The Book of Akbar 376.1
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 376.1
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376.1.1
When H. M. the Shahinshah had by the might of soaring fortune removed one screen from the face of his actions and had set before himself the management of political and financial affairs, when the shops of the short-sighted and ill-fated had been overset, and each one of them had retired to a corner, ashamed and downcast, and when the holy soul was by heavenly aids freed from these affairs, he turned his rein towards the capital. His object was that by increasing his attention to the administration of justice, new vigour might be given to the perturbed universe, and that certain regulations should be established which should be codes for the use of administrators, present and future. As the standards of fortune were pitched at Sihrind the order was issued that the camp should proceed by the direct road to Delhi, while his own cavalcade should, for the purpose of hunting, proceed towards Hisar Fīrūza. When Hisar Fīrūza became the seat of the standards, the huntsmen represented that there were in the neighbourhood jungles containing yūz, which in Hindi are called cīta, and that the method of catching that ravening animal was one of the most remarkable of the arts of hunting. Accordingly the sacred heart, which is a decorated mansion of sports, mental and physical, turned its attention towards this charming spectacle. An order was given for making the necessary arrangement.
376.1.2
In a short time all the apparatus was got ready, and sundry pits, which in Hindi are called odī were dug according to a special plan (of Akbar’s, see Blochmann 286). Several heads of cīta were caught there and then, and the cavalcade moved towards Delhi. Though before this many cīta had been collected for the royal establishment, this was the first time that H.M. hunted them in person, On 11 Azar, Divine month corresponding to Saturday 4 Rabi‘al-awal 968, 24th November, 1560, the standards were set up in Delhi, and mortals attained the materials of tranquillity.
376.1.3
Among the occurrences of this time was the despatch of a body of troops under the command of Abu-l-fath, brother’s son of Mun‘im Khan to Kabul. The short account of this is that at the time when Mun‘im Khan came to the foot of the throne under the pressure of the Shahinshah’s commands, he made over Kabul to his son Ghani Khan, and appointed him in his own stead. In order to help him and instruct him he left Haidar Muhammad Akhtabegi. Owing to the incapacity and childishness of both of them things fell into disorder. When the imperial cavalcade alighted at Delhi, a petition from Ghani Khan came to court disclosing the unsatisfactory character of Haidar Muhammad Akhtabegi. Accordingly, on the recommendation of Mun‘im Khan, Haidar Muhammad was summoned to court, and in order to help Ghani Khan, Shagun the son of Qaraca, Darvesh Muhammad, Khwaja Dost, Khwajagi Muhammad Husain, brother of Muhammad Qasim Khan and a large body of troops were sent to Kabul under Abu-l-fath’s command. In short, H.M. the Shahinshah after passing some days in Delhi proceeded on the day of Azar 9 Dai, Divine month, corresponding to Friday 2 Rabi‘-as-sani, 21st December, to Agra, and he made the journey by water. The nobles and pillars of the empire accompanied him, while the great camp proceeded in the same direction by land. H.M. arrived at Agra on the day of Farwardin 19 Dai, Divine month, corresponding to Monday 12 Rabi‘-as-sani, 31st December. The gardens of the hopes of the sincere bloomed.
376.1.4
The wounded ones of the age obtained healing plasters. The market of justice grew brisk. Fortune embraced the truthful, and a time of joy came to the good. The sapling of fortune shot up. The bud of prestige began to expand. The world-adorning mind of the Shahinshah gave its attention to the education of the spiritual and temporal world under the guise of inattention. He took up his abode in the fort, which is the best building in the city. The foundations of delightful dwellings were laid. The house of Bairam Khan was given to Mun‘im Khan Khan-Khanan. All the other courtiers and servants commenced to build pleasant houses on both banks of the Jamna, and so the city became adorned. In the interval Mun‘im Khan Khān-Khānān gave a royal feast and begged that H.M. would honour it by his presence. His prayer was granted, and his mansion received celestial glory by the radiance of H.M. the Shāhinshāh’s advent. The Khān-Khānān tendered rare and exquisite presents and stood ready to sacrifice his life for H.M. (lit. stood with the coin of life in his palm). One of the instructive events which occurred at this time and was an eye-salve to the fortunately-minded was the killing of M. Ibrahim, the son of M. Sulaiman, and the latter’s having recourse to the world-protecting court.
376.1.5
Inasmuch as the truth-founded purpose of the Shahinshah is the portico to fortune’s summit, it follows that whoever opposes and contends with him, receives punishment therefor from the superintendents of fate, even though H.M. the Shahinshah courteously passes such opposition by, and apparently takes no notice of it, and is compelled to take help from his court. For the punishment for raising the head of disaffection, and for letting stream the flag of pride is that such an one receives fitting chastisements and is brought into the ignominious abode of want, so that he may awake from the sleep of negligence and be active in service. The state of M. Sulaiman is an instance of this. In the beginning of the reign he displayed such improper conduct, as has already been mentioned, and the world-adorning Deity placed the retribution thereof in his bosom, and inflicted so great a defeat upon him, and made him a suppliant of this court. He sent a petition by one of his confidants, who was distinguished for his knowledge of affairs. At this time the said ambassador had arrived and was waiting to pay homage. He obtained leave for an audience after H.M. had alighted at Mun‘im Khan’s house and was exalted by performing the prostration. The petition of M. Sulaiman was presented along with appropriate presents. The purport of it was the expression of shame and contrition for past offences, an account of the killing of M. Ibrahim, and a request for assistance against his enemies.
376.1.6
The account of the event is briefly this. M.M. Sulaiman and Ibrahim had in the beginning of the reign taken the road of destruction and sown the seed of their own overthrow, though victory had several times shown her face to them in their contests with the Uzbegs, and also was a cause of increasing their arrogance. Among these successes was the falling into their hands of the son of ‘Abbas Sultan who was continually coming from Hisār and making forays on behalf of Tīmūr Khān who was the ruler of Hisār, and was his cousin. At length they brought an army against Hisār and captured the outer fort. Tīmūr Khān shut himself up in the citadel, and was spending his days in stratagems. He was waiting in expectation of assistance from the Uzbegs, who had been summoned from various quarters. As the Mīrzās knew that help was near at hand they returned from Hisār to Badakhshān. In the fifth year of the Divine Era corresponding to 967 of the lunar year, the Mīrzās collected an army of their servants and Aimāqs and marched against Balkh. The shrewd and far-seeing were not favourable to this expedition, as the march against Balkh was unreasonable. For the army of Balkh was larger than the army of Badakhshān, and their military leaders were more numerous. A lesser army may engage with a greater if it have more leaders, but in the Badakhshān army there were only two, viz., Mīrzās Sulaimān and Ibrāhīm; while in the hostile army there were Pīr Muhammad Khān, and many princes.
376.1.7
It was therefore not right to make this expedition. Though what the acute said was reasonable, their words did not find admission to the ear of reason, as the Mīrzās were drunken with the wine of arrogance. Rather their haughtiness was increased and they pressed on the expedition more than ever. The truth is that the eternal managers wished to punish them for their improper behaviour to H.M. the Shāhinshāh, so that by becoming intoxicated with insouciance they might with their own hands throw themselves into the pit of destruction.
376.1.8
When Pīr Muhammad Khān heard of the enterprise of the Mīrzās he sent messengers to call for help, and at the same time sent an experienced ambassador to the Mīrzās and proposed an agreement. The ambassador declared that Pīr Muhammad Khān would surrender Khulm and Aibak to the Mirzās. They sent M. Beg Barlas, who was an old and confidential servant, on an embassy, and said that if Pīr Muhammad Khān would give them Khulm and Aibak, and put peace on a firm foundation, there would be an end of disputes. When they themselves marched out of Badakhshān they decided that for two reasons it would not be right to proceed against Balkh. First, because they had sent an ambassador. Second, because they would go and take along with them the Aimāqs of Balkh, the hill-country of which is towards Khurāsān, and get them into their power. Then the affair of Balkh would easily take shape. If they did not take this course, Pīr Muhammad Khān would strengthen the fort, and collect troops from all sides. In pursuance of this design and in palpable oblivion of rectitude, they took their route by the foot of the hills, left Balkh behind them and proceeded towards Khorasan, and brought under their control the Aimāqs who inhabited the wolds (sahrānishīn).