Padshah-namah 28: Conquest of Daulatábád.
Bádsháh-náma, of 'Abdu-l Hamíd Lahorí (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 28
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Conquest of Daulatábád.
28.1
[p. 496.] Fath Khán, son of 'Ambar Habshi, conceiving his interest to lie in making submission to the Emperor, had sent his son, 'Abdu-r Rusúl, with a suitable offering to the foot of the Imperial throne, professing obedience and praying for favour. The Emperor graciously bestowed upon him some districts which had formerly belonged to him, but had been since given to Sahu-ji Bhonsla. Now, in compliance with the request of Fath Khán, they were restored to him. This gave great offence to the turbulent Sahu-ji, who went and joined the Bijapuris, and induced 'Adil Khan to place him in command of a force for wresting the fortress of Daulatabad from the hands of Fath Khan. The latter was much incensed against the Nizam-Shahis, and had no faith in them; so he wrote to Khan-khanan Mahabat Khan, informing him that Sahu-ji Bhonsla was preparing to bring a force from Bijapur against him, and that, as the fortress was ill provisioned, there was great probability of its being taken, unless Mahabat Khan came to his assistance. If the Khan came quickly, he would surrender the fortress, and would himself proceed to the Imperial Court. The Khan-khanan accordingly sent forward his son, Khan-zaman, with an advanced force, and he himself followed on the 9th Jumada-s sani. [Khan-zaman defeats a covering army of Bijapur.]
28.2
The Bijapuris were discouraged by the chastisement they had received from the Imperial army, so they made offers of an arrangement to Fath Khan. They offered to leave the fortress in his possession, to give him three lacs of pagodas in cash, and to throw provisions into the fort. That ill-starred foolish fellow, allured by these promises, broke his former engagement, and entered into an alliance with them. Most of the animals in the fortress had died from want of provender, and the Bijapuris now, at the instance of Fath Khan, exerted themselves in getting provisions. When Khan-khanan, who was at Zafarnagar, was informed of these proceedings, he wrote to Khan-zaman directing him to make every exertion for the reduction of the fortress, and for the punishment of the traitor and the Bijapuris. [Skirmishes in the vicinity.]
28.3
Khan-khanan, on being informed of the state of affairs, marched from Zafarnagar to Daulatabad, and reached there on the last day of Sha'ban. Next morning he rode out with his son, Khan-zaman, to reconnoitre the fortress, and took up his residence in a house belonging to Nizam Shah at Nizampur, near the fortress. [Disposition of his forces.] He placed the artillery and siege material under the direction of (his son) Luhrasp, and ordered that a constant fire should be kept up from a high hill which governs the fortress, and upon which Kaghziwara stands. He also ordered Khan-zaman to be constantly on the alert with 5000 cavalry, and ready to render assistance wherever it might be required in the trenches. The Imperial army having thus invested the place, and formed trenches, pushed on the siege, running zigzags, forming mines and preparing scaling ladders. Fath Khan placed the son of Nizam Shah in the Kala-kot (black fort), which was considered impregnable. He himself took post in the Maha-kot (great fort), and the body of the forces were stationed in the outer works called 'Ambar-kot, because they had been raised by Malik 'Ambar to protect the place against the advance of the Imperial power. [Defeat of many attempts to victual and relieve the fortress from without, and of sorties from within.]
28.4
On the 9th Shawwal a mine which had been formed from the trenches of Khan-zaman was charged, and the forces having been named for the assault, were ordered to assemble in the trenches before break of day. The mine was to be fired at the first appearance of dawn, and upon the walls being blown down, the stormers were to rush into the fort. By mistake the mine was fired an hour before dawn, and before the storming parties were ready. Twenty-eight gaz of the walls and twelve gaz of the bastion was blown away, and a wide breach was made. But the troops not having arrived, no entry was effected. The defenders rushed to the breach, and kept up such a rain of arrows, bullets, and rockets, that the storming party was obliged to take refuge in the trenches. Then they exerted themselves to stop the breach with palisades and planks. The commander of the Imperial army desired to dismount and lead the assault, but Nasiri Khan urged that it was against all the rules of warfare for the commander-in-chief to act in such a way. He himself would lead the storming party, trusting in God and hoping for the favour of the Emperor. Khan-khanan directed Mahes Das Rathor and others to support him. The Imperial troops rushed to the breach, and the defenders made a desperate resistance; but Nasiri Khan, although wounded, forced his way in upon the right, and Raja Bihar Singh and other Hindus upon the left.
28.5
They were fiercely encountered by Khairiyat Khan Bijapuri and others with sword and dagger, but they at length prevailed, and drove the defenders into the ditch of the Maha-kot for shelter. Great numbers of the garrison fell under the swords of the victors. Thus fell the celebrated works of Malik 'Ambar, which were fourteen gaz in height and ten gaz in thickness, and well furnished with guns and all kinds of defences. The Imperial commander having thus achieved a great success, proceeded with Nasiri Khan to inspect the works, and immediately took steps for attacking the Maha-kot. [Diversion made by the enemy in the direction of Berar. Another attempt by Randaula and Sahu-ji to relieve the fortress.] With great perseverance the besiegers pushed a mine under the Maha-kot, and Fath Khan was so much alarmed that he sent his wives and family into the Kala-kot. He himself, with Khairiyat Khan, uncle of Randaula, and some other Bijapuris, remained in the Maha-kot. The Bijapuris being greatly depressed by the scarcity of food and the progress of the Imperial arms, sought permission through Malu-ji to be allowed to escape secretly, and to go to their master. Khan-khanan sent a written consent, and by kind words encouraged their drooping spirits. Nearly two hundred of them after night-fall descended by a ladder fastened to the battlements. Khan-khanan sent for them, and consoled them with kind words and presents. [Several more attempts to relieve the fortress.]
28.6
On the 25th Zi-l ka'da, the commander-in-chief visited the trenches. He went to Saiyid 'Alawal, whose post was near the mine of the Sher-Haji of the Maha-kot, and determined that the mine should be blown up. Fath Khan got notice of this, and in the extremity of his fear he sent his wakil to Khan-khanan, and with great humility represented that he had bound himself to the 'Adil-Khanis by the most solemn compact not to make peace without their approval. He therefore wished to send one of his followers to Murari Pandit, to let him know how destitute the fort was of provisions, and how hard it was pressed by the besiegers. He also wanted the Pandit to send wakils to settle with him the terms of peace and the surrender of the fort. He therefore begged that the explosion of the mine might be deferred for that day, so that there might be time for an answer to come from Murari Pandit. Khan-khanan knew very well that there was no sincerity in his proposal, and that he only wanted to gain a day by artifice; so he replied that if Fath Khan wished to delay the explosion for a day, he must immediately send out his son as a hostage.
28.7
When it had become evident that Fath Khan did not intend to send his son out, the mine was exploded. A bastion and fifteen yards of the wall were blown up. The brave men who awaited the explosion rushed forward, and heedless of the fire from all sorts of arms which fell upon them from the top of the Maha-kot, they made their way in. The commander-in-chief now directed that Saiyid 'Alawal and others who held the trenches on the outside of the ditch, opposite the Sher-Haji, should go inside and bravely cast up trenches in the interior. [Defeat of a demonstration made by Murari Pandit. Surrender of the fort of Nahati near Galna.]
28.8
Fath Khan now woke up from his sleep of heedlessness and security. He saw that Daulatabad could not resist the Imperial arms and the vigour of the Imperial commander. To save the honour of his own and Nizam Shah's women, he sent his eldest son 'Abdu-r Rasul to Khan-khanan [laying the blame of his conduct on Sahu-ji and the 'Adil-Khanis]. He begged for forgiveness and for a week's delay, to enable him to remove his and Nizam Shah's family from the fortress, while his son remained as a hostage in Khan-khanan's power. Khan-khanan had compassion on his fallen condition, granted him safety, and kept his son as a hostage. Fath Khan asked to be supplied with the means of carrying out his family and property, and with money for expenses. Khan-khanan sent him his own elephants and camels and several litters, also ten lacs and fifty thousand rupees in cash, belonging to the State, and demanded the surrender of the fortress. Fath Khan sent the keys to Khan-khanan, and set about preparing for his own departure. Khan-khanan then placed trusty guards over the gates. On the 19th Zi-l hijja Fath Khan came out of the fortress and delivered it up. The fortress consisted of nine different works, five upon the low ground, and four upon the top of the hill. These with the guns and all the munitions of war were surrendered. * * * Khan-khanan went into the fortress, and had the khutba read in the Emperor's name.
28.9
The old name of the fortress of Daulatabad was Deo-gir, or Dharagar. It stands upon a rock which towers to the sky. In circumference it measures 5000 legal gaz, and the rock all round is scarped so carefully, from the base of the fort to the level of the water, that a snake or an ant would ascend it with difficulty. Around it there is a moat forty legal yards (zara') in width, and thirty in depth, cut into the solid rock. In the heart of the rock there is a dark and tortuous passage, like the ascent of a minaret, and a light is required there in broad daylight. The steps are cut in the rock itself, and the bottom is closed by an iron gate. It is by this road and way that the fortress is entered. By the passage a large iron brazier had been constructed, which, when necessary, could be placed in the middle of it, and a fire being kindled in this brazier, its heat would effectually prevent all progress. The ordinary means of besieging a fort by mines, sabats, etc., are of no avail against it. * * * Khan-khanan desired to leave a garrison in the captured fortress, and to go to Burhanpur, taking Nizam Shah and Fath Khan with him. The Imperial army had endured many hardships and privations during the siege. They had continually to contend against 20,000 horse of Bijapur and Nizamu-l Mulk, and to struggle hard for supplies. Nasiri Khan (who had been created Khan-dauran) was always ready for service, and he offered to take the command of the fortress.
28.10
So Khan-khanan left him and some other officers in charge, and marched with his army to Zafarnagar. * * * After reaching that place, Murari Pandit and the Bijapuris sent Farhad, the father of Randaula, to treat for peace; but Khan-khanan knew their artfulness and perfidy, and sent him back again. The Bijapuris, in despair and recklessness, now turned back to Daulatabad. They knew that provisions were very scarce and the garrison small. The entrenchments which the besiegers had raised were not thrown down, so the Bijapuris took possession of them, invested the fortress and fought against it. Khan-dauran, without waiting for reinforcements, boldly sallied out and attacked them repeatedly. By kind treatment he had conciliated the raiyats of the neighbourhood, and they supplied him with provisions, so that he was in no want. As soon as Khan-khanan heard of these proceedings, he marched for Daulatabad. The enemy finding that they could accomplish nothing, abandoned the siege as soon as they heard of the approach of Khan-khanan, and then retreated by Nasik and Trimbak.