Tarikh-i Iradat Khan 2: A'zam Shah.
Táríkh, of Irádat Khán (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 2
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Contents
A'zam Shah.
2.1.1
A'zam Shah, being informed of the (death of Aurangzeb) by his agents and the nobles who affected to embrace his interest, arrived on the 3rd of Zi-l hijja at the camp at Ahmadnagar. * * Many of the chief Imperial servants, as * * had a real attachment to him. Some neither loved nor hated him, and a few, though they disliked, yet from inability to oppose prudently submitted to his authority. Three Mughal chiefs only delayed to come in to offer their allegiance — Firoz Jang, his son Chin Kalich Khan, and Muhammad Amin Khan. On the 10th Zi-l hijja, 1118, A'zam Shah ascended the throne of empire amidst the usual rejoicings, and conferred favours on the nobility according to their stations, but on few in a manner affording satisfaction. * * While he was only a prince, most of the nobility were attached to him, and regarded him as possessing every approved quality for empire ; but almost immediately after his accession to the throne, the general opinion was altered, through his own conduct. He slighted the principal nobility, and betrayed great parsimony to the army, acting as if he had no occasion for their services. This proceeded from a vain belief that none dared to oppose him, and that his elder brother, Shah 'Alam, relinquishing to him such a vast empire as Hindustan without a struggle, would fly for safety to another clime. At the same time he openly declared his jealousy of his own son, Bedar Bakht, whose favour with the late Emperor had displeased him.
2.1.2
He treated the old nobility with contempt, and would say publicly that they were not fit for his service. A'zam Shah proceeded with the Imperial camp towards Agra by regular stages, taking the route by the ghat of Tūmrī. * * * The route of Tūmrī was hilly, full of woods, and for many long spaces void of water; so that during two days' march, great numbers of men, women, children, and animals perished through want of water. * *
2.1.3
Bedar Bakht had the greatest and most sincere affection for his grandfather, who equally loved him. * * In obedience to the orders of his father, he departed from Gujarāt without delay, at the head of only 3000 horse, his own dependents, and carried with him about thirty lacs of rupees in treasure, property of his own, not presuming to touch twenty lacs in the Imperial treasury, lest it should raise suspicions of his fidelity in the mind of his father. For the same reason, he made not any addition to his force, though he could with ease have raised a great army, and might have procured a kror of rupees from the bankers and renters. * * On the eve of his march he despatched a letter to me, and several others on his route; but the couriers brought none to hand in due time, the public roads being guarded by officers who had orders to search all messengers and inspect letters. * * At length, on the 1st Muharram, the Prince's letters were brought to me all at once, and immediately after I departed from Māndū. * * The Prince was moving into Ujjain when he perceived me at a distance, and said to his attendants, "Is not that Irādat Khan that I see?" He stopped his train, and opening wide his arms he cried, "Come, come, my friend! in expectation of whom my eyes have been strained even to dimness."
2.1.4
Bedar Bakht did not enter the city and palaces of Ujjain, but pitched his camp on the bank of the river, at about a kos distant. Here he was attended by 'Abdu-llah Khan, the Sūbahdār of Mālwā, and continued one month and twenty days expecting the arrival of his father, when that rash prince wrote him the following farmān: "Why have you not hastened on, nor sunk the boats in the Satlej, to prevent the approach of the enemy; Though he dare not face me, yet you have been guilty of high neglect." Bedar Bakht, agreeably to the orders of his father, moved towards A'gra, and was joined from the presence by Zu-l fikar Khan, Ram Singh Hada Zamindar of Kota, and Dalpat Bundela, also by Amanu-llah Khan, who were sent by A'zam Shah as much to watch the Prince's motions as to assist him. Mirza Raja Jai Singh, Khan-'alam, a Dakhin chief, with his brother Munawwar Khan, and other officers, also joined from the presence with about 6000 horse.
2.1.5
Prince Muhammad A'zimu-sh Shan, who had by Aurangzeb's orders left his government of Bengal to proceed to the presence, had reached the vicinity of Agra when he heard of the Emperor's decease; upon which he marched to secure that city for (his father) Shah 'Alam. When Bedar Bakht approached the banks of the Chambal, and A'zam Shah arrived near Gwalior, A'zimu-sh Shan detached a considerable body from Agra, under Muhtasham Khan, to guard the fords. Bedar Bakht was fond of enterprise, jealous of his honour, and of high mind, tempered with prudence. A rivalship for glory had always subsisted between him and his father. A'zam Shah, who was of rash courage, never looked beyond the present in his conduct. Like the whisker-twisting vaunters of Hindustan, if his son made any delay on his march, he would jest and sneer, attributing it to cowardice and dread of the enemy. On this account Bedar Bakht resolved to cross the Chambal immediately, and attack the posts of Muhtasham Khan; but this proceeding was strongly opposed by Zu-l fikar Khan, an experienced general of approved conduct. As Zu-l fikar Khan, in the opinion of some, was suspected of treachery, they seized this opportunity to persuade the Prince that he corresponded with Shah 'Alam, and wished to delay engaging till his approach, in order to complete his designs of desertion to his cause.
2.1.6
The day following, suddenly, before morning prayer, the march for battle was sounded, and the Prince, completely armed, mounted the elephant which he always rode in the day of battle. I speeded to attend him. He had moved some distance from the tents before I came up. I found him with an angry countenance, uttering contemptuous exclamations and reproachful terms of Zü-l fikār Khān as deceiver, traitor, false wretch and the like, to some servile attendants round his elephant. * * In the difference between A'zam Shāh and his son Bedār Bakht, justice was on the side of the father; for Bedār Bakht was rival to his father, and waited opportunity to dethrone him. As for me, I was never in the service of A'zam Shāh, nor had ever made him professions of duty, being wholly devoted to his son. Being alone with Bedār Bakht one night, he suddenly threw his arms about my neck, and holding down his head upon my breast said, "If a sovereign and parent seeks the life of a son, and that son is truly informed of his intention, how should he act in self-defence? Have you a precedent for it?" I replied, "Such a question is unnecessary. The behaviour of your grandfather to his father is sufficient precedent; and sovereigns are forced to expedients which are not justifiable in other men." Conversation of this sort often passed between us; and one evening he asked me how he might gain an opportunity of seizing his father. I replied, "An opportunity will offer thus.
2.1.7
When he has gained the victory over Shāh 'Ālam, you will be the first to congratulate him. The troops will then be separated here and there in search of plunder, or looking after the dead and wounded; and as the tents will not be ready, your father will only be under a shāmiyāna (canopy), surrounded by a few kanāts (screens). You will be admitted to audience, attended by such of your followers as may have deserved notice for their gallant conduct in action; and at such a time they will be allowed their arms. It is probable that your father will not have many persons with him between the kanāts. Then is your time." The Prince eagerly exclaimed, "You have spoken well! Dare you at such a time strike the blow?" I replied that though the act was easy, yet a sacred oath rested on our family never to shed the blood of a prince unless by chance in battle, if engaged in the cause of a rival, when it would be excusable. I then said, "Your other opportunity will be thus. Should the enemy fly, an army will be sent in pursuit, and probably under your command, while your father, setting his mind at ease, will be employed, without suspicion, in pleasure and rejoicing. You may return suddenly upon him, and gain your wishes. Should this opportunity not occur, as you are his eldest son and have seen much service, he will certainly appoint you to the government of the Dakhin. You will then have a powerful army at your disposal.
2.1.8
As your father's behaviour is offensive to the people, and many of the courtiers dislike him, they will aid your pretensions. Use open force and try for whom God will decide."
2.2.1
Bedar Bakht, having crossed the Chambal at an unobserved ford, the troops of 'Azimu-sh Shan, who were stationed on the banks of the river in another quarter, left their artillery at the various posts and fled to Agra, happy to save their lives. Zu-l fikar, who had advised the Prince to remain on the other side, seeing he had crossed, now came up reluctantly, and congratulated him on the success of his march. * * Some days after this, A'zam Shah approaching near, Bedar Bakht moved a kos in front, the spot he was upon being chosen for his father's tents, and on the morning of his arrival he went forth two kos from the camp to meet him. A'zam Shah loved him as a son, though from the attention shown him by Aurangzeb he had regarded him as a rival. When he now beheld him after a long absence, paternal fondness for the instant overcame his jealousy, and he received him with strong marks of affection, conferring upon him a princely khil'at, etc.
2.2.2
Empire having been decreed to Shah 'Alam, from the agency of destiny, such vanity took possession of the mind of A'zam Shah, that he was convinced his brother, though supported by the myriads of Tur and Sallam, durst not meet him in the field. Hence those who brought intelligence of his approach he would abuse as fools and cowards, so that no one cared to speak the truth; as was formerly the case with the Emperor Humayun during the rebellion of the Afghan Sher Shah. Even his chief officers feared to disclose intelligence; so that he was ignorant of the successful progress of his rival. At length Shah 'Alam, having reached Mattra, sent by a celebrated darwesh the following message to A'zam Shah: "By the divine auspices, we inherit from our ancestors an extensive empire, comprehending many kingdoms. It will be just and glorious not to draw the sword against each other, nor consent to shed the blood of the faithful. Let us equally divide the empire between us. Though I am the elder son, I will leave the choice in your power." A'zam Shah, vain-glorious and haughty, replied that he would answer his brother on the morrow in the field, and upon this the messenger departed. A'zam Shah marched the next morning, and encamped between Jaju and Agra, on a barren plain, void of water, so that the army was much distressed. Intelligence arrived during this day, that Shah 'Alam was encamped seven kos distant, and intended moving on the morrow, but to what quarter was not known.
2.2.3
I have already mentioned that my design is not to write the history of kings, but of myself and what I have seen. Accordingly, of the battle between the two brothers, I shall only relate such circumstances as I was an eye-witness of.
2.2.4
Prince Bedar Bakht, who commanded the advanced corps of the army, having given the necessary orders, began his march. * * The main body marched next, in the centre of which rode A'zam Shah. * * We had not yet learned the position of the enemy, or what was the design of Shah 'Alam. Bedar Bakht reached a village, near which was a stream of clear water, and there were some wells also around it. The troops at this time were much separated, and every chief, inattentive to order, moved as he chose. Seeing which, I represented to the Prince, that the main body was far behind, that the country in front was destitute of water for some miles, and the day promised to be distressingly hot. Without order, without intelligence of the enemy's motions, where would he hasten? I remarked the scattered march of his followers; Zu-l fikar Khan obliqued so far to the left as scarcely to be visible, and other chiefs were equally distant in every quarter. I observed that if he halted here till some news arrived of the enemy, there was sufficient water to refresh the troops; the artillery would come up; the Emperor would have time to join, and order would be restored in the line; also, that should the enemy advance upon him, he would have the advantage of good ground and plenty of water. He replied, "Your advice is just. Go and inform my father I shall follow it."
2.2.5
It happened also that Shah 'Alam had no advice of the route of our army, and as there was but little water where he was encamped, he had this morning despatched his main body under Mun'im Khan, while he, with his sons and personal attendants, hunted along the bank of the river Jumna. His pesh-khana, with the usual escort, under Rustam-dil Khan, was coming on in front of our army, in the same route as our line. Upon delivery of my message to A'zam Shah, he replied, "Very well. Go and inform my son I am coming up." I returned to the promised place of halt, but what did I behold? The Prince had marched on, and left the village unguarded. I speeded after him, and upon gaining the line, saw a joyful scene of congratulation on victory. When the Prince saw me, he eagerly exclaimed, "I congratulate you on victory." I replied, "How comes victory without a battle?" Upon which His Highness, turning to a courier, said, "Tell Iradat Khan what you have seen." The foolish wretch then affirmed that he had seen the elephant of Shah 'Alam without a rider, and with but few attendants, running off to Agra. The Prince then said our left wing had defeated the enemy, and taken all their baggage. The cause of this imaginary victory was this. The advanced baggage of Shah 'Alam, falling in with our left wing, was attacked, and, the escort being small, was soon taken. The elephant running away belonged to Rustam-dil Khan, who commanded the escort.
2.2.6
The Prince, however, now ordered me to go and inform his father of the victory. * * I declined going, and observed I would not carry intelligence so very ridiculous and groundless. Upon which the Prince was angry, and exclaimed, "What do you mean?" I replied, * * "Accidents will happen to the baggage of armies, and this boasted victory is no more. Your troops have plundered his advanced tents, but woe to those who have been thus employed! If important work should now offer, they will be useless, confused as they are and encumbered with spoil." To these remarks the Prince angrily exclaimed, "You are always apprehensive and foreboding ill." He then ordered Kasim, the darogha of his diwan, to carry the intelligence of victory to A'zam Shah.
2.2.7
Scarce half an hour after this had elapsed, when a great dust arose upon our right. Upon beholding this, I said to the Prince, "Behold the consequence of our victory, and the flight of Shah 'Alam! Yon cloud precedes at least 50,000 horse." Just as I concluded, another dust arose, which certified a second body of troops approaching. I desired His Highness to prepare for action, while yet the enemy was at some distance. He then said, "Will you now go and inform my father of the enemy's approach?" To this I replied, "Though I wish not to quit Your Highness's person, yet as I am ordered I must obey," and having said this, I rode off with speed to A'zam Shah. On my way I beheld strange disorder. Amanu-llah Khan, a reputed good officer, who acted as advanced guard to Prince Walajah, I met with only two or three hundred straggling horse. A'zam Shah was a kos and a half farther in the rear, and his troops were separated into three divisions, so that I could not easily distinguish the royal post, for the train of artillery had been left in the Dakhin. For when the commander applied for orders respecting it to A'zam Shah, he was much enraged, and passionately exclaimed, "Do men think that I will use cannon against a breeder of cattle? I will not even draw the sword, but will bruise his head with a staff." When A'zam Shah saw me, he made a signal for me to advance; but such was the crowd I could scarce push through it.
2.2.8
At length, having come near to his litter, I alighted from my horse, and said, "The Prince informs Your Majesty of the enemy's near approach. What shall I say?" A'zam Shah, starting as if stung by a scorpion, with furious looks, eyes rolling, and, as was his custom when angry, pulling up his sleeve, exclaimed, "Comes an enemy to me!" Being vexed at his manner, I replied, "So it appears." He then called aloud for his war elephant, and, in a frantic manner, whirling a crooked staff, stood upright on his throne, and tauntingly said, "Be not alarmed, I am coming to my son." Hurt at this insult to the spirit of my prince, I said, "His Highness is son to yourself, Asylum of the World, and knoweth not fear. He only represents the enemy's approach, that Your Majesty may advance with the troops, and take the post usual for the Emperor in the day of battle." Having said this, I rode off to rejoin Bedar Bakht. * * Just as I reached him, a ball struck the breast of an attendant close to his person. * * The two bodies of the enemy had now approached, and halted within a rocket's flight of our line. One of these was headed by the Prince 'Azimu-sh Shan; the other by Mun'im Khan, with whom also were the Princes Mu'izzu-d din Jahandar Shah and Jahan Shah. Our line was so pressed upon each flank and in the rear by baggage elephants, cattle, and followers, as greatly to incommode the troops and render them useless.
2.2.9
Shah 'Alam's artillery played upon us incessantly, and did great execution, and his sons advancing, fired showers of musketry, which fell like hail. * * * At length our troops, grown impatient from the galling of the enemy's cannon, prepared to charge. * * I saw Khan 'Alam move towards the enemy with great rapidity. As he advanced nearer the enemy, his followers diminished, gradually lagging behind, and not above 300 stuck by him to the charge. When I saw this, I well knew that all was lost. The brave chief, however, penetrated to the elephant of 'Azimu-sh Shan, and hurled his spear at the Prince; but it missed him, and struck the thigh of an attendant, when the Prince drew an arrow, which pierced the heart of Khan 'Alam, and he died on the instant. * * A body of the enemy, under Baz Khan Afghan, now attacked Zu-l fikar Khan, but was repulsed with great loss, and the chief badly wounded; but by the decrees of Providence, Ram Singh Hada and Dalpat Rao Bundela, on whose valour and conduct most depended, were killed at the same instant by a cannon-shot, upon which their Rajputs lost all confidence, and fled with the dead bodies of their chiefs. Zu-l fikar Khan, however, yet remained firm, with his own followers;
2.2.10
but on being charged by the whole of 'AzImu-sh Shan's division, he left the conduct of the battle to Saiyid Muzaffar, and retired to the rear of A'zam Shah's post, with Hamidu-d din Khan, and having dismounted from his elephant, fled on horseback to Gwalior, where he was received by his father, Asad Khan. His flight determined the rout of our army. The principal followers and personal attendants of A'zam Shah now dismounted, and laying their quivers on the ground, sat down to await the charge of the enemy, and sell their lives in defence of their patron. Saiyid 'Abdu-llah and his brother, Husain 'Ali Khan, of the illustrious house of Barha, ever celebrated for valour, whose ancestors had in every reign performed the most gallant actions, if possible superior to their sires, descended from their elephants, and prepared to engage on foot. The battle now raged hand to hand with sabres, and there was great slaughter on both sides. Husain 'Ali Khan received several wounds and fell down faint with the loss of blood. * * At last a musket-ball and several arrows struck the Prince Bedar Bakht, and he sank down dead on his elephant.
2.2.11
A'zam Shah, though much wounded, was still alive, when a whirl of dust winded towards him from the army of Shah 'Alam. From this now issued with a select band the Princes 'Azimu-sh Shan, Muizzu-d din Jahandar Shah, and Jahan A'zam Shah soon received a mortal wound from a musket-ball, and resigned his soul to the Creator of life. The Prince Walajah also sank down in the sleep of death. I now made my escape to Agra, not choosing to go to the enemy's camp, where I had many friends who would have given me protection.
2.2.12
Rustam-dil Khan, who commanded the escort of Shah 'Alam's advanced tents, when attacked in the morning by our troops, finding his escape cut off, paid his respects to A'zam Shah, and had continued near his elephant during the battle till his death with great firmness. Seeing him dead, he ascended the elephant, and cutting off the head of the corpse, remounted his horse and hastened to the camp of Shah 'Alam. With exulting hope of great reward, he laid his prize at the Prince's feet; but the compassionate Shah 'Alam, seeing the head of his slaughtered brother in such disgrace, shed tears of affection, and gave Rustam-dil nothing but reproaches. He ordered the head to be buried with proper respect, and forbad the march of victory to be beaten. Mun'im Khan took charge of the bodies of the unfortunate Princes, and treated the ladies of their harems with the utmost respect and tenderness. Though he had received a dangerous wound, and suffered extreme pain, he concealed his situation, and continued on the field till late at night, to restore order and prevent plunder.