Muntakhab al-lubab 181: Decline of the Saiyids and Rise of Nizdmu-l Mulk Bahddur Firoz Jang.
Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 181
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Decline of the Saiyids and Rise of Nizdmu-l Mulk Bahddur Firoz Jang.
181.1
Husain 'Ali Khan deemed himself superior in military and government matters to his brother. In his judgment it seemed that, as there were sufficient administrators with him and his brother, and as his adopted son 'Alam 'Ali was acting (as subahdar) in the Dakhin with a sufficient army, it would be well to send Nizamu-l Mulk to be Subahdar of Malwa, half-way between Dehli and the Dakhin. * * * Nizamu-l Mulk accepted the appointment, and received his robe and dismissal to his government on the third day after the accession of Rafi'u-d Darajat. He took with him his wives and children, and there accompanied him more than a thousand companions, mansabdars and jagirdars, who were poor and sick at heart with the unkindness shown by the Saiyids, and through pay being in arrear. Nizamu-l Mulk busied himself in collecting soldiers and artillery, which are necessary for governing the world and keeping it in order. He gave 600 horses with accoutrements and arms to Muhammad Ghiyas Khan for his Mughal fraternity, and turned them into horsemen. He lent large sums of money to * * and others, binding them to himself by the bonds of debt and kindness.
181.2
When Saiyid Husain 'Ali Khan was marching from the Dakhin against Farrukh Siyar, on coming to the Nerbadda, Marhamat Khan, who was in the fort of Shadiabad at Mandu, made an excuse of illness, and did not go out to meet him. * * After the death of Farrukh Siyar, the Saiyid appointed Khwaja Kuli Khan to succeed him. * * Marhamat Khan resisted. * * Then Husain 'Ali wrote to Nizamu-l Mulk, desiring him to turn Marhamat Khan out of the fort. * * After some negociation, Marhamat Khan came out and joined Nizamu-l Mulk. [Text, vol. ii. p. 850.] After the accession of Muhammad Shah, letters were often sent by him and by his mother, Maryam Makani, through the medium of I'timadu-d daula Muhammad Amin Khan, to Nizamu-l Mulk, informing him that the constraint used by the Saiyids was so strict that he had only liberty to go to service on the Sabbath, and that he had no power of giving any orders; that the Saiyids, in their futile scheming, proposed, after settling the affairs of Neku Siyar and Giridhar, to get rid of Nizamu-l Mulk, and then to do as they pleased; that they (Muhammad Shah and his mother) had full reliance on Nizamu-l Mulk, that he would not fail in the loyalty which his ancestors had ever exhibited.
181.3
When Neku Siyar had been taken prisoner, and peace had been made with Giridhar, Husain 'Ali Khan set other springs of disturbance in action. He made a compact with Maharao Bhim Singh Hada, that after chastising Salim Singh, Zamindar of Bundi, and settling matters with Nizamu-l Mulk, he would raise Bhim Singh to the high dignity of Maharaja; so that, after Maharaja Ajit Singh, he would be higher in rank than all other Rajas; and that he should receive a mansab of 7000 and 7000 horse, with the Fish banner. He appointed him, Raja Gaj Singh of Narwar, Dilawar 'Ali Khan, and others, with an army of 15,000 horse, first to punish and expel Salim Singh of Bundi, and then to direct their attention to Nizamu-l Mulk, and be ready to act upon the directions they might receive. Husain 'Ali Khan, throwing aside the veil, wrote to Nizamu-l Mulk, * * bringing complaints and charges against him. Nizamu-l Mulk in his honesty wrote clear answers to every charge; but they did not satisfy Husain 'Ali, and he wrote in plain terms to Nizamu-l Mulk, saying, that for the purpose of arranging the affairs of the Dakhin, he wished to hold the suba of Malwa himself, and that he would give Nizamu-l Mulk his choice of the subas of Agra, Allahabad, Multan, or Burhanpur.
181.4
Nizamu-l Mulk had employed the interval of eight or nine months in collecting seven or eight thousand horse and materials of war. He was cautious and watchful, and he had formed the design of conquering the Dakhin, and of setting free that land of treasure and of soldiers. He now received notice from his vakils that the Saiyids had sent officers to summon him to the presence. But before these he had received letters from the Emperor and from private friends, telling him there was no time to be lost, and that what he had to do he must do quickly. Nizamu-l Mulk perceived that the brothers had the fixed intention of overthrowing the royal house and removing the Khalifa of the world. Seeing that there were no other means of safety, he consulted with his friends, and setting out from Ujjain, he made three marches towards Mandu, and then turned to the Dakhin. On the 1st of Rajab he crossed the Nerbadda, where he was joined by Rustam Beg Khan, Faujdar of Bijagarh, also called Kahargaon. * * On the same day he crossed the Nerbadda an envoy came from 'Usman Khan, a soldier (hazari) of the fort of Asir, proposing to surrender the fortress, * * and on the 16th Rajab he took possession of this important stronghold. * * He next sent Muhammad Ghiyas Khan to reduce Burhanpur. * * * Saiyid 'Alam 'Ali Khan (the acting subadar) sent Muhammad Anwar Khan to defend Burhanpur; * * but this man was wanting in courage, and gave up in despair. Nizamu-l Mulk entered the town on the 17th.
181.5
Just before he got possession of Burhanpur, the children and dependents of Saifu-d din 'Ali Khan, brother of Husain 'Ali Khan, had come to that place on their way to Dehli. They were greatly alarmed when Nizamu-l Mulk became master of the city. Some of his friends counselled him to seize upon their valuables, [but he refused] * * and sent an escort to guard them as far as the Nerbadda. He was joined at Burhanpur by 'Iwaz Khan, Nazim of the suba of Birar, and by troop after troop of adherents, and he remained there for some time to get his artillery in order. Dilawar 'Ali Khan, after subjugating Bundi, under the direction of Husain 'Ali Khan, as above narrated, marched into Malwa with his army, accompanied by Raja Bhim and Raja Gaj Singh, causing great injury to the country and distress to the inhabitants.