[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate) › [Tuḥfa-yi Akbarshāhī](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi) › [Tarikh-i Sher Shahi of 'Abbas Khan Sarwani (extracts)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot) › 3.22 # The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.22 Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání (extracts) 3.22 - **Language:** English ### [3.22.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22.1) He gave no reply to the Afghan. By a sign he ordered his horse, and mounted, when news of victory was brought, to the effect that Khawas Khan had slain Jaya and Goha with all their forces. When Sher Shah learnt the valour and gallantry of Jaya and Goha, he said: "I had nearly given the kingdom of Dehli for a millet (bajra) seed." He left Khawas Khan and 'Isa Khan Niazi, and some other chiefs, in the country of Nagor, and himself returned. Khawas Khan founded a city in his own name near the fort of Judhpur, and called it "Khawaspar," and brought into his power and possession the whole country of Nagor and Ajmir, the fort of Judhpur, and the districts of Marwar. Maldeo went to the fort of Siwana, on the borders of Gujarat. Sher Shah's nobles represented to him that, as the rainy season was near at hand, it was advisable to go into cantonments. Sher Shah replied, "I will spend the rainy season in a place where I can carry on my work," and marched towards the fort of Chitor. When he was yet twelve kos from the fort of Chitor, the Raja who was its ruler sent him the keys. When Sher Shah came to Chitor, he left in it the younger brother of Khawas Khan, Mian Ahmad Sarwani, and Husain Khan Khilji. Sher Shah himself marched towards Kachwara. His eldest son 'Adil Khan took leave to go and visit Rantambhor. ### [3.22.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22.2) Sher Shah said: "I give you leave in order to please you, but come again quickly, and do not remain for a long time at that fort." When Sher Shah came near Kachwara, Shuja'at Khan went towards Hindia. Certain persons who were envious of Shuja'at Khan, said that Shuja'at Khan kept up no troops, though he had to maintain 12,000 horse, and on this account he dared not come into the presence, and made a pretext of going to Hindia. The sons of Shuja'at Khan, Mian Bayazid and Daulat Khan, were with Sher Shah, and wrote the true state of the case to Shuja'at Khan. On hearing the news, Shuja'at Khan came to Kachwara, to the king, and requested his horses should be branded. 7500 he passed under the brand, and he said that the rest were in his districts on duty, and if ordered he would send for them and pass them too under the brand. Sher Shah replied: "There is no necessity for branding them, for your force is with you; and as to the persons who have defamed you, their faces are blackened." When he dismissed Shuja'at Khan, he said: "As soon as you receive news that Kalinjar has fallen, do you, without fail, set off for the Dekhin with all haste. Do not delay or linger at all." ### [3.22.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22.3) Sher Shah himself marched from Kachwara towards Kalinjar. When he reached the stage of Shahbandi, news came that 'Alam Khan Miana had created a disturbance in the Doab, and having raised the province of Mirath (Meerut), had ravaged great part of the neighbouring country. Sher Shah turned from Shahbandi, and had gone two marches, when news arrived that 'Alam Khan had been conquered; for Bhagwant, the slave of Khawas Khan, and governor of Sirhind, had slain him near Sirhind. Upon this, Sher Shah turned again towards Kalinjar. The Raja of Kalinjar, Kirat Sing, did not come out to meet him. So he ordered the fort to be invested, and threw up mounds against it, and in a short time the mounds rose so high that they overtopped the fort. The men who were in the streets and houses were exposed, and the Afghans shot them with their arrows and muskets from off the mounds. The cause of this tedious mode of capturing the fort was this. Among the women of Raja Kirat Sing was a Patar slave-girl, that is a dancing-girl. The king had heard exceeding praise of her, and he considered how to get possession of her, for he feared lest if he stormed the fort, the Raja Kirat Sing would certainly make a jauhar, and would burn the girl. On Friday, the 9th of Rabl'u-l awwal, 952 A.H., when one watch and two hours of the day was over, Sher Shah called for his breakfast, and eat with his 'ulama and priests, without whom he never breakfasted. In the midst of breakfast. ### [3.22.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22.4) Shaikh Nizam said, "There is nothing equal to a religious war against the infidels. If you be slain you become a martyr, if you live you become a ghazi." When Sher Shah had finished eating his breakfast, he ordered Darya Khan to bring loaded shells, and went up to the top of a mound, and with his own hand shot off many arrows, and said, "Darya Khan comes not; he delays very long." But when they were at last brought, Sher Shah came down from the mound, and stood where they were placed. While the men were employed in discharging them, by the will of God Almighty, one shell full of gunpowder struck on the gate of the fort and broke, and came and fell where a great number of other shells were placed. Those which were loaded all began to explode. Shaikh Halil, Shaikh Nizam, and other learned men, and most of the others escaped and were not burnt, but they brought out Sher Shah partially burnt. A young princess who was standing by the rockets was burnt to death. When Sher Shah was carried into his tent, all his nobles assembled in darbar; and he sent for 'Isa Khan Hajib and Masnad Khan Kalkapur, the son-in-law of 'Isa Khan, and the paternal uncle of the author, to come into his tent, and ordered them to take the fort while he was yet alive. When 'Isa Khan came out and told the chiefs that it was Sher Shah's order that they should attack on every side and capture the fort, men came and swarmed out instantly on every side like ants and locusts; ### [3.22.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22.5) and by the time of afternoon prayers captured the fort, putting every one to the sword, and sending all the infidels to hell. About the hour of evening prayers, the intelligence of the victory reached Sher Shah, and marks of joy and pleasure appeared on his countenance. Raja Kirat Sing, with seventy men, remained in a house. Kutb Khan the whole night long watched the house in person lest the Raja should escape. Sher Shah said to his sons that none of his nobles need watch the house, so that the Raja escaped out of the house, and the labour and trouble of this long watching was lost. The next day at sunrise, however, they took the Raja alive. On the 10th Rabi'u-l awwal, 952 a.h. (May, 1545 a.d.), Sher Shah went from the hostel of this world to rest in the mansion of happiness, and ascended peacefully from the abode of this world to the lofty heavens. The date was discovered in the words az atash murd, "He died from fire." --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.sultanate.tarikh-i-shershahi~en-elliot.3.22) · Pramāṇa