The Book of Akbar 401.7

401.7

The order was given that after the military had cleared that delightful province of the weeds and rubbish of enemies, ‘Abdullah Khan should remain there and devote himself to ruling the country, and that M‘uin Khan should hearten the peasantry, the farmers and the other inhabitants, both high and low, by the influence of the Shahinshah’s graciousness. He was to remedy the absenteeism which might have occurred on account of the marchings and counter-marchings of the troops, and with the help of the officers and other royal servants who had been appointed for this service he was to allot the fiefs according to the rules of eternal dominion. After finishing this work he was to return to court. In accordance with this order ‘Abdullah Khan, attended by high officers, and with a suitable force, set his face in the beginning of this year for the conquest of Malwa. When Baz Bahadur became aware of this expedition, he abandoned firmness and found that the power of resistance was not within his capacity. Before the standards of fortune’s army could cast the shade of peace and tranquillity over those lands, he left Malwa and his ambitions and fled to a place of safety. The dread onset of the Shahinshah’s fortune, and the majestic might of his armies and the promptitude of his expeditions are not (mere) loud noises such as that great princes should not be disturbed or terrified by them. What wonder then at the flinching of rulers like Baz Bahadur.