Padshah-namah 50.1

50.1

The late Emperor Jahangir long entertained the design of conquering Tibet, and in the course of his reign Hashim Khan, son of Kasim Khan Mir-bahr, governor of Kashmir, under the orders of the Emperor, invaded the country with a large force of horse and foot and local zamindars. But although he entered the country, and did his best, he met with no success, and was obliged to retreat with great loss and with much difficulty. * * The Imperial order was now given that Zafar Khan, governor of Kashmir, should assemble the forces under his command, and effect the conquest of that country. Accordingly he collected nearly eight thousand horse and foot, composed of Imperial forces, men of his own, and retainers of the marzbans of his province. He marched by the difficult route of Karcha-barh, and in the course of one month he reached the district of Shkardu, the first place of importance in Tibet, and on this side of the Nilab (Indus). 'Ali Rai, father of Abdal, the present Marzban of Tibet, had built upon the summits of two high mountains two strong forts — the higher of which was called Kaharpbucha, and the other Kahchana. Each of them had a road of access "like the neck of a reed, and the curve of a talon." The road of communication between the two was on the top of the mountain. Abdal shut himself up in the fort of Kaharpbucha.