The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.11
Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání (extracts) 3.11
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3.11.1
Sher Khan knew that the Emperor Humayun would be unable to delay long in those parts; for his spies brought him word that Bahadur Shah, the King of Gujarat had conquered the kingdom of Mandu, and was meditating the seizure of Dehli, and would shortly declare war. Humayun also having received this intelligence, Sher Khan sent his vakil to him and wrote, saying : "I am your slave, and the client of Junaid Birlas. Moreover, the good service which I did at the battle of Lucknow is known to you, and as you must entrust the fort of Chunar to some one, make it over to me, and I will send my son Kutb Khan to accompany you in this expedition. Do you lay aside all anxiety as regards these parts ; for if either I or any other Afghan do any act unbefitting or disloyal, you have my son with you ; inflict on him such reprisals as may be a warning to others." When Sher Khan's emissary represented this to the Emperor Humayun, he replied : "I will give Chunar to Sher Khan, but on this condition, that he sends Jalal Khan with me." Sher Khan sent word in reply, "In the love and estimation of their father and mother, all sons are alike. Jalal Khan is not superior to Kutb Khan, but I have many opponents and I have vowed that I will not permit one to get a footing in the country, lest afterwards the Emperor should be compelled to war with him."
3.11.2
Just at this time news arrived that Mirza Muhammad Zaman, who had been sentenced to imprisonment in the fort of Bayana, had regained his liberty by producing a forged farman for his release, and had created a disturbance in the country ; and also that Bahadur Shah of Gujarat was intending to march on Dehli. So Humayun said to Sher Khan's agent, that as Sher Khan was a loyal man, he would agree to this proposal, and that if he would send Kutb Khan, he would leave the fort of Chunar with Sher Khan. Sher Khan was delighted, and sent Kutb Khan his son, and 'Isa Khan his chamberlain, to the Emperor, who set off for Agra, and employed himself in suppressing the rebellion of Sultan Bahadur. Sher Khan took advantage of this opportunity, and did not leave one enemy of his remaining throughout the kingdom of Bihar. He also began to patronize all Afghans. Many of them, who had assumed the garb of religious mendicants on account of their misfortunes, he relieved, and enlisted as soldiers; and some who refused to enlist, and preferred a life of mendicancy, he put to death, and declared he would kill every Afghan who refused to be a soldier. He was also very careful of his Afghans in action, that their lives might not be uselessly sacrificed. When the Afghans heard that Sher Khan was eagerly desirous of patronizing their race, they entered into his service from all directions.
3.11.3
Sultan Bahadur being defeated, went towards Surat, and the whole of the Afghans who were in his service, whether chiefs or common soldiers, came to Sher Khan. Several powerful chiefs, who had at first scorned to enter Sher Khan's service, when they saw his power day by day increasing, put aside their pride, and volunteered to serve under him. Accordingly 'Azam Humayun Sarwani, and Masnad 'Ali 'Isa Khan son of Masnad 'Ali Haibat Khan Sahu-khail, and Mian Babin Sahu-khail, Kutb Khan Mochi-khail, Ma'ruf Farmuli, and 'Azam Humayun, eldest son of Sultan 'Alam Khan Sahu-khail, and in short every Afghan of high rank joined him, and he assumed the title of Hazrat 'Ali. Bibi Fath Malika was exceedingly wealthy; she was the daughter of Mian Kala Pahar Farmuli, sister's son to Sultan Bahlol. This Mian Muhammad was a very prudent man; he entertained but few soldiers, and gave his chief attention to the accumulation of wealth. Sultan Bahlol gave him in jagir the whole sarkar of Oudh, and several parganas besides. He inherited also wealth from his father. During the reigns of Sultans Bahlol, Sikandar, and Ibrahim, his jagirs were never disturbed, and during all this time he gave his attention to nothing else except the accumulation of wealth. I have heard from persons of veracity that he had amassed three hundred mans of red hard gold, and he did not purchase any other but golden jewelry. He had no child save Fath Malika, and he married her to a lad named Shaikh Mustafa.
3.11.4
When Mian Muhammad died, towards the end of the reign of Sultan Ibrahim, he left one boy of uncertain parentage, who was called Mian Nia'mu. His parentage was for this cause uncertain, as Mian Kala Pahar had bestowed one of his concubines on a servant. When the girl had been some time in the servant's house, she bore a male child, whom she declared to be the offspring of Mian Muhammad Kala Pahar. When Mian Muhammad heard this, he took the girl away from his servant, and brought her into his own house, and acknowledged the child as his own son. The child grew up an able man. Sultan Ibrahim made Shaikh Mustafa, the husband of Fath Malika, and who was also her father's brother's son, the successor to Mian Muhammad Kala Pahar; but gave a small portion of Kala Pahar's treasury to Mian Nia'mu, and also bestowed one or two parganas of the sarkar of Oudh in jagir on him; but the greater portion of Kala Pahar's treasure came into the possession of Fath Malika.
3.11.5
This Mustafa, during the time of Sultan Ibrahim and afterwards, distinguished himself in action. I have heard from various relators of history, that during the lifetime of Sultan Ibrahim, Mian Mustafa and Mian Ma'ruf Farmuli quarrelled regarding some territory, and fought about it. It was Mian Mustafa's custom, when about to engage, to prepare sundry mans of sweetmeats in commemoration of his father Mian Muhammad, and distribute them to fakirs. This done, he used to set off to fight. Mian Ma'ruf employed himself in reading prayers and supplications. When Mián Mustafa died, he left a young daughter, by name Mihr Sultán. Fath Malika, being a very able woman, had educated Mián Báyazíd, a younger brother of Mustafa. She said to him, "Do you look to the soldiery, I will provide money." Mián Báyazíd with this money collected a very large force, and greatly distinguished himself, gaining several victories over the troops of the Emperor Bábar; so that the names of Mián Bábín and Mián Báyazíd became famous; but since the death of Báyazíd has been already described, there is no need for repeating the story here. When he was slain, Fath Malika was in Bihár, and collecting a number of men to protect the treasure, she proceeded to the hills adjoining Bihár, intending to go to Patna; for the Rájá of Patna had shown great favour to the more wealthy Afgháns.
3.11.6
When Báyazíd was killed, and Sultán Mahmúd had given up striving for the Empire, the Rájá of Patna considered that the fortune of the Afghán connexion was on the decline, and stretched out the hand of oppression against the possessions of the Afgháns to whom he had given shelter. Fath Malika, on hearing this news, abandoned her intention of going to Patna. When Sher Khán heard that the Bíbí, from this apprehension, had abandoned her design of going to Patna, he was much delighted, and conceived the intention of getting Fath Malika, by means of some pretence or stratagem, into his own clutches, lest she should go into the territories of some other potentate, and the treasure should thus slip out of his grasp, which would have grieved him to all eternity. So he sent his vakíl to the Bíbí, and wrote to this effect: "The nobles and grandees of Sultáns Bahlol and Sikandar have come into these parts, and have honoured me by taking shelter with me, and are collected together for the honour of the Afgháns. Your servant also has girt up his loins in this cause and design, and you have strong claims on the consideration of the Afghán race, first because you are of the family of Shaikh Muhammad; secondly, there is your connexion with a descendant of Sultán Bahlol. What fault has your servant committed, that you delay in visiting his country? There is no trusting the promises of the unbelievers of these parts;
3.11.7
and (which God forbid!) if any injury should occur to your people among these hills in which you now are, it would be an eternal disgrace to me. Men would say, 'Because she could not trust Sher Khan, she would not enter his country.'" When the vaki'l came to Fath Malika, and she heard what Sher Khan wrote, she wrote in reply, that if he would make a covenant with her, and confirm it by oaths, she would come to him. To this Sher Khan agreed, and she sent a trustworthy man to Sher Khan, in whose presence he swore, and pledged himself by the most solemn oaths. Bibi Fath Malika being fully assured, came to Sher Khan, and remained some time with him.