Siyar al-mutaʾakhkhirin 42.1
A Translation of the Seir Mutaqherin (Haji Mustafa) 42.1
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42.1.1
Nedjef-qhan, become an independent Sovereign, makes conquests — Is abandoned by the Afghans, commanded by Zabeta-qhan; but he beats him in battle, and besieges him in a fortress — Zabeta-qhan surrenders at discretion — Abdol-ahed-qhan, Prime Minister at the Court of Delhi — His schemes and jealousy against Nedjef-qhan — Is shamefully put to flight by the Sycs, and then seized and confined by Nedjef-qhan — The English wage war in Decan against the Marhattas — General Goddard, after many successes, is finally defeated by them; who also defeat Colonel Camac — Admirable fortitude and character of Governor Hastings — He makes a progress into Hindostan — The Hollanders dispossessed by the English in Bengal — The cause of the war assigned on the broils which happened between the English and the people of America, alias Yenghi-Dünia — Account of Yenghi-Dünia — The Americans revolt and beat the English — Are assisted by the Francissians, alias French;
42.1.2
who are joined by the Espan-yols, alias Spaniards — The Author quits his subject to launch into the latter part of Aoreng-zib's history — Aoreng-zib's character — His hardness of heart to his father and brothers — Affecting narrative of Prince Dara-shecoh's flight and adventures — The Prince betrayed and put to death — Extreme authority and overbearing pride of the Ecclesiastics, under that reign — Singular sentiments of the Asiaticks, which ought to be written in letters of gold, over all the gates of the Princes of Europe — The Emperor's dislike to all Gentoos — Singular contrivance, by which some of them escape out of confinement — Prince Ecber, his youngest and most beloved son, revolts — Is abandoned by his troops — Seeks an asylum with Simbha-dji, the Marhatta Emperor — Quits that Court, and flies to Muscat, in Arabia;
42.1.3
the King of which country wants to sell him to his father, but he is rescued by the interposition of the Persian Monarch, who receives him most generously — Capitation tax enforced by Aoreng-zib against the Hindoos — Their singular and respectful way of complaining of it — Brilliant character of Qhan-djehan, a celebrated General — Famous Battle of Hersol — Another battle — Terrible sally of the Author upon Aoreng-zib's character — Aoreng-zib attacks the King of Bidjapûr, and also that of Haider-abad — Crafty instructions given by Aoreng-zib to his Envoy — Curious answer of the King of Haider-abad — The Fortress of Salir surrenders to the Imperialists — Strange kind of artillery contrived by the besieged, at the Siege of Ramedj — Odd contrivance of the besiegers — Unsuccessful Siege of Bidjapûr — Heroical behaviour of an Imperial Princess — The Emperor repairs in person to that siege — Disgraces his eldest son — The city reduced by a horrible famine — The Siege of Haider-abad — Several battles about that fortress — The Imperialists defeated, receive assistance from some elephants in rut — The Haider-abadian Generals propose a combat between twenty of their number and twenty Imperial officers — The King of Haider-abad flies to the Fortress of Golconda, and leaves the city of Haider-abad to be sacked and plundered — The two Brahmans, his Ministers, put to death against his will, by the Grandees of the State — The Author resumes the Siege of Haider-abad — Artful management of Aoreng-zib's — His fanatical conduct ingenuously defended by his Envoy, Saadet-qhan — Aoreng-zib's manifesto against the King of Haider-abad — Sultan Mu'dzzem, eldest son of the Emperor, is disgraced for attempting to bring on a pacification between the Emperor and the King — He is imprisoned — Noble answer of the Imperial Prince — The King of Haider-abad deserted by most of his officers — Vigorous sally of the besiegers — The Emperor debauches almost all the Generals of the besieged — Famine in the Imperial Camp — An escalade miscarries — Amazing quantities of necessaries in Golconda — Noble and curious letter of the Haider-abadian King to the Emperor — Three mines of the besieged have a retrograde effect, and kill an infinity of people — The Emperor repairs to the counterscarp, and behaves with the utmost intrepidity — The besieged King forsaken by all, except Abdol-rezac — Admirable character of that General — Golconda betrayed and surprised — Amazing exertions of Abdol-rezac — Fearless behaviour of the King of Haider-abad — Verses he pronounces extempore — Singular meeting and conversation between him and the Imperial Generals — Noble proceedings of the Emperor towards Abdol-rezac — An historical account of the Fortress of Golconda, which serves as a citadel to Bagnagor, or Haider-abad — Immense riches found in it — Romantic, but historical, account of Aböl-hassen, the last King of Haider-abad.
42.1.4
Nedjef-qhan, after the conquest of Acber-abad and the Fortress of Dig, had now become a Sovereign Prince. Intent only on whatever could establish and increase his power, his army, which he was augmenting incessantly, became so numerous, that there is hardly mentioning its numbers without seeming to deal in exaggerations. His two favourite Commanders alone, that is, Nedjef-cöly-qhan and Afrasiab-qhan, were at the head of two corps that could not amount to less than ten or twelve thousand cavalry and as much infantry. It is true they had both been his slave-boys; but it must be acknowledged that their personal prowess and their military talents were such as warranted all that elevation: the former, especially, who bears a distinguished character for a headlong courage, and an irresistible impetuosity; insomuch that it has been more than once observed, that leaving all the other Generals behind, he seemed intent upon equalling his master himself. Another valorous Commander of Nedjef-qhan's army and as good a soldier as himself, was Mahmed-beg-qhan the Hamadanian, a General who, by the nobility of his race and the frankness of his character, seemed another Nedjef-qhan: two qualifications in which he was superior to all the Commanders of the army, and especially to the two persons just mentioned.
42.1.5
There were several other officers of character in that army, most of them being those that had served with honor under Shudjah-ed-dowlah, and had fled from his son's capital or from his camp; for instance, the two Ghossains, who had under their commands a body of six or seven thousand Fakyrs, as brave as themselves. Morteza-qhan, son to Mustepha-qhan, that famous General who had cut so great a figure in Bengal, served also in Nedjef-qhan's army at the head of five thousand men; and one could see in that camp most of Aböl-mansür-qhan's descendants, all men of distinction, who tired with the inattention and vile behaviour of Assef-ed-dowlah, had fled from that court, and taken shelter in Nedjef-qhan's army, where they were promoted to commands, every one according to his merit and abilities. To insure the payment of all these numerous troops, Nedjef-qhan divided his dominions and conquests into so many parts, the revenues of which were assigned to each Commander's management. With such an army, Nedjef-qhan was always in motion, constantly busy in making conquests upon Radja Dehi-sing-sevai, and Radja Dehiradj-sevai, on one hand ; and on the other, upon the Radjpüt Princes of Kedjvaha. He beat these Princes in several engagements, and made himself dreaded far and near, about the outskirts of the provinces of Shah-djehan-abad and Acber-abad. But although he was so successful in the field, he had enemies at Court;
42.1.6
and these were Abdül-ahed-qhan the Cashmirian, Prime Minister, and all the Grandees of that dastardly Court, who were all timorous and all cowardly, but who possessed so far the Emperor's ear, that he did just as they bid. All these, unable to bear Nedjef-qhan's influence and prosperity, were exciting Zabeta-qhan to a revolt. It was the same Zabeta-qhan, who after the death of Hafyz-rahmet and the ruin of his nation, had become the head of it, the Rohillahs and Afghans flocking to him from all parts, impressed with a sense of respect for his illustrious pedigree, and a warm admiration for his personal character. He is the same man who had been requested from Shudjah-ed-dowlah by Nedjef-qhan, and the same who had owed the highest obligations to that conqueror's partiality and patronage; but there was too much of the Afghan in him, not to set all those ties at nought on the most distant prospect. In a moment he forgot how highly he was indebted to Nedjef-qhan ; and listening only to the suggestions of Abdül-ahed-qhan and his confederates, all men as cowardly and as envious as that Minister, he parted from his friend and benefactor, and marched off at the head of his national troops, which were considerable. Nedjef-qhan, amazed at his defection, thought his honor concerned in punishing it immediately. The two armies met. A bloody battle ensued, in which the two parties fought with the utmost bravery;
42.1.7
and numbers of brave men fell on both sides, after exhibiting feats of valor and prowess. At last the zephyr of Divine assistance blowing directly over Nedjef-qhan's standards, unfurled their folds, and stretched them open on the gale of victory. A vast number of Rohillas were put to the sword, with a very small loss to the victorious ; and Zabeta-qhan with the remains of his troops, which even now did not amount to less than thirty thousand men, fled to Ghous-gur, and shut himself up in that fortress. From thence he wrote to the Principal rulers amongst the Sycs to request their assistance. He even concluded a treaty with them, by which he subscribed to such articles, and entered into such close connections with those people, that a report spread everywhere, as if he had forsaken the Musulmanism, and made himself a member of their community. Whilst he was connecting himself by such odious ties with these people, Nedjef-qhan was advancing upon him. That General, after giving some repose to his victorious troops, besieged him in Ghous-gur. The Rohillas had fortified an intrenched camp under the walls of the fortress; and now sure of a retreat, they for a whole month together kept Nedjef-qhan at bay, sallying out every day to skirmish, and even coming several times to a general engagement. It is true that they were always beaten, but as true that they always made good their retreat within their intrenchments.
42.1.8
By this time, however, their numbers were so thinned, that Zebeta-qhan thought proper to submit, and to propose terms. He received some officers for hostages, and went to visit Nedjef-qhan; but the latter having declined the proposals he had brought, the other asked leave to return, which being granted immediately, he returned to his camp. There he assembled his own Commanders as well as those of the Sycs that had just come to his assistance, and he informed them of his being resolved to perish rather than to submit. This declaration having been received with applause, and with promises of standing by him with their lives, the next morning, he came out of his camp, preceded by his artillery and a body of men armed with such rockets and such other missiles as remained to him. Nedjef-qhan, on his side, glad to see them coming to a fair engagement, arranged his troops, and taking a body to which he trusted, he pushed before the rest, and charged the enemy, himself the foremost. This appearance intimidated the Rohillahs, who being valorously charged everywhere, lost their wonted courage and were mowed down by thousands; insomuch that this battle became similar to that famous one at Paniput, where the Abdalies put an end to the Marhatta power, and destroyed their numerous army. Nedjef-qhan's soldiers, as much incensed as their master at the perfidy and ingratitude of the Afghans, followed them everywhere, resolved to make an end of the enemy.
42.1.9
The engagement lasted, without interruption, the whole of that day. Nedjef-qhan killed several men with his own hand, and seemed to contend for the palm of personal prowess with his most forward Commanders. This day having put an end to the power of Zabeta-qhan, as well as to the courage of his new allies, the latter retired to their homes; and Zabeta-qhan took shelter in the fortress, with all those who had escaped by favour of the darkness. The next morning he sent to camp an humble message, in which he supplicated Nedjef-qhan's forgiveness; the latter granted it, but would treat no more, and commanded his attendance. Zabeta-qhan, having no other party left, put on an humble dress, and presenting himself before Nedjef-qhan in a supplicating posture, he obtained his pardon. Sending then for his people from the fortress, and for his family, he lived a long time in the conqueror's army, entirely unnoticed. In the sequel, he found means to betroth one of his daughters to Nedjef-culy-qhan, who had become Nedjef-qhan's adoptive son, and acted as his Lieut.-General; and this alliance having facilitated another, he likewise engaged Nedjef-qhan himself to accept his sister, by which means he came into favour again, and was complimented with the Fodjdary of Soharren-pur-buria.