The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c14.86

v4.c14.86

‘Ādil Shāh’s attention was now diverted from his rival by the rebellion at Ujjain of a Hindu chieftain who marched on Gwalior. The king again hastened from Chunār to Gwalior and despatched troops against the rebel. The Hindu, after an initial success, was slain and his army fled. The Afghāns inflicted on them great slaughter and ‘Ādil Shāh pursued the remnant of the Hindu force to Ujjain, where he captured its late commander’s wives and children and took much plunder. After this success he lingered in Mālwa, and Ibrāhīm Shāh of Delhi took full advantage of his absence from Hindūstān by annexing many districts of the Punjab. After tarrying too long ‘Ādil Shāh returned to Gwalior and determined to take the field in person against his brother-in-law; but before marching on Delhi he decided to blind or put to death Ahmad Khān, another cousin, who was married to the king’s younger sister. She, like her sister, warned her husband of his danger, and Ahmad, who commanded 4000 horse, left Gwalior one day when the king was drunk and rode with his troops to Delhi. There he had an interview with Ibrāhīm Shāh of whom he demanded, as the price of his adherence, the government of the Punjab. Ibrāhīm hesitated to confer on a possible rival such an appointment. Ahmad broke off negotiations, withdrew, assembled his troops and prepared to attack Ibrāhīm. On 18 March, 1555, the armies of the two princes met at Farah, eighteen miles north-west of Āgra, and though Ahmad’s troops were outnumbered in the proportion of nearly four to one, he defeated his cousin, who fled to Sambhal, while most of his troops transferred their services to the victor. Ahmad then occupied Delhi, where he was enthroned under the title of Sikandar Shāh, and caused the *khutba* to be recited and struck coins in his own name. His power increased rapidly, and Ibrāhīm, unable to face him in the field, withdrew eastwards. ‘Ādil Shāh attempted to recover the territory which Sikandar had gained from Ibrāhīm but failed, and three kings now reigned in northern India. The authority of ‘Ādil Shāh extended over Āgra and Mālwā and as far east as Jaunpur; that of Sikandar Shāh from Delhi to Rohtās in the Punjab; and that of Ibrāhīm Shāh from the foot of the Himālayas to Gujrāt in the Punjab.