The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 15: The Tenth New Year's Festival after my auspicious Accession.
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 15
- Language
- English
Contents
The Tenth New Year's Festival after my auspicious Accession.
15.1.1
When 55 seconds had passed on Saturday, 1st Farwardin, in my 10th year, corresponding with the 8th of the month of Safar (March, 1615), 1024 Hijra, the sun from the constellation of Pisces entered the house of honour of Aries. When three gharis had passed on the night of Sunday I seated myself on the throne of State. The New Year's feast and ceremonials were prepared in the usual manner. The illustrious princes, the great Khans, the chief officers and Ministers of State made their salutations of congratulation. On the 1st of the month the mansab of I'timadu-d-daulah was increased from 5,000 personal and 2,000 horse by 1,000 personal and horse. Special horses were given to the Kunwar Karan, Jahangir Quli Khan, and Raja Bir Singh Deo. On the 2nd the offering of Asaf Khan was laid before me; it was an approved offering of jewels and jewelled ornaments and things of gold, of cloth stuffs of all kinds and descriptions, and was looked over in detail. That which I approved was worth 85,000 rupees. On this day a jewelled sword with a belt and band(?) (band u bar) was given to Karan, and an elephant to Jahangir Quli Khan. As I had made up my mind to proceed to the Deccan, I gave an order to 'Abdu-l-Karim Ma'muri, to go to Mandu and prepare a new building for my private residence, and repair the buildings of the old kings. On the 3rd day the offerings of Raja Bir Singh Deo were laid before me, and one ruby, some pearls, and one elephant had the honour of being accepted.
15.1.2
On the 4th day the mansab of Mustafa Khan was increased by 500 personal and 200 horse to 2,000 personal and 250 horse. On the 5th I gave a standard and drums to I'timadu-d-daulah, and an order was given him to beat his drums. The mansab of Asaf Khan was increased by 1,000 personal and horse to 4,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and having increased the mansab of Raja Bir Singh Deo by 700 horse, I dismissed him to his own country, directing that he should present himself at Court at stated periods. On the same day the offering of Ibrahim Khan was laid before me. Some of all the kinds of things pleased me. Kishan Chand, of the sons of the Rajas of Nagarkot, was honoured with the title of Raja. On Thursday, the 6th, the offerings of I'timadu-d-daulah were laid before me at Chashma-i-Nur ; a large meeting had been arranged, and by way of favour the whole of his offerings were inspected. Of the jewels and jewelled things and choice cloth stuffs the value of 100,000 rupees was accepted, and the remainder given back. On the 7th day I increased by 1,000 personal the mansab of Kishan Singh, which had been 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse. On this day a tiger was killed in the neighbourhood of Chashma-i-Nur. On the 8th I gave Karan the mansab of 5,000 personal and horse, and gave him a small rosary of pearls and emeralds with a ruby in the centre, which in the language of the Hindus is called smaran (Sanskrit for 'remembrance').
15.1.3
I increased the mansab of Ibrahim Khan by 1,000 personal and 400 horse, so as to make it 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, original and increase. The mansab of Haji Bi Uzbeg was increased by 300 horse, and that of Raja Shyam Singh by 500 personal, so as to make it 2,500 personal and 1,400 horse. On Sunday, the 9th, there was an eclipse of the sun, when twelve gharis of the day had passed. It began from the west, and four out of five parts of the sun were eclipsed in the knot of the dragon. From the commencement of the seizure until it became light eight gharis elapsed. Alms of all kinds, and things in the shape of metals, animals, and vegetables, were given to fakirs and the poor and people in need. On this day the offering of Raja Suraj Singh was laid before me; what was taken was of the value of 43,000 rupees. The offering of Bahadur Khan, the governor of Qandahar, was also laid before me on this day; its total value came to 14,000 rupees. Two watches of the night had passed on the night of Monday, the 29th Safar (30th March, 1615), in the ascension of Sagittarius, when a boy was born to Baba Khurram by the daughter of Asaf Khan; I gave him the name of Dara Shukuh. I hope that his coming will be propitious to this State conjoined with eternity, and to his fortunate father. The mansab of Sayyid 'Ali Barha was increased by 500 personal and 300 horse, so as to bring it to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse.
15.1.4
On the 10th the offering of I'tibar Khan was laid before me, and what was of the value of 40,000 rupees was accepted. On this day the mansab of Khusrau Bi Uzbeg was raised by 300 horse, and that of Mangli Khan by 500 personal and 200 horse. On the 11th the offering of Murtaza Khan was laid before me. Of it seven rubies, one rosary of pearls, and 270 other pearls were accepted, and their value was 145,000 rupees. On the 12th the offerings of Mirza Raja Bhao Singh and Rawat Shankar were laid before me. On the 13th, out of the offering of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan, one qutbi (Egyptian ?) ruby, one diamond, one string of pearls, five rings, four pearls, and some cloths, altogether the value of 32,000 rupees, were accepted. On the 14th the mansab of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan, which was 3,000 personal and 700 horse, was increased by 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and that of Wafadar Khan, of 750 personal and 200 horse, by 2,000 personal and 1,200 horse. On the same day Mustafa Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Iran, had the good fortune to wait upon me. After completing the matter of Gurjistan (Georgia), my exalted brother sent him with a letter consisting of expressions of friendship and assurances of sincerity, with several horses, camels, and some stuffs from Aleppo, which had come for that fortunate brother from the direction of Rum. Nine large European hunting dogs, for which a request had gone, were also sent by him.
15.1.5
Murtaza Khan, on this day, obtained leave to go for the capture of the fort of Kangra, the equal of which for strength they cannot point to in the hill country of the Panjab or even all the habitable world. From the time when the sound of Islam reached the country of Hindustan up to this auspicious time when the throne of rule has been adorned by this suppliant at the throne of Allah, none of the rulers or kings has obtained possession of it. Once in the time of my revered father, the army of the Panjab was sent against this fort, and besieged it for a long time. At length they came to the conclusion that the fort was not to be taken, and the army was sent off to some more necessary business. When he was dismissed, I gave Murtaza Khan a private elephant with trappings. Raja Suraj Mal, son of Raja Baso, as his country was near that fort, was also appointed, and his previous mansab was increased by 500 personal and horse. Raja Suraj Singh also came from his place and jagir and waited on me, and presented an offering of 100 ashrafis. On the 17th the offering of Mirza Rustam was laid before me. Two jewelled daggers, one rosary of pearls, some pieces of cloth, an elephant, and four Iraq horses were accepted, and the rest returned; their value was 15,000 rupees. On the same date the offering of I'tiqad Khan, of the value of 18,000 rupees, was laid before me. On the 18th the offering of Jahangir Quli Khan was inspected.
15.1.6
Of jewels and cloth stuffs the value of 15,000 rupees was accepted. The mansab of I'tiqad Khan, which was 700 personal and 200 horse, I increased by 800 personal and 300 horse, so that with original and increase it came to 1,500 personal and 500 horse. Khusrau Bi Uzbeg, who was one of the distinguished soldiers, died of the disease of dysentery. On the 8th day, which was Thursday, after two watches and four and a half gharis had passed, the sharaf (highest point of the sun's ascension) began. On this auspicious day I ascended the throne in happiness and prosperity, and the people saluted and congratulated me. When one watch of the day remained I went to the Chashma-i-Nur. According to agreement the offering of Mahabat Khan was laid before me at that place. He had arranged beautiful jewels and jewellery, with cloth stuff and articles of all kinds that were pleasing to me. Among these, a jewelled khapwa (dagger), which at his request the royal artificers had made, and the like of which in value there did not exist in my private treasury, was worth 100,000 rupees. In addition to this, jewels and other things of the value of 138,000 rupees were taken. Indeed, it was a splendid offering. To Mustafa Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Iran, I gave 20,000 darab, or 10,000 rupees. On the 21st I sent robes of honour by the hand of 'Abdu-l-Ghafur to fifteen of the Amirs of the Deccan. Raja Bikramajit obtained leave to go to his jagir, and a special shawl (parm narm) was given to him.
15.1.7
On the same day I gave a jewelled waist-dagger to Mustafa Beg, the ambassador. I increased the mansab of Hūshang the son of Islam Khan, which was 1,000 personal and 500 horse, by 500 personal and 200 horse. On the 23rd, Ibrahim Khan was promoted to the Subah of Behar. Zafar Khan was ordered to present himself at Court. To the mansab of Ibrahim Khan, which was 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, I added 500 personal and 1,000 horse. Saif Khan on the same day was dismissed to his jagir, as well as Haji Bi Uzbeg, who was honoured with the title of Uzbeg Khan. Bahaduru-l-mulk, who belonged to the army of the Deccan, and held the mansab of 2,500 personal and 2,100 horse, received an increase of 500 personal and 200 horse. An increase of 200 was made in the mansab of Khwaja Taqi, which was 800 personal and 180 horse. On the 25th an increase of 200 horse was made in the rank of Salamu-llah, the Arab, so that it became 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. I presented Mahabat Khan with the black piebald horse out of my special horses which the ruler of Iran had sent me. At the end of the day of Thursday I went to the house of Baba Khurram and remained there till a watch of the night had passed. His second offering was laid before me on that day. On the first day he paid his respects he laid before me a celebrated ruby of the Rana, which, on the day of his paying his respects, he had made an offering of to my son, and which the jewellers valued at 60,000 rupees.
15.1.8
It was not worthy of the praise they had given it. The weight of this ruby was eight tank, and it was formerly in the possession of Ray Maldeo, who was the chief of the tribe of the Rathors and one of the chief rulers (or Rays) of Hindustan. From him it was transferred to his son Chandar Sen, who, in the days of his wretchedness and hopelessness, sold it to Rana Uday Singh. From him it went to Rana Partap, and afterwards to this Rana Amar Singh. As they had no more valuable gift in their family, he presented it on the day that he paid his respects to my fortunate son Baba Khurram, together with the whole of his stud of elephants, which, according to the Indian idiom, they call gheta char.
15.2.1
I ordered them to engrave on the ruby that at the time of paying his respects Rana Amar Singh had presented it as an offering to Sultan Khurram. On that day certain other things from among the offerings of Baba Khurram were accepted. Among them was a little crystal box of Frank work, made with great taste, with some emeralds, three rings, four Iraq horses, and various other things, the value of which was 80,000 rupees. On the day on which I went to his house he had prepared a great offering, in fact there were laid before me things and rarities worth about four or five lakhs of rupees. Of these the equivalent of 100,000 rupees was taken away and the balance given to him. On the 28th the mansab of Khwaja Jahan, which was 3,000 personal and 1,800 horse, was increased by 500 personal and 400 horse. In the end of the month I presented Ibrahim Khan with a horse, a robe of honour, a jewelled dagger, a standard and drums, and dismissed him to the province of Behar. The office of 'arz-mukarrir (reviser of petitions), that belonged to Khwajagi Haji Muhammad, as he had died, I gave to Mukhlis Khan, who was in my confidence. Three hundred horse were increased in the mansab of Dilawar Khan, who now had 1,000 personal and horse. As the hour of the leave-taking of Kunwar Karan was at hand, I was desirous of showing him my skill in shooting with a gun. Just at this time the qarawulan (shikaris) brought in news of a tigress.
15.2.2
Though it is an established custom of mine only to hunt male tigers, yet, in consideration that no other tiger might be obtained before his departure, I went for the tigress. I took with me Karan, and said to him that I would hit it wherever he wished me to do so. After this arrangement I went to the place where they had marked down the tiger. By chance there was a wind and disturbance in the air, and the female elephant on which I was mounted was terrified of the tigress and would not stand still. Notwithstanding these two great obstacles to shooting, I shot straight towards her eye. God Almighty did not allow me to be ashamed before that prince, and, as I had agreed, I shot her in the eye. On the same day Karan petitioned me for a special gun, and I gave him a special Turkish one. As on the day for his departure I had not given Ibrahim Khan an elephant, I now gave him a special elephant, and I also sent an elephant to Bahaduru-l-mulk and one to Wafadar Khan. On the 8th Urdibihisht the assemblage for my lunar weighing was held, and I weighed myself against silver and other things, distributing them amongst the deserving and needy. Nawazish Khan took leave to go to his jagir, which was in Malwa. On the same day I gave an elephant to Khwaja Abu-l-hasan. On the 9th they brought Khan A'zam, who had come to Agra from the fort of Gwalior, and who had been sent for.
15.2.3
Though he had been guilty of many offences, and in all that I had done to him I was right, yet when they brought him into my presence and my eye fell on him, I perceived more shame in myself than in him. Having pardoned all his offences, I gave him the shawl I had round my waist. I gave Kunwar Karan 100,000 darab. On the same day Raja Suraj Singh brought a large elephant of the name of Ran-rawat, which was a celebrated elephant of his, as an offering. In fact, it was such a rare elephant that I put it into my private stud. On the 10th the offering of Khwaja Jahan, which he sent me from Agra by the hand of his son, was laid before me. It was of all kinds of things, of the value of 40,000 rupees. On the 12th the offering of Khan Dauran, which consisted of forty-five horse, two strings of camels, Arabian dogs (greyhounds), and hunting animals (hawks ?), was brought before me. On the same day seven other elephants from Raja Suraj Singh were also brought to me as an offering, and were placed in my private stud. Tahayyur Khan, after he had been in attendance on me for four months, to-day got leave to go. A message was sent to 'Adil Khan. I impressed on him the profit and loss of friendship and enmity, and made an agreement (with Tahayyur Khan) that all these words should be repeated to 'Adil Khan, and he should bring him back to the path of loyalty and obedience. At the time of his taking leave I also bestowed on him certain things.
15.2.4
On the whole, in this short time, what with the gifts bestowed on him by me privately, by the princes, and those given him by the Amirs according to order, the account mounted up to about 100,000 rupees that he had received. On the 14th the rank and reward of my son Khurram were fixed. His mansab had been one of 12,000 personal and 6,000 horse, and that of his brother (Parwiz) 15,000 personal and 8,000 horse. I ordered his mansab to be made equal with that of Parwiz, besides other rewards. I gave him a private elephant of the name of Panchi Gaj, with accoutrements of the value of 12,000 rupees. On the 16th an elephant was given to Mahabat Khan. On the 17th the mansab of Raja Suraj Singh, which was 4,000 personal and 3,000 horse, was increased by 1,000, and it was raised to 5,000. At the request of 'Abdu-llah Khan the mansab of Khwaja 'Abdu-l-Latif, which was 500 personal and 200 horse, was raised by 200, and it was ordered to be 1,000 personal and 400 horse. 'Abdu-llah, the son of Khan A'zam, who was imprisoned in the fort of Rantambhor, was sent for at the request of his father. He came to the Court, and I took the chains off his legs and sent him to his father's house. On the 24th, Raja Siiraj Singh presented me with another elephant, called Fauj-sangar ('ornament of the army'), by way of offering.
15.2.5
Although this is also a good elephant, and has been placed in my private stud, it is not to be compared with the first elephant (he sent), which is one of the wonders of the age, and is worth 20,000 rupees. On the 26th, 200 personal were added to the mansab of Badi'u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh; it was 700 personal and 500 horse. On the same day Khwaja Zainu-d-din, who is of the Naqshbandi Khwajas, came from Mawaraa-n-nahr and waited on me, bringing as an offering eighteen horses. Qizilbash Khan, who was one of the auxiliaries of the province of Gujarat, had come to Court without the leave of the governor. I ordered that an ahadi should put him into confinement, and that he be sent back to the governor of Gujarat, so that others might not desire to do the same. The mansab of Mubarak Khan Sazawal I raised 500 personal, so that it should be 1,500 personal and 700 horse. On the 29th I gave Khan A'zam 100,000 rupees, and ordered that the parganahs of Dasna and Kasna, which are equivalent to 5,000 personal, should be made his jagir. At the end of the same month I gave leave to Jahangir Quli Khan, with his brothers and other relatives, to go to Allahabad, which had been appropriated to them as jagir. At this meeting twenty horse, a qaba (parm narm) of Cashmere cloth, twelve deer, and ten Arabian dogs were given to Karan.
15.2.6
The next day, which was the 1st Khurdad, forty horse, the next day forty-one horse, and the third day twenty, amounting in the space of three days to 101 head, were given as a present to Kunwar Karan. In return for the elephant Fauj-sangar, an elephant worth 10,000 rupees out of my private stud was presented to Raja Suraj Singh. On the 5th of the month ten turbans (chira), ten coats (qaba), and ten waist-bands were given to Karan. On the 20th I gave him another elephant. In these days the news-writer of Kashmir had written that a Mulla of the name of Gada'i, a disciplined dervish, who for forty years had lived in one of the monasteries of the city, had prayed the inheritors of that monastery two years before he was to deliver over the pledge of his life that he might select a corner in that monastery as a place for his burial. They said, "Let it be so." In short, he selected a place. When the time for his delivery came he informed his friends and relations and those who were dear to him that an order had reached him that, delivering over the pledge (of life) he had, he should turn towards the last world. Those who were present wondered at his words, and said that the prophets had no such information, and how could they believe such words?
15.2.7
He said, "Such an order has been given to me." He then turned to one of his confidants, who was of the sons of the Qazis of the country, and said: "You will expend the price of my Koran, which is worth 700 tankas, in carrying me (to the grave). When you hear the call to Friday's prayer you will enquire for me." This conversation took place on the Thursday, and he divided all the goods in his room among his acquaintance and disciples, and went, and at end of the day bathed at the baths. The Qazi-zada aforesaid came before the call for prayer, and enquired as to the health of the Mulla. When he came to the door of the cell he found the door closed and a servant sitting there. He asked the slave what had happened, and the servant said, "The Mulla has enjoined me that until the door of the cell open of its own accord I must not go in." Shortly after these words were said the door of the cell opened. The Qazi-zada entered the cell with that servant and saw that the Mulla was on his knees with his face turned toward the qibla, and had given up his soul to God. Happy the state of the freed who can fly away from this place of the snares of dependence with such ease!
15.3.1
By the increase of 200 personal and 50 horse in the mansab of Karam Sen Rathor, I raised it to 1,000 personal and 300 horse. On the 11th of this month the offering of Lashkar Khan, which consisted of three strings of Persian camels and twenty cups and plates from Khita (China) and twenty Arabian dogs, was brought before me. On the 12th a jewelled dagger was bestowed on I'tibar Khan, and to Karan I gave a plume (kalgi) worth 2,000 rupees. On the 14th I gave a dress of honour to Sarbuland Ray, and gave him leave to go to the Deccan. On the night of Friday, the 15th, a strange affair occurred. By chance on that night I was at Pushkar. To be brief, Kishan, own brother to Raja Suraj Singh, was in great perturbation through Gobind Das, the Vakil of the said Raja having some time ago killed his nephew, a youth of the name of Gopal Das. The cause of the quarrel it would take too long to tell. Kishan Singh expected that, as Gopal Das was also the nephew of the Raja (Suraj Singh), the latter would kill Gobind Das. But the Raja, on account of the experience and ability of Gobind Das, relinquished the idea of seeking revenge for his nephew's death. When Kishan saw this neglect on the part of the Raja, he resolved himself to take revenge for his nephew, and not allow his blood to pass away unnoticed.
15.3.2
For a long time he kept this matter in his mind, until on that night he assembled his brothers, friends, and servants, and told them that he would go that night to take Gobind Das's life, whatever might happen, and that he did not care what injury might happen to the Raja. The Raja was in ignorance of what was happening, and when it was near dawn Kishan came with Karan, his brother's son, and other companions. When he arrived at the gate of the Raja's dwelling he sent some of the experienced men on foot to the house of Gobind Das, which was near the Raja's. He himself (Kishan) was on horseback, and stationed himself near the gate. The men on foot entered Gobind Das's house, and killed some of those who were there on guard. Whilst this fight was going on Gobind Das awoke, and seizing his sword in a state of bewilderment was coming out from one side of the house to join the outside watchmen. When the men on foot had finished killing some of the people, they came out of the tent to endeavour to find out Gobind Das, and, meeting him, they finished his affair (killed him). Before the news of the killing of Gobind Das reached Kishan, he, unable to bear it any more, dismounted and came inside the dwelling. Although his men protested in a disturbed state that it was not right to be on foot, he would in no way listen to them.
15.3.3
If he had remained a little longer and the news of his enemy having been killed had reached him, it is possible that he would have escaped safe and sound, mounted as he was. As the pen of destiny had gone forth after another fashion, as soon as he alighted and went in, the Raja, who was in his mahall (female apartment), awoke at the uproar among the people, and stood at the gate of his house with his sword drawn. People from all sides were aroused and came in against the men who were on foot. They saw what the number of men on foot was, and came out in great numbers and faced Kishan Singh's men, who were about ten in number. In short, Kishan Singh and his nephew Karan, when they reached the Raja's house, were attacked by these men and both of them killed. Kishan Singh had seven and Karan nine wounds. Altogether in this fight 66 men on the two sides were killed, on the Raja's side 30 and on Kishan Singh's 36. When the sun rose and illumined the world with its light, this business was revealed, and the Raja saw that his brother, his nephew, and some of his servants, whom he considered dearer than himself, were killed, and the whole of the rest had dispersed to their own places. The news reached me in Pushkar, and I ordered them to burn those who were killed, according to their rites, and inform me of the true circumstances of the affair.
15.3.4
In the end it became clear that the affair had happened in the manner in which it has been written here, and that no further enquiry was necessary. On the 8th Miran Sadr Jahan came from his native place and waited on me with an offering of 100 muhrs. Ray Suraj Singh was dismissed to his duty in the Deccan. I presented him with a couple of pearls for his ears and a special Kashmir shawl (parm narm). A pair of pearls were also sent to Khan Jahan. On the 25th I increased the mansab of I'tibar Khan by 600 horse, so as to bring it to 5,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the same day Karan obtained leave to go to his jagir. He received a present of a horse, a special elephant, a dress of honour, a string of pearls of the value of 50,000 rupees, and a jewelled dagger which had been completed for 2,000 rupees. From the time of his waiting on me till he obtained leave, what he had had in the shape of cash, jewellery, jewels, and jewelled things was of the value of 200,000 rupees, with 110 horses, five elephants, in addition to what my son Khurram bestowed on him at various times. I gave Mubarak Khan Sazawal a horse and an elephant, and appointed him to accompany him. I sent several verbal messages to the Rana. Raja Suraj Singh also obtained leave to go to his native country, with a promise to return in two months. On the 27th, Payanda Khan Moghul, who was one of the old Amirs of the State, gave up the deposit of his life.
15.3.5
At the end of this month news came that the ruler of Iran had executed his eldest son Safi Mirza. This was a cause of great bewilderment. When I enquired into it they said that at Darash, which is one of the noted cities of Gilan, he ordered a slave of the name of Bihbud to kill Safi Mirza. The slave found an opportunity, early in the morning on the 5th of Muharram, in the year 1024 (25th January, 1615), when the Mirza was returning from the baths towards his house, and finished his affair for him with two wounds from a sword (sikkaki). After a great part of the day had passed, while his body lay between the water and the mud, Shaikh Bahau-d-din Muhammad, who was the best known man in the country for learning and holiness, and on whom the Shah had full reliance, reported the affair, and, obtaining leave to lift him up, took his corpse and sent it to Ardabil, where was the burial-ground of his ancestors. Although much enquiry was made of travellers from Iran, no one would say a word of this affair that satisfied my mind with regard to it. The killing of a son must have some powerful motive in order to do away with the disgrace of it. On the 1st of the month of Tir I gave an elephant of the name of Ranjit with its trappings to Mirza Rustam and another to Sayyid 'Ali Barha. Mirak Husain, a relation of Khwaja Shamsu-d-din, was appointed bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Behar, and took leave to go.
15.3.6
I gave Khwaja 'Abdu-l-Latif Qush-begi (the falconer) an elephant and a dress of honour, and dismissed him to his jagir. On the 9th of the same month I gave a jewelled sword to Khan Dauran, and a jewelled dagger was sent for Allahdad, the son of Jalala the Afghan, who had become loyal. On the 13th took place the meeting for the festival of the Ab-pashan (rose-water scattering), and the servants of the Court amused themselves with sprinkling rose-water over each other. On the 17th, Amanat Khan was appointed to the port of Cambay. As Muqarrab Khan proposed to come to Court, the (charge of the) aforesaid port was changed. On the same day I sent a jewelled waist-dagger to my son Parwiz. On the 18th the offering of Khankhanan was laid before me. He had prepared all kinds of jewellery and other things, jewels with jewelled things, such as three rubies and 103 pearls, 100 rubies (yaqut), two jewelled daggers and an aigrette adorned with rubies and pearls, a jewelled water-jar, a jewelled sword, a quiver bound with velvet, and a diamond ring, altogether of the value of about 100,000 rupees, in addition to jewels and jewelled things, cloth from the Deccan and Carnatic, and all kinds of gilt and plain things, with fifteen elephants and a horse whose mane reached the ground. The offering of Shah-nawaz Khan (his son) also, consisting of five elephants, 300 pieces of all kinds of cloth, was brought before me. On the 8th I honoured Hushang with the title of Ikram Khan.
15.3.7
Ruz-afzun, who was one of the princes of the Subah of Behar, and who had been from his youth one of the permanent servants of the Court, having been honoured by admission into Islam, was made Raja of the province of his father, Raja Sangram. Though the latter had been killed in opposing the leaders of the State, I gave him an elephant and leave to go to his native place. An elephant was presented to Jahangir Quli Khan. On the 24th, Jagat Singh, son of Kunwar Karan, who was in his 12th year, came and waited on me, and presented petitions from his grandfather, the Rana Amar Singh, and from his father. The signs of nobility and high birth were evident on his face. I pleased him with a dress of honour and kindness. To the mansab of Mirza 'Isa Tarkhan an addition of 200 personal was made, so that it attained to 1,200 personal and 300 horse. In the end of the month, having honoured Shaikh Husain Rohila with the title of Mubariz Khan, I dismissed him to his jagir. Ten thousand darabs (5,000 rupees) were given to the relations of Mirza Sharafu-d-din Husain Kashghari, who at this time had come and had the honour of kissing the threshold. On the 5th Amurdad, to the mansab of Raja Nathmal, which was 1,500 personal and 1,100 horse, an addition of 500 personal and 100 horse was made. On the 7th, Kesho (Das) Maru, who had a jagir in the Sarkar of Orissa, and who had been sent for to Court on account of a complaint against the governor of the Subah of that place, came and paid his respects.
15.3.8
He produced as an offering four elephants. As I had a great desire to see my farzand (son) Khan Jahan (Lodi), and for the purpose of enquiring into important matters connected with the Deccan, it was necessary for him to come at once, I sent for him. On Tuesday, the 8th of the same month, he waited on me, and presented as an offering 1,000 muhrs, 1,000 rupees, 4 rubies, 20 pearls, 1 emerald, and a jewelled phul katara, the total value being 50,000 rupees. On the night of Sunday, as it was the anniversary of the great Khwaja (Mu'inu-d-din), I went to his revered mausoleum, and remained there till midnight. The attendants and Sufis exhibited ecstatic states, and I gave the fakirs and attendants money with my own hand; altogether there were expended 6,000 rupees in cash, 100 saub-kurta (a robe down to the ankles), 70 rosaries of pearls, coral and amber, etc. Maha Singh, grandson of Raja Man Singh, was honoured with the title of Raja, and a standard and drums given him. On the 16th an Iraq horse out of my private stable and another horse were presented to Mahabat Khan. On the 19th an elephant was given to Khan A'zam. On the 20th, 200 horse were added to the mansab of Kesho (Das) Maru, which was 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse, and he was dignified with a dress of honour. An increase of 200 personal and horse was made to the mansab of Khwaja 'Aqil, which was 1,200 personal and 600 horse.
15.3.9
On the 22nd, Mirza Raja Bhao Singh took leave to go to Amber, which was his ancient native place, and had given him a special Kashmir phup (?) robe. On the 25th, Ahmad Beg Khan, who was imprisoned at Rantambhor, paid his respects to me, and his offences were pardoned on account of his former services. On the 28th, Muqarrab Khan came from the Subah of Gujarat and waited on me, and offered an aigrette and a jewelled throne. An increase of 500 personal and horse was made to the mansab of Salamu-llah, the Arab, and it was brought to 2,000 personal and 1,100 horse. On the 1st of the month of Shahriwar the following increases were made in the rank of a number of men who were going on service to the Deccan : — To Mubariz Khan 300 horse, making 1,000 personal and horse. Nahir Khan was also raised to 1,000 personal and horse. Dilawar Khan was raised by 300 horse to 2,500 personal and horse. Mangli Khan's rank was increased by 200 horse to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. Girdhar, the son of Ray Sal, had the rank of 800 personal and horse bestowed on him, and Ilf Khan Qiyam Khan the same mansab, original and increase. Yadgar Husain was raised to 700 personal and 500 horse, and Kamalu-d-din, son of Shir Khan, to the same mansab. One hundred and fifty horse were added to the rank of Sayyid 'Abdu-llah Barha, which then came to 700 personal and 300 horse, original and increase.
15.4.1
On the 8th of the said month I bestowed one Nur-jahani muhr, which is equal to 6,400 rupees, on Mustafa Beg, the ambassador of the ruler of Iran, and presented five cheetahs to Qasim Khan, governor of Bengal. Mirza Murad, eldest son of Mirza Rustam, on the 12th of the same month was honoured with the title of Iltifat Khan. On the night of the 16th, corresponding with the Shab-i-barat (consecrated to the memory of forefathers), I ordered them to light lamps on the hills round the Ana Sagar tank and on its banks, and went myself to look at them. The reflection of the lamps fell on the water and had a wonderful appearance. I passed the most of that night with the ladies of the mahall on the bank of that tank. On the 17th, Mirza Jamalu-d-din Husain, who had gone as an ambassador to Bijapur, came and waited on me, and presented three rings, the stone of one of which was a cornelian from Yemen, of great beauty and pureness of water, the like of which is seldom seen among the cornelians of Yemen. 'Adil Khan sent a person of the name of Sayyid Kabir Khan on his own part with the said Mir, and forwarded as offerings elephants with gold and silver fittings, Arab horses, jewels and jewelled things, and all kinds of cloth made in that country. On the 24th of this month they were brought before me with a letter he had brought. On the same day the assembly for my solar weighing was held. On the 26th, Mustafa Beg, the ambassador, took his leave.
15.4.2
In addition to what had been bestowed on him during the time of his attendance, I gave him 20,000 rupees more in cash and a dress of honour, and in answer to the letter he had brought sent a friendly letter written in the perfection of friendship. On the 4th of the month of Mihr the mansab of Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain, which was 2,000 personal and 500 horse, was fixed at 4,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the 5th, Mahabat Khan, in company with Khan Jahan, who had been appointed to serve in the Deccan, at the hour that had been appointed for him, took his leave ; he was honoured with a dress of honour, a jewelled dagger, a phūl kaṭāra, a special sword, and an elephant. On the 8th, Khan Jahan took his leave, and I presented him with a dress of honour, and a special nadiri (a dress), and an ambling horse with a saddle, a special elephant, and a special sword. On the same date 1,700 horse of those under the command of Mahabat Khan were ordered to have assignments (tankhwāh) for two or three horses given them. The whole of the men who were at this time appointed for service in the Deccan were 330 mansabdars, 3,000 ahadis, 700 horse from the Uymaqs, and 3,000 Dalazak Afghans. Altogether there were 30,000 cavalry, and 3,000,000 rupees of treasure, and an efficient artillery, and war elephants. They proceeded on this duty. The mansab of Sarbuland Ray was increased by 500 personal and 260 horse, and came to 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse.
15.4.3
Baljū, nephew of Qilij Khan, was promoted to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 700 horse, original and increase. I also increased Raja Kishan Das's mansab by 500. At the request of Khan Jahan, the mansab of Shahbaz Khan Lodi, who belonged to the Deccan force, was fixed, original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 1,000 horse; and 200 horse were added to the mansab of Wazir Khan. The mansab of Suhrab Khan, son of Mirza Rustam, was fixed at 1,000 personal and 400 horse, original and increase. On the 14th of the same month 1,000 was added to the mansab of Mir Jamalu-d-din Husain, and by increasing it also by 500 horse he was raised to the exalted rank of 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse. On the 19th, Raja Suraj Singh, with his son Gaj Singh, who had gone home, came and paid their respects, and presented as offerings 100 muhrs and 1,000 rupees. I gave Sayyid Kabir, who had been sent by 'Adil Khan, one Nurjahani muhr, which weighed 500 tola. On the 23rd, ninety elephants of those which Qasim Khan had acquired from the conquest of the country of Kuch (Behar), and the conquest of the Maghs and the zamindars of Orissa, were brought before me and placed in the special elephant houses. On the 26th, Iradat Khan was raised to the rank of Mir-samani (head butler), Mu'tamad Khan to that of Bakhshi of the Ahadis, Muhammad Riza Jabiri to that of Bakhshi of the Subah of the Panjab and news-writer of that place.
15.4.4
Sayyid Kabir, who had come on the part of 'Adil Khan to beg pardon for the offences of the rulers (dunya-daran) of the Deccan, and to promise the restoration of the fort of Ahmadnagar and the royal territory which had been taken out of the possession of the chiefs of the victorious State through the rebellion of certain rebels, came and waited on me, and obtained leave to go on this date; and, having received a dress of honour, an elephant, and a horse, started off. As Raja Raj Singh Kachhwaha had died in the Deccan, I promoted his son Ram Das to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse. On the 4th of Aban, drums were given to Saif Khan Barha and his mansab increased by 300 horse, so as to bring it up to 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse. On the same date I released Raja Man, who was in confinement in the fort of Gwalior, on the security of Murtaza Khan, and, confirming his mansab, sent him to the said Khan for duty at the fort of Kangra. At the request of Khan Dauran, an increase of 300 horse was ordered to the mansab of Sadiq Khan, raising it to 1,000 personal and horse. Mirza 'Isa Tar khan came from the province of Sambhal, which was his jagir, and waited on me, and offered 100 muhrs. On the 16th, Raja Suraj Singh obtained leave to go to his duty in the Deccan, and I increased his mansab by 300 horse, so as to make it 5,000 personal and 3,300 horse; he received a dress of honour and a horse, and started.
15.4.5
On the 18th I confirmed the mansab of Mirza 'Isa, original and increase, at 1,500 personal and 800 horse, and gave him an elephant and a dress of honour, and he took leave to go to the Deccan. On the same day the news of the death of the wretch Chin Qilij was received by a letter from Jahangir Quli Khan. After the death of Qilij Khan, who was one of the old servants of this State, I had made this inauspicious man an Amir, and shown him great favour, and given him in jagir such a place as Jaunpur. I also sent his other brothers and relations with him and made them his deputies. He had one brother of the name of Lahori, of a very wicked disposition. It was reported to me that the servants of God (people) were greatly oppressed by his conduct. I sent an ahadi to bring him (Lahori) from Jaunpur. At the coming of the ahadi, suspicion without any cause prevailed over Chin Qilij, and it came into his mind to run away, taking his misguided brother with him. Leaving his mansab, his government, place, and jagir, money, property, children, and people, he took a little money and gold and a few jewels and went with a small body among the zamindars. This news arrived a few days ago and caused great astonishment. In short, to whatever zamindar he went he took money from him (?) and then let him go(?), until news came that he had entered the country of Johat. When this news reached Jahangir Quli Khan, he sent some of his men to take and bring that thoughtless one.
15.4.6
They took him as soon as they arrived, and were intending to take him to Jahangir Quli Khan, when he at that very moment went to hell. Some of those who had accompanied him said that for some days previously he had contracted an illness and it had killed him. But this was heard of him as well, that he committed suicide, in order that they might not take him to Jahangir Quli Khan in this state. In any case, they brought his body with his children and servants who were with him to Allahabad. They made away with most of the money that he had, and the zamindars took it from him. Alas, that salt (i.e. loyalty) should not have brought such black-faced wretches to condign punishment ! "Behind the duty that lies on all people is the duty to the sovereign and benefactor " (?). On the 22nd, at the request of Khan Dauran, 200 horse were added to the mansab of Nad 'Ali Maidani, one of the officers appointed to Bangash, which brought it to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse; 100 horse were also added to the mansab of Lashkar Khan, which was 2,000 personal and 900 horse. On the 24th I confirmed the mansab of Muqarrab Khan, which was 3,000 personal and 2,000 horse, and increased it to 5,000 personal and 2,500 horse. On the same day I bestowed the title of Khan on Qiyam, son of Shah Muhammad Qandahari, who was an Amir-zada, and was in service as a huntsman.
15.4.7
On the 5th of the month of Azar a jewelled dagger was given to Darab Khan, and by the hand of Raja Sarang Deo dresses of honour were bestowed on the Amirs of the Deccan. As some (evil) things had been heard about Safdar Khan, governor of Kashmir, I dismissed him from the government, and favouring Ahmad Beg Khan on account of his previous services, I promoted him to be Subadar of Kashmir, and confirmed his mansab of 2,500 personal and 1,500 horse, honoured him with a jewelled waist-dagger and a dress of honour, and gave him leave. By the hand of Ihtimam Khan I sent winter dresses of honour to Qasim Khan, governor of Bengal, and the Amirs that were attached to that province. On the 15th of the month there was laid before me the offering of Maka'i, son of Iftikhar Khan, consisting of an elephant, got horses, and pieces of cloth. He was honoured with the title of Muruwwat Khan. At the request of I'timadu-d-daula, I had sent for Dayanat Khan, who was in the fort of Gwalior, and he had the good fortune to pay his respects; his property, which had been confiscated, was restored to him.
15.5.1
At this time Khwaja Hashim, of Dahbid, who at this day vigorously maintains in Transoxiana the profession of a dervish, and in whom the people of that country have great belief, sent a letter by the hand of one of his disciples pointing out his old devotion (to the royal family) and connection and friendship of his ancestors with this illustrious family, together with a farji and a bow and a couplet which the late king Babar had made for a saint of the name of Khwajagi, who also belonged to that sect of dervishes. The last hemistich is as follows:— "We are bound to the Khwajagi and are servants to the Khwajagi." I also with my own pen wrote some lines in the style of that writing, and sent impromptu quatrains with 1,000 Jahangiri muhrs to the said Khwaja— "O thou whose kindness to me is ever more and more, The State has remembrance of thee, O Dervish, As from good tidings our heart is rejoiced, We are glad that thy kindness passes all bounds." As I ordered that whoever had the poetic temperament should recite (compose?) this quatrain, Hakim Masihu-z-zaman said, and said very well— "Although we have the business of kingship before us, Every moment more and more we think on the dervishes. If the heart of our Dervish be gladdened by us We count that to be the profit of our kingship." I gave the Hakim 1,000 muhrs for the composition of this quatrain.
15.5.2
On the 7th of the month of Day, when I was coming back from Pushkar and returning to Ajmir, on the way forty-two wild pigs were taken. On the 20th, Mir Miran came and waited on me. A summary of his circumstances and of his family is now written. On the side of his father he is the grandson of Mir Ghiyasu-d-din Muhammad Mir Miran, son of Shah Ni'matu-llah Wali. During the reigns of the Safawi kings the family had attained to great respect, so that Shah Tahmasp gave his own sister Janish Khanim to Shah Ni'matu-llah, and so on account of his being a great Shaikh and of his being an instructor he was made a relative and a son-in-law (of kings). On the side of his mother he was the daughter's son of Shah Isma'il Khuni (Isma'il II, the Bloody). After the death of Shah Ni'matu-llah, his son Ghiyasu-d-din Muhammad Mir Miran received great consideration, and the late Shah (Tahmasp) gave to his eldest son in marriage a daughter from the royal family. He gave the daughter of the above-mentioned Shah Isma'il to another son of his, Khalilu-llah, to whom Mir Miran was born. The aforesaid Mir Khalilu-llah, seven or eight years before this, had come from Persia and waited on me at Lahore. As he belonged to a high and saintly family, I was much interested in his affairs, and gave him a mansab and a jagir, and honoured and cherished him.
15.5.3
After the seat of government was at Agra, in a short time he was attacked by bilious diarrhoea from eating too many mangoes, and in ten or twelve days gave up his soul to the Creator. I was grieved at his going, and ordered what he had left in cash and jewels to be sent to his children in Persia. Meanwhile Mir Miran, who was 22 years old, became a qalandar and dervish, and came to me at Ajmir in a way that nobody on the road could recognize him. I soothed all the troubles of his mind and the miseries of his inward and outward condition, and gave him a mansab of 1,000 personal and 400 horse, and presented him with 30,000 darabs in cash. He is now in waiting and attendance on me. On the 12th, Zafar Khan, who had been removed from the Subah of Behar, came and waited on me, and made an offering of 100 muhrs, as well as three elephants. On the 15th of Day I increased the mansab of Qasim Khan, the Subahdar of Bengal, by 1,000 personal and horse, so as to make it 4,000 personal and horse. As the diwan and bakhshi of Bengal, Husain Beg and Tahir, had not done approved service, Mukhlis Khan, who was one of the confidential servants of the Court, was nominated to these duties. I conferred on him a mansab of 2,000 personal and 700 horse, and also gave him a standard. The duty of 'arz-mukarrir (reviser of petitions) I ordered to be given to Dayanat Khan. On the 25th, Friday, the weighing of my son Khurram took place.
15.5.4
Up to the present year, when he is 24 years old, and is married and has children, he has never defiled himself with drinking wine. On this day, when the assembly for his weighing was held, I said to him : "Baba, thou hast become the father of children, and kings and kings' sons have drunk wine. To-day, which is the day of thy being weighed, I will give thee wine to drink, and give thee leave to drink it on feast days and at the time of the New Year, and at all great festivals. But thou must observe the path of moderation, for wise men do not consider it right to drink to such an extent as to destroy the understanding, and it is necessary that from drinking only profit should be derived." Bu 'Ali (Avicenna), who is one of the most learned of hakims and physicians, has written this quatrain — " Wine is a raging enemy, a prudent friend ; A little is an antidote, but much a snake's poison. In much there is no little injury, In a little there is much profit." With much trouble wine was given to him. I had not drunk it till I was 15 years old, except when in the time of my infancy two or three times my mother and wet-nurses gave it by way of infantile remedy. They asked for a little spirit from my revered father, and gave it me to the extent of a tola mixed with water and rosewater to take away a cough, designating it as medicine.
15.5.5
At the time when the camp of my revered father had been pitched in order to put down the disturbance of Yusufza'e Afghans at the fort of Attock, which is on the bank of the Nilab (Indus) River, one day I had mounted to go out to hunt. When I had moved about a good deal and the signs of weariness had set in, a gunner of the name of Ustad Shah-quli, a wonderful gunner out of those under my revered uncle Mirza Muhammad Hakim, said to me that if I would take a cup of wine it would drive away the feeling of being tired and heavy. It was in the time of my youth, and as I felt disposed towards it I ordered Mahmud, the Ab-dar (person in charge of drinking water, etc.), to go to the house of Hakim 'Ali and bring me an intoxicating draught. He sent me the amount of one and a half cups of yellow wine of a sweet taste in a little bottle. I drank it, and found its quality agreeable. After that I took to drinking wine, and increased it from day to day until wine made from grapes ceased to intoxicate me, and I took to drinking arrack ('araq, spirits), and by degrees during nine years my potions rose to twenty cups of doubly distilled spirits, fourteen during the daytime and the remainder at night. The weight of this was six Hindustani sirs or one and a half maunds of Iran. The extent of my eating in those days was a fowl with bread and vegetables (lit. radish).
15.5.6
In that state of matters no one had the power to forbid me, and matters went to such a length that in the crapulous state from the excessive trembling of my hand I could not drink from my own cup, but others had to give it me to drink, until I sent for Hakim Humam, brother of Hakim Abu-l-fath, who was of the most intimate with my revered father, and informed him of my state. He, with excessive sincerity and unfeigned burning of heart, said to me without hesitation, "Lord of the world, by the way in which you drink spirits, God forbid it, but in six months matters will come to such a pass that there will be no remedy for it." As his words were said out of pure good-will, and sweet life was dear to me, they made an impression on me, and from that day I began to lessen my allowance and set myself to take filuniya. In proportion as I diminished my liquor, I increased the amount of filuniya.
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