army, he himself occupying the centre, M. Sulaimān the right wing and M. Hindāl the left, while Qarača Khan, Hājī Muhammad Khan, Tardī Beg Khan, Mun‘im Khan and Sultān Husain Beg Jalāīr with his brothers were in the van. After mid-day the armies encountered one another and a great battle raged till evening. Brave men trod the field of courage and drove off the enemy’s front ranks across the canals and into the outer defences (kūčaband) of Balkh. His Majesty in the strength of his mental vigour and wisdom, wished to pursue and to take his standards across the canals. His hypocritical followers while pretending to agree, gave wrong advice, and ignorant friends supported their opinion out of ignorance, and thereby made the opinion of enemies to prevail.