Padshah-namah 24: Capture of the Port of Hugli.
Bádsháh-náma, of 'Abdu-l Hamíd Lahorí (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 24
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Capture of the Port of Hugli.
24.1
Under the rule of the Bengalis (dar 'ahd i Bangaliyan) a party of Frank merchants, who are inhabitants of Sandip, came trading to Satganw. One kos above that place, they occupied some ground on the bank of the estuary. Under the pretence that a building was necessary for their transactions in buying and selling, they erected several houses in the Bengali style. In course of time, through the ignorance and negligence of the rulers of Bengal, these Europeans increased in number, and erected large substantial buildings, which they fortified with cannons, muskets, and other implements of war. In due course, a considerable place grew up, which was known by the name of the Port of Hugli. On one side of it was the river, and on the other three sides was a ditch filled from the river. European ships used to go up to the port, and a trade was established there. The markets of Satganw declined and lost their prosperity. The villages and districts of Hugli were on both sides of the river, and these the Europeans got possession of at a low rent. Some of the inhabitants by force, and more by hopes of gain, they infected with their Nazarene teaching, and sent them off in ships to Europe. In the hope of an everlasting reward, but in reality of an exquisite torture, they consoled themselves with the profits of their trade for the loss of rent which arose from the removal of the cultivators.
24.2
These hateful practices were not confined to the lands they occupied, but they seized and carried off every one they could lay their hands upon along the sides of the river. These proceedings had come under the notice of the Emperor before his accession, * * and he resolved to put an end to them if ever he ascended the throne, that the coinage might always bear the stamp of the glorious dynasty, and the pulpit might be graced with its khutba. After his accession, he appointed Kasim Khan to the government of Bengal, and * * impressed upon him the duty of overthrowing these mischievous people. He was ordered, as soon as he attended to the necessary duties of his extensive province, to set about the extermination of the pernicious intruders. Troops were to be sent both by water and land, so that this difficult enterprise might be quickly and easily accomplished. Kasim Khan set about making his preparations, and at the close of the cold season, in Sha'ban, 1240 A.H., he sent his son 'Inayatu-ulla with Allah Yar Khan, who was to be the real commander of the army, and several other nobles, to effect the conquest of Hugli. He also sent Bahadur Kambu, an active and intelligent servant of his, with the force under his command, under the pretence of taking possession of the Khalisa lands at Makhsusabad, but really to join Allah Yar Khan at the proper time.
24.3
Under the apprehension that the infidels, upon getting intelligence of the march of the armies, would put their families on board ships, and so escape from destruction to the disappointment of the warriors of Islam, it was given out that the forces were marching to attack Hijli. Accordingly it was arranged that Allah Yar Khan should halt at Bardwan, which lies in the direction of Hijli, until he received intelligence of Khwaja Sher and others, who had been ordered to proceed in boats from Sripur to cut off the retreat of the Firingis. When the flotilla arrived at Mohana, which is a dahna of the Hugli, Allah Yar Khan was to march with all expedition from Bardwan to Hugli, and fall upon the infidels. Upon being informed that Khwaja Sher and his companions had arrived at the dahna, Allah Yar Khan made a forced march from Bardwan, and in a night and day reached the village of Haldipur, between Satganw and Hugli. At the same time he was joined by Bahadur Kambu, who arrived from Makhsusabad, with 500 horse and a large force of infantry. Then he hastened to the place where Khwaja Sher had brought the boats, and between Hugli and the sea, in a narrow part of the river, he formed a bridge of boats, so that ships could not get down to the sea; thus the flight of the enemy was prevented.
24.4
On the 2nd Zi-l hijja, 1041, the attack was made on the Firingis by the boatmen on the river, and by the forces on land. An inhabited place outside of the ditch was taken and plundered, and the occupants were slain. Detachments were then ordered to the villages and places on both sides of the river, so that all the Christians found there might be sent to hell. Having killed or captured all the infidels, the warriors carried off the families of their boatmen, who were all Bengalis. Four thousand boatmen, whom the Bengalis called ghrabi, then left the Firingis and joined the victorious army. This was a great discouragement to the Christians. The royal army was engaged for three months and a half in the siege of this strong place. Sometimes the infidels fought, sometimes they made overtures of peace, protracting the time in hopes of succour from their countrymen. With base treachery they pretended to make proposals of peace, and sent nearly a lac of rupees as tribute, while at the same time they ordered 7000 musketeers who were in their service to open fire. So heavy was it that many of the trees of a grove in which a large force of the besiegers was posted were stripped of their branches and leaves.
24.5
At length the besiegers sent their pioneers to work upon the ditch, just by the church, where it was not so broad and deep as elsewhere. There they dug channels and drew off the water. Mines were then driven on from the trenches, but two of these were discovered by the enemy and counteracted. The centre mine was carried under an edifice which was loftier and stronger than all the other buildings, and where a large number of Firingis were stationed. This was charged and tamped. On the 14th Rabi'u-l awwal the besieger's forces were drawn up in front of this building, in order to allure the enemy to that part. When a large number were assembled, a heavy fire was opened, and the mine was fired. The building was blown up, and the many infidels who had collected around it were sent flying into the air. The warriors of Islam rushed to the assault. Some of the infidels found their way to hell by the water, but some thousands succeeded in making their way to the ships. At this juncture Khwaja Sher came up with the boats, and killed many of the fugitives.
24.6
These foes of the faith were afraid lest one large ship, which had nearly two thousand men and women and much property on board, should fall into the hands of the Muhammadans; so they fired the magazine and blew her up. Many others who were on board the ghrabs set fire to their vessels, and turned their faces towards hell. Out of the sixty-four large dingas, fifty-seven ghrabs and 200 jaliyas, one ghrab and two jaliyas escaped, in consequence of some fire from the burning ships having fallen upon some boats laden with oil, which burnt a way through (the bridge of boats). Whoever escaped from the water and fire became a prisoner. From the beginning of the siege to the conclusion, men and women, old and young, altogether nearly 10,000 of the enemy were killed, being either blown up with powder, drowned in water, or burnt by fire. Nearly 1000 brave warriors of the Imperial army obtained the glory of martyrdom. 4400 Christians of both sexes were taken prisoners, and nearly 10,000 inhabitants of the neighbouring country who had been kept in confinement by these tyrants were set at liberty.