The Memoirs of Bābur 5: Events of the Year 935 (1528-9 A.D.).
Túzak-i Bábarí (extracts, from Erskine's translation) 5
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- English
Events of the Year 935 (1528-9 A.D.).
5.1
On Sunday, the 5th Muharram, intending to visit Gwálior, which in books they write Gáliár, I passed the Jumna and entered the fort of A'gra. * * * On the 10th I alighted at a Chárbágh, a kos from Gwálior to the north, * * and next morning I entered Gwalior by the Hatipul gate, which is close by Raja Man Sing's palace, and proceeded to Raja Bikramajit's palace. * *
5.2
On Tuesday, the 14th, messengers arrived from Bikramajit, the second son of Rana Sanka, who, with his mother Padmavati, was in Rantambhor. Before setting out to visit Gwalior, a person had come from a Hindu named Asok, who was high in Bikramajit's confidence, with offers of submission and allegiance, expressing a hope that he would be allowed seventy lacs as an annuity. The bargain was concluded, and it was settled that, on delivering up the fort of Rantambhor, he should have parganas assigned him equal to what he had asked. After making this arrangement, I sent back his messengers. When I went to survey Gwalior, I made an appointment to meet his men in Gwalior. They were several days later than the appointed time. Asok, the Hindu, had himself been with Padmavati, Bikramajit's mother, and had explained to the mother and son everything that had passed. They approved of Asok's proceedings, and agreed to make the proper submissions, and to rank themselves among my subjects. When Rana Sanka defeated Sultan Mahmud and made him prisoner, the Sultan had on a splendid crown-cap and golden girdle, which fell into the hands of the Pagan, who, when he set Sultan Mahmud at liberty, retained them. They were now with Bikramajit. * * * By the persons who came from him to wait on me, he now sent me this crown and golden girdle, and asked Bayana in exchange for Rantambhor. I diverted them from their demand of Bayana, and Shamsabad was fixed on as the equivalent for Rantambhor.
5.3
On Thursday, the 3rd of the first Jumada, I received letters forwarded by Khalifa from Agra, which contained intelligence that Mahmud, the son of Iskandar, had taken Bihar. The moment I received this information, I resolved to join the army. Next morning I mounted at six gharis, and reached Agra at evening prayers. Next morning being Saturday, I called the amirs to a council. * * * On Thursday, the 10th of the first Jumada, I set out for the Purab (east). * * * On Saturday, the 17th of the second Jumada, we marched eight kos, and halted at Dakdaki, a pargana of Karra, on the banks of the Ganges. * * While in this neighbourhood, intelligence reached us in rapid succession, that Sultan Mahmud had gathered round him 100,000 Afghans; that he had detached Shaikh Bayazid and Baban with a large army towards Sirwar, while he himself and Fath Khan Sarwani occupied the banks of the Ganges, and were moving upon Chunar; that Sher Khan Sur, on whom I had bestowed marks of favour, to whom I had given several parganas, and whom I had left in command in that quarter, had now joined these Afghans; that with some other amirs he had passed the river, and that Sultan Jalalu-d din's people, being unable to defend Benares, had abandoned it and retreated. They excused themselves by saying, that they had left a sufficient force in the castle of Benares, and had advanced in order to meet the enemy on the banks of the Ganges. * * *
5.4
On the 24th, Sultan Muhammad Bakhshi came in a boat from the other side of the river. He brought accounts of the ruin of the affairs of Mahmud Khan, the son of Sultan Sikandar, whom the rebels had dignified with the title of Sultan Mahmud. * * * It appeared that the rebels had come and laid siege to Chunar, and had even made a slight attack; but that, on getting the certain news of my approach, they were filled with consternation, broke up in confusion, and raised the siege; that the Afghans who had passed over to Benares had also retired in great confusion; that two of their boats sank in the passage, and that several of their men were drowned in the river. * * *
5.5
On Monday, the 4th Rajab, I marched from the banks of the Jumna against Bihar. * * * On the 13th, I visited the fort of Chunar. * * * Here Baba Khan brought information that Mahmud Khan was on the banks of the river Son. I immediately convened the amirs, and consulted them about attempting to fall upon the enemy by surprise, when it was finally settled that we should advance by very long marches without a moment's loss of time. * * * On Wednesday, the 20th, I embarked on the river, and halted at a kos below Ghazipur. * * * On the 22nd, I embarked on the river as usual, and landed opposite to Chusah (Chowsar). * * The army encamped on the banks of the Karmnas. The Hindus rigorously avoid this river. The pious Hindus did not pass it, but embarked in a boat and crossed by the Ganges so as to avoid it. They hold that if the water of this river touches any person, his religion is lost, and they assign an origin to its name corresponding with this opinion. * * *
5.6
On Saturday, the 8th Sha'ban, a messenger from Dudu and his son Jalal Khan Bihar Khan arrived in my camp. It appeared that the Bengalis had watched them with a jealous eye. After having given me notice of their intentions that I might expect their arrival, they had come to blows with the Bengalis, had effected their escape, crossed the river, and reached the territory of Bihar, whence they were now on their way to tender me their allegiance. The same day I sent word to the ambassador of Bengal, Isma'il Mita, that there was great delay on the part of his Court, in answering the three articles which had formerly been given to him in writing, and which he had forwarded; that he must therefore despatch a letter, requiring an immediate and categorical answer; that if his master had really peaceable and friendly intentions, he could find no difficulty in declaring so, and that without loss of time. * * *
5.7
On Sunday, I marched and halted in the pargana of Arra. Here we received information that the army of Kharid was encamped at the junction of the Ganges and Saru on the farther side of the river Saru, where they had collected 100 or 150 vessels. As I was at peace with Bengal, and had always been the first to enter into any understanding that had a tendency to confirm a friendly state of things, though they had not treated me well in placing themselves right in my route, yet from a consideration of the terms on which I had long been with them, I resolved to send Mulla Muhammad Mazhib along with Isma'il Mita the ambassador of Bengal; and it was settled that the Mulla should have leave to return back to me, after making the same three proposals I had formerly offered.
5.8
On Monday, the ambassador of Bengal came to wait on me, when I sent him notice that he had leave to return. It was at the same time intimated to him, that I would be guided entirely by my own pleasure, in moving backwards or forwards, as seemed best for the purpose of quelling the rebels wherever they were to be found, but that his master's dominions should sustain no harm, either by land or water; that as one of the three articles was, that he should order the army of Kharid to leave the tract in which I was marching, and return to Kharid, I was willing to send some Turks to accompany them on their march; that I would give the Kharid troops a safe conduct, and assurances of indemnity, and suffer them to go to their own homes. If he refused to leave the passage open, and neglected to listen to the remonstrances which I made, that then whatever evil fell on his head, he must regard as proceeding from his own act; and he would have himself only to blame for any unpleasant circumstance that occurred. On Thursday, the 19th Sha'ban, I called the amirs, both Turki and Hindu, to a council, and took their opinion about passing the river. It was finally settled that Ustad 'Ali should plant his cannon, his firingi pieces and swivels (zarb-zan), on a rising ground between the Ganges and Saru, and also keep up a hot fire with a number of matchlockmen from that post;
5.9
that a little lower down than the junction of the two rivers, opposite to an island, where there were a number of vessels collected, Mustafa on the Bihar side of the Ganges should get all his artillery and ammunition in readiness, and commence a cannonade: a number of matchlockmen were placed under his command. * * * That Askari and the Sultans and Khdns named for the duty should set out expeditiously, and pass the Sard at the ghdt of Haldi, in order that when the batteries were completed, they might be in readiness to fall upon the enemy, who might thus be attacked in different quarters at the same time. * * * On the morning of Sunday the army began to cross the Ganges. I embarked and crossed over about the first watch. * * * On Tuesday we marched from the place where we had crossed the river, advanced towards the field of action, which is near the confluence of the two rivers, and encamped about a kos from it. I myself went and saw UstM 'All Kuli employed in firing his firingis and artillery. That day Ustad 'AH Kuli struck two vessels with shot from his firingi and sank them. * * * The same day a messenger arrived from Askari, with information that his army had now all crossed the river, and that early next morning, being Thursday, they would be ready to fall upon the enemy. I immediately issued orders that all the rest of our troops who had effected their passage should co-operate with Askari, and fall upon the enemy in conjunction with him.
5.10
About noon-day prayers, a person came from Ustad with notice that the bullet was ready to be discharged, and that he waited for instructions. I sent orders to discharge it, and to have another loaded before I came up. About afternoon prayers, I embarked in a small Bengali boat, and proceeded to the place where the batteries had been erected, Ustad discharged a very large stone bullet once, and fired the firingis several times. The Bengalis are famous for their skill in artillery. On this occasion we had a good opportunity of observing them. They do not direct their fire against a particular point, but discharge at random. * * * On Thursday morning, I received intelligence from the men in the batteries, that the ships which were higher up the river were all sailing down, and that the enemy's whole cavalry had mounted, and were now moving against our troops, who were advancing.
5.11
I set out with the utmost expedition, and repaired to the vessels which had passed up by night. * * * I ordered Ishan Timur Sultán and Tukhta Bugha Sultan, who were protecting the vessels, to lose no time in crossing. On this occasion Ishan Timür Sultan embarked with about thirty or forty of his servants in a boat ; they swam over their horses by the side of the boat, and so effected a passage ; another boat got across after him. * * * The vessels now began to cross in uninterrupted succession. The Lahoris and Hindustanis also began to pass separately, some by swimming and others on bundles of reeds, each shifting for himself. On observing what was going on, the Bengali ships, which lay opposite to the batteries down the river, began to flee. * * * I despatched a messenger to the Sultans desiring them to keep together in a body such as had crossed, and that as the enemy's army drew near, they should take post upon its flank, and skirmish with them. The Sultans accordingly formed such as had crossed into three or four divisions, and advanced towards the enemy. On their approach, the enemy pushed forward their infantry to attack them, and then moved from their position to follow and support their advance, Koki arrived with a detachment from Askari's division on the one side, and the Sultans advancing on the other direction, they both charged. They fell furiously on the enemy, whom they bore down, taking a number of prisoners, and finally drove them from the field. * * *
5.12
Intelligence arrived again and again that the insurgents had passed the Sarú and Gogra, and were marching on Lucknow. * * * On Friday, the 19th Ramazan, I received letters announcing the taking of Lucknow. It appeared that on Saturday, the 13th of Ramazán, the enemy had made an attack, but could effect nothing. During the assault, some hay that had been collected, being set on fire by the fireworks, turpentine, and other combustibles that were thrown on it, the inside of the fort became as hot as an oven, and it was impossible to stand on the parapet, and consequently the fort was taken. Two or three days afterwards, on hearing of my return, the enemy marched towards Dalamu. This day also, we advanced ten kos, and halted hard by a village named Jalesar, in the pargana of Sikri, on the banks of the river Saru. * * * On the 18th Shawwal, I at midnight reached the garden of the Hasht-bihisht at Agra. [Shortly after this, with the 3rd Muharram, 936, Babar's Memoirs come to an abrupt termination.]