The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c17.48.2

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.