Muntakhab al-lubab 154: Defeat and Death of Jahan Shah.

154

[vol. ii. p. 687.] Next day many messages passed between Jahandar Shah and Jahan Shah respecting an arrangement, but without result, and the course of affairs tended to the shedding of each other's blood. A battle followed between the armies of the two brothers, and raged from the beginning of the day to the third watch. Farkhanda Akhtar, son of Jahan Shah, and several amirs of reputation, were killed. On the side of Jahándár Sháh, also, some amirs and many men were killed. At length Jahán Sháh, mounted on an elephant, made an impetuous charge upon the army of Jahandar, and bore all before him, and matters went so ill with Jahandar that he was parted from Lál Kunwar, his favourite charmer, and had to seek refuge among some stacks of bricks. Jahán Sháh beat the drums of victory. The letters of the Rajput sardárs carried the news of his victory to many parts, and the khutba was read with his name in several places. After the victory had been proclaimed, and the soldiers were dispersed in all directions hunting for Jahan Shah, a cannon-ball directed by fate killed him, and his army fled. Zu-l fikár Khan's men hearing of this, attacked the elephant of Jahan Shah, and brought it with his corpse, and the corpse of his son Farkhanda, to Jahandar Shah. Khujista Akhtar, another son of Jahan Sháh, with a younger brother, were brought prisoners to Jahandár Shah, who then proclaimed his victory.