Muntakhab al-lubab 78: The War with Kutbu-l Mulk of Haidarabad.

Muntakhabu-l Lubáb, of Kháfí Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 78

Language: English

The War with Kutbu-l Mulk of Haidarabad.

78.1

[Text, vol. ii. p. 300.] The despatch of victory and the intelligence of the retreat of the enemy reached Aurangzeb; but his satisfaction was turned into displeasure when he learnt that the enemy had not been pursued. He wrote an angry letter to the Prince Shah 'Alam, and to Khan-Jahan, and was much dissatisfied. The generals of Abu-l Hasan did not after this dare to venture upon an engagement, but from time to time roving parties of them annoyed the Imperial forces at night with rockets. They sometimes showed themselves in reconnoissances by day, and fell back upon their camp. The Prince and Khan-Jahan were offended, and made no attack upon them, and remained for four or five months inactive without moving. This aggrieved Aurangzeb still more, and he wrote a strong letter of censure with his own hand to the Prince and Khan-Jahan. This letter greatly incensed the Prince.

78.2

The morning after the receipt of the letter, he held a council of war with Khan-Jahan, and the other nobles. * * Khan-Jahan was opposed to fighting, and some amirs agreed with him. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khan and two or three rajas advised active operations. Nothing was decided that day, and next day Saiyid 'Abdu-llah Khan in private [urged an attack upon the enemy]. Prince Shah 'Alam wrote to Muhammad Ibrahim, the commander of the enemy's army, offering terms of peace on condition of the parganas of Siram, Kir (or Khir), etc., being restored to the Imperial officers. * * Muhammad Ibrahim consuited with his officers as to the answer to be given, * * and the answer given was that they had taken the parganas at the point of the sword and spear, and were ready to fight for them. * * [Fighting recommenced,] and the enemy were at length defeated and put to flight. The Prince pursued them into their camp, and great consternation fell upon them.

78.3

One of the enemy's generals then sent two officers to the royal army to represent that the combatants on both sides were Musulmans, and therefore the honour and safety of the women should be regarded. They asked for a truce of three or four hours to remove the women to a place of safety, and after that they would be ready to fight again. * * So the fighting and plundering was stayed. The enemy sent their women to a fort which was near, and at the end of three hours the fighting recommenced on every side. * * The enemy kept up the fight till evening, but then they retreated. The Prince sent a message to the enemy, to the effect that in battles numbers of Musulmans on both sides are killed; it would therefore be better if two or three chiefs from both sides should meet and fight it out. This would be a real trial of strength, skill and courage, and it would be seen which side had the favour of God. * * Next day messengers brought the news that the enemy's horse had fled towards Haidarabad. The Prince marched in pursuit, and came near to Haidarabad.

78.4

Madana Pant and his friends had raised suspicions in the mind of Abu-l Hasan, that Muhammad Ibrahim had been the means of bringing the Prince thither. Abu-l Hasan was very angry, and was intent upon seizing Ibrahim, and putting him to death. Muhammad Ibrahim got intelligence of this, and went to offer his services to the Prince, who received him with great favour. When intelligence of this desertion became known in Haidarabad, Abu-l Hasan was greatly alarmed, and without consulting with any of his nobles, or even caring anything for his property or the honour of his own women and family, or of others, he fled with a few servants by night, with boxes full of such valuables as he could carry, to the fort of Golkonda. When this fact became public, the stores of Abu-l Hasan were plundered, as also was the property of the merchants, worth four or five krors of rupees. The women of the soldiers, and of the inhabitants of the city, were subjected to dishonour, and great disorder and destruction prevailed. Many thousand gentlemen being unable to take horse, and carry off their property, in the greatest distress took the hands of their children and wives, many of whom could not even seize a veil or sheet to cover them, and fled to the fortress.

78.5

Before Prince Shah 'Alam got intelligence of what was passing, the ruffians and plunderers of the city began their work of pillage and devastation. Nobles, merchants, and poorer men, vied with each other as to who, by strength of arm, and by expenditure of money, should get their families and property into the fortress. Before break of day, the Imperial forces attacked the city, and a frightful scene of plunder and destruction followed, for in every part and road and market there were lacs upon lacs of money, stuffs, carpets, horses, and elephants, belonging to Abu-l Hasan and his nobles. Words cannot express how many women and children of Musulmans and Hindus were made prisoners, or how many women of high and low degree were dishonoured. Carpets of great value, which were too heavy to carry, were cut to pieces with swords and daggers, and every bit was struggled for. Prince Shah 'Alam appointed officers (sazáwal) to prevent the plunder, and they did their best to restrain it, but in vain. The kotwál of the army received orders to go with the Imperial díwán, with an escort of four or five hundred horse, to take possession of what was left of the property of Abu-l Hasan.

78.6

Some persons now came from Abu-l Hasan to the Prince, most humbly and earnestly begging forgiveness of the sins which he had and had not committed. The Prince thereon strictly enjoined his officers to repress the plundering, and to punish those who were setting places on fire. The disorder was in some measure diminished; but the plunderers were not really stopped in their work. After a good deal of negociation, the Prince took pity upon Abu-l Hasan and the inhabitants of the place. He accepted his proposals, upon certain conditions. A tribute of one kror and twenty lacs of rupees was to be paid, in addition to the usual annual tribute. Madana and Akana, the two brothers, and the chief causes of the war, were to be imprisoned and deprived of all authority. The fort of Siram and the pargana of Khir, and other districts which had been conquered, were to remain in the hands of the Imperialists, and Abu-l Hasan was to ask forgiveness of his offences from Aurangzeb.

78.7

While the negociations were pending, * * * some women of great influence in the harem, without the knowledge of Abu-l Hasan, laid a plot for the murder of Madana and Akana. * * Whilst the two doomed wretches were proceeding from the darbar to their own houses, a party of slaves attacked them and killed them. Rustam Rao also, who had reached the house, was killed. Many brahmans lost their lives and property on that day. The heads of the two brothers were cut off, and were sent to Prince Shah 'Alam by the hands of a discreet person. * * When the Prince's despatch reached Aurangzeb, he in public approved of the terms of peace, and sent * * an officer to receive the tribute. Privately, however, he censured the Prince and Khan-Jahan, and summoned the latter to his presence.