Muntakhab al-lubab 189: Elevation of Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim by way of loan ('ariyat.)
Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 189
- Language
- English
Elevation of Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim by way of loan ('ariyat.)
189.1
[Text, vol. ii. p. 914.] On the 9th Zi-l hijja, 1132 (1st October, 1720 A.D.), Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim was raised to the throne with the title of Abu-l Fath Zahiru-d din Muhammad Ibrahim. Two days afterwards Saiyid 'Abdu-llah arrived and paid his homage. He received the title of Ghziu-d din Ghalib Jang, the position of Amiru-l umara with the duties of Mir-bakhshi, and a mansab of 8000. Najmu-d din Khan was made second bakhshi, Salabat Khan third bakhshi, and Bairam Khan fourth, each one obtaining an advance in rank. A number of courtiers of the time of Rafi'u-d Darajat, who were in confinement, or had no mansabs, or despaired of promotion, were sent for and received mansabs and sums of money for their expenses. They were directed to enlist horsemen at the rate of eighty rupees per month for each man, and a sum of thirty or forty thousand rupees was advanced for this purpose. Hamid Khan Bahadur, uncle of Nizamu-l Mulk, who was deprived of his jagir when the war with the latter broke out, was restored to it, and received a sum of money. I'tikad Khan and * * other nobles of Farrukh Siyar's days all received favours, and had expectations held out to them. [Enlistment of horsemen.] [vol. ii. p. 917.] On the 17th Zi-l hijja Saiyid 'Abdu-llah came out of Dehli with Sultan Ibrahim and went to the 'Id-gah.
189.2
Here he was joined by Ghulam 'Ali Khan from the royal army, by Tahawwur 'Ali Khan from Agra, and by others. * * Intelligence arrived that the Emperor Muhammad Shah, being freed from all trouble about Husain 'Ali Khan, was marching to the capital by the Rajput road. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah made his second and third march towards the dargah of Kutbu-d din; but when he heard of the Emperor's march from Agra, he took the road to Faridabad, where he waited in expectation of Saifu-d din 'Ali Khan and others with their Barha soldiers. A very extraordinary fact was that, notwithstanding the large outlay of money, the royal domestics and officials in the train of Sultan Ibrahim rode horses with no saddles. At every stage parties of Barha soldiers, Afghans with their troops, and zamindars on elephants, joined the army of Sultan Ibrahim. Soldiers of Husain 'Ali Khan, who had entered the service of Muhammad Shah and received a month's pay, deserted when they found an opportunity, and came over every day in parties of three or four hundred to join Saiyid 'Abdu-llah. Such was the eagerness to enter the service that one horse (yabu) would receive the dagh (brand) two or three times.
189.3
Sultan Ibrahim reached Niyul, thirty-five kos from Dehli. Here he was joined by Saifu-d din 'Ali Khan, brother of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and others, who had been sent by Husain 'Ali Khan to raise forces in the neighbourhood of Barha. They brought with them altogether ten or twelve thousand horse, also 150 carts full of Barha Saiyids, each of whom thought himself equal to twenty well-accoutred horsemen, and had come in the expectation of making himself an amir, an elephant-rider, and a general. Each of these demanded one year's pay, a horse, and a robe. * * On the 10th Muharram, 1133 (1st Nov. 1720 a.d.), as the author has ascertained from the rolls of the Bakhshi, and as he heard from the mouth of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khan, more than 90,000 horsemen had been entered in the lists. Of these fourteen or fifteen thousand perhaps were recruits, who rode ponies (yabu); some of the old soldiers were dispersed about the vicinity, and the remainder were present. Afterwards there were the followers of the traitor Churaman, of Muhkam Singh, and sundry other of the adherents of Husain 'Ali Khan, and the zamindars of the neighbourhood. According to report, the number exceeded 100,000 horse. All around as far as the eye could reach the earth seemed covered with horsemen.
189.4
Churaman Jat arrived with his brother, bringing three elephants and several camels, that he had cut off from the royal army. These were offered as an introduction to Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, who gave them to that good-for-nothing fellow (Churaman). One matter of great discouragement to the old followers of Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, and of favourable influence on the fortunes of the Emperor, was this. Notwithstanding all the lavish distribution of the money, which had been collected by carts full from house to house, and which had been extorted in bribery or with violence by Ratan Chand from the wretched raiyats, and laid up for a time like this, when it would be spent in vain;—notwithstanding all this, the old soldiers wanted two months' pay in advance, that they might free themselves from their liabilities to the bankers, and provide themselves with warm clothing, arms, and harness. They were satisfied with the promise of one month's pay, and at last money for the pay of ten days of Muharram was somehow raised, but they could not get the balance. It was very different in the royal army, where Haidar Kuli Khan Bahadur Nasir Jang had won the hearts of the artillerymen by exerting himself to the best of his ability to obtain the settlement of their pay.
189.5
On the 19th Muharram the royal army encamped at Shahpur. * * The army was not half as numerous as that of the enemy, and it waited for the arrival of Saifu-d daula, 'Abdu-s Samad Khan Bahadur Diler Jang, and Rajadhiraj Jai Singh. But although intelligence of their approach was brought, distance and other obstacles delayed their arrival. Muhammad Khan Bangash came in with two or three thousand horse. 'Aziz Khan Rohilla, Sabit Khan, and Bayazid Khan Mewatti joined with their forces, and three or four thousand horse arrived from Raja Jai Singh. Some zamindars of the country round also joined. * * Two or three leading men, who deemed it expedient to stay with the royal army, such as Muhkam Singh and other proteges of the two brothers, kept up a correspondence with Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, assuring him that they would join him at the proper time. The wretched Churaman Jat, who belonged to a race of traitors, * * communicated with Saiyid 'Abdu-llah, who urged him to set fire to the powder magazine, or to make a dash and bring the artillery bullocks over to him. The rascal did his best to accomplish this, but he was foiled by the vigilance of Haidar Kuli Khan.