Padshah-namah 46: Conquest of the Fort of Junir and Settlement of the Dakhin.

46

[Text, vol. i. part 2, p. 225.] When Khan-zaman returned from the Emperor to his army, he learnt that Sahu had declined entering into the service of 'Adil Khan, and refused to surrender Junir and the other fortresses to the Imperial officers. 'Adil Khan therefore sent his forces, under the command of Randaula, to co-operate with the Imperial army in the destruction of Sahu, and the reduction of his fortresses. Khan-zaman hastened to Junir, * * * and invested the fortress. Being satisfied with the arrangements for the siege, he determined to march against Sahu, who was in the neighbourhood of Puna. When he reached the Khorandi, he was detained on its banks for a month by the heavy rains and the inundations. As soon as the waters abated, he crossed the river, and encamped on the banks of the Indan, near Lohganw, and Sahu, who was seventeen kos distant, then made into the mountains of Gondhana and Nurand. There were three large swollen rivers, the Indan, the Mol, and the Mota, between Khan-zaman and Sahu. * * The Khan therefore sent an officer to consult with Randaula. The opinion of that commander coincided with Khan-zaman's in favour of the pursuit, and the latter began his march. * * Sahu then fled with great haste by the pass of Kombha, and entered the Kokan. * * Finding no support there, he returned by the pass of Kombha. The Imperial forces then entered the Kokan by the same pass, and Randaula also was closing up. Sahu then went off to Mahuli, * * and from thence to the fort of Muranjan, situated between the hills and the jungle. Khan-zaman followed. * * * On discovering the approach of his pursuers, Sahu hastily sent off a portion of his baggage, and abandoned the rest. * * * The pursuers having come up, put many of the rebels to the sword. * * Being still pursued, Sahu went again to Mahuli, hoping to get away by Trimbak and Tringalwari; but, fearing lest he should encounter the royal forces, he halted at Mahuli. He retained a party of his adherents, who had long followed him, and the rest of his men he disbanded, and allowed them to go where they would. Then, with his son and a portion of his baggage, he went into the fort, resolved to stand a siege.
Khan-zaman got intelligence of this when he was twelve kos from Mahtuli, and, notwithstanding the difficulties of the road, he reached the fort in one day. * * He immediately opened his trenches and made approaches. * * A few days after, Randaula came up, and joined in the siege. * * When the place was hard pressed, Sahu wrote repeatedly to Khan-zaman, offering to surrender the fortress on condition of being received into the Imperial service. He was informed that if he wished to save his life, he must come to terms with 'Adil Khan, for such was the Emperor's command. He was also advised to be quick in doing so, if he wished to escape from the swords of the besiegers. So he was compelled to make his submission to 'Adil Khan, and he besought that a treaty might be made with him. After the arrival of the treaty, he made some absurd inadmissible demands, and withdrew from the agreement he had made. But the siege was pressed on, and the final attack drew near, when Sahu came out of the fort and met Randaula halfway down the hill, and surrendered himself with the young Nizam. He agreed to enter the service of 'Adil Khan, and to surrender the fortress of Junir and the other forts to the Imperial generals. * * * Accordingly the forts of Junir, Trimbak, Tringalwari, Haris, Judhan, Jund, and Harsira, were delivered over to Khan-zaman. * * Randaula, under the orders of 'Adil Khan, placed the young Nizam in the hands of Khan-zaman, and then went to Bijapur, accompanied by Sahu.
[Khan-dauran takes possession of the forts of Kataljahr, and Ashta, and besieges and storms the fort of Nagpur.]