The Book of Akbar 329: CHAPTER XL.

329

light of his presence on the eastern districts of India in order that he might cleanse that extensive country which is a pasturage of dominion and fortune, from the dust of sedition-mongers. Just then news was brought that Khizr Khwaja Khan had fought with Sikandar Sir near Lahore, and that he had not stood his ground but had retreated to Lahore. The brief account of this is as follows:—
It has already been stated that when the army marched from Jalandhar towards Delhi to extirpate Hemū, Khizr Khwaja Khan had been appointed to repress Iskandar. Isma'il Beg Dildār, 'Ali Quli Khan Mir Latif, Shah Quli Naranji, Khaliq Bardi Beg and a large force were sent with him. The great officers went and took up their quarters in Lahore. At the time when the turmoil of Hemū was troubling the world, and such a defeat had befallen the officers in the neighbourhood of Delhi, Mulla 'Abdullah Sultanpūri who by feline tricks and fox-like proceedings had received from the Afghans the title of Shaikh-al-islām, and from H.M. Jahanbani Jannat Ashiyani the title of Makhdūm-al-mulk, and who from the sedition-mongering which was in his brain, and from the bi-coloured water in his constitution gave himself out as one of the servants of the eternal dominion, but who at heart was in league with the Afghans, wrote invitations to Sikandar and urged him to come out of the hills. Sikandar gathered to himself a number of vagabond Afghans and some land-holders of the hill-country of the Punjab, and came out of the mountains and proceeded to collect revenue in the Punjab. Khizr Khwaja Khan left the city of Lahore to the charge of Haji Muhammad Khan Sistāni and set out to oppose Sikandar. When Haji Muhammad Khan Sistāni became certain of the improper behaviour of Mulla 'Abdullah he punished him by imprisonment and torture. He put him in earth up to his middle, and brought out from the ground some of the gold pieces which his avaricious hand had buried. When Khizr Khwaja arrived near the town of Camyari and was about ten Kos separated from the enemy, he detached 2,000 picked men and sent them on in advance. Sikandar did not lose the opportunity and met them with a large force. A great battle took place; and the 2,000 were defeated. Khizr Khwaja Khan did not think it was time to stand firm and set off towards Lahore. Sikandar pursued him for a little way, and then regarded the collection of the revenues of the country as a free gift from time. When the news of this reached the royal ears, Sikandar Khan who had received the title of Khan ‘Aalam was hastily given Sialkot as a jagir, and sent off with all speed to assist Khizr Khwaja Khan.