The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c29.74

v3.c29.74

Long before Narnāla fell the vacillating Murtazā grew weary of the siege, and proposed to evacuate Berar and return to Ahmadnagar. His desire to return was shared, and perhaps prompted, by a new favourite, a boy named Husain, who had been a hawker of fowls in the camp and eventually received the title of Sāhib Khān and rose to a high position in the state, but his pretext was his longing to see his own infant son, Husain, at Ahmadnagar. Chingīz Khān was despairing of success in combating his master's resolve when a stratagem enabled him to bring the protracted siege to a successful conclusion. In April, 1574, a merchant from Lahore arrived in the camp with horses and other merchandise for Tufāl Khān, and was permitted to enter the fortress on agreeing to take with him Khvāja Muhammad Lārī, Murtazā's agent. The agent, who was well supplied with money, did his work so well that many of Tufāl Khān's officers deserted to the besiegers and the garrison lost heart. At the same time the artillery of Ahmadnagar was more vigorously served and a practicable breach encouraged Murtazā to order an assault. Tufāl Khān displayed great valour, but his men had no stomach for the fight, the besiegers entered the fortress, and he was forced to flee. He was pursued and captured, and his son, on learning his fate, surrendered Gāwīl, and the conquest of Berar was complete. Both father and son, with Burhān 'Imād Shāh and his family, were imprisoned in a fortress in the kingdom of Ahmadnagar, where all died shortly afterwards, not without suspicion of violence.