The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c17.48

Language: English

v4.c17.48.1

Shāh Jahān then retreated to Māndū, and was followed by his brother Parvīz, who was in nominal command, while his nephew Dāwar Bakhsh, son of Khusrav, marched towards Ahmadābād, the capital of Gujarāt, which had been committed to his charge. The emperor himself proceeded to Ajmer to be nearer the operations. The hot weather was now advanced and rainy weather made fighting difficult. Shāh Jahān's attempts to use Marāthā horse were ineffective and Mahābat Khān successfully intrigued to detach support from him. In a battle near Kaliya Dih some of the prince's soldiers deserted him, and he withdrew south across the Narbadā. An intercepted letter from the Khān Khānān to Mahābat Khān showed that treachery was everywhere. Though the strong fortress of Asīr yielded to him, his trusted officers in Gujarāt failed him, and ‘Abdullah Khān, who was sent to restore his power in Gujarāt, was defeated near Ahmadābād, and finally had to join Shāh Jahān at Burhānpur with the small amount of money he was able to raise at Surat. The rebel was now reduced to pitiable devices. Malik ‘Ambar, whom he had twice defeated, refused aid as he was himself gathering forces to attack Bījāpur. An envoy sent to Golconda had no greater success. In despair Shāh Jahān decided to approach his father, and sent Khān Khānān to Mahābat Khān after taking from him the most solemn oath of faithfulness.

v4.c17.48.2

A casual skirmish on the banks of the Narbadā led to further defections from the force guarding the crossing, and Khān Khānān when he arrived at the imperial camp, disregarding his solemn pledge, offered his own submission to Parvīz. Flight was inevitable and hotly pursued for some distance in spite of the rainy season Shāh Jahān escaped into the kingdom of Golconda losing adherents on almost every march. From the king he received no more help than was sufficient to enable him to traverse the kingdom under a promise to leave it. The passage of his force, though reduced in numbers, alarmed the people, and the English factors at Masulipatam tried to get away. Better hopes were held of success in Bengal and Shāh Jahān marched into Orissa, which was surrendered by the local authorities without a struggle. Burdwān was taken by siege, but Ibrāhīm Khān (a brother of Nūr Jahān) refused to surrender his fort near Akbarnagar, backed by the help of Portuguese gunners from Hūglī who had rejected overtures from the rebel after the fall of Burdwān as they had little hopes of his success. In a battle outside the fort Ibrāhīm Khān was defeated and killed and the fort was mined and stormed. Emboldened by this success Shāh Jahān advanced up the Ganges valley. Kunwar Bhīm Singh of Mewār, who had been his most faithful ally, entered Patna without opposition and thus secured Bihār.

v4.c17.48.3

When Shāh Jahān arrived the principal landholders, including the chief of the Ujjainiya Rājputs,¹ submitted to him, and the strong fortress of Rohtās was surrendered. One division of the force now occupied Jaunpur and advanced to Mānikpur while ‘Abdullah Khān laid siege to Allahābād which was bravely defended by Mirzā Rustam Beg, a Persian of royal blood. Shāh Jahān entered Benares and crossed the Ganges to Kantit² on the south side. By this time, however, Parvīz and Mahābat Khān, after securing peace in the Deccan by an alliance with Bījāpur, had arrived in the Dūāb. They had difficulty in crossing the river as Shāh Jahān's forces had seized all boats, but were finally helped by the Bais Rājputs.³ The rebels retreated and were defeated in a fiercely contested battle at Damdama¹ (1624) which completely destroyed their hopes, though at one time Shāh Jahān had nearly won the day, when a wounded elephant threw his army into confusion. Bhīm Singh was slain and Shāh Jahān who was himself present would in his despair have fought till killed if his followers had not seized his bridle and turned his horse away. He rode hastily to Rohtās where his wife had just borne a son (Murād Bakhsh) and leaving her there retreated to Bengal.

v4.c17.48.4

Dārāb Khān, son of Khān Khānān, who had been left in command there, now failed him as his father had done, but met the death his treachery had earned, on the arrival of Mahābat Khān, though Khān Khānān himself was forgiven by the emperor and restored to rank and office.