The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c24.46

v3.c24.46

Jalāl Khān, who feared to encounter the whole strength of Humāyūn’s army, avoided it by escaping into the hills to the south of his position, and fled thence to Gaur, where he joined his father, while Humāyūn advanced steadily towards the same place. Sher Khān, alarmed by his approach, collected his treasure and fled into Rādha, and thence into the Chota Nāgpur hills. Humāyūn entered Gaur without opposition, renamed the place Jannatābād, caused the *khutba* to be recited and coin to be struck in his name, and spent three months there in idleness and pleasure while his officers annexed Sonārgāon, Chittagong, and other ports in his name. He foolishly made no attempt to pursue Sher Khān, and lingered aimlessly at Gaur until the climate bred sickness in his army and destroyed many of his horses and camels. In the meantime Sher Khān descended from the Chota Nāgpur hills, captured the fortress of Rohtas, raided Monghyr, and put the Mughul officers there to the sword. At the same time, in 1539, Humāyūn received news of Hindāl Mīrzā’s rebellion at Delhi, and was overwhelmed by the accumulation of evil tidings. After nominating Jahāngīr Qulī Beg to the government of Bengal and placing at his disposal a contingent of 5000 picked horse, he set out with all speed for Āgra, but Sher Khān intercepted his retreat by marching from Rohtas to Chausa, on the Ganges. Here he was able to check Humāyūn’s retreat for three months, and extorted from the emperor, as the price of an undisturbed passage for his troops, the recognition of his sovereignty in Bengal. Having thus lulled Humāyūn into a sense of security, he fell upon his army and defeated and dispersed it.