Tarikh-i Daʾudi 5.2
Táríkh-i Dáúdí of 'Abdu-lla (extracts) 5.2
- Language
- English
5.2.1
When Sultán Sharkí had fled after his defeat at Jund, Mubárak Khán Lohání requested permission to pursue him. The King ordered inquiries to be made regarding the direction he had taken. Mubárak Khán stated that some of his men who had been despatched by him for the purpose of inquiry, were aware of the direction of his flight. Upon this the King commanded him to wait until the men who had also been sent by himself should return with information. Again Mubárak Khán spoke, and said, "Peace be with the monarch of the universe! Delay is not good." The King answered, "He hath not fled from you, but from the wrath of God; he is the same Sultán Husain who routed you at the ferry of Kunjh. That Deity who has smitten him to the ground, and raised you from it by giving you success, still watches over his affairs. Boast not, but have patience. Sultán Husain's pride has reduced him to his present condition." These words were spoken by Sultán Sikandar at the early age of eighteen or nineteen years. He who gives without asking, had endowed him with wonderful meekness and forbearance.
5.2.2
Sultán Husain fled towards Bihár, and Sultán Sikandar went to Jaunpur; and leaving there Barbak Shah, the Sultan took his departure to Oudh, where he spent nearly a month in hunting and amusing himself. About this time, fresh news arrived to the effect that Barbak Shah, on account of the superior force of the zamindars, was unable to hold Jaunpur. Sultan Sikandar commanded that Muhammad Farmuli, 'Azam Humayun, and the Khan-khanan Lohani should go to Jaunpur by the road of Oudh, whilst Mubarak Khan Lohani should proceed through Karra, for the purpose of making Barbak Shah prisoner and sending him to Court. He was accordingly seized and brought before the King, after which he was given in charge to Haibat Khan Sarwani and 'Umar Khan. The Sultan then proceeded to the fort of Chunar, with the intention of chastising the rebels of that district. When the Sultan's army arrived there, the Raja, after a slight resistance, thought fit to fly; during his flight, this fugitive Raja, by name Bhed, went to hell. His Majesty desired to advance farther, but opium and poppy-heads had become excessively dear, and he had lost many of the horses used during this expedition; in fact, each man possessing a stable of 100 horses had lost ninety. Sultan Sikandar halted some months at Jaunpur to recruit his army.
5.2.3
During Sultan Sikandar's stay at Jaunpur, his army became totally disorganized, and the zamindars of that place wrote to Sultan Husain, saying, "Since no horses are left in Sikandar's army, and there is no cavalry to oppose you, you ought to take advantage of so favourable an opportunity." Sultan Husain accordingly advanced against Sultan Sikandar with a vast force and 100 elephants. The latter, perceiving the unprepared state of his troops, sent the Khan-khanan to Salbahan to persuade him to join him. When the enemy were thirteen kos off, Sultan Sikandar, notwithstanding the condition of his army, proceeded against Sultan Husain. Meanwhile, Salbahan also arrived with his troops to the assistance of Sultan Sikandar. After a contest between the two parties, Sultan Husain was defeated and pursued by Sultan Sikandar as far as Bihar, where he received intimation that Sultan Husain had gone to Kahal-ganw, in the country of Lakhnauti. The province of Bihar fell into the hands of Sikandar, and after establishing his officers in that territory, he went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Shaikh Sharafu-d din Yahya, of Munir, and having caused the fakirs and dwellers of that place to rejoice, he arrived at Patna. About this time, Khan Jahan, one of his chief nobles, yielded up his life into the hands of the angel of death, and his eldest son Ahmad Khan was distinguished by the title of 'Azam Humayun.
5.2.4
His Majesty having issued orders for his troops to assemble again, he marched against the King of Bengal, by name Sultan 'Alau-d din, who sent his own son with a strong army to oppose him. When the hostile parties approached each other, proposals of peace were made, and it was agreed that neither party should injure the other's possessions, and that 'Alau-d din should deny refuge to any of Sikandar's enemies. Sultan Sikandar returned thence to Darweshpur, where he stayed some months, and assigned that district to 'Azam Humayun. At this period grain became very dear, and to relieve the people he released them throughout all his dominion from furnishing the usual zakat of corn, and issued orders for its abolition. From that time it was forbidden, until the reign of the Khalifa of the age, King Jahangir. From that place Sultan Sikandar appointed a large force to proceed against the Raja of Bhata, which he followed in person.
5.2.5
Previous to this, the Sultan had demanded the Raja's daughter, but he refused to give her to the King, who, to avenge himself for this old grievance, now invaded his country, and entirely destroyed all signs of cultivation. His most valiant soldiers showed their courage at the fort of Bandhu, the strongest castle of that district, and Sultan Sikandar having utterly devastated and ruined the whole of that territory, went back to Jaunpur, where no foe remained. He thence directed his course towards Sambhal, where he abode during four years, during which time he was chiefly employed in pageants and festivities. * * *
5.2.6
Whilst Sultan Sikandar was staying in the district of Sambhal, he passed most of his time in playing at chaugan. One day, when the Sultan went forth to amuse himself at chaugan, the bat of Darya Khan Sarwani struck Sulaiman's head and broke it. This caused a quarrel amongst them. Khizr, Sulaiman's brother, to avenge his brother, seized the bat and struck Haibat Khan's head, so that there arose a great tumult and uproar. The Khan-khanan consoled Haibat Khan, and took him home. The Sultan quitted the field, and returned to the palace. Four days after he again went to play at chaugan. In the middle of the road he found Shams Khan, a relative of Haibat Khan, standing furiously enraged; who, when he saw Khizr, Sulaiman's brother, struck him over the head with the bat. For this, Shams Khan was severely beaten by order of the King, who then turned back home. After this he became suspicious of the Afghan chiefs.
5.2.7
Certain loyal nobles were in the habit of keeping guard over His Majesty every night; but twenty-two individuals of rank and name conspired together, and formed treacherous and malicious designs. They proposed to raise Prince Fath Khan, the son of Sultán Bahlol, to the throne, and mutually swore to effect this. The aforesaid Prince related the circumstance to Shaikh Taha and to his own mother, and made known the names of the conspirators. Shaikh Tahá and the Prince's mother, by means of good advice, dissuaded the Prince from engaging himself in the plot; and it was agreed that he should take the list of names to the King, and thus cleanse his skirt from the accusation of rebellion. He did so, and gave Sultán Sikandar information of the evil intentions of those people. The King, with the aid of his ministers, ferreted them out, exiled them to different parts of his dominions, and thus put an end to their seditious designs.
5.2.8
It is related in the Akbar Sháhí, that there came a Brahman, by name Laudhan, who dwelt in the village of Kaner, who had one day asserted in the presence of Musulmans that Islam was true, as was also his own religion. This speech of his was noised abroad, and came to the ears of the 'Ulamá. Kazi Piyara and Shaikh Badr, who resided at Lakhnautí, gave fatwas which did not coincide respecting the merits of the case. Consequently 'Azam Humáyún, the governor of that district, sent the Brahman, the Kazi, and Shaikh Badr, all three into the King's presence at Sambhal. Sultan Sikandar took great pleasure in disputations on religious questions, and on this occasion summoned all the wise men of note from every quarter. Mulla 'Abdu-lla, the son of Mulla Ilahdád, Saiyid Muhammad, and Mian Kádan, from Dehlí, all the Mullás in short of his empire, were summoned to Sambhal, and the assembly of the learned who were always attached to the stirrup of His Majesty were also present on this occasion. After investigating the matter, the 'Ulama determined that he should be imprisoned and converted to Muhammadanism, or suffer death, and, since the Brahman refused to apostatize, he was accordingly put to death by the decree of the 'Ulama. The Sultan, after rewarding the learned casuists, gave them permission to depart.
5.2.9
In that year, the Sultan sent Khawas Khan to take possession of the fort of Dhulpur. The Raja of that place advanced to give battle, and daily fighting took place. The instant His Majesty heard of the firm countenance shown by the rai of Dhulpur in opposing the royal army, he went there in person; but on his arrival near Dhulpur, the rai made up his mind to fly without fighting; and, after leaving a body of his retainers in the fort, he went to Gwalior. Those Hindus who remained in the fort, finding themselves unable to maintain their position, quitted the fort at midnight and fled, and Sultan Sikandar entered the place at sunrise. He offered up suitable thanksgivings for his success, and the royal troops spoiled and plundered in all directions, rooting up all the trees of the gardens which shaded Dhulpur to the distance of seven kos. Sultan Sikandar stayed there during one month, erected a mosque on the site of an idol temple, and then set off towards Agra. When he arrived at that seat of government, he allowed all the chiefs to depart to their jagirs. About this period, on Sunday the 3rd of Safar, 911 H. (July, 1505 A.D.), a dreadful earthquake occurred at Agra, the very hills trembled, and large and substantial buildings were utterly destroyed. The living thought that the day of judgment had arrived, and the dead that their resurrection was at hand. A poet has written some verses on the subject of this earthquake; this is one of them: