The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.14
Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání (extracts) 3.14
- Language
- English
3.14.1
Muyid Beg, son of Sultan Mahmud, and Jahangir Kuli, son of Ibrahim Bayazid, Mir Nurka, Tardi Beg, Barri Birlas, Mubarak Farmuli, and other chiefs, with a force of 30,000 horse, were ordered to march seven kos in advance of the Imperial army. Sher Khan, on hearing that Humayun had set off towards Bengal, departed himself secretly with only a few horsemen. When the Emperor reached Patna, the division which was seven kos in advance had not reached their ground, when their vedettes came to a village where what should they see but some cavalry in a garden. They asked of one of the villagers whose those horsemen were? He said, "It is Sher Khan himself." The vedettes, when they heard the name of Sher Khan, were so alarmed, that they never examined what amount of force Sher Khan had with him, but returned and told to Muyid Beg that "Sher Khan was encamped at such and such a village." Muyid Beg was of opinion that Sher Khan was there to oppose them, and sent to the Emperor to ask for orders; and encamped where he was, sending out a reconnoitring party to bring intelligence. When the persons sent to reconnoitre came near the place, they could not discover a single horseman there; on which the Mughals entered the village, and inquired of the head-man (mukaddam), who said, that Sher Khan had halted there with a few horsemen; but on seeing the advance of their cavalry had gone off with all speed on the road to Mungir.
3.14.2
When the party returned from reconnoitring, it was nearly evening, and on this account they delayed the pursuit of Sher Khan. When Sher Khan had crossed the defile of Ghari, he saw Saif Khan Acha-khail Sarwani, who was taking his family towards Rohtas. Sher Khan said, "Turn, for the Mughal army is near at hand." When Saif Khan was apprised of the actual truth regarding the Emperor's army, he said to Sher Khan, "There are but few men with you, and the distance between the armies is small. The Emperor will pursue you with the utmost expedition, in the hope you may fall into his hands. Do you take my family with you, and go your way. Early to-morrow morning I will occupy the entrance of the pass, and while life remains in my body I will hold the Emperor's army in check, so that an ample distance may be placed between you and the Mughals." Sher Khan said, "It is not right that to preserve myself I should cast you into the whirlpool of destruction." Saif Khan replied: "All men are not equal; a man ought to sacrifice himself for his own household. * * * My life and those of my brethren shall be expended in the service of my lord." Although Sher Khan urged him repeatedly to go along with him, Saif Khan would not consent; so Sher Khan took his family with him, and relieved from all anxiety regarding the pursuit of the Mughals, proceeded on his course with all speed.
3.14.3
The next morning, when the sun was well risen, Saif Khan told his brethren to bathe, and be prepared for death. * * Saif Khan's brethren said: "Since you have decided to do this, we are ready to sacrifice a thousand lives for you; it is the time now to act, not to talk; we will not fail to do our best." On this they put themselves at their several posts, and occupied the entrance of Gugarghar. When the army of the Emperor drew near, Saif Khan commenced the action. Notwithstanding great exertions on the part of the Mughals, they could not force the entrance of Gugarghar. The gallantry displayed by Saif Khan's brethren was beyond all description; they held the Mughals in check till a little after mid-day, when most of Saif Khan's brethren were slain, and he himself was severely wounded in three places; and becoming insensible, was taken alive by the Mughals. They took him before Muyid, who sent him to the Emperor; and he, when he heard his story, praised him very highly, saying, "Such it behoves a soldier to be, who should lay down his life to advance his master's interests." He then said to Saif Khan, "I set you free, go whither you please." Saif Khan said, "My family is with Sher Khan, I wish to go to him." The Emperor replied: "I have given you your life, do as you will." So Saif Khán returned to Sher Khán.
3.14.4
When Sher Khan arrived at Mungir, where Shujá'at Khán Niází was, he ordered him, as Humáyún's army was approaching, to take Saif Khán's family to the fort of Ghari, and embarking in a swift sailing boat, went down the river towards Gaur. When he arrived there, he sent his son Jalál Khan with some of his nobles to occupy the pass of Ghari, and to hold the Emperor Humayun in check there, while he himself made all necessary preparations and arrangements, and conveyed to Rohtas the treasure which had fallen into his possession at Gaur. When Jalál Khan came to Ghari, the van of the Emperor's army was already near at hand. Jalál Khán proposed to attack it, but his chiefs dissuaded him, saying that he had not been sent by Sher Khan to risk an engagement, and that he ought merely to hold the pass against Humáyún's advance. Jalál Khan, however, did not assent to their counsel, but leaving 1000 horse to hold Ghari, and advancing himself with 6000, attacked the Imperialists, and after a sharp action defeated them. Mubárak Farmuli, Abu-l Fath Langah, as well as many men on the side of the Mughals, fell in the engagement.
3.14.5
Jalal Khan, returning to Ghari, fortified the pass. The night after the action it rained so hard, that the road was rendered impassable, for it was the commencement of the rainy season. The Emperor was delayed in this spot one month, and Sher Khán availing himself of the interval, and taking with him all the treasure which had come into his hands by the fall of Gaur, went by way of Jharkand to Rohtas; and on arriving there, sent to Jalal Khan, directing him to abandon Ghari and to come to Rohtas. When the Emperor heard that Jalal Khan had abandoned and gone away from Ghari, he sent (on account of the excessive rain) a part of his force under Mirza Hindal to Agra, and proceeded himself to Gaur, the capital of Bengal, where he lay for three months, and admitted no one to an audience with him, A.H. 945 (A.D. 1538-9). Meanwhile, Sher Khan came to Benares, and besieged the governor, and detached thence Khawas Khan to Mungir, where the Emperor had left the Khan-khanan Yusuf-khail, when he himself went to Gaur. Sher Khan sent Khawas Khan with instructions to take Khan-khanan prisoner, and bring him to his presence, because this same Khan-khanan had brought the Emperor Babar from Kabul to India. Khawas Khan came suddenly by night upon the city, and seizing the Khan-khanan, brought him to Benares. Shortly after this, Benares was taken, and the greater part of the Mughal garrison was killed.
3.14.6
Subsequently, Haibat Khan Niazi, Jalal Khan Jalu, Sarmast Khan Sarwani, and other chiefs were sent against Bahraich, and they drove out the Mughals from those parts until they arrived at and captured the city of Sambhal, and made slaves of the inhabitants, and spoiled the city. Another force was sent towards Jaunpur, the governor of which place was killed in battle, and the same force was then sent in the direction of Agra. Every governor on the part of the Emperor Humayun, throughout the whole country, who offered any opposition, was killed, or was defeated and driven out of the country; so that all the districts as far as Kanauj and Sambhal fell into the possession of the Afghans. Sher Khan also sent Khawas Khan against the city of Maharta, zamindar, with orders to cut down his jungle fastness, and to capture him. The officers of Sher Khan also collected the revenue of both the autumn and spring harvests of these parts. When the Emperor heard that Mirza Hindal had slain Shaikh Bahlol, and excited a sedition in the neighbourhood of Agra, he became distracted, and started from Bengal (as the heat of the season had somewhat abated) towards Agra. Sher Khan, summoning all his forces from Bihar, Jaunpur, and other places, excepting only the division with Khawas Khan acting against Maharta, collected them in the environs of the fort of Rohtas.
3.14.7
When the Emperor Humayun advanced in the direction of Sher Khan, thus encamped about Rohtas, Sher Khan assembled his chiefs, and addressed them thus: "The army of the Emperor Humayun is in great disorder from his delay in Bengal; moreover, sedition has arisen in Agra. It is on this account that he neglects me, and is taking his departure. If you agree with me, I will try my fortune, for my force at this moment is in perfect order. Before the Emperor marched against Bengal I made every submission, and agreed to pay a yearly tribute, if the Emperor would confer Bengal on me, that I might not be brought into hostilities with my patron. He agreed to give me Bengal, but when the envoy of the King of Bengal, Sultan Mahmud, came to him, the king retracted his promise, and I was compelled to oppose him; and now that I have overthrown his armies which were in Bihar and Jaunpur, and taken those countries, the way to peace is closed." 'Azam Humayun Sarwani (who had been one of Sikandar's nobles, and had now joined himself to Sher Khan) replied: "You ought not to take counsel with the nobles of Sultans Bahlol and Sikandar as to fighting the Mughals, for this reason, that every plan we have devised has by our ill-fortune failed, and as often as we have fought, we have from our internal dissensions been defeated. Fortune has befriended you, in that the whole of the Afghans have become united heart and soul under you, and have been always ready to engage the Mughals.
3.14.8
Men of experience and sagacity have declared to me that the Afghans are not inferior to the Mughals in warlike prowess, but fly away only because of their internal disunion. The Afghans will drive the Mughals from India, whenever they obey one leader and are united under him. You are that fortunate man. Ask your other chiefs and act on their advice; as for us, victory has become your friend, and I have nothing to recommend."