Storia do Mogor 59: OF SULTAN HUMAYUN, SEVENTH KING OF THE FAMILY OF TAIMUR-I-LANG
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 59
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OF SULTAN HUMAYUN, SEVENTH KING OF THE FAMILY OF TAIMUR-I-LANG
59.1
As is taught by experience, and is recounted by historians, the strength derived from the power to tame tigers and lions serves oftentimes to make men lose their human qualities and change into wild beasts. Thus it happened to Xira (Shera), of Pathan race — that is to say, 'Lion's Cub.' This man was transformed into a great lion, for such was the name he took when he became a king — that is, Xirxa (Sher Shah), which means 'Royal Lion.' This man, from being one of his retinue, was made by Sultan Humayun a general; yet, after so many and so great benefits, the king having raised him above all others, he revolted and turned his weapons against his lord. The latter was forced to order out against him a powerful army. But the evil fortune of Humayun decided that Xira (Shera) [70] should come out victorious over and over again. At length the king found it necessary to take the field in person. But as the course of war is uncertain, it came to pass that Humayun too was defeated, and was obliged to take to flight in disguise in order to save his life. After he had reigned eleven years he fled and took refuge in Persia, obtaining the armed assistance of the king of that country, and then returned to tempt Fortune.
59.2
What happened to this king during his flight was a very curious thing. It was on this wise : Once at noon he had dismounted for a rest. An eagle with outspread wings hovered in the air over his face until Humayun awoke. It thus prevented the rays of the sun from interrupting the sleep of the fugitive king. The few people who had followed the king in his flight were amazed at this occurrence. When the king awoke, his courtiers told him with great delight not to be cast down, that he was destined to be once more King of Hindustan, thus foretelling what was actually to happen. After arrival in Persia, the first meeting with the king took place in a garden. There the Persian king received him, being seated on a stool of small size, whereon two persons could not take their place. One of the followers of Humayun saw at once that the object of the King of Persia was to behold a King of Hindustan either standing on foot in his presence, or seated on the bare ground. Forthwith the man cut open the covering of his quiver and spread it out in front of the royal seat. On this cloth Humayun at once sat down.
59.3
The King of Persia was lost in admiration at the readiness with which this official, a companion of Humayun's misfortunes, extricated his master from the embarrassment in which he found himself, being obliged, although King of Hindustan, either to sit down on the ground or to remain standing in the presence of another king. The Persian king asked King Humayun how he could lose his kingdom when he had such attentive and well-affected servants. Humayun answered that he lost his kingdom because he raised to greatness men who were ungrateful. After a little talk the sixth successor of the famous Taimur-i-lang took his leave and went to a palace, where the King of Persia sent the necessary supplies until the opportunity arose of aiding him to recover his kingdom. Sher Shah was such a just man, that after he had made himself master of the kingdom, he had compassion upon Humayun and sent him his wife, who had been left behind in Hindustan. At that time she was with child. Sher Shah sent him (Humayun) a letter, in which he swore by the Quran that her honour had in no way suffered, for she had done her husband no injury during their quarrel, not even in thought, adding that he was wrong to conceive such a shameful idea of his wife, a woman respected, well-behaved, and virtuous. When this letter reached Humayun, he decided to take back his wife and live with her ; after this he quitted Persia, as I shall tell hereafter.
59.4
[71] I know that some authors, notably the author Faria, the Portuguese, write otherwise about the way that the queen was obtained. But he was not well informed, and wrote what the common people told him. He did not know that the inhabitants of India are very loquacious, taking no care, either grandees or poor people, whether they are speaking truth or falsehood. Many authors write down what they hear without making the inquiries they ought to make. It would be much better if, before they wrote, they dwelt for some time in the Mogul realm and learnt the language of the country, and consorted with the officials of the court ; in that way they could easily get hold of the truth. I am one who has had time enough ; I lived with the men best informed of any ; I had long converse with them, and they told me the truth. In addition to what I have seen in the chronicles, it was no little profit to me in writing these pages that I dwelt within the Mogul realm for thirty and four years, and that I was physician to Xaalam (Shah 'Alam), the eldest son of Aurangzeb.
59.5
Shera, when he became lord over the kingdom, changed his name, and to impose fear upon his enemies called himself Sher Shah. When he became undisputed king, he never forgot to treat his subjects with great equity and kindness. For this end, he sent out orders through all the land to build, at a distance of twelve leagues from each other, saraes where travellers could take shelter. To provide attendants at these saraes, he bought a number of married slaves, and appointed them and their wives to look after travellers — to prepare their food, to provide cool water for them to drink, and warm water for washing their bodies, a bedstead to rest upon furnished with mattresses and sheets; and they were to wait on travellers just as if they were their own private servants, and provide food for wayfarers on foot at the cost of the king. Of these saraes I spoke before in the eighteenth chapter (I. 43).
59.6
Since the time of Humayun many more saraes have been built upon the royal highways throughout the realm, from one end of it to the other. Nor are there ever wanting charitable persons who every day are building new ones, with gardens, reservoirs, and ponds to perpetuate their own names. In these saraes travellers are pestered by dealers, who offer for sale different kinds of cloth, not only white, but coloured; also by musicians, dancing-boys, women dancers, barbers, tailors, washermen, farriers with horse-shoes, endless cheating physicians, and many sellers of grass and straw for the horses. All these things are cheap; but there are no longer dainty morsels for the foot-travellers, to be eaten at the cost of the king, or any supply of bedsteads with mattresses and sheets. Still there is never any dearth of women of pleasure.
59.7
In the time of this king, Sher Shah, weights and scales were introduced into Hindustan, for before then everything was bought by inspection. It was then also that there were first introduced yard-measures with the royal seal; previously everything was measured by spans and cubits. The king was so generous and liberal that those who wished to go to Mecca were granted passages both ways and the necessary means of support. Finding himself undisputed master of Hindustan, and loved by his people, he made war against the Rana, a Hindu king, assuming command of the army in person. But he was repulsed in such a fashion that if the Hindu king had pursued he would have become the lord of the whole country. However, the Rana contented himself with winning the battle and delivering his kingdom. During the retreat Sher Shah admitted that it was his own fault, and said to his confidants that for a few fields of millet he had run the risk of losing his kingdom. This he said because the territories of the Rana yield great quantities of millet. Sher Shah was much interested in directing the use of cannon, often discharging them himself; and at the end of his reign, not far from the territories of Bengal, after he had governed for twelve years, he fired off a cannon the recoil of which killed him. He was buried in the middle of a great reservoir, not far from a place called Samchergao (Sasseram), where I was several times, but it is not worth while to speak of that.
59.8
The king, Sher Shah, being dead, Hindustan fell into confusion, for there were many who tried to become king and govern it. Thereupon a holy mendicant (faqir) named Xadaulah (Shah Dulah), sent off in great haste one of his faithful disciples with boots and a whip as a present to the king, Humayun, and a message to the effect that Effort was the Mother of Good Luck. Humayun understood what Shah Dulah meant. With great skill he asked help from the King of Persia, promising to show him gratitude, and should he win back Hindustan, to give him the country from the confines of Candar (Qandahar) as far as the town of Serend (Sihrind), which lies at a distance of eighty-four leagues from the city of Dihli. The king sent to him twelve thousand selected horsemen, and advised him to make use of the Rajput princes in attacking and defeating the powerful Pathan tribe. Thus he (Humayun) left Persia with his son who was born there, and went off to tempt Fortune anew, and try to get back his throne. He entered his former territories, and continuously added to his army from the men of Cabal (Kabul), the Baloche (Biloch), Gaqueres (Ghakkars), and Rajputs. He was uninterruptedly victorious over the forces of his enemies. Anticipating that it would be difficult to capture the city of Laor (Lahor), he had recourse before he reached it to the following deception.
59.9
He chose five hundred valiant men of high spirit and recklessness, who dressed themselves like hermits in tattered raiment, and went barefooted with chaplets of beads in their hands. They represented themselves as specially holy men, and gave out [73] that they were on their way to Mecca. They entered the city, and assembled below the palace of the governor, called Aziscan ('Aziz Khan), of the Pathan tribe, and demanded alms for themselves, so that they might be able to go on their road. 'Aziz Khan compassionately sent and called them within the fortress, in order to give them food and some help in money, thereby hoping for a reward to his own soul. They came into his presence most devoutly, but resolute to carry out their trick. On drawing near to the governor, they began to pray God to grant him great reward for the alms he had given them. Then, drawing their swords from beneath their cloaks, they cut him to pieces, and gaining possession of the fortress, slew all that were found there. The result of the trick was notified to Humayun, who, marching on without delay, made himself master of Lahor. After a short time he left it, in order to capture the city of Dihli. He fought several battles, the principal one in the neighbourhood of Panipat, three days' journey before arriving at Dihli. There he fought a very stiff battle, and in it the Pathan who called himself king having been killed, Humayun became once more lord of Hindustan, and brought the Pathans under subjection.
59.10
First of all Humayun remembered the holy mendicant Shah Dulah, to whom he gave villages and an income sufficient for him and his descendants, also many privileges, of which they have the enjoyment to this day. This faqir is venerated as a saint, the Mogul kings and princes having much respect for the village which contains his tomb. This village is not far from the town of Little Guzurate (Gujarat), forty leagues from Lahor. His descendants are much favoured and receive many presents from the Mogul princes. But he (Humayun) did not know that he had to die so soon, and his death came to pass in the following manner: Humayun knew full well that after the years of our life all men, great and small, king and subject, are bound to quit this world. He therefore took steps to prepare a mausoleum where his body should repose. He issued orders for the preparation of the materials, and he had already selected the site. This was at the approach to Dihli, close to a long bridge of twelve arches. While the building was being erected he was anxious to inspect it, and mounted to the highest point, not foreseeing that he was going to his destruction. Leaning his breast upon his staff, he admired the beauty and nobility of the structure. His staff slipped, and he fell to the bottom, breaking his bones. He was buried in the building, which stands in the midst of a great garden. It is adorned inside with many paintings and stones of various kinds, and the roof of the dome is gilded.
59.11
At this mausoleum, as well as in those of all the kings, there is placed an official of position, having a good salary, who looks after the building and distributes abundant alms to the poor, for which purpose there is a special income. It is his duty to enter the vault once every day, to sweep it out, to place over the tomb a coverlet made of rich brocade, and upon this again a quantity of flowers — such as roses, jasmine, and other sweet-smelling blossoms. At the sides of this covering are placed the arms of the dead king — that is to say, his quiver full of arrows, his bow, his sword, dagger or poignard, lance, musket — all of them weapons of the greatest price. Once I obtained entrance to this mausoleum through the favour of one of my friends, as I will relate when speaking of Akbar's tomb (I., 90). Humayun died two years, nine months, and fourteen days after he had recovered his kingdom, leaving an only son called Akebar (Akbar).