The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 10.2
Dwázda-Sála-i Jahángírí; Wáki’át Jahángírí, of the Emperor Jahángír (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 10.2
- Language
- English
10.2.1
I halted at Palol and Faridabad, and on the 18th reached Dehli. There I visited the tomb of my grandfather Humayun, and distributed alms to the poor. Then I went to the tomb of Nizamu-d din Auliya, and there also I had my bounty dispensed among the poor and needy. On the 14th Ramazan, I halted at the sarai of Narila. Khusru had set fire to this sarai, and then passed on. * * On the 16th I halted in pargana of Panipat, a place which had always been a fortunate one for my ancestors, and where two important victories had been won by them: one, the victory gained by Babar over Ibrahim Lodi; the other, the victory over Himu by my honoured father. When Khusru left Dehli and got to Panipat, it happened that Dilawar Khan had reached that place. The Khan received a short warning of his approach, and immediately sent his sons over the Jumna, while he pressed forward to throw himself into the fortress of Lahore before Khusru could arrive there. About the same time, ’Abdu-r Rahim arrived from Lahore at the same place. Dilawar Khan advised him to send his sons over the river in the company of Dilawar’s own sons, and himself to await my arrival. He was alarmed and timid ; he could not resolve upon this course : but he delayed till Khusru arrived, and then he waited upon him and joined him.
10.2.2
Dilawar Khan bravely pushed on towards Lahore. On his way he informed every Government servant, and every krori merchant or other traveller he met, of the rebellion of Khusru. Some he took with him, and some he warned to keep out of the way. After this the people were saved from the violence of the rebels. It seems very probable that, if Saiyid Kamal in Dehli, and Dilawar Khan at Panipat, had shown any vigour, and had thrown themselves in the way of Khusru, the disorderly party which accompanied him would have been unable to make any resistance, and would have broken up, when Khusru would have been taken prisoner. Their courage did not serve them on this occasion, but both of them made up for the deficiency afterwards. Dilawar Khan, by rapid marching, reached Lahore before Khusru, and exerted himself to put the fortress in a state of defence to repel the rebel. Kamal also had done his best to stop the rebel, as will be noticed in its proper place. On the 18th Zi-l hijja I reached Karnal, where I halted. * * On the 19th I stopped at Shahabad, where there was great scarcity of water ; but a heavy rain now fell, and gladdened every one. * * At Aloda I sent Abu-l Bani Uzbek with fifty-seven mansabdars to the support of Shaikh Farid, and I also sent by them 40,000 rupees for expenses. Seven thousand were given to Jamil Beg, to pay arrears, and I also gave 18,000 to Mir Sharif Amali.
10.2.3
On the 24th Zi-l hijja five of Khusru’s followers were captured and brought in. Two of them who had entered into his service I ordered to be cast before elephants ; the other three denied having undertaken to serve him, and they were placed under restraint till the truth could be ascertained. * * On the 24th Farwardin, a messenger arrived from Dilawar Khan to inform me that Khusru was threatening Lahore, and to warn me to be cautious. On that same day the gates of Lahore were closed and secured, and two days afterwards Dilawar Khan entered the fortress with a few men. He immediately began to strengthen the place, repairing damages, mounting guns on the ramparts, and making all preparations for a siege. There was but a small force of troops in the place, but they were earnest, and had been appointed to their respective posts. The men of the city also were loyal and zealous.
10.2.4
Two days afterwards, when the preparations were complete, Khusru arrived before the city, and commenced operations. He directed his followers to burn one of the gates in any way they could, and he promised them that after the capture of the fortress the place should be given up to plunder for seven days, and that the women and children should be their prisoners. The desperate villains set fire to one of the gates, but Dilawar Khan and the other officers inside the walls raised up another barrier at the gate. Sa’id Khan, who was encamped on the Chinab, being informed of these movements, marched rapidly to Lahore. On reaching the river Ravi, he informed the garrison of his presence, and requested them to find a means of bringing him into the fortress. They sent twenty boats, and brought him and some of his followers in. On the ninth day of the siege Khusru was informed of the approach of the Imperial army in pursuit of him and his adherents. Having no resource, he deemed it desirable to encounter the royal forces. Lahore is one of the largest cities in Hindustan, and in the course of six or seven days a great number of men had been got together. I had been well informed that 10,000 or 12,000 men were ready to march away from Lahore, and to make a night attack on the van of my army. This intelligence reached me on the night of the 16th, in the garden of Agha Kuli.
10.2.5
On the night of the 20th, although it was raining heavily, I marched, and on the following morning reached Sultanpur. I remained there till mid-day, and just at that time a great action began between the royal army and the rebels. Mu’izzu-l Mulk had just brought me some food, and I was about to enjoy myself, when the news of the battle reached me. Directly I heard it, although I had a very good appetite, I merely swallowed a mouthful for good luck, and then mounted. Aware of the smallness of the force engaged, and anxious to bring up my men, I determined to press on with all speed night and day. I called for my great coat, but nobody brought it, and the only arms I had were a javelin and sword. Confiding myself to the favour of God, I started without hesitation. At first my escort did not exceed fifty horse, and no one knew that a battle was on that day imminent. At the bridge of Govindwal my men numbered four or five hundred, good and bad. After crossing the bridge, intelligence of victory reached me. The man who brought it was an officer of the wardrobe named Shamshir, and to him I gave the title of Khush-khabr Khan. Mir Jamalu-d din, whom I had before sent to warn Khusru, arrived just at the same time, and he spoke so much about the numbers and strength of Khusru, that my men were frightened, until the news of victory was confirmed by successive messengers. This Saiyid was a simple fellow.
10.2.6
He would not believe the report, but expressed his incredulity that an army such as he had seen could have been vanquished by so small and unprepared a force as that of Shaikh Farid. But when the litter of Khusru was brought in attended by two eunuchs, he then believed, and alighting from his horse, he placed his head at my feet, and offered his congratulations. Shaikh Farid had acted in this battle with the greatest zeal and fidelity. He placed the Saiyids of Barha, the heroes of the age, in the advance, and they fought most bravely. Saif Khan, son of Saiyid Mahmud Khan, the chief of the tribe, greatly distinguished himself, and received eighteen wounds. Saiyid Jalal, another of the tribe, received an arrow in the head, and died in a few days. The Saiyids of Barha in this action did not exceed fifty or sixty in number. These Saiyids repulsed the attack of 1000 horse and 500 Badakhshis, and were cut to pieces. Saiyid Kamal, with his brothers, was sent to support the advanced force, and he attacked the enemy vigorously in flank. The right wing, shouting, “Long live the King!” bore down, and the enemy, stricken with panic, broke and fled in all directions. Nearly 400 of the enemy were killed, and Khusru’s chest of jewels and trinkets, which he always carried with him, was captured. * *
10.2.7
I placed Mahabat Khan and ’Ali Beg Akbarshahi in command of a force to pursue Khusru wherever he should go. I also determined that if he went to Kabul, I would follow him, and not return till I had got him into my hands. If he should not stay in Kabul, but go off to Badakhshan and those parts, I would leave Mahabat Khan in Kabul, and follow him thither, lest he might ally himself to the Uzbeks, and bring disgrace to my throne. * * On the 28th my camp rested at Jahan, seven kos from Lahore. On that day Khusru came with a few followers to the banks of the Chinab. After his defeat, the opinions of those who escaped with him differed. The Afghans and the Hindustanis, who were mostly his oldest adherents, wished to turn back to Hindustan, and there raise disturbances. Husain Beg, whose wives and children and treasure were in the direction of Kabul, was in favour of going towards Kabul. When he resolved upon the latter course, the Afghans and Hindustanis separated from him. Upon reaching the Chinab, he wanted to cross at Shahpur, one of the regular ferries; but as he could not get boats, he went to the ferry of Sudhara. There they found one boat without boatmen, and another boat made of wood and straw. Before the defeat of Khusru, an order had been issued to all the jagirdars, road-keepers, and ferrymen of the Panjab, informing them of what had happened, and warning them to be careful. In consequence of this notice, the ferries and rivers were watched.
10.2.8
Husain Beg was about to take the two boats and send Khusru over. But just at this juncture, a chaudhari of Sudhara came up, and saw that a party of men were going to cross over the river by night. He expostulated with the boatmen of the wood and straw boat, and told them that the Emperor’s order was, that no boat should pass over by night. The contention and noise brought a number of men together, and the boat was taken away from the boatmen, and no one would convey them over. Abu-l Kasim Khan, who had charge of the ferry at Gujarat, when he was informed that a party of men wanted to cross the Chinab, proceeded to the place with his sons and some horsemen. Husain Beg * * got four boats, and attempted to cross; but the last one stuck on a sandbank. At daybreak Abu-l Kasim and Khwaja Khizr, who was director of the boatmen, assembled a party and secured the western bank of the river. The eastern bank was occupied by the zamindars. A force which I had sent under Sa’id Khan now came up at a most opportune time, and assisted to capture Khusru. On the 29th of the month, men riding on elephants and in boats secured him. Next day I heard of his capture, and I immediately sent the Amiru-l umara to bring Khusru to my presence. In matters of Government and State it frequently happens that one has to act upon one’s own judgment. Of the councils I have held, there are two which are remarkable.
10.2.9
First, when, in opposition to the counsel of all my friends, I left Allahabad, and went to wait upon my father, through which I obtained his pardon, and became King. Second, when I resolved instantly to pursue Khusru, and not to rest till I had taken him. * * On the 3rd of Muharram, 1015 A.H., Khusru was brought into my presence in the garden of Mirza Kamran, with his hands bound and a chain on his leg, and he was led up from the left side, according to the rule of Changiz Khan. Husain Beg was on his right, and ’Abdu-l ’Aziz on his left; he stood between them, trembling and weeping. Husain Beg, suspecting that they would make a scape-goat of him, began to speak sorrowfully, but they did not allow him to continue. I gave Khusru into custody, and I ordered these two villains to be inclosed in the skins of a cow and an ass, and to be placed on asses, face to the tail, and so to be paraded round the city. As the skin of a cow dries quicker than the skin of an ass, Husain Beg lived only to the fourth watch, and then died. ’Abdu-l ’Aziz, who was in the ass’s skin, and had moisture conveyed to him, survived.
10.2.10
From the last day of Zi-l hijja till the 9th Muharram, in consequence of bad weather, I remained in the garden of Mirza Kamran. I attributed the success gained in this expedition to Shaikh Farid, and I dignified him with the title of Murtaza Khan. To strengthen and confirm my rule, I directed that a double row of stakes should be set up from the garden to the city, and that the rebel awahnahs and others who had taken part in this revolt, should be impaled thereon, and thus receive their deserts in this most excruciating punishment. The land-holders between the Chinab and Behat who had proved their loyalty, I rewarded by giving to each one of them some lands as madad-ma'ash. * *
10.2.11
The disposal of Khusru still remained unsettled. As the vicinity of Agra was a hot-bed of disaffection, I was desirous that it should be cleared of dangerous persons, lest these pretensions of Khusru should be backed up and kept alive. So I directed my son Parwez to leave several sardars to carry on the campaign against the Rana, and to proceed himself with Asaf Khan and 200 others to Agra, and there to undertake the control and protection of the city. But before they arrived there, Khusru’s attempt had been crushed to the satisfaction of my friends, so I directed Parwez to come and meet me. On the 9th Muharram I entered Lahore. My friends and well-wishers advised me to return to Agra, because Gujarat, the Dakhin, and Bengal were all in a disordered state. But this advice did not approve itself to me, because I had learnt from the letters of Shah Beg Khan, the ruler of Kandahar, sundry facts all tending to show that the amirs of the frontier of the Kazilbashes had designs upon Kandahar. * * Intelligence reached me at Lahore, that the Kazilbashes had inclosed the fort of Kandahar on three sides, and it was evident that further delay would be dangerous ; so I sent a force thither under the command of Ghazi Beg Khan and * * *. With a view to prevent the threatened danger, I determined to proceed to Kabul, and to postpone my proposed excursion round about Lahore.]