Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 12.1
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 12.1
- Language
- English
12.1.1
Grand distribution of rewards at the Court of M8rsh8dabad — About a Coror of rupees sent to Court as the whole of Ser-efraz-qhan's estate — Aaly-verdy-qhan resolves on an expedition against the Oressa or Catec — The Oressa conquered — Strange escape of its Viceroy — Singular generosity of a Gentoo Prince towards him — Aaly-verdy-qhan leaves his grandson in the Government of Oressa — Great respect paid by Aaly-verdy-qhan and his family to Ser-efraz-qhan's mother — The new Governor of Oressa manages unworthily — His enormous oppressions — The ancient Governor's son-in-law recovers possession of Catec — Where he seises and confines the new Governor — Aaly-verdy-qhan marches into Oressa — Where he defeats Bakyr-aaly-qhan — Settles the Oressa anew — Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, Viceroy of Azim-abad, acquires a character for valour and conduct — Orders Roshen-qhan-terahi to be put to death — The Marhattas invade Bengal — Aaly-verdy-qhan resolves to fight them — Some of his Commanders lag behind — The Afghans in the army incline to a general defection — He disdains to pay a ransom to the Marhattas — He recovers the affection of his Afghans — He fights his way through the enemy — Memorable retreat of the Bengal Army to Cutwa — Two elephants save it from destruction — The Marhattas plunder part of M8rsh8dabad — Get possession of H8gli — Ravage all Bengal, south of the Ganga — The Governor of Azim-abad marches to his uncle's assistance — Ingenious meeting of Aaly-verdy-qhan's with a relation of his — The Emperor sends Ab8l-mans8r-qhan and Baladjirao to succour Bengal — A bridge of boats breaks down, and occasions a great loss — The Marhattas severely chastised — Overbearing behaviour of Ab8l-mans8r-qhan — The author's father is misrepresented — Baladjirao under pretence of succouring Aaly-verdy-qhan, ravages Bengal — Azim-abad saved by an accident from imminent danger — Singular resolution of a lady who attempts to defend her house and quarter against the Marhattas — Ambiguous meeting between Aaly-verdy-qhan and Baladjirao — Hussein-coly-qhan loses his office, but is reinstated by Gahasity-begum, daughter of the Viceroy — Ill offices rendered to the author's father — Who parts with Aaly-verdy-qhan's family — City of Azim-abad secured by a wall — High credit of Mustapha-qhan with the Viceroy — Aaly-verdy-qhan resolves to entrap the Marhatta Commanders — Most of them massacred — The Marhattas slaughtered everywhere, evacuate Bengal — Strange character of the Afghan nation — Mustapha-qhan, from a General of the Viceroy's, becomes his rival — He comes to an open war with him — He attacks the Governor of Azim-abad — Who opposes him vigorously — Deputation sent him — Ingenious and artful message of his to Mustapha-qhan — Bold, open answer of the latter — The Afghans attack and carry the entrenchments of Azim-abad, and yet are worsted — The victory is snatched a second time from the hands of Mustapha-qhan, who is shot through the head — Aaly-verdy-qhan marches to succour his nephew — The Afghans victorious a third time, are worsted again, and Mustapha-qhan is slain — The body of that hero unworthily used.
12.1.2
Aaly-verdy-QHAN having rendered himself master of these eastern kingdoms, and taken possession of those riches accumulated by Shudjah-qhan and Ser-efraz-qhan, which were reckoned by Corors only, turned his attention towards tranquillising the country, and establishing his own Government. At the same time he received from the presence the titles of Shudjah-el-mulc and Hessam-ed-doulah, i.e. The Valorous of the State, and The Sword of the Empire; was honoured with the brevet of seven thousand horse, and decorated with the insignia of the Mahi; and the Court seemingly with a view to humour his tenderness for his family, bestowed high honours upon every individual of it. For his youngest nephew and son-in-law, Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, whom he had left at Azim-abad, as his Lieutenant, and whom he had now rendered absolute in that province, was honoured with the brevet of seven thousand horse, and the titles of Valiant, The Honour of the Empire, and The terrible in War, together with the Mahi, the fringed Paleky, the kettle-drum and the standard. His eldest nephew and son-in-law, Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, whom he had appointed Governor of the province of Djehanghir-nagar-Dacca, with the annexes of Silhat and Islamabad-chatgam, was now honoured with the office of Divan of Bengal, and decorated with the insignia of the Mahi, and distinguished with the surnames and titles of The Valiant and of The Magnificent of the State, always Valorous in War.
12.1.3
His middling nephew Seyd-ahmed-qhan, who so early as the times of Shudjah-qhan and Ser-efraz-qhan, had enjoyed the Fodjdary of Rangpoor, where he had acquired great riches, was decorated with the same rank and dignities as his brothers, with the surnames and titles of Performer of the Empire, and The Impetuous in War; to all which was added a promise of the reversion of the province of Oressa, whenever it might be recovered from M8rsh8d-c8ly-qhan, son-in-law to Shudjah-qhan by a half-sister of Ser-efraz-qhan's, a nobleman who to the reputation of a man of sense and wit, joined the talents of an ingenious Poet, and gloried as much in the titles of The Enthusiasmed and The Unfettered, which he bore as a Poet, as in that of Rostem-djung, which he had received as a nobleman of rank and a Governor of a great province. Mirza-mehmed, eldest son of Zin-eddin-ahmed-qhan, he adopted for his son, and he took care to have him bred near his person, after having bestowed upon him the title and surname of Seradj-edd6ulah-shah-c8ly-qhan-bahadyr, with the office of Admiral of Djehanghir-nagar-Dacca, which he had obtained for him from the presence. And as Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, his eldest son-in-law and nephew had no child of his own, he made him adopt Mirza-mehmed's younger brother, for whom he procured the surname of Badshah-c8ly-qhan, with the title of Ecram-edd6ulah.
12.1.4
These two brothers were honoured, each of them, with the rank of seven thousand horse, decorated with the dignities and insignia annexed to so high a degree of elevation, and became high and mighty Lords from their very childhood. Ata-ollah-qhan, younger son-in-law to Hadji Ahmed, a nobleman who on Aaly-verdy-qhan's being appointed to the Lieutenancy of Azim-abad, had succeeded him in the Fodjdary of Acbar-nagar- Radje-mahl, so early as the times of Shudjah-qhan and Ser-efraz-qhan, was now advanced to the Fodjdary of Bagal-p8r, promoted to a Brigade of three thousand horse and foot, honoured with the degree of seven thousand horse, and decorated with several insignia, as well as the pompous titles and sounding surnames of The Honoured of the Empire, The Immovable in a Day of Battle. Hussein-c8ly-qhan, Naib or Deputy to Nevazish-mahmed-qhan, was honoured with the rank of three thousand horse, to which was added the distinction of a standard and a kettle-drum, and the surname of Bahadyr or valiant. Ataa-yar-qhan, half-brother to Aaly-verdy-qhan, and Fakyr-ollah-qhan, as well as N8r-8llah-beg-qhan and Mir-djaafer-qhan, and Mustapha-qhan, with several other persons, whether relations, friends, or officers of consequence, were every one of them honoured with distinctions, advanced to dignities and offices, or promoted to commands.
12.1.5
Chein-ray, Agent to the Ray-rayan-Aalem-chund, Divan or Minister to the late Shudjah-qhan, was himself honoured with the title of Ray-rayan, and appointed Divan to Aaly-verdy-qhan, and Radja Djankiram, who was an ancient Divan of his, was appointed Divan of the bodies or musters, and Comptroller of the Registers. It was in contemplation to bestow the rank of three thousand horse, and the title of Bahadyr with the Paymastership-General, on Abdal-aaly-qhan, my uncle, who was also a cousin-german to Aaly-verdy-qhan, in the same manner as they had been enjoyed by that officer's father, Seyd-zin-el-aabedin, my maternal grandfather, who was son to Aaly-verdy-qhan's aunt. But that nobleman, who expected to be promoted on an equal footing with the other nephews of Aaly-verdy-qhan, being displeased at the superiority given them, quitted the Court in disgust, and obtained leave to repair to Azim-abad where in fact he returned. Zin-eddin-ahmed qhan, who governed there, thinking himself honoured by his arrival, gave him the Government of Turhut, in addition to to the Collectorship of Bahar and Besoc, which he enjoyed already, desiring him moreover to live at his court as his friend.
12.1.6
Abdol-aaly-qhan having absented himself for reasons of his own from the Court of M8rsh8dabad, the office of Paymaster-General which was intended for that nobleman, was bestowed on my aunt's husband, Nusret-aaly-qhan, and the second Paymastership was bestowed on Fakir-ollah-beg-qhan-bahadyr, who was one of the persons most attached to Aaly-verdy-qhan. This Prince having now disposed of those many offices and honours according to the dictates of his gratitude and wisdom sent the Coror of Rupees and the Pish-kush, or present in money which he had promised to the Emperor. It consisted of money and precious goods, and was accepted by the mediation of Issac-qhan, Minister of State. As to the confiscated property of Ser-efraz-qhan's, he set apart as much of it as he thought proper for the Emperor's use; but hearing that M8rid-qhan, the Valiant, a Lord of the second rank in the Emperor's Court, had been sent from the capital for the double purpose of taking the possession of Ser-efraz-qhan's estate, and receiving the revenue of Bengal which had been arreared since that Viceroy's sitting upon the Mesned, he wrote him a respectful letter to request his taking some repose at Azim-abad, as he was himself setting out for Radje-mahl with intention to meet him at Sacry-gally, where he would not fail to deliver into His Excellency's hands, both Ser-efraz-qhan's estate and the balance due on the revenue.
12.1.7
As this request was calculated to prevent that nobleman from obtaining entrance into Bengal, Aaly-verdy-qhan in the month of Redjeb, set out for Acber-nagar-Radje-mahl, where after waiting many days he was met by M8rid-qhan to whom he delivered some Lacks of rupees in money, and Seventy Lacks in jewels, with much gold and silver furniture, a quantity of precious stuffs, and a number of elephants and horses; all which having passed for the whole of the confiscation, he put a written account of it in that nobleman's hands, made him a present every way suitable to his rank and to the occasion, and dismissed him with great honours and many civilities. After which he reviewed his army, being then intent on an expedition against Catec, the capital of the Oressa, a province which he intended to recover from M8rsh8d-c8ly-qhan, its actual owner.